Cheap convertible cars – affordable summer motoring for less than a Mazda MX-5
When the sun comes out the temptation arises to pick up a cheap soft-top for the summer. These are our picks
The given understanding is that convertibles by their very nature are dynamically compromised compared to their hard-top counterparts. Quite often the differences are negligible and certainly not deal-breaking today, in the soft-top versus coupe stakes. When it comes to cheap convertibles though – cars old enough to be within the realms of affordability – the shortcomings are noticeable.
This isn’t a list of eCoty winners, though. Good driver’s cars can have faults and while you might feel a wobble through the steering rack, popping the top does have the advantage of bringing you close to the varied vocals of an exciting, charismatic engine, if your convertible of choice is so-equipped.
So here at the height of summer (albeit one interspersed with tropical downpours at the time of writing), we thought we’d assemble a mixture of cheap convertibles to scratch the itch. The criteria? Ideally, these will be cheaper than a brand new Mazda MX-5.
- Lotus Elise
- Porsche Boxster
- Honda S2000
- BMW Z4 M
- Mercedes SLK 55 AMG
- Toyota MR2
- Caterham Seven
- Jaguar F-type
- Audi TT RS Roadster
- Mazda MX-5
Lotus Elise (S1, S2)
Prices from: £15k (S2), £18k (S1)
See also: Mk3 Toyota MR2, Porsche Boxster, Caterham Seven
On the properly dynamic end of the spectrum, as one of the best driver’s cars on this list, the Lotus Elise. This is a criminally underpriced car for what it is. Ultra lightweight, innovative, enormously satisfying to drive and exotic in both its looks and its constitution (we need not bang on more about that bonded extruded aluminium structure than we have already of late), it’s a bonafide evo icon.
> Used Lotus Elise (S1, 1996-2001) review – a world-beating sports car for supermini money
It’s not a ‘convertible’ in the sense that you can push a button to raise the roof but on the right day, you can leave the targa top in the garage before heading out for a countryside thrash. Unfortunately, the four-cylinder engines they often come with aren’t the most laden with personality. They’re a means of relative high performance, certainly when it comes to the 190bhp Toyota mill and its more powerful supercharged siblings. The K-Series has more personality, even if it needs more looking after.
Porsche Boxster (986, 987, 981)
Prices from: £5k (986), £10k (987), £20k (981)
See also: BMW Z4M, Honda S2000
The Porsche Boxster would be the one-car answer to the question of what the best cheap convertible to buy is. Earlier Boxsters are however cheap for a reason, with their IMS bearing and bore scoring issues. Fortunately 987.2 generation cars (with the DFI engines less prone to these issues) are well within reach. These to some will remain the best Boxsters, still with their hydraulic steering but with a bit more modern dynamic and interior refinement and equipment.
> Porsche Boxster (986): review, history and specs of an icon
If you want something even more modern and capable and aren’t bothered by electric power steering (and the lack of feel it entails) then early 981s are within budget too. Don’t be afraid of the smaller engines in any of these either – they’re charismatic lumps often with livelier response than those in the ‘S’ spec cars. Regardless of generation the Boxster is probably the ultimate driver’s choice, pairing crisp balance and dynamics with creamy flat-six engines – you won’t find the latter in an Elise…
Honda S2000
Prices from £8k
See also: BMW Z4M, Porsche Boxster, Lotus Elise
We’re famously critical of the Honda S2000. That F20C engine might be good for 9000rpm but it’s not up to much or making much power, too much further down in that rev range. It’s an engine that requires work and sounds industrial when you’re not pressing on. Happily working it through that rev range is a joy, using the phenomenal six-speed manual transmission that many manufacturers would still do well to benchmark in terms of action and feel.
> Honda S2000 review, history and specs
It was maligned for being a bit of a spikey thing too – a car difficult to find a sweet spot and a flow with. Get to know it though and the rewards for conquering its idiosyncrasies are plentiful. Might not be the work of one flying summer, mind. That said, it’s unlikely to give you trouble. The engines are famously robust if you keep them serviced and so tucking it away for next summer, instead of hurrying it off to the classifieds when the nights really start to draw in, shouldn’t cause you any financial pain.
BMW Z4 M
Prices from £12k
See also: Honda S2000, Porsche Boxster, Lotus Elise
The Z4M Roadster shares parallels with the S2000. It requires a certain delicacy to get to know its quite esoteric personality but again, the rewards are there to be enjoyed. Certainly more so than the Honda, the engine is there to be enjoyed regardless of how the rest of the car drives. The iconic S54 3.2-litre six-cylinder appears here in a state of tune (338bhp) similar to in the E46 M3 CSL, albeit minus that car’s stunning carbonfibre airbox.
With a tickled exhaust and intake, this car can sport a voice not dissimilar in arrangement and technicality to that of a McLaren F1. The gear shift quality isn’t as enjoyable as the Honda, or even a Boxster – rather it’s a means to conducting the engine’s vocals. They tend to ride a bit rough too, although the roadsters are better than the coupes. The engines are updated compared to the M3s they were used in too with more resistance to bearing wear and oil use. They still need careful maintenance, mind.
Mercedes SLK 55 AMG
Prices from £12k
See also: Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4M
You won’t see us championing the Mercedes SLK 55 AMG for much here. It’s no track weapon and not a particularly standard-setting sports car. But good heavens, is it one of the great hot rods of the last 20 years. Take one enormous 355bhp M113 5.4-litre V8 and stuff it into a (relatively) tiny two-seat roadster and you have the modern German equivalent of ein AC Cobra. The noise is utterly addictive, the power is substantial, the car is… often overwhelmed.
