Top 5 Cheap Convertible Cars

The best cheap convertible cars

If it is a sunny day out there in the UK, is it the time to go out in a convertible to enjoy a sunny day

You might assume the glitz and glamour of a cheap and fuel economical convertible car which means such a car is the best vehicle that can make your day. However you’d be wrong – actually, there’s a jumble of very remarkable cabriolets offered in the UK market that makes owning a convertible a long way further cheaper than you’d consider buying a conventional family car.

And with plenty of convertibles now available with both conventional engines and state of the art technology of alternative fuels, running costs in both cases are not extra high than those of your commonly favourite hatchbacks. So why not a convertible if it is best of both cases.

What’s more, there’s a convertible that suits everyone in the market – from sensible, effective family cars that can deliver more than the conventional family cars, to luxurious, dependent grand tourers definitive for blowing around on a sunny weekend.

So hold a big brew and visualize yourself in one of these gorgeous cabriolets – and in case you’re interested, why not finding one in our list of top five the best convertibles to go and test drive?

Our pick of the best but cheapest convertible cars boasting excellent worth for cash as well and there are some luxurious options as well. Whatever you opt to buy, the ultimate target is to enjoy a sunny day while cool pleasant breeze will be whistling around your ears in any season. A convertible car ought not to be a financial burden though – we’ve picked out UK’s favorite cabriolets which get the balance of price tag, equipment and running costs are simply the best.

1-Mazda MX-5

Star ranking: 4.4 stars

Our choice: 1.5-litre sport Nav

New prices: £18,795 – £24,195

Used unit prices: £12,600 – £21,830

Fuel economy range: 40 – 47 mpg

Package highlights: Heated seats, sat-nav, Bose stereo

The typical Japanese roadster and a cheap convertible as well, the Mazda MX-5 is an immensely well-matched alternative in this category of convertible vehicles. We’ve chosen sports navigation trim in view that it comes with sat-nav assembled in, plus a Bose stereo and heated seats and apart from these models.

The Mazda MX-5 has a 1.5-litre engine and here this engine is much less strong than the 2.0-litre Engine option but it’s also extra distinctive, with a raspy exhaust and more zeal to rev hard. It’s unproblematic to take it too lightly that how important the Mazda MX-5 Roadster is to the Japanese automaker Mazda, but now the MX-5 is in the fourth generation since its launch in 1989, more than a million have been sold out across the globe. Rather a contentment bearing in mind it could hardly be described as a mainstream model.

In the UK, actually, roadsters are going out of the vision with the time and becoming less attractive but the MX-5 still has a great time in the UK and still facing some rivals. The most obvious rivals are 124 Spider by Italian automaker Fiat, Abarth is also there which considered as the first cousin of the Spider, and both of these roadsters are actually prepared at the MX-5 platform.

After the FIAT, the next rival is from Germany and it is none other than the trio, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Audi strikes with TT while the Z4 roadster comes from the house of BMW and Mercedes-Benz offers its SLC, all of these models are more attractive than the MX-5 but not in all the fields. All of them are pricier than the MX-5. The MX-5 is a focused roadster with the help of the 1.5-litre SkyActiv-G engine. The entire roadster has been designed around the SkyActiv engine rather than it was just fitted in the roadster. The demand for both 2.0-litre and 1.5-litres is almost equal at the base but in the world market, United States loves to have 2.0-litre while rest of the world has more orders for a 1.5-litre engine. These SkyActiv engines spin freely, surpassing 7,000rpm before bumping its control, and sounds beautifully passionate. It adds up to an experience that’s full of the sensation of this lightweight roadster. Mazda calls it ‘pleasure of the moment, the pleasure of lifestyles’. We call it fun.

What of the 2.0-litre replacement? It has an added 29hp and 50Nm of torque over the 1.5-litre, which is giving more oomph to the 0-62mph time and reducing the previous 8.3 seconds time to 7.3 seconds.

Truth be taught, the development of torque is in particular seen, and usually welcome, but it surely lacks the purity of the smaller unit and feels coarser in the evaluation.

2-BMW 2 Series Cabriolet

Star ranking: 4.5 stars

Our choice: 218d SE Auto

New Price: £25,915 – £39,965

Used Price: £14,025 – £31,415

Fuel Economy: 33 – 65 mpg

Package highlights: Sat-nav, rear parking sensors, air-con

Premium looks, a quality driving experience and Germanic build, fine add up to an extremely tempting arrangement in the form of a BMW 2 series Cabriolet. Romping the spec SE gives you ample room for a price of £30,000 to choose a superb 8 speeds automatic transmission which is associated with the effective and punchy diesel engine. The 2 series is well equipped too, with satellite navigation, 17-inch alloys to give it an exclusively excellent look, rear parking sensors and air-conditioning, it is not just air conditioning actually, it is an environmental control system, all incorporated as standard. Agreeable of all it appears appreciably extra high priced than its sub £30k starting price because of the associated BMW picture. That is all available with BMW 2 series as standard.

