2009 BMW 1 Series convertible

Both BMW 1 Series convertibles come with similar standard features, including automatic temperature control with a special top-down setting. The BMW 135i convertible gets a standard sport suspension with 17-inch wheels that's optional on the 128i convertible. Edmunds.com says the sport package adds more comfortable and supportive seats, but ConsumerGuide.com testers find it hurts ride quality. The 135i also gets wood interior trim instead of the 128i's piano black. Sun-reflective leather seats are optional on both models.

The BMW 1 Series' soft top folds up or down in just over 20 seconds. Reviewers say it's well insulated, with a glass rear window and defroster. But testers say visibility is worse with the small-windowed soft top than with the more expensive BMW 3 Series' retractable hardtop, and wind buffeting makes conversation more difficult in the 1 Series with the top down at highway speeds.

We found no crash tests for either the BMW 1 Series convertible or coupe. This relatively new model has not accumulated much of a reliability history, either, although J.D. Power and Associates notes that BMW cars in general experience about the same number of problems as the average car. The BMW 1 Series convertible carries four-year, 50,000-mile basic and powertrain warranties.

Several reviews of the BMW 1 Series convertible -- including those at LeftLaneNews.com, Cars.com and Popular Mechanics -- date back to 2008 when the car initially hit the market, but the 1 Series is basically unchanged since then. Reviews at ConsumerGuide.com, Car and Driver and Edmunds.com have been updated for 2009; ConsumerGuide.com's review concentrates a bit more fully on the convertible version of the 1 Series. FuelEconomy.gov is the place to find the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's fuel-economy estimates for nearly every car on the market. J.D. Power and Associates surveys car owners to judge the reliability of 37 brands, including BMW.