When somebody tries to get a size 18 butt into size 12 trousers, the result looks tragic. This is a fact that designers of coupé-cabriolets with folding steel hard tops have always struggled with. One of the first was Ford’s 1957 Skyliner, and it looked hilarious. It had the biggest boot the world had ever seen.

Well, it’s the 21st century and we’ve made progress. Sort of. Peugeot’s lumpy effort with the 307 CC isn’t totally horrible, and Renault’s Mégane looks almost pretty. The Volvo C70 is about 90% there and now we have the Eos from Volkswagen. It looks less good than the Mégane or the C70, but better than the 307 CC. Which is like saying your girlfriend is better looking than Ann Widdecombe.

Dumpy and squat with the roof up, less so with it down, the Eos is a tricky piece of design, with a five-piece (instead of the usual three) folding steel and glass roof. Those five sections enable a more elongated roof arch, which means the windscreen frame can be shorter. And this makes getting in and out of the car easier, roof down. VW says it makes the car look sleeker, but it doesn’t.

The other thing VW is keen to point out is that this isn’t a convertible Golf. The nose looks family-familiar, but it’s all new, and the body doesn’t share one single panel with any other VW. It’s longer than a Golf and sits on a wider track. The front suspension is pure Golf, though, while the rear is derived from the Passat.

While VW says there is a hint of Golf GTI in the Eos’s DNA, this is most definitely not a sporty car. One of the penalties for that hard folding roof is weight. The Passat, for example, is a much larger car, but the Eos weighs 100kg more. And the Eos’s centre of gravity will be higher, too, on account of all that weight up top.

Climb on board and you’ll be overwhelmed with the VW-ness of the Eos, though. That’s good, because it brings first-rate quality, a lovely tactile experience and a comfortable driving position. The dashboard is also unique to the Eos, so you’re not getting sloppy seconds.

That Nasa-grade roof folds away smoothly, complete with glass sunroof, into the rear-hinged boot in just 25sec. The cabin is light and airy, and boot space is about average for this sort of thing: adequate roof up, but only good for small shallow cases and soft bags roof down.

One of the biggest surprises, though, is how much room there is for two adults in the back. I’m 6ft 2in and could sit comfortably behind myself with reasonable headroom. All of that roof-folding hardware, however, means the back seat is a bit narrow for two big blokes.

I wouldn’t ever, though, drive an Eos for the pure pleasure of the dynamic experience. The car’s weight and higher centre of gravity mean it flops about, changing direction on challenging roads, especially on the entry-level 16in wheels. That brings us to the scuttle shake. Even though VW claims this is a stiff platform, the Eos’s structure shakes too much over rough roads, even with the roof in place.

Understeer is the default mode when pressing on, but the big payback is a fine, absorbent ride. Which suits the car’s persona just perfectly.

I drove the 148bhp 2 litre FSI engine (£20,790) which will be the most popular choice when the car goes on sale here in July. In spite of the car’s weight, with this power plant the Eos did not feel slow and I like that six-speed manual gearbox. In fact, the non-turbo 2 litre felt the better choice. The 197bhp turbocharged 2 litre petrol (£23,260) felt manic and too eager to smoke the front tyres. Also available from launch will be a 140bhp

2 litre turbodiesel (£21,385), which should prove a good match for relaxed cruising. There will be a 1.6 litre coming later, which will be too slow, and a 3.2 litre V6, which will be too expensive.

So what does the Eos bring to the party? Well, a bit of VW-badge feelgood and adult space in the back. And it’s much better looking than a Ford Skyliner.

Vital statisticsModel Volkswagen Eos 2.0 FSI
Engine type 1984cc, four cylinders
Power/Torque 148bhp @ 6000rpm / 148 lb ft @ 3500rpm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Fuel/CO2 33.2mpg / 204g/km
Performance 0-62mph: 9.8sec / Top speed: 130mph
Price £20,790
Verdict Roof is impressive, but overall a very average attempt
Rating 3/5
Date of release July 14

The opposition

Model Renault Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet Dynamique 2.0 VVT, £19,110
For Still one of the prettiest out there, cheap to buy
Against An ageing design, won’t be as well built as the VW

Model Audi A4 Cabriolet 1.8T, £25,730
For Such a stylish piece, quality of build
Against Roof not so clever (or hard)

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