2016 Volkswagen Eos

Most Volkswagens are well-built, agile, fun-to-drive cars that feel slightly more premium than their competitors. Its lineup is focused on SUVs, most of which have spacious, comfortable interiors and unexpectedly responsive driving dynamics. Its Golf hatchback, especially in performance trims, is a rare balance of practicality and driving thrills. Most models, including its EVs, have excellent fit and finish. Brand-wide downsides include unintuitive controls and infotainment systems, and below-average reliability for new cars. Reliability for used VWs is average.

The Eos convertible can be considered the successor to the Volkswagen Cabrio, in that it's a Jetta-based four-seater equipped with a folding metal hard top. However, the Eos is much more luxurious than the Cabrio ever was. One novel feature for a convertible is a built-in sunroof that can be opened when the hard top is closed. The seats are comfortable and interior fit and finish are impressive. Head-protecting curtain airbags are housed in the doors. Power comes from a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder, with Volkswagen's responsive sequential-shift DSG transmission. A 3.2-liter V6 is available with 2007 and 2008 models. The manual transmission was dropped in 2012. A rear-view camera became available beginning with the 2013 model year. The final year of production was 2015.