Mazda MX-5 review – the benchmark affordable sports car
The best convertible cars on sale 2024
The best convertibles and cabriolets aren't just toys for the summer, they can be used all year round
The UK has long been a popular market for convertible cars – despite our famously wet weather we hold out enough optimism to wait around for the sun, buying drop-tops, soft-tops, cabriolets, convertibles and targas in swathes. The convertible market has shrunk over the years, though, with just a few models left on sale.
Given our inconsistent weather, it’s particularly important to buy a convertible that can be used all year round, so we’ve compiled a list of drop-tops from across the market – some of which are more affordable options that can be lived with day to day, others which are performance focused for drop-top thrills and a few that ooze luxury feel and style.
The best-looking cars on sale 2024
Convertibles that have metal folding roofs are becoming few and far between and the vast majority have returned to a fabric ‘soft-top’ hood. Fabric roofs are lighter and easier to package increasing fuel economy and space compared with a cumbersome metal roof. Plus, advances in sound insulation mean they’re now just as refined on the move.
Advantages in engineering and materials mean that convertible roofs are now the best ever built. Not only are they more secure thanks to stronger fabric and composite materials, but fewer models suffer from noticeable flexing of the bodywork that can leave a convertible feeling vague to drive.
A fabric roof may be better than ever before but it will still need more care and maintenance than a hard top. Cleaning and weatherproofing – especially if intending to use it all year – is vital to maintain its appearance. Check out our guide to the best soft top cleaners to buy.
If you prefer the smooth lines of a coupe, our round-up of the best sports cars may be worth a read, while our list of the best cars with panoramic sunroofs could offer a compelling alternative.
Read on for our top 10 convertibles:
Priced from around £28,000
The Mazda MX-5 is the world’s best-selling convertible and there are some very good reasons why. For one, it has always been good fun, thanks largely to its simplicity and low weight, and the latest version is no different. We found the fourth-generation MX-5 feels as small and agile from behind the wheel as the iconic Mk1 MX-5, and the steering provides plenty of feedback. The manual gearbox is one of the best on the market and although the car has a relatively low power output, it feels as fast as you’d ever really need.
Mazda’s reliability, along with the choice of a fabric or hard-top roof, makes the MX-5 a very strong contender for buyers wanting a sports car they can enjoy on the open road. The debate between the 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre petrol engines rages on; we found the smaller engine fun, fizzy and reminiscent of the original car, while the bigger engine offers more grown-up performance that’s better suited to faster roads. Downsides include poor practicality and a lack of refinement on the motorway – the MX-5 isn’t great for soothing away lots of miles.
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Priced from around £56,000
Not only is the Porsche 718 Boxster an impressive sports car, but it is also a stylish and enjoyable convertible with a brand cache few can match. There is a choice of engines, from 2.0 to 2.5-litres in the regular model, to a scintillating 4.0-litre six-cylinder in the thrill-seeking GTS version. However, for most, the entry 2.0-litre with 296bhp provides more than enough power to enjoy and has cheaper running costs than more powerful versions. It’s just a shame it doesn’t sound as exciting.
It might only be a two-seater but two boots improve practicality and the interior is stylish and well-built. The Boxster isn't cheap but it has a highly desirable image and is one of the very best convertibles to drive currently on sale. Get in there quick if you’re a fan of the boxer engine, though, because the 718 Boxster will be replaced by an all-electric version soon.
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Priced from around £110,000
The Porsche 911 is one of the very best cars to drive on sale now, and the soft-top cabriolet version lets you enjoy the sound of the six-cylinder engine even more. You can drop the roof in just 12 seconds at speeds of up to 30mph, so making the most of a quick spot of sunshine is easy. Carrera models get 388bhp and hit 0-62mph in just 4.3 seconds, while the 533bhp Carrera GTS and Carrera 4 GTS version drop that to a mere 3.1 seconds.
Porsche also offers a Targa version, which is halfway between a convertible and a coupe; the top roof panel is removable and can be stowed away electronically. The price of the 911 is perhaps the only downside but you can easily spend £50,000 more on a McLaren or Audi that aren’t any quicker than the Porsche.
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Priced from around £51,000
The BMW 4 Series has been around for a few years now, and impressed us with its wide range of engines and trims, excellent handling, and quality interior. BMW is an established brand for keen drivers, and its convertibles are scooped up by those looking for an extra thrill from its models, without the need for more performance.
The elephant in the room for this iteration of BMW’s long-standing convertible is its looks – and particularly its enlarged kidney grilles – which have divided opinion. Its blend of comfort and balance, along with the performance from its engines is just as good as any BMW 4 Series or 3 Series before it. Those rear seats are quite tight, though, so while it may be a four-seat convertible, that may only extend to children and occasional use. For those wanting even more speed, there’s also the range-topping BMW M4 Convertible.
