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I missed convertible weather by about a week, so my recent test of the all-new Volkswagen Eos was, unfortunately, completed mostly with the top up.

But unlike most convertibles, the Eos is designed as much for top-up motoring as top-down.

That’s because Volkswagen’s newest U.S. product has a retractable hardtop, so that when that top is up, it’s just like having a sporty coupe, and it’s ready for any kind of weather.

Having a solid top that closes tightly, the Eos keeps its passengers out of the weather when they want or need to be, but in about half-a-minute, the car can drop its top and expose those inside to the fun of open motoring (weather permitting).

In Michigan, where Volkswagen has its U.S. headquarters, convertible weather is a short few months through the middle of the year; the rest of the time, the hardtop of the Eos comes in quite handy.

Here in Texas, the season for open-top driving is longer, but unlike up North, summer is not a good time to put the top down, at least not in the middle of the day. We find good convertible days throughout most of the rest of the year, though, so drop-top cars are more in demand here than in colder climates.

Volkswagen calls the Eos a “365-day cabriolet,” marketing it as a vehicle suitable for everyday driving. Broadening the appeal of a convertible by giving it a retractable hardtop can help move a convertible beyond niche status. Volkswagen hopes the car will appeal as much to people in snow country as sun country.

The Eos is the second convertible in VW’s U.S. lineup. The other, the New Beetle version, comes with a soft top, and starts at $22,150, with the price topping out at $25,120.

During our test, using the Eos as mostly a hardtop sport coupe, we found this vehicle to be quite satisfying even if we didn’t get to put the top down much. It’s a fun vehicle to drive, and it has a styling exterior that looks almost as good with the top up.

The open-top experience isn’t completely lost with the top up, however. That’s because the top of this car comes with a large glass sunroof section, giving the occupants the view without the intrusion of the elements. The sunroof folds away into the trunk with the rest of the roof when the automatic power top is lowered.

The Eos is somewhat affordable, too, at least as far as convertibles go. The base model begins at $27,990, and comes with a peppy 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that has won several awards.

The uplevel 3.2L model, which we tested, starts at $36,850 (plus $630 freight), and comes with a normally aspirated 3.2-liter V-6 engine rated at 250 horsepower and 236 foot-pounds of torque. Also included with the 3.2L are leather seats – two buckets up front and a two-person bench seat in the rear – along with 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control and other uplevel amenities.

With a few extras tacked on, the 3.2L model can get pricey. Ours came with a DVD/GPS navigation system with armrest CD changer ($1,800); a technology package ($1,400), which added bi-xenon headlights and parking assist; a premium audio system ($1,000); and a sport package ($650), which brought leather sport seats, a three-spoke, leather-wrapped steering wheel with manual-shift paddles for the six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, brushed-aluminum interior trim, 18-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires, and a sport suspension.

These options raised the total sticker price on our tester to $42,330, including freight. But spending that much on an Eos isn’t necessary, Even those buying the base model won’t be disappointed. It’s well-equipped for the money.

Because of its lower price, the base model will be chosen primarily by women, Volkswagen of American spokesman Clark Campbell said.

Volkswagen expects male buyers to be more interested in the V-6 version, mostly because of its extra power.

A manual gearbox is standard on the base model, but the six-speed Tiptronic is a $1,000 option. That transmission is included in the price of the 3.2L model, however.

The transmission features VW’s DSG automatic double-clutch system, which allows it to change gears more efficiently than a human could change the gears on the manual transmission. The Tiptronic feature allows the driver to shift manually, without having to worry about a clutch.

As with the New Beetle, the Eos seats up to four people rather comfortably, so it’s not in the same classes as the two-seat roadsters on the market, including the Miata, Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky on the lower end, and the Honda S2000 and BMW Z4 on the higher end.

The direct competitors of the Eos are the Pontiac G6 convertible and the Volvo C70, both of which have hardtops similar to that of the Eos that fold to create a convertible.

Neither of those offers a sunroof, though, giving the Eos an edge, Campbell said.

