21/06/2021
Best convertible cars for £10,000
Fancy making the most of the UK summer's sporadic appearances? Then you need to read our guide to the best convertible cars for £10,000.
That's right ten thousand pounds is all that's between you and having the wind in your hair, the sun on your skin and the, er, flies in your teeth. All the convertible cars here can drop their tops in seconds so you can experience all of that and more, but we have taken care to choose a variety of models from sports cars to small cars, family cars and more. So keep reading for our guide to the best convertible cars for £10,000.
Mazda MX-5
Year launched: 2006
Our self-imposed £10,000 budget means the current Mazda MX-5 is cruelly out of reach, but the third generation MX-5 follows an identical formula and £10K is more than enough to pick up an extremely nice example.
And it'll seem like the bargain of the century because the MX-5 can't fail to make you smile. Its zingy four-cylinder engines love to be revved, the short throw gearbox has a lovely tight action and the rear-wheel-drive chassis has phenomenal balance. No car has a bigger feel-good factor.
It's easy to live with too, once you get over the fact that it has a small boot and only two seats, anyway. It's relatively cheap to insure and run, plus you can expect it to be 100% reliable unlike British sports cars of yesteryear. You can also have kit like air-con and sat-nav while the roof, which rises and drops manually in seconds, is a dream to use
BMW Z4
Year launched: 2009
The BMW Z4 follows much the same formula as the Mazda MX-5 – it's a two seater, rear-wheel drive sports car with a drop-top roof.
The BMW has a more luxurious take on the drop-top experience, mind, its six-cylinder engines serve up lots of power and it comes with an electrically folding metal roof. That means its much quieter at motorway speeds when you’ve got the roof down. And, let’s face it, a Z4 in the UK is going to spend most of its time with the roof down.
One drawback is the amount of space the hood (or rather the mechanism takes up) so you only get 180 litres of boot space. Think squishy day and overnight bags - rather than golf clubs or a small suitcase for a weekend away.
MINI Convertible
Year launched: 2016
The MINI Convertible isn’t without its flaws, but it’s hard to resist it’s personality and charm. If you need something with a retractable roof and some rear seats that you can pick up for £10k, this car definitely fits the bill.
At this price point, you’ll be looking at the 1.5-litre Cooper, which is no hardship. It’s a fine engine with plenty of punch but also affordable running costs. Smiles comes as standard thanks to the nimble handling, but you will notice a host of rattle and creaks.
Boot space has never been the MINI’s strongest point, and that’s no different here - you can just about get a weekly shop for two people in, or maybe a weekend bag. Bulky item to shift? The seats do fold down. The fabric roof can also be lifted to provide better boot access.
Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet
Year launched: 2011
For many drivers, there’s something a about a convertible Golf that just really hits the spot. A fabric roof that opens in under ten seconds? Check. Fun to drive yet easy to live with? Check. Four seats and a decent boot? You betcha.
Part of the appeal is probably the wide range of engines choices. You can start from a 1.2-litre petrol with just over 100PS or opt for a 140PS diesel. If you have a proper deep dive into the classifieds, you might even find a 2.0-litre GTI for this money. Now wouldn’t that be something…
As you’d expect, they’re well kitted out with things like DAB radio and Bluetooth. Plus, a lot of work was done to make sure this was one smart car. For example, the hood has an extra layer to improve refinement while even with the roof down you get 250 litres of boot space.
Vauxhall Cascada
Year launched: 2013
If you’re looking for a decent family car but one which can drop its roof, why not have a look at a Vauxhall Cascada? Built in the USA, there’s plenty of space and a decent boot… as long as the roof isn’t down.
Find one with the optional triple layered roof and you’ll have impressive levels of refinement. Okay, the roof won’t win any awards for speed, but the despite taking 17 seconds you can raise it or lower it a speeds up to 30mph. Handy when it rains.
There’s also plenty of engines to choose from, with 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrol plus a 195PS 2.0-litre diesel. You probably want one of the bigger engines as the Cascada is a heavy car. It’s a great cruiser that’s well built and easy to drive with zero pretensions for sportiness.
Reliability for convertible cars is no different to their fixed roof counterparts. So the convertibles that are least likely to let you down tend to come from BMW, Porsche and Mazda.
Gone are the days when adding a convertible meant taking a tin opener to your hatchback. Manufacturers have worked hard to make sure that there’s no loss of stiffness to the chassis (crucial if you’re in an accident).
With the roof down, you can appreciate the roar of the engine and the energy of the high street. But refinement levels with the roof up can be a bit of a mixed bag. Some cars creak and groan and whistle while others boast extra layered roofs and beef up door seals to make them quieter.
