2009 Volkswagen Eos - Quality Review

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The 2009 Volkswagen Eos has more room than many of its competitors paired with top-notch materials and assembly; in particular, many reviewers emphasize that the Eos' level of refinement is on par with that of much more expensive vehicles.

Popular Mechanics observes that the Volkswagen Eos' innovative roof causes the rear occupants to be "cramped, both in shoulder space and, with the top up, headroom." There is, however, ample room up front, and cargo space is pretty good even with the top down. Even so, it's advisable to leave big luggage at home if you have more than one passenger; the cargo area is a manageable 6.6 cubic feet with the top stowed, larger than that of the Pontiac G6 and Volvo C70 hardtop convertibles, but it's still kind of small.

Inside the Eos, Volkswagen's interior quality is typically top-notch. Consumer Reports recently chose the Eos as its favorite four-seat hardtop convertible, besting the likes of the BMW 335i, based in part on its quality. In a testament to the car's undeniable quality, Kelley Blue Book declares that "the Eos' interior is more attractively designed and better put together than those of some cars we've driven with sticker prices twice as much." Other reviewers feel the same way about the Eos' handsome interior and find little fault with the car's quality.

Reviewers from all auto Web sites are awestruck by the complex motions of the Eos' folding hardtop. Kelley Blue Book admires the "25-second mechanical ballet" that the hardtop performs during its reconfiguration. Edmunds notes that several competing automakers offer hardtop convertibles, but their "execution is nowhere near as polished as the VW's."

Even with the top up, the Eos "[suffers] from noticeable wind noise," ConsumerGuide notes, and "some testers complain of rear-tire roar on coarse pavement."

TheCarConnection.com's experience with the Eos, on a long drive in Portugal, brings out the best in the sunny four-seat convertible. The Eos' roof has a setting, sliding back one panel to mimic a sunroof, not usually found on convertibles.