The weather is warming, the sun is returning to the sky, and New York smells godawful once again — that’s right, it’s officially summer. But all that beautiful weather can’t be experienced from within the claustrophobic walls of some closed-in coupé; you’ll need a ragtop to truly enjoy everything this season has to offer. Yesterday, we asked you for the best summer convertibles, and boy did you have some thoughts to share. Over three hundred thoughts, in fact. Here are a few of the best.
[Just a photo of the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet]
Look, I get what’s happening. You think you’re being cute, or fun, or having a jape. But you made me look at this. You made every commenter look at this. You look at that rear quarter, where the very beginnings of a pillar appear and are suddenly struck down and tell me there’s a god.
As someone who lives in high humidity and burns easily, the best convertible for *summer* is something with a roof and good air conditioning. Convertible season is October through early December and like two days in mid May 😂
I’m gonna let you in on a little industry secret here, something most people in The Biz would be unwilling to admit: Convertibles still have a roof. If the sun is just beating down too hard, you can put the roof up. It’s legal.
Jeep Wrangler, pick your poison on year.
Ive had 3, and they are just perfect. Better than anything ive had including my old S2000, its just THE summer convertible. I will die on this hill.
It may not be fast, agile reliable, pretty, rare, or unique, but driving no doors, no top, with one foot on the door hinge is summer bliss. Id rather drive a TJ wrangler than my Z06 on a nice day. I am not exaggerating here.
(not my old one pictured, but you get the point)
If you want to pile people into a vehicle, throw the top down, and cruise out to parts unknown, the Wrangler has been the right vehicle for decades. There’s a reason everyone loves them — few other cars can do the same job.
Easy answer to this.
The best convertible is the one you have.
The worse is the one that you don’t have.
Better to have a beat up Spitfire that hasn’t run since 1983 in your garage than no convertible at all.
If you’re spending your summer scouring Craigslist for the perfect convertible, you won’t be out driving an imperfect one. The best convertible is the one you’re actively behind the wheel of.
Everyone knows that Miata is the answer... until you live with one as a daily and are over the age of 29. I love me a miata on the track and autocross, or a spin in the hills, but if the use case involves driving on the freeway for hours, or just around town they get tiring (at least NA/NB, havent lived with an ND).
Having had a 2001 Boxster, I was shocked how good at everything that car is. Good on the street, good on the highway, fairly economical on mpg. Shockingly easy to work on.
We also had a 2018 Mustang Turbo 4 in Hawaii, and that made a surprisingly good car even with 2 small kids.Really you cant go wrong.
I love the complete omission of the NC Miata here in favor of the Boxster. The Box is a fantastic, balanced platform for top-down driving — until the IMS comes around to bite you.
S2000. Despite having owned 4 Miatas in the past, the Miatas just don’t have the specialness and presence the S2000 has.
The Murano convertible would also be appropriate.
I actually prefer targas, over convertibles, however. I wish more targas were made.
One core aspect of the S2000, that no Miata I’ve ever driven has been able to match, is the seating position. No car, ever, has had a seating position that perfect.
Smooth, fairly quick, unique in M guise, surprisingly reliable, in my garage
I want you all to know that Andy is lurking behind my computer right now, making angry faces at my inclusion of the Z3 but not his Z4. He’s mouthing “no” at me, and I am not listening. The Z3 was in Bond movies, and the Z4 wasn’t.
Old American land yacht with a big honkin’ V-8 under the hood.
So what if it only gets 10mpg and Premium is pushing five bucks a gallon, your kids don’t really need braces, do they?
There’s no better time to own an incredibly fuel-inefficient vehicle than through the highest gas prices in recent memory. I see no flaws with this plan. Ten out of ten.
Yup, I’ll take my 83 Fiat Pininfarina Spider
Just because you want a classic top-down drive doesn’t mean you have to buy American. Fiat has some absolutely beautiful options for rad-era motoring.
One with a non leaking, working top.
Having owned a convertible with a leaking top, I can’t in good conscience recommend it. Was mine a pre-refresh JK Wrangler Unlimited, in the Sahara trim, almost identical to this one? I plead the fifth.
As opposed to what, a convertible for winter ?
That being said, Benz makes the best convertibles out there, and probably have the largest convertible lineup of the industry.
The E-class convertible is a masterpiece, a perfect blend of comfort, luxury, performance, golf bag storage space and all around big classy class.
Y’know, I’ve never understood the golf bag measurement. I have never, in my life, known an actual human person who actively golfs. I know that the Succession types love to do Business Meetings on the green, but does anyone do it for fun? For the golf itself? The king’s game? Ball chess?
I haven’t seen Saab convertibles mentioned
There was a point in my life where I came very close to buying a Saab 900 Turbo convertible. I should’ve done it, honestly. They rule.
For cruising, a 4th gen Lincoln Continental:
For driving, any well maintained Boxster:
For when you need to rescue Neo from the Matrix and remove the bug from him, but also it’s a nice day out and you want to get a little bit of sun. Can’t imagine it would be too comfortable in all that black leather, though. Switch had the right idea.
For me it’s a Saturn Sky, because that’s the one I have. Add in cockroach like durability and I’m good to go! Helps that it fits me like a glove, was cheap and handles better than you think it should, plus a 5spd!
I bet Miss Mercedes may even agree with me.
The Pontiac Solstice may look dated by now, but the Sky has really aged immaculately. Rumor has it the engine takes kindly to a lot of E85 and boost, which certainly doesn’t hurt matters either.
This is my first removable top car and it is so fun!
The Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler are locked in an eternal dance of “Anything you can do, I can do better.” Whoever wins, we do, with more fun convertibles on the market and on the streets.
Nothing beats a Delahaye 135 on the French Riviera...
I’ve never seen a car that looked quite so much like it was floating as this one. The way the tires are recessed, you almost can’t see them outside of the car’s shadow.
A motorcycle.
If you want the wind in your face, nothing really beats a motorcycle. Sure, the helmet gets in the way, but you can always crack your visor just a bit. What’s more exposed to the elements than sitting atop your vehicle?