It's taken me some time to get my head around this. Convertible cars are all about looking good but the vast majority of the latest coupe-cabriolet models do appear a little distended around the rear end. My wife peers out of the window and refers to them as 'Mrs Slocombes' due to their generously upholstered behinds and the fact that they're usually driven by ladies of a certain age. So keen have manufacturers been to jump on the folding metal roof bandwagon that they've taken their eye off the ball. You could count on one hand the number of well proportioned cars and to that select list we can add the Volkswagen Eos.

It's one of the few cars of this kind whose convertible pretensions managed to escape the gimlet eye of her indoors and she was genuinely surprised when I pressed the button and sent the roof on its 25 second party piece into the boot. It was probably the combination of the attractive shape and the smokescreen of a sliding glass sunroof in the roof panel that fooled her. Once the hood is stowed, the Eos' clean, wedgy hipline and restrained surfacing gives it a very mature yet elegant look. It's easily the best looking car Volkswagen currently makes, sharper in its stance and detailing than the Jetta and Passat models, and of course far more of a head turner than the common or garden Golf.

Break out the tape measure and you'll find that the Eos, at 4.41 metres long, is a bit longer than a Golf, at 1.79m a little wider and at 1.44m a tad lower. Its footprint is closer to the Jetta than the hatchback Golf and Volkswagen rather disingenuously claim that it occupies a position between Golf and Passat, therefore opening a new market sector. Volkswagen was late to this particular party and proclaiming they've started a new one isn't going to wash. The Beetle Cabriolet will continue, effectively usurping the old Golf Cabriolet's role as the affordable and fun drop top in the range. Volkswagen have higher plans for the Eos. That, rather than any notion of creating a new market sector, is what will separate the Eos from humbler fare such as the Renault Megane CC and the Peugeot 307CC. In short, it's a good deal pricier.

"The Eos is refreshingly devoid of the glaring faults that have so far typified the coupe-cabriolet genre"

The engine option we're looking at here might not be quite so good looking but it's impressive in its own right. Also available in standard guise but priced at £22,325 in the Sport trim featured here, the 2.0-litre FSI unit cranks out a respectable 150bhp without recourse to turbocharging which sounds good until you consider that the Eos tips the scales at a chunky 1481kg, a hefty 206kg over the weight of a similarly powered Golf hatch. This has a direct effect on acceleration, economy and emissions. The sprint to 60mph is covered in a relatively leisurely 9.5 seconds and while this 2.0-litre FSI model makes a good choice for those who want something a little posher than an Astra Twintop, if you need a car with a bit of grunt, it's worth looking a little higher in the Eos line up at the 2.0T FSI model, the T standing for turbocharged. With 197bhp at its disposal, that car has some overtaking ability but you'll need around £25,000 if you want it with the incredible DSG twin clutch gearbox (as you will if you try it on a test drive).

FSI stands for Fuel Stratified Injection and this system promises the twin benefits of more power and better economy. A high-pressure fuel line mounted on the side of the cylinder head, often dubbed 'common rail', injects fuel straight into the combustion chamber. The shape of the pistons and the clever working of a set of valves make the air 'tumble', thus creating more efficient combustion. So far so good, but don't a number of other manufacturers have the same set up? No.

Where FSI engines really impress is their behaviour under part throttle loads. Whereas before, part throttle meant just that, partially strangulating the output by closing a butterfly valve, the FSI system can be run with the throttles in a more efficient open position. How? In effect by creating a rich fuel mix directly next to the spark plug and a leaner mix in other parts of the combustion chamber. This is not only more efficient in terms of how much fuel enters the chamber in the first place but it also means that less energy is wasted as heat to the cylinder block. In effect, a blanket of air shields the ignited fuel from the walls of the cylinder.

When the throttle is pressed wide open, the engine reverts top a more conventional 'homogenous' method of filling the combustion chamber with fuel and air. The 'tumble' effect and the synchronisation of air and fuel along with the careful metering of the high-pressure injection system all combine to offer more power and a cleaner engine. When you're dawdling, you get great economy and when you want to drop the hammer you've got more power. Whereas many 'direct injection' engines have been noticeably noisier than conventional petrol powerplants, the FSI unit offers both a pleasantly refined hum and instantaneous throttle responses.

The formula seems to be a winner - more power and torque for less petrol and CO2. Company car users will be delighted with the competitive emissions which keep the tax burden to a minimum. The figures stack up well in terms of fuel economy too, the Eos averaging a very creditable 34.4mpg - curiously the same figure as the Eos 2.0T FSI.

The Sport trim level gets you 17-inch light alloy wheels, additional chrome grille louvres, a cherry red rear light cluster, a sports suspension package, plus aluminium-look pedals and dash inserts. That's on top of other Eos refinements such as ESP, pop-up rollover bars, twin front and side airbags, plus specially designed thorax airbags. Air conditioning and electric windows are also included. The boot is is one of the more capacious for a car of this ilk, holding 205 litres with the roof cartridge in place and 380 litres when the car is in hard top mode.

The 2.0FSI is probably the best compromise model in the Eos range, offering decent equipment levels, a reasonable turn of speed and competitive economy. It's not the most exciting drive but it has the feel of a properly premium product, which at this money it probably should. If you need something that's good for the long run, this Eos is hard to beat.

TOP 3 EOS DEALS

The results below show the top EOS deals on buyacar

	Volkswagen EOS 2.0T Sport FSI 2dr DSG Cabriolet Convertible
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £891	Price £24,194
	Volkswagen EOS 2.0T Sport FSI 2dr Cabriolet Convertible
	ETR	Mthly	Saving £833	Price £23,102
	Volkswagen EOS 3.2 V6 Sport FSI 2dr DSG Cabriolet Convertible
	ETR	Mthly £519	Saving £1,116	Price £28,469

typical 9.78% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000