Most of the upgrades made to the Volkswagen Beetle for 1959 involved improvements in the suspension and frame. The frame was reinforced to make it stronger and an anti-sway bar was added. Upgrades were also made to the suspension control arm bushings and clutch springs.

Other than that, the Volkswagen Beetle remained essentially the same as it had been in previous years, which was part of its appeal to drivers of the era. The VW Beetle was a car you could depend on, maintain easily, and drive economically. It was good, solid, reliable transportation, and a good seller for Volkswagen of American, so why would you want to mess with a good thing?

The front and rear windows had been enlarged the previous year so drivers had better views out the car, and the new instrument panel introduced the year before also remained. As in previous years, the '58 Beetle came with a four-cylinder, four-stroke air-cooled engine that generated 36 horsepower. It was mounted in the rear, so that its weight provided traction to the rear wheels. A four-speed transmission, independent front suspension and telescopic shock absorbers were also part of the Beetle package.