Best used convertibles to buy 2026
If it’s open-top thrills that you’re after, the best used convertibles offer incredible value for money
Despite our notoriously unreliable weather in the UK, convertible cars are incredibly popular with buyers. With roadsters, cabriolets and even convertible SUVs up for grabs, there’s more variety out there than you may have first realised. Whatever your preference, though, choosing one of the best used convertibles on sale can be a great way to drop the price as well as the roof.
Convertible cars have clear appeal for many drivers. Above all, they’re good fun, and the ability to go roofless means that it can feel like owning two cars in one. Buying a used convertible rather than new means you’ll avoid a big hit in depreciation and with the options available on the new car market diminishing in recent years, a used convertible makes even more sense.
Our expert road testers have driven every convertible that you can buy in the UK — in all sorts of weather conditions — and have rounded up the ten best used examples for your money.
Best used convertibles
There shouldn’t be any surprise that we think the Mazda MX-5 is the best used convertible you can buy. Not only is it a serial Auto Express New Car Award winner, it’s value-for-money ethos makes it an alluring prospect on the used car market.
If you’d rather have something more luxurious, the Mercedes SL makes for a great cruiser, while the Ford Mustang offers muscle car-thrills for not a lot of cash.
| Rank | Make and model |
| 1. | Mazda MX-5 |
| 2. | Mercedes SL |
| 3. | Ford Mustang |
| 4. | Audi A5 Cabriolet |
| 5. | MINI Convertible |
| 6. | Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet |
| 7. | Porsche Boxster |
| 8. | BMW 4 Series Convertible |
| 9. | Audi TT |
| 10. | Audi A3 Convertible |
Keep reading to discover the best used convertibles, or click the links in the table above to jump directly to a specific make and model...
1. Mazda MX-5
- 1.5 Sport (2016), 78,000 miles - £9,695
Why buy? There’s no car that’s more fun to drive and cheaper to run.
The fact that the Mazda MX-5 has scooped a category win in our New Car Awards seven times in the past decade tells you all you need to know. With the oldest examples now 11 years old, you can pick one up for around £7,000, and we can’t think of any car that offers more fun for the money.
The obvious attractions are the fold-away roof, perfectly balanced rear-wheel-drive chassis and revvy engines, wrapped in a body that still looks bang up to date. The MX-5 also has arguably the best gear change of any car in production, with a snappy action that makes you want to swap ratios just for the fun of it.
The Mazda isn’t the most practical car, but clever Skyactiv engine tech and the car’s light weight ensure brilliant economy, with more than 50mpg easily within reach. The RF with its folding hard-top offers extra security and year-round refinement, but can’t give the true wind-in-the-hair feel of the soft top.
There are two engines available. The 2.0-litre is the obvious choice for the enthusiastic driver, but don’t dismiss the 1.5, which is lighter and never feels slow. It’s also kinder on gearboxes, which can be the more powerful car’s weak spot.
There have been numerous special editions that add interesting colours and other desirable equipment, such as Recaro seats, Bose sound systems and bigger wheels, but they cost slightly more. The SE-L with navigation can be upgraded to run Apple CarPlay relatively easily.
Try joining an owners’ forum for the best advice from like-minded fans.
2. Mercedes SL
- SL400 AMG Sp. (2015), 32,000 miles - £25,995
Why buy? Enjoy a Champagne lifestyle on a Prosecco budget.
Ever since the first Mercedes SL arrived way back in 1954, this flagship Merc has represented the pinnacle of the brand’s convertible range.
For more than seven decades there has been little that can compete with the Merc's blend of style, build quality, performance and usability, but all of this comes at a price. Buy used, though, and you can enjoy one of the most accomplished convertibles available for the price of a new small family hatch.
3. Ford Mustang
- 2.3 (2016), 42,500 miles - £19,999
Why buy? You won’t find a more charismatic four-seat cabrio for your money.
The sixth-generation Mustang was the first to be built with right-hand drive and to be sold officially through Ford dealers in the UK.
