Eos gives a new carbio dawning - Galway Independent

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Eos gives a new carbio dawning

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Wednesday, 10 January 2007

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This engine produces 200bhp and 280Nm torque that puts it well ahead of the competition in power terms. Convert that to acceleration and the Eos can deliver a 0 to 100km/hr pace in 7.8 seconds.

I've looked at the Eos from a buyer's point of view and that means that it must be compared with the rest of the field. The 1.9/2.0 litre competition includes the Opel Astra Twin Top, Peugeot 307CC and Renault Megane. None of these can match the Eos acceleration pace.

And while the Eos is shade heavier than these competitors, it's also more economical, with the exception of the Renault Megane. The Eos fuel economy rating is 8.3 litres/100km (34mpg), which is reasonable for a car in this class.

All of the coupe cabrio suppliers now offer a diesel engine option. For the Eos that gives lower power and poorer acceleration, but the bonus comes in the way of fuel economy, which jumps by almost 40 per cent! So you can have the looks that cost less with the diesel option in the Eos.

The Eos is a powerful and lively car to drive, especially when the turbo unit kicks in. At lower speed and during town driving, it feels like a Golf to drive. Then open to road and push a pedal and you'll get the value of the turbo sensation very fast.

The Eos has the solid road holding; it never strays on track. It has build quality features that you expect with Volkswagen models that give it strong feel. My only complaint relates to the lack of a water guide on the roofline, which means than when you open the door you'll get a wet experience as the roof water flows down. I'm surprised that it hasn't been noticed to date.

The standard kit for the Eos is good. The entry models come with ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), twin front and combined curtain and side impact airbags for front and rear passengers, semi-automatic air conditioning, fog lights, electric windows, electric heated and adjustable wing mirrors, radio/CD player and 16" alloy wheels.

Volkswagen has pitched the price of the Eos above much of the competition. The test car that I had comes on the market at €48,393, but you can get into an entry level Eos with all of the looks and roof features for €37,250.

Opel's equivalent 2.0 litre Twin Top costs about the same as the entry level Eos. The Peugeot 307CC with a similar spec comes in at around €37,000 too.

The Eos has the edge in terms of styling, finish and performance. It's also more economical and you can expect it to hold a better value over time. The difference will dawn on you once you sit behind the wheel.

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