2007
Volkswagen Eos 2.0T
A
Greek Goddess of Dawn?
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SPECS
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Special features at no charge on our 2007 Eos test car included power retracting hardtop fully automatic roof, panoramic sunroof (power and glass); 16-inch alloy wheels, windblocker and in-dash single CD player with MP3 readable format. There was only one option on our 2.0T Eos, the 6-speed automatic transmission ($1,075). Our test car came in Candy White with a handsome Cornsilk Beige Leatherette interior.
We received a lot of admiring glances and thumbs-up when driving the EOS. Many asked "what" it was, not aware of VW's newest sibling. The roof-lowering maneuver is of course, the best part! Seating for four is possible, although the rear seat doesn't offer a lot of legroom. Headroom measures 37.5 inches and shoulder room 54.7 inches.
The Eos is no lightweight and weighs in at about 3,505 pounds. A unitized construction with bolt-on fenders, Eos provides a smooth, comfortable ride. A McPherson arrangement with wishbones and coil springs up front and four-link independent rear suspension make for an even ride. Convertibles can often be less than comfortable when maneuvering city streets, especially for rear seat passengers. VW has done a good job of making the ride acceptable.
The 17-inch tires and wheels help with the ride, as well. VW is recommending premium unleaded fuel for maximum performance, although we'd be inclined to go with regular unleaded in the 2.0T.
Our test Eos was the 2.0T version, but one can also opt for the 3.2 L. The 2.0T 4-cylinder is more than adequate for most driving, but we suspect the 3.2 L narrow-angle V6 would be lots more fun. Prices climb when moving into the 3.2 L ($36,850 vs. $27,990 for the 2.0T). The 3.2 L V6 comes standard with VW's double-clutch DSG six-speed transmission with Tiptronic. Those opting for the 2.0T can also put forth some extra cash and team it up with the DSG six-speed.
An industry first, the panoramic, tinted glass power sunroof is high-tech. Integrated into the folding roof, the tilt-and-slide sunroof is equipped with automatic pinch-protection and is "sandwiched" in between roof panels and the hard top lowers.
The switch to open/close the top is located in the center console and is operated by eight hydraulic cylinders with mechanical linkages. It takes but 25 seconds to drop the top so if the weather should turn inclement, you can take yourself and passengers out of harms way.
As with other similar hardtop convertibles, the roof folds into the rear decklid and the roof panels and glass sunroof split apart and stack on top of each other. The sail panels and rear glass are raised to meet the other roof panels and all is lowered into the rear of the car. This of course, doesn't leave a whole lot of luggage space! About 6.6 cubic feet of storage remains when the top is down and grows to 10.5 cu. ft. when up. The car must be on and at almost a stand still for the top to safely go down or up.
A car for all seasons, Eos is just the right size making it easy to maneuver. However, all coupes become second choice when one is opening and closing those large coupe doors all day long. Although four-door convertible are rare, once you've become accustomed to four doors, it takes some readjusting to deal with the heavy coupe doors.
The 3.2 L V6 version offers the Adaptive Front Lighting System which features Bi-xenon headlights with horizontally swiveling low beams when driving at highway speed. With a maximum rotational angle of 15 degrees, these beams light up corners as the vehicle steering wheel turns, or the turn signals are operated. If you want to really live it up, you can opt for the available "Coming Home" feature on the lights that lights the way after arriving home!
Eos' shape makes g visibility somewhat of a challenge for drivers. The curving arced roof, combined with the height of the head restraints makes it hard to keep surrounding cars in view.
All new on the inside, Eos has the standard VW center console and is available in dark colors. One can opt for either the brushed aluminum, walnut wood or metallic-look synthetic trim, depending on your taste. The driver's seat is 12-way power, the passenger 8-way manual; the steering wheel is leather wrapped, as are the shift knob and brake handle lending a sporty feel to the car.
There is an impressive options list if you so choose, but there is plenty of standard equipment on the Eos, including such features as front airbag supplemental restraint system, combined curtain and side air bag system for front seats, foglights, LED lights, tire pressure monitoring system, Electronic Stabilization Program, Anti-/Slip Regulation, Electronic Differential Lock and ABS. Seats are leather and heated and floors mats are included for front and rear; remote keyless locking with power central locking system, power easy entry front seats, windblocker and in-dash single CD player with MP3 format.
For the serious audiophile VW offers a premium six-disc in-dash CD changer and eight-speaker system with satellite radio. A DVD navigation system is also available on both models