It’s offered with 312bhp 2.3-litre four-cylinder or 410bhp 5.0-litre V8 engines, and it sounds fabulous. The Mustang can seat four adults and is well equipped as standard; cars with the Custom Pack are even more luxurious.
You can’t buy one of the sensational V8s for £20,000, but you can if you stretch to £25k.
Latest used Ford Mustang deals
4. Audi A5
- 2.0 TFSI S line (2018), 45,500 miles - £14,795
Why buy? Classy and beautifully built, it’s a drop-top for the whole family.
Few cars are as elegant as a four-seat convertible with the roof down, and the Audi A5 Cabriolet was a proper four-seater, with drop-down back seats for added practicality.
It was available with petrol and diesel engines, manual or auto transmissions, and front or four-wheel drive, so the range was wide.
Availability is excellent, and whatever you buy you’ll have plenty of tech, superb build quality and top-notch ergonomics.
Latest used Audi A5 Cabriolet deals
5. MINI Convertible
- Cooper S (2012), 66,000 miles - £2,750
Why buy? Maximum quality, style and driving pleasure for minimum outlay.
Just as with its hatchback sibling, demand for the MINI Convertible has never waned.
The Mk2 we focus on here offers the same cheeky looks as later cars, plus brilliant dynamics and class-leading build quality.
It’s more of a 2+2 than a four-seater, but there are plenty of rag-top MINIs to choose from; the range was wider than you might think, stretching from the base One to the 208bhp John Cooper Works. There’s even a diesel model in there, too.
Latest used MINI Convertible deals
6. Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet
Everything that applies to the Mercedes C-Class in the coupe and compact-executive categories applies here, and none of it will come as a surprise.
One of the safest convertibles around, the C-Class also comes with some lovely petrol and diesel engines, all with a super-smooth automatic transmission. Prices for a C-Class Convertible now start from just £12,500.
Used Mercedes C-Class Cabriolet deals
7. Porsche Boxster
The third-generation Porsche Boxster is relatively affordable, has peerless build quality and comes with a class-leading driving experience.
By the time you’ve experienced its gorgeous cabin, accessible performance and sensible running costs, helped by low depreciation, you’ll see why a £30k entry point is great value. We found a 2019 one on Auto Express Buy a Car for £33,000.
Latest used Porsche Boxster deals
8. BMW 4 Series Convertible
If you fancy drop-top motoring but don’t want to leave the family behind, the Mk1 BMW 4 Series is hard to beat.
There’s space for four inside, while the folding metal hard-top allows you to choose between fresh-air thrills or coupe comfort at the touch of a button. Well balanced rear-wheel-drive handling, top-notch quality and a wide range of petrol and diesel engines only add to the appeal. Whatsmore, prices start from around £10,000.
Latest used BMW 4 Series Convertible deals
9. Audi TT Roadster
It may have started life as a bit of a fashion accessory, but the Audi TT Roadster has the qualities of a miniature supercar.
The final petrol-powered TT combines aggressive sporty looks with staggering performance in some guises, and the soft-top only adds to the thrills. Early versions of the current-generation car include a 2.0-litre diesel capable of 65.7mpg on paper, with the 1.8-litre, 178bhp and 2.0-litre, 227bhp units sat either side. The 306bhp TTS model briefly topped the range prior to the arrival of the TT RS in 2016, which packed a mighty 394bhp from its 2.5-litre engine. In this guise, the TT Roadster could manage 0-62mph in under four seconds on its way to a top speed of 170mph.
10. Audi A3 Cabriolet
Audi's original A3 Cabriolet was based on the second-generation hatchback, while the starting point for the second take was the third-generation saloon. As a result, it's usefully more practical.
It's powered by excellent petrol and diesel engines, plus you get typical Audi build quality and brilliant ergonomics. And you can have all of this from a mere £9,000, which gets a 2016 car.
Latest used Audi A3 Cabriolet deals
Now find out more about the best used cars to buy...
