2018 head-to-head · Subcompact Car

2018 Fiat 500 vs Volkswagen Beetle

MPG, range and what each one really costs you to fuel, from official EPA ratings and recalculated with your own gas and electricity prices.

Swap sides
✓ Cheaper to run
$1,975/ year to fuel
30 MPG
✓ Cheaper to run
$1,603/ year to fuel
29 MPG

The 2018 Volkswagen Beetle is the cheaper one to run. Driving 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and $3.10/gal regular gas, it costs about $1,603 a year to fuel (29 MPG), versus $1,975 for the 2018 Fiat 500 (30 MPG). That's roughly $372 a year, or about $1,858 over five years.

Your numbers

Change these to match your driving and local prices. Every figure and chart on this page updates.

Fuel cost over 10 years

  • Fiat 500
  • Volkswagen Beetle

Side by side

Fiat 500Volkswagen Beetle
$1,975 Your annual fuel cost $1,603
30 MPG Combined efficiency 29 MPG
28 MPG City 26 MPG
33 MPG Highway 34 MPG
76 cu ft Passenger volume 81 cu ft
7 cu ft Cargo volume 7 cu ft
292 g/mi Tailpipe CO₂ (g/mi) 305 g/mi
7/10 EPA fuel economy score 6/10
7/10 EPA greenhouse gas score 6/10
Gas Powertrain Gas
Premium gasoline Fuel Regular gasoline
1.4L 4-cyl turbo Engine / motor 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
5-speed manual Transmission 6-speed automatic
FWD Drivetrain FWD

✓ marks the better value. EPA scores run 1–10 (10 is best). Volumes come from the EPA interior volume index and aren't published for every body style.

Fiat 500 vs Volkswagen Beetle across model years

  • Fiat 500
  • Volkswagen Beetle

Annual fuel cost of the most efficient configuration of each model year, at your prices. Click a point to open that year.

How they differ

Per EPA interior volume figures, the Volkswagen Beetle has more passenger space (81 vs. 76 cu ft).

Among 44 2018 subcompact cars, the Fiat 500 ranks 11th and the Volkswagen Beetle 6th for lowest fuel cost.

Frequently asked questions

Which is more fuel-efficient, the 2018 Fiat 500 or the 2018 Volkswagen Beetle?

Measured by cost to drive, the Volkswagen Beetle. The Fiat 500 is rated 30 MPG combined and the Volkswagen Beetle 29 MPG (EPA, most efficient configuration of each).

How much does it cost to fuel the 2018 Fiat 500 vs. the Volkswagen Beetle per year?

At 15,000 miles a year with $3.95/gal premium gas and $3.10/gal regular gas, about $1,975 for the Fiat 500 and $1,603 for the Volkswagen Beetle.

Fiat 500 vs Volkswagen Beetle in other years

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