Open season

10:19am Friday 9th May 2008

THE British motorist's love affair with open-tops is nothing new and the roads at spring time are testament to this, but unlike other convertibles, the Eos, has a tilt and slide sunroof fitted as standard. It's known as a CSC, meaning it has the characteristics of a hard-top coupe, a sliding glass sunroof and a fully convertible metal roof, and its inclusion since the Eos' launch in 2006, has helped the car to maintain its competitive edge.

Made up of five parts, the electrically operated hard top roof folds neatly into the boot in 25 seconds and the mechanical action of the process still manages to draw a crowd. With the roof up, owners can expect a boot capacity of 380 litres, although this reduces to 205 litres with the top down. Admittedly it's not particularly voluminous but it does offer more capacity than some of its rivals, even though it has a small aperture.

The Eos combines sophisticated engineering with a stunning design to bring you one of the most desirable cabriolets

Eos plants itself firmly on the road and delivers a solid and composed ride, roof up or down, although the suspension is a little on the stiff side. The 2.0-litre diesel unit pulls consistently throughout the revs, but can be a little intrusive at low speed. It's one of VW's most popular engines and is currently available in the Golf, Touran, Passat and Jetta.

Fitted on the Eos, its responsive nature can deliver a fairly enthusiastic drive and manage to return 47mpg on the combined cycle. It completes the 0 to 62mph sprint in 10.4 seconds, while top speed maxes out at 127mph. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, which has a smooth and slick movement; while a short lever movement enhances the Eos sporty feel.

The interior follows that of the Golf, which means there's nothing new or radical, yet on the other hand, quality is at least assured. Plus there's further good news since the designers did manage to provide some legroom for occupants in the rear. It's not much though, and headroom is a little restricted, but the rear seats will accommodate children easily, so day trips out shouldn't be a problem for young families. It's also kitted out with the necessary safety gear, all Eos models get ESP and twin front and side impact airbags.

Elsewhere standard equipment includes semi-automatic air conditioning, fog lights, CD player, parking sensors and 16-inch alloy wheels. Those seeking additional entertainment should consider the Sport trim, which adds a sports suspension, aluminium touches in the cabin and 17-inch alloys among other items. With five engines to choose from, its ability to offer a decent sized boot with a realistic prospect of carrying passengers in the back,

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