American shoppers will have the greatest spring surprise this year as Volkswagen's new for 2007 Eos convertible hit showrooms.
The four-seat Eos is the lowest priced convertible from the producer of , Volkswagen. It is the first German brand convertible with a hardtop rather than a fabric roof. Also integrated in the Eos' hardtop is a fully functional sunroof that enables Eos driver to see and feel the sun through the sunroof glass on a not-so-warm spring day.
The Eos comes standard with lots of safety equipment that includes electronic stability control, and rollover bars which are very useful in crash accidents when the car overturn with its top down. There are also side air bags that activate to provide protection for both head and thorax during side crashes.
The starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, inclusive of destination charge, is $28,750 for a base, 2007 Eos with manual transmission and 200-horsepower, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine.
The other competitors of Eos including the 2007 Volvo C70 hardtop convertible is priced more expensively at $39,785 for a base model with 218 horsepower, turbocharged, five-cylinder engine and manual transmission. Its other competitor the 2007 Pontiac G6 hardtop convertible has a price of $29,330 with 224 horsepower V6 and automatic transmission.
The roof of the Eos has a steel structure that has five panels, including the glass sunroof, that separate and stack in a sophisticated manner by a simple push of a button on the center console. The whole process only takes 25 seconds and is operated by hydraulics. It is also quite amazing to watch as the trunk lid opens in clamshell fashion with the panels stack before it is lowered into the back of the car.
In terms of room the Eos offers 6.6 cubic feet of space in the trunk with the Eos roof down. When its top is up the Eos trunk can offer 0.5 cubic feet of space. However beware since Eos prices can get high really fast. Take for instance since there is no automatic transmission available for the base Eos buyers would need to move up to the Eos 2.0T with automatic that has a starting price of $31,825 and was used as the test car.
Plus if buyers would like for their Eos to have leather seats or satellite radio they have to choose an expensive option package that would entail for an additional cost amounting to $3,490. But in fairness to the test Eos 2.0T it has the styling and comfort that you will surely love. It is also sized just right---not too small or too big---just right for an easy parking and maneuvering.
The Eos tester's turbocharged four-cylinder turns it into a peppy ride. It has a peak torque of 207 foot-pounds surges as low as 1,800 rpm and available through 5,000 rpm, according to Volkswagen.
For a smoother and effortless driving power buyers may consider purchasing the top engine for the Eos. It's a 250-horsepower, 3.2-liter V-6 with 235 foot-pounds of torque starting at 2,500 rpm. The starting price for an Eos with V-6 is $37,610. Its fuel economy rating falls from the 23 miles per gallon for city driving and 31 mpg on the highway for the four-cylinder model to 22/29 mpg. These ratings are applicable for Eos models with automatic transmission.
