The appearance of the Eos coupe-cabriolet in the Volkswagen lineup was long awaited. Of course, the brand had cars without a roof before, but they all made do with a soft top. The most popular were and remain versions based on the Golf. The first coupe-cabriolet in the brand's history, the Eos, tries to surpass the success of its predecessor. The new model successfully combines practicality, comfort, and a democratic price. True, the timing for conquering the Russian market was not the best — sales started last autumn, so interest in the model woke up slowly, like a bear after a long hibernation.
In the Eos's exterior, it's easy to recognize the brand's signature features: an elongated chrome radiator grille and slanting headlights with powerful bi-xenon lenses. When you fold the roof, the car transforms from a modest simpleton into an elegant gentleman.
The rigid folding CSC roof allows combining all the advantages of a coupe and a cabriolet. The structure consists of five sections that automatically hide in the trunk. The main condition is that nothing extra should be lying there, otherwise the mechanism won't work due to special limiters. As for capacity, the trunk is quite decent: its volume varies from 205 to 380 liters.
To get rid of the roof, you just need to pull the lever located between the front seats. The whole operation takes 25 seconds. We press the gas and watch the process. Already after 120 km/h, talking becomes difficult. All that remains is to listen to the powerful audio system. You can fight the wind in two ways. The first is to install a special partition that reduces turbulence. The second, more radical, is to open the huge sunroof that the unique CSC roof can boast of.
The Eos can take you for a ride both literally and figuratively. The two-liter turbocharged engine with a 6-speed manual accelerates the coupe-cabriolet to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds. The top speed is 232 km/h. The engine instantly revs up to 7000 rpm, so it can put many in their place. At the same time, the car doesn't look like a "sports car" at all, and the power unit's capabilities are not emphasized by an aggressive exhaust roar. As you know, modesty adorns.
The price of the two-liter turbocharged version is $41,341, which, you'll agree, is not cheap. For the minimum configuration, they ask $35,472. For that money, the buyer gets the comfort of a sedan, which is not typical for coupe-cabriolets.
Pricing
The Volkswagen Eos claims to be one of the most affordable cars in the coupe-cabriolet class. The base version with a 1.6 FSI gasoline engine (115 hp) will cost $35,472. True, here you'll have to put up with a manual transmission. The manual is also available with 2.0 FSI (150 hp) and 2.0 TFSI (200 hp) engines, such configurations cost $36,832 and $41,341 respectively. The automatic 6-speed DSG gearbox is offered only with the most powerful units — 2.0 TFSI and V6 (250 hp). In this case, the price ranges from $43,238 to $51,905. The list of additional equipment is quite extensive — from individual interior trim to cruise control.
Driving
The Eos is not designed for aggressive driving, although the engine is quite capable of delivering driving pleasure.
Interior
The interior is not original — it resembles most VW models.
Comfort
Front passengers have enough space, but in the back you'll have to sit more tightly.
Safety
The key safety factor of a cabriolet is the reinforced body.
Price
Among the cabriolets on the market, the "pleasure-quality-price" ratio of the VW Eos is one of the best.
Pros and cons
+ Torquey engine, bright, attractive interior trim.
- Strong turbulence in the cabin, spacious but inconvenient trunk.
Our opinion
Five with a minus.