2016 Volkswagen Eos

The Volkswagen Eos is a subcompact cabriolet from the VW brand that treads the line between affordability and luxury with a focus on buyers looking for a lifestyle vehicle. It's well-rounded and relatively affordable - traits that separate it from the more expensive performance-focused and premium nameplates in the field. For 2016, the Eos is presented in only a single trim form, the Komfort. This model comes equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine tethered to a six-speed automatic gearbox and a front-wheel drivetrain. This year marks the nameplate's final production year in the USA, so unless you prefer the quirkier VW Beetle Cabriolet or the directly competing Buick Cascada, now is the time to buy.

While its exterior aesthetic is sporty, it carries more of a sophisticated demeanor, too. This equates to a more conservative image that clearly embraces a modest lifestyle ethos. Standard halogen headlights with DRLs flank a three-prong grille pinned with VW's signature badge and underscored by a blacked-out air intake. Halogen reflector-lens front fog lights with corner illuminating functionality are also standard-fit. Oddly, the Eos is equipped with a CSC electronic, multi-piece folding hardtop roof and a power-operated tilt/telescoping panoramic sunroof - a bit nonsensical, ain't it? Nevertheless, the two-door layout keeps it looking stout and its 17-inch alloy wheels are fitting, contributing to the Eos's balanced and comfort-oriented ride.

The Eos's dimensions avail it as a subcompact. It spans 174.1-inches in length, 56.8-inches in height, and 70.5-inches in width. Its 101.5-inch wheelbase and 3,508-pound curb weight keep it nimble around the bends.

Powering the forward corners of the Eos is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder unit with output ratings of 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. These outputs are routed via a six-speed automatic gearbox by default. The motor is punchy but composed, and acceleration responses are instantaneous and smoothly delivered throughout the rev range. The transmission performs admirably, too. Input responses are quick and smooth, and it makes optimal use of the motor's vigorous torque curve. At full throttle, the Eos sprints from 0 to 60 mph in a decent 7.3 seconds, while top speed is limited to 135 mph.

Cabriolets are usually really heavy because of the reinforced underpinnings required to offset their reduced chassis rigidity caused by the lack of a roof. However, the Eos weighs in as one of, if not, the lightest cars in the class. This shows through noticeably in how it handles in the corners, where it feels fleet-footed and restrained, which is especially impressive considering it's a FWD cruiser. It remains planted through high-speed sweepers, too - truly impressive. It's a very eager cruiser, its steering is quick and accurate, and the brakes deliver effective stopping responses. With all that said, however, it is no sports car, so don't expect anything dynamic from its performance. It is, nevertheless, very comfortable on the road, too. It rides smoothly and typical undulations and speed bumps are dealt with adequately.

Despite its luxury-lifestyle ethos, the Volkswagen Eos convertible is still designed to be economical and affordable. Consequently, it returns relatively frugal gas mileage figures for the class. In regular conditions, the Eos returns EPA-derived consumption figures of 22/30/25 mpg in the city/highway/combined travel cycles. The Eos's tank can hold 14.5-gallons of premium unleaded fuel. With a full tank, the cruiser should offer around 360 miles of range.

The Eos's sophisticated character is carried through to its interior. The impression is home-spun but charming, and overall comfort is exceptional. The steering wheel and seats feature plenty of adjustability, so locating an optimal driving position is easy. The pilot's controls and the cabin features are all ergonomically laid-out, too. The materials used are all of premium quality and the fit and finish are all finely integrated. The Eos sports a 2+2 seating configuration and overall passenger room is abundant upfront, though legroom is a little tight at the back. The 2-door layout makes ingress and egress to the rear seats a little inconvenient, too, but no more than with any other two-door drop-top in comparison. Outward visibility is excellent and unhindered by the hard-drop-top. V-Tex leatherette seating upholstery and Matte Chrome cabin trim are standard in the Komfort.

The Komfort arrives outfitted with a decent selection of protective specs, even as a base model; some of the inclusive protection features are also unique to the 2016 Volkswagen Eos, such as a pop-up head protection system, which automatically deploys in the case of a rollover. There are also four airbags provided for front occupants and all the essentials, including ABS, stability and traction control, and a TPMS.

The NHTSA is yet to review the Volkswagen Eos for its crashworthiness, a perturbing situation taking into account the two startling recalls it fell subject to - the first pertained to the driver's frontal airbag inflator, which would potentially rupture. The second had to do with several modifications that were applied to the automobile that resulted in the Eos not meeting US safety regulations. The IIHS's review of the VW Eos resulted in top scores of Good for all three of the evaluations it underwent.

The Volkswagen Eos's price comes in at around $32,000 MSRP. That is a pretty good price considering how much it proffers in capability, creature comforts, and conveniences. This base price excludes any tax, registration, and licensing fees. Nevertheless, in comparison to its competition, the Volkswagen Eos hardtop convertible stands out for its balanced performance, top-notch crashworthiness reviews, and proven reliability standards. Unfortunately, this is the new VW Eos's final year of production, so if you want to see what it's really about, take it out for a test drive. Still, we'd recommend holding off to see what the newer competitors will offer.