“Today it seems like
  everybody hankers
  after the letters ‘CC’
  on their bootlid.
  But whose bootlid?
  Will it be that VW’s
  new four-seater Eos
  coupe-cabriolet is
  the most desirable?”

FORGET THE INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. Last year, 2006, was the Year of The Invasion of the Folding Steel Roofs. Anybody looking for a four-seater coupe/cabriolet with a folding metal roof is now deliciously spoilt for choice. There's the Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet, Peugeot 307 CC, Vauxhall Astra TwinTop, the Ford Focus CC and Volvo's C70. And now there's another: the Volkswagen Eos.

In the desirability ratings, the VW's badge makes it top of its class. Entry to the Eos club requires a minimum joining fee of £19,370 to buy you an 113bhp 1.6-litre FSI. The range-topping 247bhp 3.2-litre V6 Sport costs £28,095 and fresh-air addicts can choose from a 148bhp 2.0 FSI, a 197bhp 2.0-litre T-FSI or a 138bhp 2.0 TDI diesel with particulate filter — as tested here — which weighs in at £21,360 on the road. All Eos models, apart from the 3.2 V6, are equipped with
a 6-speed manual gearbox. Standard on the V6, and available as an option on the T-FSI and TDI units, is an automatic DSG 'box.

The Eos has a unique selling proposition that easily trumps its rivals.
Its clever five-part sliding and folding metal roof that VW calls a 'CSC' (Coupe Sunroof Convertible) boasts an integral tilt/slide sunroof that's actually the first stage of the roof operation, so you can power back the metre-wide front glass roof section to adjust your exposure to the weather. There's even a sliding inner sun-blind just in case you're too hot! Fully open at speed, there is some bluster, but the sunroof works well on those days when you don't want to go the full topless route and, in addition, it's pretty handy on long motorway jaunts when you may not want to spend the whole trip completely open to the elements.

The Eos looks even better in the metal than it does in the photo-graphs. Most people who saw it rated it as being much better looking than the competition. About the only problem we foresee is that one
of the penalties of ownership is that you will feel obliged to drop its intriguing folding roof whenever even the faintest glimmer of sunshine appears.

Walk around the Eos and you'll have to admit that it's a handsome devil. The chrome grille reminds you of the latest Passat. The Eos is,
of course, smaller. Wider and longer than a Golf, it's narrower and shorter than a Passat. And lower than either of them.

It's well proportioned and, viewed from the side, there is a pleasing and purposeful rising wedge running to the boot and the Eos' distinctive
tail — itself defined by a very flat bootlid, large Volkswagen roundel and elegant LED light clusters. A good-looker, then, whether the roof
is up or down. Even parked alongside Audi's covetable A4 Cabriolet, it doesn't look out-classed.

Better still, unlike some, the Eos is a genuine four-seater. More importantly, it was designed as a stand alone convertible from the outset. The result of this, and the unseen integrity underlying the stiff body, is apparent the moment you whizz off down the road. Do so you'll find the ride to be supple, the handling composed. And whizz you will, thanks to the splendid FSI and TDI engines already proven in the Golf.

The appealing cabin bears all the hallmarks of a current Volkswagen. We've come to expect quality, logical controls and a well-organised dashboard. There's enough bright-metal finishing to add a dash of sparkle to the very light and airy cabin. Thanks to a Golf-sized wheel-base the Eos is genuinely comfortable for four and there is ample knee-room and headroom for adults in the back although, due to the roof mechanism hardware either side of the rear cabin, six-footers might feel they could do with a tad more shoulder room. Getting in and out of the individual rear seats is easy thanks to wide-opening doors, tilt-and-slide front seats and the shorter windscreen frame — a benefit of the five-section (as opposed to the more common three) folding roof.

Drivers will enjoy a spot-on driving position, thanks to the supportive, well-bolstered seats and a leather-clad steering wheel that adjusts for height and reach. Convenience features include one-shot up/down electric windows and a single window switch that raises/lowers all four windows together. However, as with all CCs, boot space shrinks in top-down cabriolet mode from 380 to 205 litres. But then, that's par for
the course. Most CC owners would prefer the space to be in the cabin where it can enhance rear seat comfort than in the boot which, roof up, is surprisingly practical. A lockable hatch integrated into rear seats is a welcome bonus and allows the transport of skis or other long or bulky items.

Lowering or raising the roof calls for nothing more energetic than some gentle finger pressure on the tactile chrome lever that is integrated into the sliding centre armrest behind the leather-trimmed handbrake. We could wax lyrical about the graceful manner in which the 470 components of the five-section roof strut their stuff in perfect harmony, but it's sufficient to say that the first time you see it you'll catch yourself and your passengers having an 'Oooh' moment. The other nice thing about it is that all the roof mechanicals are well hidden from view for a tailored look to the cabin in both open and closed modes. The whole roof, incidentally, takes 25 quiet seconds to fold away.