The 2 series convertible is the soft top variant of the 2 series coupe and is set to take on the likes of the Audi A3 Cabriolet and Vauxhall Cascada, but it actually gives a great competition to Mazda MX-5 and Mercedes-Benz SLC cabriolet. This new model fills but an extra niche in BMW’s ever-expanding line-up. It replaces the 1 Series Convertible, which sold in tremendous numbers so far, and for the first time BMW is launching a performance version of the 2 series with M Performance, it is an M235i variation to sit on the top of the range. It is even longer and wider than the 1 Series Convertible, there’s more space to play with now both in terms of cabin and boot. The new convertible top takes 20 seconds to open or close and features more aerodynamics and inclusion to make your journey quieter and pleasant with the top in place. The all-new 2 series convertible offers a range of four engines and all of them are offered in the UK.  The only real diesel option is the BMW 220d, which boasts 190bhp and 400Nm of torque with exclusively controlled zero to 62 miles per hour time and it is 7.4 seconds when equipped with an eight-speed auto transmission that’s offered on all four engines.

If you love to have petrol engines than opt for a 220i, which has 184bhp and 270Nm protecting zero to 62mph in 7.5 seconds, or 7.6 seconds when mated to an automatic transmission. The 228i will get 245bhp and 350Nm, so will do 0-62 miles per hour in 6.1 seconds. The third option is a super performer M235i again a petrol engine that comes with M treatment and powered by a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbocharged engine to make 326bhp and 450Nm of torque. The 0-62 miles per hour jaunt takes 5.2 seconds, at the same time automatic models will do the same in five pot flat engines. Of course, the pay-offs for performance are fuel economy and CO2 emissions. As ever with new BMW range, the company has employed its EfficientDynamics tech to keep materials as frugal as viable.

The 220d diesel engine is the best in class and it is topping the range with returns up to a claimed 60.1mpg and 124g/km. Both petrol engines return a claimed 40.5 miles per hour and 159g/km, whilst the M235i being the powerful model will return a claimed fuel economy of 33.2 miles per hour and 199g/km. Every one of these figures can also be multiplied upon rationally determining an optional eight-speed automatic gearbox.

3-Nissan 350Z Roadster

Star rate: 4.5 stars

Prices for used: £3,570 – £10,615

Fuel economy: 23 – 24 mpg

Our pick of the range: 350Z Roadster GT

Nissan’s roadsters are well known in the market where it has offered several models but according to our piece of writing, the Nissan 350Z is a hairy-chested muscleman and is a kind of a sports vehicle and the Roadster in an easy reach adds to the fun with its speedy-acting fabric convertible top roof.

Drop the top and that you would be able to benefit from the growl of its 3.5-litre V6 engine, the entirely new power setup. Power elevated from the standard 276bhp to 300bhp in 2006 and was once boosted again in 2007 to 313bhp, however, all the versions are speedy and managed sharply. The driving experience is not quaking but it is still a fun to drive, and refinement in the cabin is suitable with the roof down, however, you also ought to holler to be heard at motorway speeds.

The standard version of 350Z Roadster is well geared up, however, we’d go for the GT variation. That moreover advantages from heated and electrically adjustable seats, leather-based upholstery, Bose stereo system and cruise control system are offered as standard. Plus its cast alloy wheels looking exceptionally good and beautiful, too.

The convertible version of the 350Z is exclusively known as the Roadster – retains the economic using features of the 350z coupe version and the same punchy and powerful engine, however, features an electrically-folding fabric roof which withdraws in just 20 seconds. The model was certainly developed to be a convertible as well as a couple from the start and hence it drives just as any other luxury convertible with pretty good control on the road and has nobody shake, even over difficult roads.

Just like the coupe, it is also offered at the best price even as changes in 2006 combined more engine power and has an excellent cabin. It was elevated once more in 2007 with a generally modified engine identified easily when you will see a bulging bonnet. The 350Z Roadster was furnished with a 280bhp engine with a size of 3.5-litre V6 engine linked to a six-speed manual transmission – just the same configuration as of the coupe. Regardless of going topless on the road, the convertible variation is virtually healthier than the coupe, however, in everyday driving there’s no noticeable change in efficiency. The power delivery from the 350Z engine is spectacular and the engine note sounds even higher with the roof down.

The only main part of the package is the gear change, and it could be smoother, in particular when changing down and is just noisy when moving up. The power-up benefits delivered in 2006 when the power was elevated to 300bhp. It has to be revved more hard, so is a little less stress-free to drive, however, the engine is still fast enough, the 0-62 miles per hour dash time is lowered to 6.2 seconds. Previously it was 6.4 seconds. The 2007 model saw another development in performance due to an extensively revised engine that wishes a bonnet bulge for it to slot in the engine bay.

4-Porsche Boxster Roadster (2012-2016)

Star rate: 5

Used price: £19,370 – £68,465

Fuel economy on average: 28 – 35 mpg

Engine: 2.7-litre flat-six petrol

Gearbox: Six-speed manual transmission

Engine power: 261bhp

Torque: 280Nm

0-62mph: 5.6 seconds

Top speed: 164mph

top down in: 9 secs (up to 30mph)

The Porsche Boxster is one of the quick convertibles but it’s an outstanding sports car. Just like the nice driver’s cars it’s no longer all relating to the straight-line speed, however how the Boxster makes you believe while you find an inspiring piece of road. It’s agile, grippy and a properly balanced roadster offers you delicate composure towards a full of fun driving.