Indeed the rest of the SLK’s constitution is not best-suited to the pile of teutonic torque under the bonnet. The seven-speed automatic transmission isn’t the most responsive, the car itself is (and feels) quite heavy and a frustratingly intrusive traction control system often stops play. Happily, you don’t have to be bonfiring the rear tyres to enjoy that monster of an engine, though the roof being down helps, which itself can be a problem. These are not the most reliable cars electronically even if the core mechanicals (the engine and transmission) are pretty solid. The folding metal roof is notorious for its fickleness and repairs can be pricey. It’s also a heavy system, so your choice is top-heavy or rear-heavy, depending on if it’s up or down.
Toyota MR2 Mk3
Prices from £3k
See also: Lotus Elise, Mazda MX-5
Can’t quite stretch into the five-figure realms of a Lotus Elise? Fear not. The Toyota MR2 Mk3 is here, a car you could uncharitably describe as an Elise from ‘Wish’. Because if the hearsay is to be believed, this is a Lotus by any other badge, with Hethel supposedly having given Toyota a helping hand with its third-gen soft-top as it did the first.
Many don’t agree with the looks of the Mk3 but beneath them is a beautifully balanced, delicate little driver’s car, with a proper little twin-cam engine, a snickety manual transmission and tiny kerb weight. In other words it’s quite the opposite to the brute of a Merc above but such was the delightful variety of the convertible market of the mid-2000s. Being a Toyota they’re fairly reliable too though you’ll want to make sure the catalytic converter is in reasonable condition, as MR2s have been known to swallow them into the engine with cataclysmic results. Check the roof isn’t too crusty either. In fact, check the roof of every car on this list.
Caterham Seven
Prices from £12k
See also: Lotus Elise, Ariel Atom
Does it count as a convertible if there really isn’t much car to start with? Such are the philosophical questions when considering a Caterham Seven. The most raw, interactive driving experience there is (or very close to it), Caterhams can be had with canvas tops to shield you from the elements – there for emergencies, rather than like the rest of the cars on this list, up most of the time except when the weather’s nice.
> Caterham CSR Twenty 2025 review – £80k for Caterham’s ultimate road car?
Caterhams aren’t cruisers, it must be said. There’s no air scarf, no softer damper settings (unless you’ve a car with manually adjustable coilovers), there’s no room for luggage and very little scope for conversation with your significant other in terms of noise and refinement. Some might take that latter point as a plus. There’s also no real musical powerplant. You’ve the services of a Ford or Rover four-cylinder at the level of budget we’re talking about – rough, ready and racey, if not refined or sophisticated. For some nothing else will do and rightly so.
Jaguar F-type
Prices from £18k
See also: Mercedes SLK55 AMG, Porsche Boxster
You might imagine the F-type is too new and therefore too expensive to be on this list. Wrong, it’s the thick end of 12 years old and some examples are looking incredibly tempting at below £20k, or £10k less than a decently-specced Mazda MX-5. For that you get one of the prettiest Jaguars ever made – a real high watermark for designer Ian Callum. You also get a properly charismatic engine whether a supercharged V6 or supercharged V8. You also get a refined and comfortable cruiser as well as an engaging sports car, if not one that’s quite so precise as its Porsche equivalents. In truth the right old F-type represents some of the bang for your buck that there is to be had at the moment.
> Jaguar F-Type (2020 - 2024) facelift review – flying the flag for the great British sports car
Being an old Jag it’s worth keeping in mind potential costs and reliability. The mechanicals while solid can have issues, especially the supercharged V8 which is known for water pumps and timing chains. Electronic niggles aren’t out of the ordinary, nor is plenty of wear on consumables. This is a heavy and powerful car, so it likes to eat its tyres and brakes.
Audi TT RS Roadster
From £26k
See also: Mercedes SLK55 AMG, Porsche Boxster
The Audi TT has never been all the sports car we ever hoped it would be. It always trailed the Boxster for interactivity, adjustability and raw driver appeal. That said, there are also things the TT has always traded well on – important things when it comes to convertibles. All TTs are incredibly stylish, all are well made and many, from the early V6s to the five-cylinder RS of the last two generations, have interesting engines. We’re going to focus on the third-gen car because it was commendably improved as a driver’s car in addition to having that awesome 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine, with almost 400bhp on tap.
> Audi TT Mk1 v Mk3 RS: driving Ingolstadt's first and final design icon
It was also by far the best-built. In fact still to this day the Mk3 TT has one of Audi’s best interiors in terms of material use, fit, finish and design. And on the outside, they do look incredibly sharp. Sadly the AWD system does spoil some of the fun but generally Mk3 TTs are well-balanced if not the most expressive things to drive. As a summer convertible? A Mk3 TT RS would be a delightful car in which to sizzle one’s bald spot. Just be mindful of the differentials – they’re known for being fussy when it comes to servicing and tyre choice.
Mazda MX-5 (ND)
Prices from £15k
See also: Toyota MR2, Honda S2000
The beauty of the ND MX-5 is that it's been around for a decade. So while our search for cheap convertibles is centred around being cheaper than a new MX-5, that criteria includes used MX-5s. That engine and transmission, the joyous balance and sense of simplicity, is all out there for the taking.
> Mazda MX-5 RF 2025 review – evo Car of the Year 2024’s people’s champion
Our choice would be the 30th anniversary edition of 2018. It got the limited-slip diff, more potent 2-litre four-cylinder engine, Brembo brakes, Bilstein dampers and Recaro seats, in a neatly specced package that’s rare and interesting. The orange paint (and interior highlights) won’t be to all tastes but it’s a recognisable and covetable version of a special little car – one we’re thankful for, given it makes accessible the very basics of the thrill of driving to a wider audience. In your search, do check for crunchy gear shifts as synchros are a known issue.
