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The Volkswagen Eos is a two-door, four-seat, retractable hardtop convertible. Press a button and the hard roof rises up, the trunk lid opens, the rear window folds, then the pieces neatly stack themselves into the trunk before the lid closes, hiding everything and giving the Eos the clean look of a convertible. Press the button again and the glass-paneled roof rises, unfolds, and firmly latches in place. Eos is now a sanctuary, tight and quiet as a coupe. Previously the domain of more expensive cars, the Volkswagen Eos delivers a high-tech folding metal roof at an affordable price.Even with the top down, the Eos feels tighter than most convertibles of the past, with less cowl shake on rough roads. When it is raised, the hardtop, with its sweeping, panoramic glass roof, gives the Eos a unique appearance. And it's entertaining to watch it go up or down, a feat that can be performed by remote control. Though it's a small car, the Eos seats four, and getting into the back seat is relatively easy. The interior is trimmed nicely, an area where Volkswagen excels. We were more than happy with the feature content of the Eos, which includes a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a six-speed manual transmission or DSG Tiptronic six-speed automatic, lots of safety features, climate-controlled air conditioning and a decent stereo. The turbo engine delivers brisk acceleration performance and is a smooth companion around town. For 2009, there are two trim levels available, and all models are powered by the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine. (The previous base model and the V6 engine have been discontinued.) The Eos represents a good compromise between a sports car and a sedan. It's sporty and practical, and yet offers opportunities for top-down worship of the sun, the moon and the stars.
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