Best convertible cars 2025

We love a convertible here in the UK. Available in all shapes and sizes, there’s something for everyone and despite our often inclement weather. Indeed, many will tell you nothing quite compares to being behind the wheel of a car without a roof. So, grab your sunglasses as we explore the best convertibles you can buy new in 2025.
If you're after a used convertible, you can find one right here on Auto Trader

Truly one-of-a-kind in its balance of sports car thrills with an attainable price tag, the MX-5 is so good that Mazda has sold over one million worldwide. It may only have two seats but, unlike more extreme alternatives, it's still a car you can use every day. Whether you choose the peppy 1.5-litre engine or opt for a little more oomph with the more powerful 2.0-litre alternative, fun is guaranteed. And if you want the best of both worlds, the RF version has a folding hardtop, meaning it feels like a coupe with the roof up but is just as fun with it stowed.
Find a Mazda MX-5 on Auto Trader

While the 500 hatchback gets two battery size options, the convertible is only offered with the bigger 42kWh battery. This gives you more miles between charges to enjoy wind-in-your-hair motoring. And when you do have to plug in, you can debate with passers-by about whether this really is the cutest electric car on sale. If you like that idea but want something (literally) louder, the Abarth version will suit you down to the ground. We lived with one for six months. Read all about that here.
Read the review or explore the Fiat 500C range on Auto Trader

Mid-engined and a true purist’s sports car, the 718 Boxster has a pretty wide range of engines to suit all budg... well, not necessarily all budgets, but there are cheaper Boxsters. And there are very expensive ones. Take your pick of the range depending on how much you want to spend, how quickly you want to get from 0-62mph, and how much noise and jiggle you're prepared to live with. Whichever you go for, though, you'll have bought into one of the greatest driving experiences ever conceived. Check out 718 Spyder RS for something raw, rapid and ridiculous(ly expensive).
Explore the Porsche 718 Boxster range on Auto Trader

BMW says it makes "the ultimate driving machines", so naturally, its done a few convertibles in its time. Today's Z4 is a very appealing sports car, but what if you regularly transport more than one passenger, or you are off on a grand tour and want some extra space? Enter the 4 Series. Elegant, refined, and great to drive, BMW has nailed the brief.
Read the review or explore the BMW 4 Series range on Auto Trader

Given the choice between coupe and convertible versions of the same car, the coupe is usually the better choice for its refinement, sharper handling and sleeker looks. But the Continental might just work even better without a roof. It's the decadent ideal of wafting along the lanes in the sunshine with friends or family, absolutely living the dream. Plus, with an interior this plush, why not show it off to the world at large? There's very little compromise in having the convertible, given it looks equally good with the roof up and is pretty much as refined as the coupe in normal driving.
explore the Bentley Continental range on Auto Trader

The Wrangler is a true go-anywhere beast... but one that also allows you to take off the doors, roof, and windscreen. It's all a bit of a fiddly operation though, which is why it's so nice that Jeep also offers a powered roof that folds back with a push of a button. The Wrangler may not be a traditional convertible, but driving one is a truly memorable wind-in-hair experience. And, thanks to an impressive hybrid drivetrain, capable of off-roading on electric power alone, it's relatively cheap to run.
Read the review or explore the Jeep Wrangler range on Auto Trader

Chopping the roof off a supercar makes it more exciting on a sunny day, but for serious drivers the compromises often outweigh the benefits. Convertibles are usually heavier than their coupe equivalents, so they're slower, and they're not as sharp to drive because of the extra flex in the body. The Maserati MC20 is a little different though. The stiff carbon fibre construction means it weighs little more than the regular coupe and is just as sharp to drive. And, to our eyes at least, it looks better - more exotic, at least.
Check out Maseratis on Auto Trader right here

