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Volkswagen’s Eos is a far cry from the last Rabbit convertible, and its degree of civility reflects the evolution of small convertibles.

Gone is a canvas top that stacks atop the back seat, replaced by a folding hardtop that tucks and folds into the trunk in 25 seconds at the touch of a button. The folding roof also has a panoramic tinted glass panel that functions like a sunroof.

Hardtop convertibles used to be the province of expensive cars, but now this delightful feature is being found on more and more affordable models. In addition to the Volkswagen Eos, Volvo C70 and Pontiac G6 have folding hardtops that blend closed-car weather protection with the fun of a convertible.

The 2007 Eos is available with a 200-horsepower, turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a 250-horsepower, 3.2-liter V-6. The V-6 comes with VW’s DSG six-speed automatic transmission. The DSG is essentially a manual with an automatic clutch. It can be shifted with the gear lever or paddles on the steering wheel. The DSG is also optional on the four-cylinder.

The base Eos starts at $27,990, the 2.0T starts at $29,990, and the V-6 at $36,850.

The test car had the turbocharged 2.0-liter with a six-speed gearbox. This engine’s direct fuel injection sprays gas into each cylinder for enhanced performance and economy, and it works very well in concert with a turbocharger. The turbo provides strong low-speed throttle response, and stepping into the throttle yields performance on par with a small V-6. Fuel economy, on the other hand, is rated at 23 miles per gallon in the city and 32 on the highway.

The Eos is not a large car. It has the same 101.5-inch wheelbase as the Rabbit. The front seat has nice room, but the back seat is pretty tight for anyone other than small adults or children.

Front seats that slide forward make getting into the back seat easier. Power switches near the top latches of the optional seats make this process even simpler, plus the front seats always return to their original positions.

VW interiors have long been a model of good design, nice materials and thoughtful details. The Eos continues that trend. The gauges have bright blue numerals at night, while the center stack protrudes slightly toward the driver. The large sections of flat silver trim on the center stack look less elegant than some of VW’s previous interiors.

One of the drawbacks of a folding hardtop is that it consumes trunk space when it is retracted. The Eos trunk, however, has decent space when the top is up, and probably enough room for two small carry-on-size bags when the top is down. Many people who buy this car will probably throw a couple of duffel bags in the back seat if they needed extra space on a trip.

Driving with the top down is fun, but not if it’s like riding a tornado. In the Eos, passengers sit down nicely behind a sloping windshield, and VW has integrated a pop-up mesh wind deflector into the front windshield frame. A removable wind-blocker can also be set up behind the front seats to reduce wind buffeting. When you’re ensconced inside, the windblast is quite tolerable.

Roll bars pop up from behind the rear seats in case of a severe collision or a vehicle rollover.

The power folding outside mirrors have LED side turn signal lights as well as small lights that illuminate the ground in front of the doors at night.

For folks who want more power and luxury, the Eos 3.2L offers adaptive headlights and a 600-watt Dynaudio sound system with a 10-channel amplifier. A navigation system is optional, as well.

The Eos’ side airbags are designed to offer head and body protection. In an accident, they unfold to cover the entire length of the side windows.

Price

The base price of the test car was $29,990. All equipment on the test car was standard. The sticker price was $30,620.

Warranty

Four years or 50,000 miles with a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.