One of the roof's 470 parts is a wind deflector located above the windscreen that minimises wind and buffeting when the roof is down. Travelling totally al fresco is made even more enjoyable (and bluster-free) with the optional wind deflector in place behind the front seats. It's mildly irksome that it's a £230 extra but nonetheless still a vital tick on the options list. Our test car came with the £1,255 'Vienna' leather upholstery, another must-have as it really does make the cabin special and you get excellent five-stage heated front seats thrown in. Also on the 'goodies' list is the neatly-integrated DVD SatNav/audio system with a 6.5-inch colour screen and voice control that includes a 6-disc CD autochanger and a highline multi-function computer for a not excessive £1,450.

Whatever roof configuration you opt for, the Eos is surprisingly refined. There's minimal wind and tyre noise — even running the 17-inch alloys shod with 235/45 Continental Sport Contact rubber fitted to our
test car. And the trade-off, compared with a fixed-roof coupe, is so negligible it's barely worth mentioning. Roof down cruising on motor-ways is restful and addictive everywhere else. You have been warned. For the record, seventy miles per hour calls for an untroubled 2,000rpm in 6th gear. And watch your licence — three-figure speeds are deceptively easy!

The Eos has impeccable road manners. As you would expect, being broadly Golf based, it rarely gets flustered. As well as being longer than a Golf the Eos sits on a wider Passat-sized track. The new running gear developed specifically for the Eos has at its core the Golf's strut-system front suspension with the Passat's four-link rear arrangement. Consequently it is front engined with front-wheel drive. It's an effective combination that works very well and, while the ride's a bit stiffer than either donor, the Eos feels predictable and agile. Press on and you'll be kept in order by safe understeer.

Really let your hair down on a favourite back road and you'll find impressive grip, capable handling dynamics and a planted tail working in your favour. Body movements are well checked by the suspension, which serves up an absorbent ride that copes effectively with mid-corner bumps and high-speed undulations. The Eos has no pretensions to being a gung-ho sports car but, that said, it's great to drive.
And, as it happens, decidedly better than many. The speed-sensitive electro-mechanical power steering system is similar to that found in the Golf and in the Eos it's precise, nicely-weighted and provides dependable turn-in. Brakes are discs all round with ventilated fronts and provide unflappable stopping power on demand, as well as smooth modulation in traffic.

When it comes to performance, it pays to remember that the Eos is carrying a hefty handicap — that fancy glass and metal roof. Despite that, the responsive 138bhp 2.0-litre TDI turbodiesel with VW's 'Pumpe Düse high pressure injectors offers effortless grunt and crisp responses — as it should with a hefty 236lb ft of torque on call from 1,800 to 2,500rpm. Zero to 62mph comes up in a lively 10.4 seconds and top speed is 126mph. And it's frugal, too, returning a very impressive 47.1mpg overall. Official figures for town and touring driving are 35.3 and an outstanding 56.5mpg respectively. We consistently saw 51+mpg on long runs and 32.3mpg around town.

If you want the fastest Eos and are happy to fork out for the V6,
you can go up to 154mph and accelerate from zero to 62mph in 7.3 seconds. It doesn't hang about.

Progress is made even easier by the particularly slick short-throw gear change action of the six-speed manual gearbox and shifting with this is a real pleasure whether you're cruising or bruising.

Standard equipment levels are good with safety very well addressed.
In addition to ABS with Hydraulic Brake Assist you get an Electronic Stabilisation Programme that includes an Electronic Differential Lock and Traction Control. As you would expect, there is also an active roll-over protection system and active front head restraints, along with twin front and combined curtain and side impact airbags for front and rear passengers. And how could you forget the beautifully engineered and highly watchable folding roof system?

Interior kit includes semi-automatic air conditioning and heat insulating green tinted glass, front and rear electric windows, powered and heated door mirrors, front sports seats with height and lumbar adjustment, cooled, lockable and illuminated glovebox, power steering, CD player, rear parking sensors, LED tail-lights and alloy wheels. We deemed it a satisfying amount of kit for the money.

People buy coupe-convertibles first and foremost to enjoy the press-of-a-finger option of travelling al-fresco. The large slide 'n' tilt full-width sunroof of the Eos offers an advantage and a flexibility that none of its rivals can match. Yes, it's human nature to want to be seen to be looking good. And here again the Eos scores: stylish and svelte, but subtle enough to not quite stand out from the crowd. The superbly engineered roof provides a cabin refinement that shows up some of its more expensive rivals. And finally, it delivers a nicely-rounded package of on-road talents.

For many, all of that combined with the VW badge will be enough to make it one of the most desirable CCs. And if you have forgotten your Greek mythology, the name Eos comes from Greek Goddess of the Dawn.

Volkswagen Eos 2.0 TDI | £21,360 Maximum speed: 126mph | 0-62mph: 10.4 seconds Overall test MPG: 44.8mpg | Power: 138bhp | Torque: 236lb ft