Some cars are so good that songs are written about them. From Don Henley’s Boys of Summer to Maren Morris in her ‘80s Mercedes, endless songs describe the joys of open top motoring. So, failing a 1980s Mercedes-Benz SL, how about a brand new one? With a history dating back to 1950s race cars it’s fitting that the SL models of today are now all developed by Mercedes-AMG. The mixture of performance and luxury is a winner and definitely worthy of a song or two.
Read the review, watch the video and browse Mercedes SLs for sale on Auto Trader

Brand new for 2025 and electric now, the latest Mini Convertible nonetheless doesn’t really change the basic blueprint that’s existed for the last two decades or so: take a Mini hatchback, give it a fabric roof, fold down said roof into already tiny boot, ergo rendering it basically useless. Still, nobody buys a convertible for practicality reasons, and it does have rear seats, at least. Such as they are. Every bit as fun to drive as the hard-top and one of the least ostentatious new convertibles on the market. It’s expensive, though.

This plug-in hybrid Ferrari combines a V6 petrol engine with an electric motor. Don’t let the size of the petrol engine fool you, this is still very much a supercar, combining power, poise, and passion. Unusually for a supercar there’s even a nod to practicality. Ferrari made battery optimisations so that you can fold the roof down without losing space to stow luggage on the rear bench. Some may consider an open top Ferrari to be a predictable choice at this price point, so if you are after a less obvious suggestion, check out the Maserati MC20 Cielo.
Explore the Ferrari 296 GTS on Auto Trader

Cabriolet is a French term for the word convertible. The word 'cabriolet' originates from 1800s France. It was originally used to refer to light, two-wheeled horse-drawn carriages. Like a convertible, the top could be pulled over if needed.
There’s no real difference between a cabriolet and a convertible. They are different names for the type of car and are often used interchangeably. Both convertible and cabriolet refer to a car that can ‘convert’ from a car with a roof to one without and be driven in both scenarios. Some manufacturers prefer to call their cars cabriolets (or cabrios) because it is an older, more traditional term. American manufacturers, however, are more likely to refer to their cars as convertibles. Shop electric and diesel convertibles

There’s a wide range of convertible cars on the market including two, four and five-seaters.
Beyond the standard soft and hard-top convertible cars, there are other varieties like:

Semi convertibles

Semi-convertibles, sometimes called cabrio coach or targas, are cars that have all the bodywork up to the top of the door – it’s just the roof that retracts. These cars retain most of the original car’s structure and can look almost identical to their hardtop equivalents when the roof is up.

Roadsters, also called spiders or spyders, are sporty two-seaters, like the Mazda MX-5.

Four-door convertibles are relatively rare because they are expensive for manufacturers to build. One example of a four-door is the Jeep Wrangler.

Many convertible cars have roofs made of fabric, which is usually multi-layered to keep the cabin as quiet as possible when the roof is up. These are called soft-top convertibles.

Hard-top convertibles have roof panels made of rigid material like metal, plastic, carbon fibre, glass or combinations thereof. Hard-top convertibles can have a roof of two types:

Retractable hard-tops

Convertibles with retractable roofs tend to be much quieter than those with fabric roofs when it comes to road and wind noise. In some cases, they can be as quiet and secure as a regular hard-top car. But folding hardtops tend to be heavier, which can affect fuel economy, and the mechanisms used to retract the roof can take up a lot of boot space when compared to convertibles with fabric roofs.

Detachable hard-tops

Some convertibles also offer a detachable hardtop. While some of these can be stored in the car’s boot, many can’t and so have to be left in a garage or storage. With so many improvements in retractable roofs, detachable hardtop is much less common nowadays but can be a useful semi-permanent fixture over the winter months.

Here's what our team had to say about the convertible cars available in the UK:

What is the best hardtop convertible car?

Take a look at... Mazda MX-5 RF BMW 4 Series Convertible Mercedes-Benz SL

What is the best four-seater convertible car?

Take a look at... Audi A3 Cabriolet Bentley Continental GT Convertible Mercedes-Benz E-Class Convertible Mini Convertible