Other convertibles in the same price range include the soft-top Audi A4 Cabriolet (quite similar to the Eos, including the same 2.0-liter base engine), Toyota Camry Solara, and Saab 9-3. The only less-expensive four-seat convertibles are the New Beetle, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Ford Mustang and Mini Cooper, all of which have soft tops.

Lexus and Mercedes-Benz have hardtop convertibles, but they’re much more expensive. The Lexus SC 430 begins at just under $66,000, and the Mercedes SL starts at $93,000. Neither of those has a sunroof, either.

The Eos is the newest and most expensive in a long line of Volkswagen convertibles, going back to the Karmann Ghia and including ragtops such as the original Beetle, and the Rabbit/Golf Cabriolets.

The power top opens or closes in 25 seconds, and the switch that controls the top also opens or closes the windows all at the same time.

The front section of the roof incorporates the sunroof, which can be opened completely or tilted upward. When closed, the roof “curves in an arc between the rear and the windscreen,” VW says, creating an “elegant and sporty” coupe.

Another advantage to having the steel roof is security. With the roof up and the doors locked, the car is harder to break into. Thieves often break into conventional convertibles by slashing open the canvas or vinyl top, an act of vandalism that often costs more to repair than the value of anything stolen from inside the vehicle. That’s why many longtime convertible owners never leave anything valuable inside their cars, and never lock their doors while the vehicle is unattended.

The Eos has a low profile and a wide stance, so it’s quite stable in turns – something we found out during some driving on twisty roads in the Hill Country. This agility also will come in handy during extreme maneuvers to avoid collisions.

The sporty and elegant interior is among the best in the industry for a car in this price range. Trunk space is reduced by about a third when the roof is opened, but with the top up, there is decent space for luggage or gear.

Standard features on even the base Eos model include electronic stability control, safety-optimized front headrests, front air bags and specially developed front-side head/thorax air bags; 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, fog lights, the sunroof, power windows, and cruise control.

For $31,065, the base model comes with a leather steering wheel, shift knob and brake handle; automatic headlights; automatic climate control; 12-way power driver’s seat; heated front seats and washer nozzles; wind blocker; center armrest and a trip computer.

Moving up to the 3.2L model also brings such extras as wood trim, HomeLink garage/gate opener, rain-sensing wipers and Sirius satellite radio.

Leather seats are optional on the base model.

Volkswagen says top speed is 130 mph (governed), and the car can accelerate from zero to 60 mpg in 7.4 seconds with the four-cylinder engine and manual gearbox. EPA fuel-economy ratings for the four-cylinder model are 23 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. With the V-6 engine, the ratings are 22 city/29 highway.

At a Glance: 2007 Volkswagen Eos convertible The package: Compact, four-door, four-passenger, front-drive, four-cylinder or V-6 powered, hardtop coupe/convertible. Highlights: New for 2007, this is Volkswagen’s first convertible with a retractable hardtop, which makes this two vehicles in one – a drop-top and a sport coupe. The top lowers in 25 seconds, but when up, the car is secure from the elements, and thieves find it harder to break into than a traditional ragtop. Performance is impressive even with the base engine. Negatives: Can get pricey in the uplevel version, especially with options. Engines: 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder; 3.2-liter normally aspirated V-6. Transmission: Six-speed manual; six-speed Tiptronic automatic. Power/torque: 200 HP./207 foot-pounds (I-4); 250 HP./236 foot-pounds (V-6). Length: 173.5 inches. Base curb weight: 3,505 pounds. Brakes, front/rear: Disc/disc, antilock. Electronic stability control: Standard. Side air bags: Front seat-mounted side bags standard. Not available for rear passengers. Trunk volume: 10.5 cubic feet (top up); 6.6 cubic feet (top down). Fuel capacity/type: 14.5 gallons/unleaded premium recommended but not required. EPA fuel economy: 23 mpg city/32 highway (I-4, manual); 22 city/29 highway (V-6, automatic). Major competitors: Pontiac G6, Volvo C70. Base price range: $27,990-$36,850 plus $630 freight. Price as tested: $42,330 (V-6 model with options and freight). On the Road rating: 8.2 (of a possible 10).