Convertible Review

Finding the best (and worst) convertibles

Some car owners keep convertibles as second vehicles, ready to pull them out of the garage and put the top down in the summer months. However, with the growing availability of all-weather, retractable hard-top convertibles, in addition to the availability of affordable models, more car buyers are choosing a drop-top as their primary year-round vehicle. This report focuses on convertibles from a wide section of the market, from budget-minded options to high-performance roadsters. You will find that some of the models in our companion report on sports cars come in convertible versions, too.

Overall, we found the best reviews for convertibles at Edmunds.com, where editors test most cars on the market. Reviews here are pleasantly devoid of the kind of flowery elation found in some other car reviews. Instead, the reviews are balanced and practical. Edmunds.com has a specific category for convertibles, which is another plus.

ConsumerReports.org's convertible reviews are comprehensive and unbiased, providing a host of useful information such as historical reliability data and owner satisfaction. We also found thoughtful reviews at established car magazines (Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Automobile Magazine, Road & Track) and newer automotive websites (TheTruthAboutCars.com, Autoblog.com, LeftLaneNews.com, Jalopnik.com). We turned to government and nonprofit groups -- the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) -- for tests of fuel economy and safety.

Convertibles currently available range from the smallest vehicle offered in the U.S. to expensive, luxury four-seat models. Budget-minded convertible buyers might be tempted by the cheap, fuel-efficient 2010 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet, but crash tests show that North America's tiniest car can't protect its occupants as well as normal-size cars. For example, in a frontal crash test against a midsize Mercedes-Benz, the 8-foot-10-inch-long 2009 Smart coupe "went airborne and turned around 450 degrees," the IIHS reports. A woefully unpolished automatic transmission and painfully slow acceleration top the list of complaints about the Smart ForTwo Cabriolet convertible.

Consumers pining for convertibles that are practical and affordable have plenty to appreciate. The 2011 Ford Mustang Convertible (Base MSRP: $27,145 to $37,845) has performance and practicality at a low starting price. The 2011 Mini Cooper Convertible (Base MSRP: $24,850 to $34,300) makes for a fuel-efficient, fun drive. And the 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata (Base MSRP: $23,110 to $28,550) offers one of the best convertible experiences around because of its high-quality build and sporty nature.

If a bigger size meets your needs, keep in mind that a usable back seat is hard to come by in convertibles at any price point, but some models fare much better in the comfort-for-four department. The 2010 Chrysler Sebring Convertible (Base MSRP: $27,850 to $32,710) has impressive rear-occupancy comfort for a convertible, with Car and Driver magazine calling the rear accommodations "by far the roomiest" among convertibles being compared. Unfortunately, aside from the relatively low price for a convertible, the Sebring has divisive styling, subpar reliability and unimpressive driving manners. Consider the aforementioned (and vastly superior) Ford Mustang convertible if you're looking for sufficient comfort for four and good driving dynamics. Another better -- albeit pricey -- all-around performer with decent rear-seat comfort is the brand new 2011 Mercedes-Benz E Class Cabriolet (Base MSRP: $56,850 to $64,800), which has been praised in its initial reviews for sufficient room and quality seats for the rear occupants.

Fuel efficiency and comfort may be priorities for some models, but other convertibles are about maximizing driving pleasure. Sporty convertibles need not be exorbitantly expensive, and the 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata is the embodiment of that concept, as it "possesses the essential qualities that separate sporting machinery from the rest of the herd: feline reflexes, crisp shifting, and surgically precise steering" according to Car and Driver magazine.

The epitome of sporty convertibles is found in perennial favorites, the 2011 Porsche Boxster (Base MSRP: $47,600 to $61,200) and the 2011 BMW 3 Series Convertible (Base MSRP: $45,500 to $58,700). Both have sublime driving dynamics. The Boxster is purely a sports car in its two-seat roadster configuration, while the BMW offers a more practical and luxurious solution to sporty driving, reviewers say.