Ragtop. Drop top. Cabriolet. It doesn’t matter how you put it, convertibles offer one of the most unique driving experiences of any other vehicle - second probably only to a motorcycle. Despite offering the pleasure of top-down driving, though, convertibles are historically known for being clunky, noisy and ill handling.
Volkswagen helped lead the way in the convertible revolution by introducing the Eos in 2007. The Eos, named after the Greek goddess of dawn, comes with a sporty design, luxurious interior and an affordable price in addition to the curve-hugging handling for which VW is known. Once available only on high-end convertibles, the Eos started the trend of utilizing a retractable hardtop system to help make the top disappear.
From its large chrome grille to the stylish LED taillights, the 2007 Volkswagen Eos is truly an eye-catching car. With the top up, the Eos’ coupe profile is well proportioned and devoid of the freakishly long, flat decklid that most convertibles are cursed with. The Eos we tested was a 2007 model and came in a bright Paprika Red paint with 10-spoke aluminum wheels.
The most notable feature of the Eos is the convertible hard top. Weather permitting, the top disappears in a captivating ballet of glass and steel transforming the Eos from coupe to convertible (and vice versa) in about 25 seconds. In order to prevent damage to the decklid, the convertible top will not activate if the integrated rear bumper sensors for the Park Distance Control system detect inadequate clearance (less than 20 inches) between the rear bumper and an object. For added safety, the convertible top and side windows offer pinch protection to prevent injuries in case a passenger has his or her hands in the wrong place.
In keeping with the rest of VW’s lineup, the Eos is a peppy, fun-to-drive car; the fact that it’s a convertible is just icing on the cake. Providing power in the Eos is the same drivetrain found in the Jetta GLI and Rabbit GTI - the 200-horsepower, turbocharged DOHC four cylinder. Feeding power to the front wheels is the smooth and quick-shifting Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG®) six-speed automatic with Tiptronic® manual shift mode. Proving its power and efficiency, this powertrain combination launches the Eos from 0-60 mph in just over seven seconds, while getting an EPA estimated 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway.
Inside, top-up driving provides either a quiet, coupe-like environment with the windows up or an open, airy experience due to the pillar-less side windows and Eos’ unique large sunroof. The interior layout is similar to the R32 we recently tested, but focuses on comfort and top-down enjoyment rather than the performance-oriented interior of the Rabbit-based hot hatch. The optional luxury package augments the comfortable and inviting interior by adding plush Cornsilk Beige leather seats (with 12-way power front seats with power adjustable lumber support), leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers and wood trim and brushed aluminum accents throughout the cabin. Other interior enhancements include an easy-to-use DVD navigation system and 10-speaker, 600-watt Dynaudio® premium sound system with satellite radio and a six-disc CD changer mounted under the center console armrest.
Sharing the same platform with the VW Rabbit and Audi TT, the Eos has a slight disadvantage in size compared to its main competitors: the Pontiac G6 and Chrysler Sebring convertibles. Despite giving up over 16 inches in overall length to each vehicle, interior space doesn’t suffer as much as would be expected considering its size. With two occupants and the top down, the Eos offers stellar comfort and luxury as well as a surprisingly quiet environment thanks to the standard windscreen in place over the back seats and the ingenious pop-up wind deflector over the windshield. As far as the back seat goes, few convertibles are known for their spacious rear seats, but VW maximized what little space there was to work with offering rear-seat accommodations spacious enough for anyone under six-feet tall.
While fitting four adult passengers in the Eos isn’t a hard task, carrying their luggage for anything more than just a day at the beach could prove to be a little trickier. The unique design and operation of the convertible top severely limits the available trunk space. At 10.5 cubic feet, the Eos has the smallest trunk space with the top up when compared to the G6 (12.6 cu. ft.) and Sebring (13.1 cu. ft.), but once the top is down, the Eos is on a more level playing field with 6.6 cu. ft. (the Sebring and G6 offer 6.6 cu. ft. and 2.2 cu. ft., respectively).
Continuing Volkswagen’s focus on safety, the Eos received top scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in both frontal- and side-impact protection. VW seemed to solve the challenges of providing extensive safety in a roofless vehicle with two key devices. First, providing side-impact head protection in a convertible obviously poses a problem since a roof-mounted side curtain airbag is out of the question, so VW equipped the Eos with seat-mounted side airbags that are tall enough to provide both torso and head protection. Secondly, in rollover collisions rear occupants of convertibles generally have little to no protection from severe injuries, so if a collision or imminent rollover is detected, two roll bars quickly popup from behind the rear headrests to help reduce the chance of serious or fatal injuries in the event that the Eos rolls over.
Helping the driver safely maintain vehicle control, the Eos comes with a multitude of standard safety systems, such as Anti-Slip Regulation, Electronic Differential Lock and Electronic Stabilization Program, to maximize traction. Four-wheel vented disc brakes with Anti-Lock Brakes and Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution help halt the 3,569-pound Eos. It seems that the only safety feature that doesn’t come standard on this sub-$30.000 convertible is a tube of sunscreen for its passengers.
The base MSRP for a 2008 model is $28,990 – right about in the middle of the Sebring and G6 convertible models. The 2007 VW Eos 2.0T we tested added the luxury package ($3,490), DVD navigation ($1,800), six-speed automatic DSG® transmission ($1,075), Dynaudio® sound system ($1,000) and park distance control ($350) for an as-tested price of $38,465.
2007 Volkswagen Eos Pictures and Wallpapers
Click to watch a video of the Eos' top in operation - side view (1:01)
Click to watch a video of the Eos' top in operation - rear 3/4 view (0:56)
Review written by: Jeffrey N. Ross
All photos and videos copyright Jeffrey N. Ross/Autotropolis.com © 2008