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Priced from around £31,000
Since re-entering the market in 2008, the Fiat 500 has grown quite a fanbase thanks to its retro-styling and low running costs. The newest iteration of the city car icon has gone electric, and while this has certainly raised the price, it is now even kinder on your wallet day-to-day. Entry-level versions can manage around 150 miles on a single charge, whereas those fitted with the larger 52kWh battery can pass the 200-mile mark before needing to be plugged in.
For those looking to enjoy the breeze, the convertible version of the Fiat 500 incorporates an electrically-retractable fabric roof that folds down all the way, just leaving the car’s roof pillars in place. While this is not quite what people imagine when they think of a convertible, it does offer a very similar experience. The only real downside of the 500C is its boot, which has been reduced in size to something more akin to a toaster oven than a proper load area. For those after a little more power, there’s the Abarth 500c which sits lower down in this list because the compromise to the improved performance is a shorter electric range and higher price tag.
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Priced from around £55,000
It wasn’t long ago that an electric convertible car was somewhat unheard of – there are still very few on the market, but aside from the city car-based convertible versions of the Fiat and Abarth 500e, now there’s the fantastic-looking MG Cyberster. A big part of a convertible’s appeal is its image, and you’re bound to make an entrance pulling up in the slick Cyberster, opening its Lamborghini-style scissor doors and stepping out.
Despite its racey look, the MG Cyberster is much better viewed as a refined tourer, rather than an out-and-out sports car. It’s definitely capable, but because it’s rather heavy, it’s not as in tune with the ethos of old British lightweight sports cars from the past – once you accept that, it’s an impressive machine that feels well made, is quick and feels comfortable to ride in.
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Priced from around £117,000
The Mercedes-AMG SL is a roadster which combines high-end luxury and – as you might guess from the prestigious AMG badge – punchy performance. We think it looks great, too, with a hunkered-down purposeful stance, a swoopy design and aggressive headlights.
There’s a range of engines with power ranging from between 415bhp and an incredible 805bhp. The entry-level car gets a four-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid assistance and goes from 0-62mph in just 4.7 seconds, while all other models get a V8 engine that sounds great and makes the SL feel even more special. The fastest of all is the plug-in hybrid SL 63 S E Performance, which does 0-62mph in just 2.9 seconds, and is capable of a modest eight miles to a charge using electricity alone. That will come in useful as you arrive home in the dead of night after a B-road blast and don’t want to wake the neighbours.
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Priced from around £45,000
The latest BMW Z4 feels like something of a throwback to old convertible muscle cars like the AC Cobra. It has its engine up front, rear-wheel drive and, in the M40i model, a relatively large 3.0-litre petrol engine that develops 335bhp. The interior blends luxury, comfort and quality, making the Z4 a very competent car in which to cover big distances when necessary.
Some lighter rivals with smaller engines will make sense for a certain demographic but there are few modern convertibles with the same character as the Z4, so it's certainly worthy of consideration if you're looking for a convertible and have the budget.
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Priced from around £53,000
If you’re after a convertible with an upmarket image and where comfort is the priority, there’s the Mercedes CLE Cabriolet. With the market for coupes and convertibles having shrunk over the years, the CLE actually represents a consolidation of two of the brand’s previous models, the C-Class and E-Class coupes, and this is the drop-top version of that car.
The CLE Cabriolet is spacious for a convertible so rear-seat passengers actually get more legroom than you might expect, keeping them comfortable enough on short trips. While you can get entry-level models with a four-cylinder mild-hybrid engine, we’d advise going for the six-cylinder version badged the CLE 450 for the full experience if you can afford it – it’s much better suited to the character of a luxury grand tourer convertible.
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Priced from around £37,000
The difference between the Fiat 500e and the Abarth 500e is peppier performance and a whole heap of character. It’s the hot version of that car from the Italian brand’s long-standing offshoot and it’s been reinvented for the electric age with lots of fun features that make it stand out, such as a boisterous fake exhaust sound that eggs you on – although admittedly that won’t be for everyone.
The Abarth 500e convertible makes 152bhp compared with the standard Fiat’s less potent 116bhp motor. It feels nippy and the 500e convertible adds an extra dose of exhilaration when you’re weaving in and out of bends along a country road. The downside is that the Abarth’s range is around 30 miles shorter than that of the Fiat, and it costs a good chunk more, so the extra fun comes at a price.
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Check out our list of the top 10 best sports cars...
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