January 2, 2007 - Either by brute force or mass psychology, throughout history, philosophers, politicians and kings have tried to sell a Utopian state to curry the favour of the masses. Highly desirable, yet at the same time utterly unobtainable, Utopia is a perfectly idealistic place where everyone lives in agreement and everything is for the best.

Without reverting to twisting your arm or messing with hypnosis, automotively speaking at least, Volkswagen is hoping to sell car buyers their own little patch of Utopia. It's called the Eos, VW's first four-seat, retractable hardtop.

Customers like the coupe/ convertible genre's notion of open-air motoring with the option of a snug, secure, quiet interior just a push button away. Carmakers are equally enamoured as they can pitch "two cars for the price of one" or "the best of both worlds."



At least, that's the theory. And why what started out as a neat party trick with the 1997 Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster has blown up into a full-fledged trend with Chrysler, Mazda, Pontiac and Volvo all joining VW on the retractable hardtop bandwagon.

Whereas all of the Eos's competitors' metal lid flippers share the same top-up or top-down alternatives, the VW adds a new third roof option: a large, sliding glass panel incorporated into the retractable hardtop that can be opened to let in as much light and fresh air as your Utopia-seeking self asks for.

There's a lockable, rear-seat pass-through for skis, but you'll have to pack light for your trip to Utopia. Keep in mind, the Eos's trunk capacity shrinks from 10.6 cubic feet to 6.7 cu. ft. when you stow the roof.



While the U.S. market will eventually receive the 250-horsepower, 3.1-litre six-cylinder engine, the Canadian Eos comes strictly with VW's omnipresent 200-hp and 207-pound-feet-of-torque 2.0L turbo four.

With excellent mid-range punch, the Eos's four offers plenty of performance for the intended Eos buyer. It won't make you miss the American 3.2 model.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard, but the test car came with what most Eos owners would probably choose -- the optional six-speed manumatic. Thusly equipped, the Eos drives very much like a Jetta 2.0T.

In most conditions, the mill is a good match for the tranny, but driving enthusiasts will want to shift the transmission's console selector to S (sporty) from D (slushy). For more immediate gear changes, use the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, just like on your PlayStation at home.



VW says the Eos is mostly made up of Golf/Rabbit/Jetta bits and some Passat pieces. The cockpit will remind you of the Eos's heritage, although the centre stack holds exclusively designed air vents bordered in chrome.

To keep its Utopian ideals intact, the Eos gains structural improvements. Sunroof open, top up or top down, there's none of the dreaded cowl shake common to lidless cars. With the top closed up, the Eos really does deliver on the quiet coupe experience, with no rattles and little wind noise.

The stiff structure also delivers a nice compromise between ride and handling, with a composed ride that never feels harsh, despite the optional 18-inch rubber.



The Eos's electro-mechanical power steering setup is sharp and accurate -- typical VW stuff.

Except for a tendency for the rear to come around when mistaking the Eos for a sports car, the Eos's handling is predictable. Blame all of that extra weight of the roof sitting high and back in the Eos's chassis for this quirk. When it comes to driving fun, weight -- or the overabundance due to that folding origami of a roof -- might be a bit of a downer.

Nonetheless, despite being nearly 200 kilograms heavier than a two-door VW GTI, relative to other four-seat retractable hardtops, the new Eos won't disappoint those who like to drive.



Adding to the Eos's trying- to-please-all ideology is a base price that's similar to Pontiac's G6 retractable hardtop, yet it's nearly $20,000 less than a Volvo C70 or the cloth-top Audi A4 Cabriolet 2.0T.

With a top for any occasion, rattle-free structure and a driving experience that delivers exemplary steering, ride and handling -- all at an appealing price -- if you're on a quest to find your own state of convertible Utopia, you may find the best way to get there is in Volkswagen's Eos.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, www.straight-six.com



Just the facts...
Build quality
Features
Performance
Fun-to-drive
Overall value 

TYPE OF VEHICLE Front-wheel-drive, compact coupe/convertible
ENGINE Turbo 2.0L DOHC four-cylinder
POWER 200 hp @ 5,100 rpm; 207 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800 rpm
TRANSMISSION Six-speed DSG manumatic
TIRES 235/40R18 all-season
BRAKES Four-wheel disc with ABS
FUEL ECONOMY L/100 KM 10.2 city, 6.9 hwy.
PRICE: BASE/AS TESTED $38,300/$42,155
STANDARD FEATURES Cruise control, power locks, power windows, power mirrors with LED blinkers, AM/FM radio with single-disc in-dash CD/MP3 player with auxiliary jack and eight speakers, eight-way manually adjustable front seats, two power outlets, driver and front passenger front air bags, driver and front passenger combined side-curtain and side-thorax supplemental air bags, rollover protection system.