AutoSpecData

Volkswagen Beetle Vehicle Class & Size

The EPA classifies the 2019 Volkswagen Beetle as a Subcompact Cars / Compact Cars, a rating based on body style and interior volume.

Latest model year (2019):

The Volkswagen Beetle is classified by the EPA as a Subcompact Cars / Compact Cars.

Verifiedfueleconomy.gov · Verified August 11, 2026
OverviewMPGEngine SpecsFuel CostTransmissionDrivetrainVehicle ClassMaintenanceDimensionsCurb WeightSafety

Volkswagen Beetle Vehicle Class — All Years

YearTrimVehicle ClassDriveFuel TypeMPG Comb.
2019Config 1 of 2Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline29
2019Config 2 of 2Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline29
2018Config 1 of 4Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline29
2018Config 2 of 4Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline29
2018Config 3 of 4Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline29
2018Config 4 of 4Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline29
2017Config 1 of 5Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline26
2017Config 2 of 5Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline28
2017Config 3 of 5Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline27
2017Config 4 of 5Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline28
2017Config 5 of 5Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline27
2016Config 1 of 9Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline26
2016Config 2 of 9Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline26
2016Config 3 of 9Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline28
2016Config 4 of 9Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline27
2016Config 5 of 9Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline27
2016Config 6 of 9Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline28
2016Config 7 of 9Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline28
2016Config 8 of 9Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline26
2016Config 9 of 9Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline26
2015Config 1 of 11Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveDiesel34
2015Config 2 of 11Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DrivePremium Gasoline25
2015Config 3 of 11Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DrivePremium Gasoline26
2015Config 4 of 11Auto (AM-S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveDiesel33
2015Config 5 of 11Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline27
2015Config 6 of 11Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 1.8 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline27
2015Config 7 of 11Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 1.8 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveRegular Gasoline27
2015Config 8 of 11Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DrivePremium Gasoline26
2015Config 9 of 11Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 LSubcompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveDiesel33
2015Config 10 of 11Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DriveDiesel34
2015Config 11 of 11Man 6-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 LCompact CarsFront-Wheel DrivePremium Gasoline26

Data sourced from fueleconomy.gov (U.S. Department of Energy). MPG figures are EPA-tested. Fuel costs are estimates based on average fuel prices and 15,000 miles/year.

Volkswagen Beetle data analysis

How to read this Volkswagen Beetle data

This page lists every 2015 through 2019 Volkswagen Beetle record we hold for this measurement — 31 rows in total, one per configuration and model year rather than a single headline figure. Figures are published as the source agency records them: we do not round, average or interpolate missing years, and a year that is absent from the table is a year with no published measurement rather than a zero. Where a manufacturer offered several drivetrains or body styles in the same year, each appears on its own row, because those variants rarely share the same numbers.

Where these Volkswagen Beetle figures come from

Every value on this page is loaded from federal open data — EPA fuel economy submissions, NHTSA vehicle and crash-test records, and manufacturer specification filings — rather than dealer listings or copied editorial content. The Volkswagen Beetle record refreshes as the agencies publish, which typically means new model-year rows appear in the autumn and crash-test results follow through the model year as vehicles are tested. Because certification data is filed per configuration, treat any single headline number for this vehicle with caution: the figure that applies to a specific car depends on its engine, drivetrain, body style and model year, all of which are listed separately above. If a number here disagrees with a brochure, the brochure is usually quoting the best available configuration rather than the one being sold.

Frequently Asked Questions About Beetle Vehicle Class

What class of vehicle is the Volkswagen Beetle?

The EPA classifies the Volkswagen Beetle as a Subcompact Cars / Compact Cars. This classification is based on interior volume and body style and affects how its fuel economy is compared with other vehicles.

Is the Volkswagen Beetle considered a small or large vehicle?

Based on its EPA class (Subcompact Cars, Compact Cars), the Volkswagen Beetle is grouped with vehicles of similar size and interior volume. The class can change between model years when the body is redesigned.

View full Volkswagen Beetle specs

Vehicle Class for other Volkswagen models

Compare across every brand

All Volkswagen Beetle specifications

More Volkswagen models

View all Volkswagen models →

Browse other makes

Free tools people use next

No account needed
Decode any VINEngine, drivetrain & towing from a VINCompare car sizesOverlay two vehicles to scaleMaintenance scheduleService intervals + PDF exportBest MPG, rankedTop EPA combined MPG by class