2005 Volkswagen Beetle Cabrio A5 1.6L 5MT RWD (102 HP)

Vehicle Overview

While Volkswagen used to refresh its models four years after their launches, it took almost eight to introduce the facelifted version of the 1997 New Beetle in both shapes, the coupe and the cabriolet.

The German automaker didn’t feel the need to dramatically improve the New Beetle since it was a milking cow for the brand. The car was built on an older platform carried over from the Golf IV, and its manufacturing costs were not sky-high since it was produced in Pueblo, Mexico, where the labor salaries were significantly lower than in Germany. Furthermore, by sharing the drivetrains with other mass-produced vehicles sold under a few brands owned by VW, those weren’t very expensive either. However, eight years into production, sales of the New Beetle slowed down and dropped under the 100,000 units mark for both body versions, the coupe and the convertible. As a result, at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, Volkswagen released the facelift for the entire lineup.

Some of the most significant upgrades to the 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle were at the front. There, the automaker added new clear-lenses headlights. These were fitted as standard with halogen bulbs, while in some markets, there was also an option for Xenon lamps. Underneath them, the automaker added a redesigned bumper fitted with a center broad air intake flanked by a pair of scoops that housed the available round fog lamps. Previously, the automaker put a single broad opening in the apron, crossed by a horizontal slat.

From its profile, the car boasted slightly redesigned front fenders. These were made from plastic composite materials to save weight, and their edge towards the main bodywork looked sharper. A set of side sills that resembled those used on the 2001 New Beetle RSi visually connected the front and the rear fenders. Opening and closing the canopy was easy since it was electro-hydraulically operated across the range, except for the base, 1.4-liter engine. However, customers had to latch and unlatch the rag top manually. When open, the fabric roof was stored behind the cabin and wrapped in a vinyl cover. Luckily, there was no B-post or safety arch to interrupt the car’s sleek profile. However, the automaker installed a set of deployable safety arches behind the rear seats that popped out in the event of a rollover crash.

Inside, customers found a pair of comfortable seats at the front. These could tumble forward to ease ingress and egress to the rear seats and look identical to those from the non-facelifted version. However, the three-spoke steering wheel was new and sported aluminum trims on it. In the back, the bench seat was available with a through-loading system that allowed customers to transport longer items, such as skis and surfboards.

The 2006 Volkswagen New Beetle Cabriolet didn’t share the same engines as the rest of the range. Unlike its coupe sibling, it could be ordered exclusively with inline-four ones. The VR6 was out of the question. To send the power to the front wheels, the automaker employed a four-speed automatic gearbox or a five-speed manual transmission. The car came equipped with a multitude of safety systems for its era, including the ESP that was standard on all models.