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Best used convertibles
Summer is here, so if you fancy making the most of those unpredictable rays you’ll want a used convertible. Here’s a list of our top 10 favourites…
You might think that UK drivers wouldn’t particularly care for open-top, convertible cars but, despite the unpredictable climate, we buy more than most European countries. That’s good news if you want one as it means there’s a good number of very affordable used examples available.
What’s more, there’s a used convertible to suit every taste – from practical and family-friendly four-seaters to small, sporty two-seaters.
So, to tempt your palate, here are our top 10 favourites. And if you can’t wait to find out which of them is our favourite, it’s the latest version of the iconic Mazda MX-5, which is great to drive and decently affordable, with prices now starting from around £10,000.
Follow the link below each car and you could put one on your driveway sooner than you think.
Mazda MX-5
Our pick: 1.5 [132] Exclusive-Line 2dr
Strengths
- Fun handling and compliant ride
- Rev-happy engines with performance suited to UK roads
- Low running costs
Weaknesses
- Wind noise at speed
- Limited storage
- Some might find the body lean disconcerting
If you can live with only two seats, there’s little to dislike about the latest Mazda MX-5. It’s great fun to drive, but cheap to buy and run, and very reliable. The compact dimensions make it great around town – it never feels out of its depth on a motorway either – and the soft suspension gives it a brilliant ride. You’ll have a dependable and fun little sports car – one that makes for the best used convertible in the biz. Prices start at just £10,000.
We found: 2019 Mazda MX-5 1.5 SE-L, 30,000 miles, £13,000
Read our used Mazda MX-5 review
Search for a used Mazda MX-5 for sale
Audi TT Roadster
Strengths
- Fabulous interior
- Crisp handling
- Efficient engines
Weaknesses
- Stingy equipment
- Some wind noise at speed
- Not the cheapest convertible
You might be surprised to find out how cheap the third-generation Audi TT is these days, with prices from £10,000. In fact, considering how good it is to drive, we’d say it’s something of a bargain. The TT gives you agile handling, quick, direct steering and, on higher-spec models, the grip and traction of four-wheel drive. True, you’ll have to make do with two seats, but if that’s all you need and you want a premium feel, the TT is about the best there is.
We found: 2017 Audi TT Roadster 2.0 TFSI Sport, 39,000 miles, £12,500
Read our used Audi TT Roadster review
Search for a used Audi TT Roadster for sale
Audi A3 Cabriolet
Strengths
- Beautifully finished interior
- Ride and handling balance
- Well equipped
Weaknesses
- Sport and S Line are more refined than SE cars
- Poor rear room
- Optional automatic is jerky
A high purchase price (thanks to its strong residuals) is the only reason the Audi A3 Cabriolet didn’t finish higher up our list. It’s a cracking all-rounder, with the same sublime balance between ride and handling as any hard-top A3. The 1.4-litre TFSI is our favourite because it blends excellent performance with impressive economy. You get a gorgeous interior, an impressively big boot for a car of this type, and enough room in the back for two adults. Used prices start from around £7000.
We found: 2017 Audi A3 Cabriolet 1.4 TFSI Sport, 75,000 miles, £12,000
Read our used Audi A3 Cabriolet review
Search for a used Audi A3 Cabriolet for sale
Porsche Boxster
Strengths
- Brilliant handling
- Surprisingly comfortable ride
- Classy interior
Weaknesses
- Not as well equipped as some
- Relatively expensive to buy and own
Wait, what’s this? Surely this isn’t the latest 718 Boxster but the one before? You’re right, but in many ways, we prefer this older car, thanks to it coming with the delightful flat-six engine rather than the later car’s four-cylinder unit. It feels light, agile and quick on its feet, not to mention its 3.4-litre engine produces a healthy 311bhp (in S guise) and is great fun. That being said, even standard cars with the 261bhp 2.7-litre engine are a joy to drive.
We found: 2016 Porsche Boxster 2.7, 48,000 miles, £24,000
Read our used Porsche Boxster review
Search for a used Porsche Boxster for sale
BMW 4 Series Convertible
Our pick: 420i M Sport 2dr Step Auto
Strengths
- Sharp, polished, fun handling
- M440i is especially quick and entertaining
- Good amount of space (by class standards)
Weaknesses
- Some wind and tyre noise
- Firm ride – you’ll want adaptive suspension
- Rivals are available for less money
This latest BMW 4 Series Convertible follows in the footsteps of a long line of classy BMW drop-tops. For starters, it’s excellent to drive with the same sharp handling and punchy performance we so enjoy in the regular hard-top coupe version. There’s a high-tech, classy and comfortable interior and it’s even quite practical. The entry-level 2.0-litre petrol-engined car is our favourite – it’ll see off 0 to 60mph in 7.5sec but should be relatively frugal to run. Used prices have dipped below the £30k mark now making it even more tempting.
