The new Volkswagen Eos has finally hit our shores and if you’re in the market for a cabriolet coupe it may be worth looking at. Not only do you get all pleasure of an open-top car but the Volkswagen Eos also gives you the security of a hard-top as well.
Volkswagen says that the new Eos has been “visually updated front and rear” but whether that’s an improvement or not is going to be something that’s up to the individual. A lot of the sharp lines that were apparent in the previous model have been smoothed and for me those changes have removed some of the character that the previous Eos had.
Those sharp lines seemed to give the Eos purpose that’s missing in a car that’s beginning to look rather soft.
Changes to the new Volkswagen Eos are more than just skin deep and the new model comes with Direct Shift Gearbox, Bluetooth connectivity and an alarm system as standard plus Park Assist 2 as an option.
The body
The body on the new Eos is clearly shown on the accompanying photos. If you choose the diesel engined version then you do miss out on the chromed exhaust pipes and chrome lower boot trim is only available in both versions as an after-market option from your dealer.
The Eos rides on 17-inch alloys fitted with anti-theft wheel bolts and there are a variety of after-market options available from Volkswagen dealers
The roof … the very thing that makes this car what it is … uses a five-piece electro-hydraulic sliding system unique to Volkswagen. It’s not advisable to try and open the roof in restricted spaces and the driver is warned if he or she tries to open it in a spot where there is insufficient space.
The engine
The new Volkswagen Eos comes with a choice of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel or petrol engine connected to a six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox … it’s automatic with sport mode and Tiptronic function.
The diesel engine produces 103kW of power at 4,200rpm and 320Nm of torque between 1,750 and 2,500rpm and takes 10.3 seconds to push the car up to 100km/h from a standing start. That’s not exactly what you would call sparkling … and the fuel consumption isn’t as good as you might expect for a small car either.
The diesel will use 7.4L/100km around town and 5.0L/100km on the highway.
The petrol engine produces 155kW of power at 5,300rpm and 280Nm of torque between 1,700 and 5,200rpm and it will take you to 100km/h from a standing start in 7.8 seconds.
The petrol engine uses 10.4L/100km around town and 6.1L/100km on the highway.
Safety and security
The new Volkswagen Eos comes with the usual front airbags for driver and passenger as well as side/head airbags for the front seat occupants. Front seat belts have pre-tensioners and belt force limiters.
There’s also the usual suite of safety systems including ABS, Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution, Brake Assist, Hill Start Assist, Electronic Stabilisation Programme, Anti-Slip Regulations and Electronic Differential Lock.
The wipers are rain-sensing and automatically adjust to the speed that the car is traveling at while the interior rear-view mirror and driver’s door rear view mirror automatically dim when there’s another vehicle traveling behind you.
From a security point of view there’s remote central locking, a deadlock mechanism on the driver’s door and automatic locking after takeoff.
Comfort
Some of the features included in the Eos may sound a little strange in a car that’s designed to be driven with the top down but there are going to be times when you must have the top up so things like dual zone air conditioning with climate control and pollen filters along with an electric sunroof with slide and tilt adjustment are important.
The front seats are heated and include electrically operated lumbar support and feature a rear seat easy entry function. They’re upholstered in leather and height adjustable.
The standard sound system includes an AM/FM security coded radio with touch-screen display, MP3 compatible SD card slot and in-dash six-disc stacker. The sound system will also hook up to your iPod and there’s a USB connection too.
And for those hot days when you need to keep something cool there’s a chillable glove box too.
For the driver
The first thing any driver sees is the steering wheel and in the new Eos it’s leather-rimmed and includes audio, phone and multi-function controls. It’s also adjustable for height and reach.
The dashboard includes the usual displays as well as a service interval indicator, coolant gauge, low tyre pressure indicator, brake pad wear indicator and, just in case you’re so engrossed in driving that you haven’t noticed whether the roof is up or down, there’s a roof status indicator.
The new Volkswagen Eos also comes equipped with parking distance sensors, Optical Parking System that displays in the radio’s touch-screen and a rear obstacle sensor so that you don’t open the roof in a confined space.
Park Assist 2 and sat/nav are options in both versions of the Eos.
The bottom line
Most manufacturers charge extra for the diesel version of a car but not Volkswagen. The diesel version of the Volkswagen Eos has a recommended retail price of $49,990 while the petrol version is $51,990. Dealer and government charges are extra.
You can add another $900 for Park Assist 2, $2,500 for the satnav system and $2,100 for Bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime lights.
