Volkswagen Beetle years to avoid
Every Volkswagen Beetle model year on file (2012-2019), ranked worst to best by severity index - the share of owner complaints that report a crash, fire, injury or fatality.
2014
Worst year on file
75.9
Severity index
Air Bags
Most-reported system
2015
Cleanest year on file
Ranked worst to best
| # | Model year | Severity | Complaints | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014 Volkswagen Beetle | 75.9 Medium | 54 | Air Bags |
| 2 | 2012 Volkswagen Beetle | 61.2 Medium | 65 | Visibility |
| 3 | 2019 Volkswagen Beetle | 57.0 Medium | 14 | Electrical System |
| 4 | 2017 Volkswagen Beetle | 53.0 Medium | 15 | Air Bags |
| 5 | 2018 Volkswagen Beetle | 52.6 Medium | 16 | Air Bags |
| 6 | 2013 Volkswagen Beetle | 44.9 Low | 98 | Air Bags |
| 7 | 2016 Volkswagen Beetle | 43.6 Low | 58 | Air Bags |
| 8 | 2015 Volkswagen Beetle | 38.7 Low | 99 | Air Bags |
A high rank here means a larger share of this year's complaints described a crash, fire or injury - not that the vehicle is unsafe to drive, and not a reliability or repair-cost rating. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold.
Volkswagen Beetle complaints and recalls by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crashes | Fires | Severity | Most-reported system |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 65 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 61.2 Medium | VISIBILITY |
| 2013 | 98 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 44.9 Low | AIR BAGS |
| 2014 | 54 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 75.9 Medium | AIR BAGS |
| 2015 | 99 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 38.7 Low | AIR BAGS |
| 2016 | 58 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 43.6 Low | AIR BAGS |
| 2017 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 53.0 Medium | AIR BAGS |
| 2018 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 52.6 Medium | AIR BAGS |
| 2019 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 57.0 Medium | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM |
Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs. Complaint counts are not normalised by units sold; a high-volume seller will attract more filings than a rare trim.