We found: 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible 420i M Sport, 46,000 miles, £28,000
Read our used BMW 4 Series Convertible review
Search for a used BMW 4 Series Convertible for sale
Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet
Strengths
- Well equipped
- Comfortable ride on air suspension
- Good to drive
Weaknesses
- Unrefined diesels
- Cramped rear seats
- Audi interiors feel more solid
- Reliability a bit mixed
If you’re after a suave and relaxed four-seat convertible car, the Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet may well be the car for you. The ride on its air suspension is positively wafty, while it’s refined, good to drive, well-equipped and decently practical too. The interior is plush and neatly laid out, too, so it’ll impress your passengers, or the passers-by looking in as you cruise past with the roof down. On top of that, it’s now really good value bought used, so it just edges above its E-Class Cabrio sibling here.
We found: 2019 Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet C220d AMG Line, 48,000 miles, £18,000
Read our used Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet review
Search for a used Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet for sale
Mini Convertible
Strengths
- Strong engines
- Smart interior
- Good refinement
Weaknesses
- Tight rear space
- Rear visibility isn’t great
- Small boot
The latest Mini is one of the more accessible convertibles on the market, with some of the lowest prices of the lot. Those compact dimensions also mean it’s very easy to drive around town. With excellent build quality, great looks and some of the most fun driving dynamics around – not to mention a choice of impressively efficient engines – it’s a very compelling cabrio.
We found: 2019 Mini Convertible 1.5 Cooper, 35,500 miles, £10,995
Read our used Mini Convertible review
Search for a used Mini Convertible for sale
Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet
Strengths
- Well equipped
- Low levels of wind buffeting with roof down
- Decent boot for a convertible
Weaknesses
- Some models have pricey tax bills
- Not the sharpest to drive
- Rear seat space not as good as some rivals
A drop-top with the three-pointed star on its nose is a covetable thing indeed, and the Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet is no exception. Clever aerodynamics and an innovative heating system that blows warm air at your neck to help prevent the chilling effect of wind buffeting helps to keep occupants warm. The E-Class Cabriolet is well built, supremely smooth and comfortable. It’s also refined to drive with the top down and gives you a big boot for extended holidays.
We found: 2019 Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet E350d AMG Line, 50,000 miles, £21,995
Read our used Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet review
Search for a used Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet for sale
BMW 2 Series Convertible
Our pick: 220i M Sport 2dr Step Auto
Strengths
- Compliant ride
- Sharp handling
- Strong performance
Weaknesses
- Cramped rear seats
- Diesel engines noisy
- Mid-spec trims not so well equipped
The compact BMW 2 Series is a great all-round convertible. It’s comfortable and terrific fun to drive, comes with good petrol or diesel engines and has sharp handling. It’s also reasonably practical. It feels classy and sporty throughout, and buyers can choose from relaxed SE to sportier M Sport, which has stiffer suspension. It has proved reliable too, coming fifth out of 15 models in its class in the most recent What Car? Reliability Survey.
We found: 2020 BMW 2 Series Convertible 218d M Sport, 42,000 miles, £14,900
Read our used BMW 2 Series Convertible review
Search for a used BMW 2 Series Convertible for sale
Jaguar F-Type Convertible
Strengths
- Good performance
- Attractive styling
- Lots of fun to drive
Weaknesses
- Tiny boot
- Fiddly infotainment
- Not cheap to run
Elegant yet purposeful, the Jaguar F-Type is one of the most desirable used convertibles around. This soft-top sports car is available in turbocharged four-cylinder, supercharged V6 and V8 form. All variants, especially six and eight-cylinder cars, sound amazing and drive like a dream, with fun handling and impressive performance. Not cheap to run, but there are plenty of bargains out there, offering great value for money. Prices start at just £20,000.
We found: 2019 Jaguar F-Type 3.0 V6, 56,000 miles, £30,000
Read our used Jaguar F-Type Convertible review
Search for a used Jaguar F-Type Convertible for sale
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