Used Car Hunter: roomy, classy convertibles for £24,000

“Dear Auto Express, I want to buy a premium convertible with enough room for two adults and two kids. What can I get for £24,000?” Peter Young, E-mail

Every year when the sun starts to shine, scores of pasty British drivers are lured by the idea of open-top motoring. When you think of a convertible car you may initially picture smaller two-seaters like the Mazda MX-5 or BMW Z4. However, if you need something a bit roomier, there are still plenty of open-top options to choose from. You needn’t forego the luxuries, either, as many of these larger cabriolets share their DNA with some great executive cars.

For our car hunter’s £24,000 budget you’ll have the choice from all three of the big German premium brands. The Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet, BMW 4 Series Convertible and Audi A5 Cabriolet all offer a healthy dose of prestige, but each one has its own take on the age-old dilemma of whether to focus more on comfort or sportiness. Whichever balance you prefer, there’s a car for you here.

Here's our expert pick of the three best premium convertibles available for £24,000, with some space in the back seats, together with links to buy one through our Find a Car service...

Audi A5 Cabriolet - the sporty choice

10

• For: Great blend of performance and comfort, good tech
• Against: BMW is sportier and Merc more comfortable

The Audi A5 Cabriolet is a generally very refined and composed soft-top. The lack of a solid roof means it has less structural rigidity than the coupé version, resulting in a slightly unsettled ride in bumpy corners, but there’s plenty of grip. 

Cars with optional adaptive dampers are worth seeking, because they give greater flexibility to the driving experience. In comfort mode, the A5 is the best-riding car of this trio and the soft-top is insulating. We found a 19-plate, 29,000- mile A5 Cabrio Vorsprung with a 2.0-litre petrol engine for £24,000.

Interior quality in the A5 is incredible; everything feels upmarket and, while it’s arguably a little austere compared with the E-Class, it’s packed with tech.  The Virtual Cockpit digital display is a highlight, while the 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is excellent. The back seats, meanwhile, aren’t actually too bad for adults for this class of car, so children will have no problem sitting back there comfortably.  Boot capacity is also good for a cabriolet. You get 320 litres with the roof down and 380 with it up.

See our used Audi A5 Cabriolet deals

BMW 4 Series Convertible - the balanced choice

10

• For: Direct, dynamic driving experience, sporty feel
• Against: Cabin lacks flair and isn’t as luxurious as rivals’

It’s an impressively versatile car, the BMW 4 Series Convertible – very comfortable and relaxing, but also the sharpest to drive of these three cars. There’s a wide range of petrol and diesel engines to choose from, so you can prioritise performance or economy as you wish.

We found a 19-plate, 37,000-mile 430i auto M Sport model, complete with the Professional Media pack, for just under £20,000. This offers a combined fuel economy figure of around 35mpg and can cover 0-60mph in eight seconds. If you would rather have a diesel model, these are also within budget. 

Although it’s not as opulent as those of the A5 or E-Class, the 4 Series’ interior is well made. Nevertheless, the ergonomics inside the BMW are excellent, while the equipment fitted as standard includes Bluetooth, cruise control and heated leather seats. The Professional Media Pack, which features upgraded infotainment, is worth looking out for. The rear seats aren’t great for adults, but are perfectly suitable for children. The boot space is 370 litres with the roof up, but 220 litres when it’s down. 

See our used BMW 4 Series Convertible deals

Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet - the luxury choice

10

• For: Incredibly luxurious, effortless cruiser, spacious seats
• Against: Not as dynamic as the other two cars here

The Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet definitely has more of a focus on luxury cruising than the Audi and BMW; its handling places less emphasis on dynamics and rewards less in the corners than its rivals, but the flip side is that the ride quality is immensely smooth – even more so if you pick up a car with the optional air suspension.

Whichever engine you go for, you’ll get a fantastic cruiser; the choice is whether you prioritise acceleration or efficiency. For around £21,500, you can buy a 69-plate, 50,000-mile E220d AMG Line Premium with a 2.0-litre diesel engine and an automatic gearbox.

The interior is a highlight of the E-Class; it has a real sense of occasion, and is a high-quality environment in which to travel. In this regard, it beats even the A5.

While the standard 8.4-inch display works well enough, look out for the optional 12.3-inch screen, as well as the digital instrument cluster. Individual seats for rear passengers increase the already decent feeling of space in the E-Class; there’ll be no problem getting children or average-sized adults back there. The boot is quite shallow, but at 310 to 385 litres – depending on whether the roof is up or down – its capacity is about par for this class of car.

See our used Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet deals

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