Overview & Reviews

The Volkswagen Eos is a four-seat, two-door convertible. Its retractable hardtop design combines the open-air experience of a traditional ragtop with the security and all-season comfort of a coupe's fixed roof. According to Greek mythology, Eos was the goddess of the sunrise, and it's an appropriate name for this smart-looking convertible.

As a new car, the Eos' price can seem hard to justify, as it's typically higher than other mainstream convertibles. But the Eos does come with a lot of standard equipment, a hardtop design and a high-quality interior. Used models may be somewhat hard to find, and you'll want to pay extra attention to model years, as VW has altered content over the years in hopes of broadening the Eos' appeal.

Current Volkswagen Eos
There are three trim levels in the Eos family: Komfort, Sport and Executive. All have front-wheel drive and are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. The sole transmission is VW's excellent six-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), which offers the ease of an automatic along with most of the advantages of a manual transmission.

The highlight of the Volkswagen Eos is its retractable hardtop. VW calls it the CSC (coupe-sunroof-convertible) and it employs a unique five-panel roof that transforms the coupe's hardtop into an open-air convertible in just 25 seconds. If you don't want the full top-down experience but still want a little wind in your hair, you can leave it up and just power back the built-in sunroof.

Intended more as a boulevard cruiser than a sports car, the Volkswagen Eos excels when it comes to occupant comfort and amenities. Even the base Komfort comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, leatherette (vinyl) upholstery, a power driver seat, heated front seats, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, an eight-speaker sound system with an iPod interface and a CD changer, a navigation system and VW's Car-Net telematics service. Highlights of the Sport include 18-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, bi-xenon headlights, a rear spoiler, keyless ignition and entry, and paddle shifters. The Executive model features automatic wipers, parking sensors, a power passenger seat, leather upholstery, an upgraded navigation system with larger display, a rearview camera and an upgraded sound system.

In road tests, our editors have cited the retractable roof, classy styling and high-quality cockpit furnishings as the Eos' key strengths. Downsides include mediocre handling and a tight backseat. As long as you don't expect the Eos to perform like a roadster, it should make for one of the most satisfying convertible experiences at this price point.

Used Volkswagen Eos Models
The Eos debuted for the 2007 model year, and it was initially available with either the turbocharged four or a narrow-angle 3.2-liter V6 engine good for 250 hp and 235 lb-ft of torque. Trim levels then included the base Eos, the 2.0T and 3.2L. The base Eos and more luxurious 2.0T had the turbocharged four, matched to either a six-speed manual or the DSG, while the 3.2L sported the V6 matched to the DSG as well as a full array of accoutrements.

For the following year, the trim levels were Turbo, Komfort, Lux and VR6. The Turbo and Komfort were roughly analogous to the previous year's base and 2.0T, respectively, with the Lux adding extra feature content while sticking with the turbocharged-4 under the hood. The VR6 mostly mirrored the previous 3.2L model but added 18-inch wheels and sport seats. On these 2007 and '08 models, a navigation system was optional, but unlike in newer models it was DVD-based. The Turbo and VR6 trims were discontinued for '09 and that year also brought an updated touchscreen navigation system with multimedia inputs.

Things in the Eos world stood pat for a few years until 2012, when the car adopted the Jetta's front-end styling, gained the DSG transmission as standard, received a few new features (such as keyless ignition/entry) and saw updated infotainment and climate controls. The Executive trim level also debuted this year. The following year brought the Sport trim level as well as a shuffling of equipment. These latter Eos models are similar to the current lineup apart from the discontinuation of the Lux trim and the unavailability of the telematics system.

User Reviews:

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  Fun to Own - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By blowinthwind - August 29 - 10:56 am

  I love driving this car. I would rate the fun to drive factor higher than a 10 if I could. It handles well and after driving a big van for the last 8 years I appreciate how easy it is to get where I want to be. The car responds well. It is a blast to own. Every day someone comments on it. My sons friends think it is the coolest car ever - I do too.

