Unsung Hero of Fuel Efficiency: VW Eos

I listen to a local radio station during my drive to work, and for the past few weeks now, they have had a contest where listeners can call in to play for FREE gas cards that are worth as much as $500. Needless to say, tons of callers from all over Hampton Roads phone in throughout the day yearning for these gas cards. Just the other day, a woman won a gas card worth $463! Who would not want to be her right now? I am sure all of us would love to get our hands on these gas cards. But for those of us who are not as lucky, we are still undoubtedly thinking about how to save at the gas pumps. So with that in thought, let us continue our fuel efficiency series with the Unsung Hero for today, the Volkswagen Eos.

With the gorgeous smoke-free weather we have today, I thought it was only appropriate to go outside to see the Eos. Jim Hanrahan, a sales consultant at Checkered Flag Volkswagen, was very kind to spend a few minutes showing me the Eos. If you are wondering about the peculiar name, Jim explains that Eos (pronounced E-Oh-ss and not the letters E-O-S) was the Greek goddess of the dawn who rode a horse-drawn chariot every morning to mark a new day. The name fits because the Eos is a four-seater hardtop convertible, and Jim says it is the only hardtop convertible with a sunroof. VW calls it the CSC (coupe-sunroof-convertible). Jim demonstrated the different Eos roof configurations. With the push of a button, the roof retracts in about 25 seconds. The whole roof-retracting process is definitely something to see. I was also particularly impressed by the size of the sunroof. It spans almost the entire width of the roof. The versatility of the Eos is a big plus. Most people associate convertibles with summer and warm weather, but the Eos hardtop makes it a vehicle for all seasons. 

While the hardtop is the obvious highlight of the Eos, it does have more to offer including great fuel efficiency. On its 15 gallon tank, the Eos gets can get 30 highway miles, and 21 city. That gives you about 450 highway miles per tank. There are two engine choices on the Eos: a 200-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (the same engine on the Passat and Audi A3), or a 250-hp 3.2L V6.

The Eos is available in four trims: Turbo (starting at $28,990), Komfort, Lux, and VR6. Each trim offers a ton of great features, I listed a few that caught my attention. For the full list visit here. The base Turbo includes eight-speaker AM/FM stereo with in-dash CD player and Aux input; V-Tex leatherette comfort seats with Microtech; and 8-way adjustable front seats with lumbar support. Step up with the Komfort and it adds: Dual-zone Climatronic Climate Control; 12-way power driver seat with easy entry function, front heatable seats; multi-function trip computer; and center console with footwell ambient lighting. The Lux trim includes: leather comfort seats; automatic headlights; rain sensing windshield wipers; and a multifunction leather wrapped steering wheel. The VR6 has all the goodies found on the Lux plus: HomeLink; leather sport seats; Triptronic control paddles on steering wheel; and a Chrome front grille.

Overall, the Eos is an attractive vehicle that gets attention. Jim mentioned that he drove an Eos out to dinner with his wife, and people were so curious about the car, because it was something they had not ever seen before. Enjoy the weather outside (while the smoke is on vacation) by seeing the Eos at Checkered Flag Volkswagen, 3025 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach or call (757) 490-1111.