Volkswagen’s Cabrio was the North American nameplate applied to the brand’s open-top compact convertible after the earlier Cabriolet ended its first run. The nameplate was reintroduced for model year 1995, carrying forward the same basic idea of an affordable, everyday convertible while shifting to the newer Golf III-era underpinnings used for the 1993–2002 Cabriolet family. Volkswagen of America and U.S. safety records identify the Cabrio as the replacement for the VW Cabriolet in MY1995, with production ending after MY2002.
In period context, the Cabrio sits in the long VW convertible tradition that began with the original Golf Cabriolet in 1979. The 1993–2002 generation brought a more modern appearance and interior than the long-lived earlier car, while still retaining the practical, upright, enthusiast-friendly character that made Volkswagen’s open-top compacts so popular. It was assembled in Osnabrück by Karmann, continuing a long partnership between Volkswagen and the coachbuilder most closely associated with the company’s cabriolet history.
During its run, the Cabrio received regular updates and a series of special editions, helping it stay visible in a market segment that was increasingly niche. Volkswagen also expanded the range with diesel power for the first time in 1995, a notable step for this model line. By the end of production, the Cabrio had become one of Volkswagen’s recognizable “fun in the sun” offerings in the U.S., bridging the gap between the classic air of the earlier Cabriolet and the later return of Volkswagen convertibles in other nameplates.