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  VW Eos - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By cdgchi@earthlink.net - August 29 - 6:03 am

  The Eos is a quick car, it accelerates smoothly. I havent noticed any turbo lag, the power is there when you need it. It handles well and it doesnt wander when being driven.

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  Convertible, Sunroof, Coupe {CSC} - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By Rich - August 3 - 7:33 pm

  This car has all the qualities that I always wanted in a convertible: performance, power, good gas mileage, safety, and its fun to drive. The list goes on and on. Its like having the features of an Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz with a VW price.

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  Fun fun fun, buy it - 2010 Volkswagen EOS
  By Big Dog - July 24 - 4:40 pm

  Missed the German feel of previously owned Audis. TT was too small and expensive and the didnt want a soft top A4. Drove this car at the beginning of the summer and considered the Volvo C70 and a BMW 1 Series. In the end, the EOSs smooth turbo, smooth ride, DSG transmission and tranformer like hard top couldnt be beat. Gas mileage as high as 35 on the highway, averaging 27 mpg while having a lot of fun. Have LUX with 17" wheels, sport suspension and IPOD hookup. Its now my Kids favorite IPOD accessory. Front drive will spin the wheels especially in the sport mode. Touch screen won me over, sometimes is slow to react and hard to see in bright sunlight.

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  Still in Love - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By hedgehog - July 15 - 2:13 pm

  Odometer just passed 2000 with over 300 of that put on in the past 3 days. I still love it! Just wondering why I dont see more of them on the road. Hard to believe I drove that far and didnt see another Eos anywhere. By the way, I got 32.1 mpg for those 300+ highway miles. Dealer did not service (lubricate) roof seals as part of prep. We will be asking them to do that when it goes in for first service.

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  Thumbs Up my Friends! - 2010 Volkswagen EOS
  By hbrake - June 24 - 5:53 am

  Reliable! Comfortable! Fun! Sexy! Well, its so far far the perfect car !!! Please continue VW! My first VW!

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  Avoid It - Traded Mine In - 2009 Volkswagen EOS
  By LR - May 10 - 4:23 am

  53 days in the shop in the first year, finally had enough and traded it in for another brand. Every imaginable problem with the electrical system, sensors, gas cap, abs, braking, fuel pump, air bag, among other problems. Every little repair required shipping in parts so repairs took forever, and nothing fixed right the first time by dealer. I owned the car for a little over a year and just took a huge loss on the trade, but it had to go. Had trouble even getting near blue book on trade due to the cars reputation. Did lots of research prior to buying and 07/08 models were well reviewed. 09 seems to be a disaster. After 15 years driving VWs, this will be my last. Very disappointing.

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  Great value - 2008 Volkswagen EOS
  By gester - May 5 - 9:23 pm

  Traded in my TT roadster. Love the power plant. Love the transmission. Love the roof. Got 20K on it now; no regrets at all (well, I wish Id gotten the three years free maintenance but thats about it). Oh, and I guess I wish id gotten the ipod dock instead of the generic input jack.

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  Love It! - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By atlguy34 - May 5 - 12:20 am

  I had a 2005 Passat that I swore I would never sell. Then I drove an EOS one day while I was having my Passat serviced. I was hooked. Within 3 days I had one in my driveway. The car is a blast to drive, not to mention its really cool. And since they are still relatively new, it attracts a lot of attention. The way the trunk is configured, you can not see where the car ends. Mine came with Park Distance Control which at first I thought was lame, but after driving the car for a while, its a necessity.

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  Theyll think your rich! - 2007 Volkswagen EOS
  By copout - May 4 - 4:33 am

  After having a 2005 PT Cruiser convertible and using it as a field vehicle, it was time for a "new car". My cruiser was mechanically sound but in pretty rough shape. With few convertible choices that a state worker can afford, I ran across a used EOS with a little over 20000 miles on the warranty left, yes the 07s had a 5000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. New ones do not. Its a silver essence with a black interior, the black interior is hard to find as most have the beige, for a less than tidy person do not get the beige. The hard roof system while opening makes the car look like a transformer and will get you lots of looks. After 1500 miles in 2 weeks, no problems. LOVE IT.