Volkswagen Eos - Pictures

Firm suspension and a stiff chassis mean ride comfort falls short of the standard set by the Ford. The damping fails to take the edge off sharp bumps, although scuttle shake is never an issue.

The three-piece lid not only folds very tightly, but drops out of sight in only 26.2 seconds. However, raising it takes three seconds longer and the VW also made some odd noises – the bootlid squeaked as it released.

Neither the Focus or Astra make a feature of their roof buttons, but the Eos’s chromed lever looks great. It has a solid feel and is well positioned aft of the gearstick. The smaller switch operates the sunroof function.

Upright A-pillars mean the Eos has the best forward visibility, but the view out the back is limited. The seats are firm, but the driving position is near perfect, and the cabin has a higher quality feel than its rivals’.

It has the smallest load bay with the roof up – although 380 litres isn’t bad. But when lowered, the Eos’s 205-litre area matches the TwinTop’s, 43 litres behind the Focus. As with the Astra, the VW has a throug