2017 Volkswagen Beetle Dune Review - A Bug, Not a Buggy

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey
Fast Facts

2017 Volkswagen Beetle Dune

1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (170 horsepower @ 4,800 rpm; 184 lb-ft @ 1,500 rpm)
Six-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
24 city / 31 highway / 27 combined (EPA Rating, MPG)
Observed: 29.7 mpg combined
9.6 city, 7.5 highway, 8.6 combined. (NRCan Rating, L/100km)
Base Price
$24,815 (U.S) / $30,635 (Canada)
As Tested
$25,065 (U.S.) / $30,635 (Canada)
Prices include $820 destination charge in the United States and $1,745 for freight, PDI, and A/C tax in Canada. Because of cross-border equipment differences, the two can't be directly compared.

It’s clear what Volkswagen is trying to do with the Dune trim level of its Beetle two-door.

The company claims the Dune is inspired by classic Beetles that were modified into “dune buggies.” Which is fine, but all it really is is a current Beetle with a raised suspension, black exterior cladding, rear spoiler, bumpers unique to its trim, unique air intakes, 18-inch wheels, LED taillights, special interior stitching, and cloth/leatherette seats.

Other than that, little sets it apart from its Beetle brethren. It’s powered by the same 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder found in most Beetles (the R-Line has a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder) and mates to a six-speed automatic transmission.

A small, relatively lightweight (it’s still a tick over 3,000 pounds) compact coupe like the Beetle should be fun to drive, even if it’s raised, like the Dune is. But “should be” and “is” are two different things.

With 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, acceleration is solid, though you won’t be blowing anyone’s doors off. The six-speed auto is compliant and serves without complaint.

Handling is this car’s biggest letdown. The body is a bit tippy in corners, and the steering is too light and too distant. No one expects the Beetle to be a sports car, but I was hoping for better. Sure, the R-Line trim might be the answer to my complaints, but even with a raised suspension the Dune should be more engaging in corners than it is.

On the flip side, one might expect a compact two-door coupe with a slightly raised suspension to have a less-than-pleasant ride, but that’s not the case. I drove the car from Chicago to Kalamazoo and back for the Dodge Demon event, and despite a tad bit of stiffness, it was pleasant on the highway.

At least from a ride perspective, that is. Generic road noise leaked in at highway speeds. You’ll need to turn the radio up a bit.

From a comfort standpoint, the Beetle’s shape means it’s roomy up front but not so much in back – the rear seats are basically a parcel shelf. Sure, they’ll hold toddlers in car seats, but adults will be none too pleased to be back there, especially if they’re on the tall side. When it came to shoot photos of the interior, I could not climb in or out without scraping my legs.

Another nitpick – the infotainment screen is small. Easy to use, but small. At least Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available, and CarPlay’s visuals are bigger and easier to read than VW’s. The infotainment system does have proper knobs, at least.

Not surprisingly, interior storage space is limited. That’s probably not an issue for most owners most of the time, but it was a hassle on a short road trip in which I needed a place to put receipts and find a home for snacks and such.

From a styling standpoint, I like the overall shape of the current Beetle – I’ve found it pays homage to the original well enough without being as overtly cloying and cutesy as the New Beetle. In Dune flavor it’s got just a little bit of aggression thrown in. Enough aggression that it drew the eyes of more than a few folks – someone gave me a thumbs-up on I-94 in southwest Michigan, and when I stopped for water and snacks after the Demon event, a middle-aged man driving a work truck wandered over and peppered me with questions about the car before indicating he’d love to buy one.

I was a bit taken aback by these interactions. The Beetle has been on the market long enough that it shouldn’t generate stares. Nor is it a particularly rare vehicle. Sure, the Dune trim stands out, but I was still expecting to move about the world more invisibly while driving it.

Lack of storage space aside, the interior is attractive, and the Dune-specific trim works. The yellow is probably a bit too loud for some eyeballs, but I didn’t mind it.

The Dune may look the part, but it’s not meant to ever truly go off-road. So it’s essentially a styling exercise that’s meant to appeal to a specific subset of Beetle fans. Based on the reactions I saw, I’d say it does that.

That’s also what it does best. It’s not quite as fun to drive as it promises to be, and while it’s a fine commuter or road-tripper for one or two people, it’s not going to haul rear-seat passengers who are past kindergarten age, nor it will be haul much luggage. At least I saw 29.7 mpg combined while driving it.

It’s also not expensive (my tester was $25K out the door), but that price could fetch you a basic Golf/base GTI or a Civic Si – sportier, more practical cars that don’t punish at the pump.

If you like the classic Beetle shape, or you miss the dune buggy days of the ‘70s, that’s one thing. But take away the Beetle’s uniqueness, and you’re best served shopping elsewhere.

[Images © 2017 Tim Healey/The Truth About Cars]

Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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  • Higheriq Higheriq on Oct 24, 2017

    I thought the comment about this car having only an automatic was a misprint. And VW wants buyers to take them seriously?

  • TrailerTrash TrailerTrash on Oct 25, 2017

    AWD and a tish more Porsche like back. Got pretty close this last design, but just a bit more to give it more of a hatch look and maybe give it a bit more cargo while doing so.

  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
  • JTiberius1701 Middle of April here in NE Ohio. And that can still be shaky. Also on my Fiesta ST, I use Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires for the winter and Bridgestone Potenza for my summer tires. No issues at all.
  • TCowner We've had a 64.5 Mustang in the family for the past 40 years. It is all original, Rangoon Red coupe with 289 (one of the first instead of the 260), Rally Pac, 4-speed, factory air, every option. Always gets smiles and thumbs ups.
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