Bestseller gets extreme makeover

With more 300 days of sunshine per year, Arizona seems to be the ideal place to own a convertible. But with 100 of those days over 100 degrees in most parts of the state, I’ve found convertible to be just too hot even with the top up and the air conditioner on maximum cool. Fixed-roof hardtops don’t have that dilemma.

Lately, however, there’s been a flood of new or re-engineered models that offer the best of both worlds with the new wave of retractable hardtops. Old-timers might remember the 1957-59 Ford Skyliner.

This resurgence began in 1995 when Mitsubishi introduced the retractable roof 3000GT Spyder, the first since the Skyliner. It lasted just two model years. Over the past few years they’ve experienced a real comeback — Mercedes-Benz SLK, Lexus SC430, Cadillac XLR, Chevrolet SSR, Pontiac G6, Mazda MX-5 and the Volvo C70. The BMW 3 Series will get one next year.

Unfortunately, those wanting a hardtop convertible have found them to be financially out of reach. That’s why it’s so surprising to find Volkswagen introducing the world’s first four-seater retractable for under $28,000.

Named for the Greek goddess of dawn, Eos is a four-seater like the new Pontiac G6 and Volvo C70, all with a folding hardtop. Unique to Eos is what Volkswagen calls a CSC (coupe-sunroof-convertible) structure that features the only hardtop convertible with a sunroof.

Press a button on the center console and the huge glass sunroof pops up and slides back for top-up fresh air motoring — nice touch.

To retract the hardtop, lift the chrome handle on the center console and everything on the vehicle seems to move. All four windows drop down, the glass part of the roof retracts like a conventional sunroof, the entire trunklid lifts and tilts back, the rear window slides up and over the roof, all stacking like plates neatly in the trunk.

The entire process takes 25 seconds, probably not enough time while waiting for the light to turn green. Besides, you’ll need about 2 feet of space between you and the car (or whatever else) behind you, unless you want to send your Eos to the body shop for repairs.

I recommend spending an additional $350 for the optional “Trunk Lid Assistance” sensors that emit an audible beep if anything is within 20 inches when you retract the top.

You would be correct if you guessed there isn’t much trunk space. It’s only about 11 cubic feet to start with and you’ll lose half that with the top down.

That’s where having a rear seat comes in handy — holding cargo that won’t fit in the trunk. But the rear seat doesn’t really allow room for more than two adults, and then only for a very short trip. It’s best left for kids.

The complete opposite is true up front. At 6 feet, 6 inches tall, I didn’t have to push the driver’s seat to its outer limits — I can’t say that for many other vehicles. My tester included the optional $3,690 Sport Package with leather seats, audio, wheel and other upgrades. The seats were comfortable but I would have appreciated a longer seat bottom.

I liked the look of the dash — soft touches and top-grade materials rival what I’ve seen in Audis. The blue backlit dash lights look great but I didn’t much care for the contrasting red information lights. The steering wheel both tilts and telescopes.

Visually, I liked the eye-pleasing exterior lines. The front is indistinguishable from the VW family of Golf, Jetta, and Passat, with the wide chrome partial bumper, multi-element headlamps and split grille with the oversized VW badge. The rear is a bit boxy but has a nicely sculpted bumper, oversized taillamps and the oversized VW emblem.

Eos comes in three trim levels, all front-wheel drive. The base, starting at $27,990, is well equipped with features like air-conditioning, CD audio system with MP3 player input jack, power windows and 16-inch alloy wheels. There are no options available on the base model. The 2.0T starts at $29,990 and adds a power driver’s seat, heated front seats, dual-zone air conditioning and a full list of options.

A third model, the 3.2, adds a V-6 engine, 17-inch wheels, upgraded interior accents and other features, and will be available in early 2007. I expect pricing to start around $35,000.

I tested the 2.0T with the standard 2.0-liter turbocharged, 200-horsepower four-cylinder engine with a six-speed manual transmission. The engine delivered more than enough power and makes me wonder why anyone would opt for the 3.2 V-6.

The Eos is lively and fun to drive, especially with the top down. The six-speed manual transmission was silky-smooth; the engine kept revving where it needed to be for excellent performance and decent mileage. There is some noticeable turbo lag under full acceleration.

Eos shouldn’t be confused with a sports car. It is not. But it handles well, corners easily, doesn’t have much of the cowl shake usually associated with drop-tops. Nothing to complain about here.

All the expected safety gear is there including front and side airbags, antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, even pop-up rollbars behind the fixed rear headrests. Crash test results are not yet available.

Eos is one of the best surprises I’ve driven in quite some time. I think it’s among the best drop-top values on the market and would easily choose it over any cloth-top convertible. I haven’t driven the Pontiac G6 retractable but will be anxious to compare the two.