Going topless with a powerful 2.7-litre flat-six Porsche boxer engine additionally sounds amazing, however, perhaps the quality factor relating to the Porsche is, it is a wonderful convertible roadster to live with. There are two boots and lots of baggage area offered on the roadster that makes it an exclusively favourite for families too, it also delivers an average fuel economy of over 33 miles per gallon and eventually, we suppose the brand new version looks great.

For a sports automobile company, Porsche is fairly old-fashioned. When an ‘all-new’ model has launched a double-take is as a whole required in distinguishing between this model and the older model. This Porsche Boxster roadster represents little exchange in the German sports car’s ethos. This version of the Porsche Boxster roadster is up to 35kg lighter in comparison with the prior version, and it has a much broader version, a longer wheelbase, a cut back trip peak and higher wheels. Fuel economy has been improved, with the aid of as much as 15%, because of the technological advancement and start/stop feature and exclusively higher aerodynamics.

A sport Plus button is available that makes things a bit of more pressing, it is now included on all models. Halogen front headlamp clusters are now standard, and the new bi-xenon headlights, which might be average on the Boxster S, have been tweaked to present a slicker cabin finish to enhance the looks. On the rear, there was a convertible top roof covering lid which has been removed in this model, and the tail-lights and the exhaust pipes have also been modified. A rear spoiler extends right throughout the vehicle and into the remodelled tail-lights, further distinguishing it from the previous generation of the Porsche Boxster roadster. Porsche calls the revised design ‘revolutionary evolution’ and even though that could be a moot point, it does look more destructive and attractive than the outgoing model. Prices are up by around £1,000-£2,000 relying on version and the trim you opt for. Of course, the Boxster’s ace card is its handling expertise and on account that it’s a mid-engined roadster just like the other sports cars offered by Porsche. It has the ultimate design for the road. The earlier models were used to be pretty imperious, with opponents like the BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK. All the competitors will have to work even more to remain in contact in the riding dynamics division of Porsche.

5-Jaguar F-Type

Star score: 5

Used price: £23,840 – £83,805

Fuel economy on average: 25 – 33 mpg

Pick if the range Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol

Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic

Engine power: 374bhp

Torque: 460Nm

Zero to 62mph: 4.8 seconds

Top speed: 161mph

Convertible Top down in: 12 seconds (up to 30mph)

Jaguar’s F-Type will not be in easy reach of any of the competitors in the market as it has a Jaguar DNA and it is in our list of the best cheapest convertibles in the UK, but one of our ‘ favorite cars too – that’s why it has managed to receive all the 5 stars in the verdict when we had a first test drive on this roadster. The exceptionally large range of powerful engines is starting with the supercharged 3.0 litre V6 that produces 374bhp and helps it sprint to 62 miles per hour in no time and it soon gets its top speed of 161 miles per hour.

In the back of the wheel, you’ll love the drive the Jaguar roadster and love the way it drives. Its eight-speed automatic transmission shifts even smoothly and swiftly whilst it’s agile handling, and the swift steering means the F-Type is acceptably a fun to drive. With the top down, there’s just a little excessive amount of knocking for our liking and the tiny boot approach you’ll appreciate Jaguar. It’s also a relatively steep priced model, however, in the event, you buy its old-style roadster appears you’ll presume it’s worth every penny.

The Jaguar F-type is a British convertible automobile and is something very unique that has produced after many years. With an alternative of three engines, it is a front-engined, it is exclusively rear-wheel powered and for now essentials a soft convertible roof.

From its on-road behavior and looks, Jaguar has designed and built this vehicle for one purpose and it is efficiency. The cabin is entirely driver-focused, and the response of the steering and the throttle is just awesome, engine and equipment alterations are all designed to engage the driving power into the experience.

You can simply select from two engine types, where a V6 and one V8 engine is waiting to be ordered. The Jaguar F-type comes with three different types of engines, commencing with an entry-level 3.0-litre petrol, the V6 is strong enough to make the benchmark speed of 62 miles per hour in just 5.1 seconds and 161 miles per hour of its top speed. When the same engine comes with a supercharger it easily knocks the 0-60 miles per hour sprint right down to 4.8 seconds and raises the top speed by 10 miles per hour.

Top units acquire the V8 Supercharged engine, which leaps out of the blocks on its approach to 4.2 seconds to reach the 62 miles per hour dash before finishing its 186 miles per hour of top speed. Unusually Jaguar claims that all the models have electronically controlled top speeds and the engine can actually do even more if the electronic limits removed. All the F-Type roadsters come with an eight-speed auto transmission that shifts swiftly between the ratios.

The all-new Jaguar comes with very neat design touches and offers all the features that any higher end model offers. There are plenty of neat design touches together with flush fitting door handles that mechanically pop out when the car is unlocked, and retract as you start to roll. Apart from these design changes, Jaguar, being a local automaker knows its market better than others and offers optional features according to the needs of the UK market.