2008 Volkswagen Eos Styling

STYLING | 7 out of 10

The 2008 Volkswagen Eos is a four-seat, folding-hardtop convertible named for the Greek goddess of dawn. The name goes further than the shape. While it’s well-detailed and nicely executed, the Eos--Volkswagen’s most expensive convertible--is pretty ordinary-looking.

Cars.com likes the “clean, sporty look” of the Eos; Volkswagen gets nods from Kelley Blue Book for its “attractive but understated styling.” Forbes Autos appreciates that the 2008 Eos "comes with a less-intrusive windshield pillar design that makes front-seat entry and exiting easier than in the typical ragtop,” and praises its “curvier, more coupe-like profile than most convertibles.” Automobile magazine calls it “high style” and says it “makes every girl a starlet, the centerpiece of her own fashion layout in Lucky.” Still, the editors of TheCarConnection.com point to the Pontiac G6 Convertible, which looks far more distinctive in the hardtop-convertible class, when grading the Eos’s shape.

The 2008 Volkswagen Eos is handsomely designed inside, though. ConsumerGuide lauds the "clear gauges that complement mostly handy, intuitive controls." The controls are placed well, and there’s a combination of lines and textures that Volkswagen seems to have mastered long ago, while other car companies still try to match it.

Convertibles, by nature, have a split personality when it comes to styling. Their character can change dramatically whether the top is up or down. The 2008 Volkswagen Eos avoids some of this by using a hardtop convertible roof instead of the typical cloth number. The designers at Volkswagen have imbued the Eos with clean exterior styling in both top-up or top-down configurations, something that can’t be said of most soft-top convertibles, nor many hardtops, either.

Conclusion