10 Best Convertibles to Buy in 2016

As we compiled Autobytel's 10 Best Convertibles to Buy in 2016, we learned an important point: While there are good droptops, and there are good performance cars, there are only so many vehicles that blend both characteristics without making sacrifices.

Most sports car enthusiasts live for speed, fun, and striking designs. Some drivers appreciate the focused performance and added chassis rigidity of a coupe design, while others love putting the top down and experiencing the sound of the engine and the wind in their face. For this latter group, however, we're happy to report that the world’s finest automakers produce folding hardtop and ragtop convertibles with plenty of hustle.

Open-top motoring fun isn’t just reserved for the wealthy, either. In this list of 10 Best Convertibles to Buy in 2016, there are great options for as little as $25,000. Read on to see our picks.

Mazda’s MX-5 Miata has practically owned the roadster category for the last 26 years, and it belongs on any list of best convertible sports cars. The Japanese automaker, which prides itself on being a team of enthusiasts building cars for other enthusiasts, knows just how to blend frugality and fun in a tight, attractive package.

The 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Sport uses a twincam 2.0-liter inline-4 engine making 155 horsepower. The sole powertrain is linked to a sweet-shifting 6-speed manual or optional 6-speed automatic transmission. With a starting price of $25,000, the agile little Miata offers accessible thrills to satisfy the masses. Best of all: You can stow the soft top in less than 3 seconds!

Lightweight performance and cheap fun are great, but sometimes you just want muscle car power and stature. The Ford Mustang checks in with both V6 and V8 engine options making between 300 and 435 horsepower with classic rear-wheel-drive dynamics. Whether you want to do burnouts, or cruise the coast highway in comfort, the Ford Mustang has all the makings of a great convertible sports car.

After a stunning redesign in 2015, the Ford Mustang is better looking than ever, with a mix of retro and contemporary exterior styling and a vastly improved interior layout. Alhough you can still order the Mustang with a 6-speed manual transmission, Ford’s new 8-speed automatic is a superb gearbox that helps turn well-equipped models into refined grand tourers.

Chevrolet’s long-standing answer to the Mustang is its Camaro. This year, the U.S. automaker gave its muscle car a thorough redesign, most notably reducing its weight, strengthening its chassis and improving the interior to match the quality found in Chevrolet’s latest crop of vehicles. The Camaro exterior also borrows design cues from the Corvette and new Malibu.

Although the Camaro is most recognizable with a fixed roof, the convertible sports car maintains a striking aesthetic to match its available 455-horsepower V8. With improved visibility, the 2016 Camaro is a great daily driver, aided by loads of standard features. There's even an available turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, which puts out a stout 275 horsepower.  While that 2.0-liter engine works remarkably well, we prefer the rumbly exhaust sounds from the 2016 Camaro's available V8s. Especially when the top is down.

We are getting a bit more premium now, though not necessarily more expensive. While a Camaro SS can be optioned up to nearly $50,000, the third-generation Audi TT Roadster starts below that (at $47,950) and is a bona fide premium offering. With regard to stylish sophistication, let's just say this: The 2016 Audi TT Roadster has it in spades.

With razor-sharp exterior accents and a quilted leather-rich interior, the TT Roadster draws long stares everywhere it drives. Power is provided by a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, a proven engine that delivers 220 horsepower to all four wheels via the TT's standard Quattro all-wheel drive system. The only transmission available is a 6-speed dual-clutch automatc that shifts super smoothly. Unfortunatley, the 292-horspower TTS Roadster is not sold in the U.S. Why do Europeans get to have all the fun?

While BMW sports cars have pleased enthusiastic drivers for decades, the Bavarian company has been a bit slow in its transition to building luxury-first products. Nevertheless, BMW knows how to make a superb convertible performance machine, and the 2016 4 Series is a great place to start looking for a droptop sports car.

To get BMW's traditional straight six-cylinder engine, you’ll have to spring for the 435i. However, BMW’s entry-level 428i model still makes plenty of power from its twin-turbocharged 4-cylinder. And when you're not tearing up your local canyon roads in your 4 Series convertible, BMW’s iDrive infotainment, together with an excellent Harman Kardon sound system, will help you get your mind off of all that commuter traffic.

If you’re looking for outright performance, Chevrolet’s Corvette ranks near the top of our 10 Best Convertibles to Buy in 2016. At the heart of Chevy’s iconic speed machine is a 6.2-liter V8 making 455 horsepower. But those desiring a healthy dose of extra power should choose the Corvette Z06 convertible, whose supercharged V8 moves mountains with its 650 horsepower.

Chevrolet’s designers took a risk with the 7th-generation Corvette’s design, and if sales numbers are any indication, that gamble has paid off. Sharper styling and more menacing bodywork communicate a note of warning to the world’s best sports cars, at any and all price points. Of note: The 2016 Corvette convertible is available with either an automatic transmission or a manual; both gearboxes work very well in this, America's premier sports car.

While the majority of the vehicles we’ve included in this list of 10 Best Converibles to Buy in 2016 are superbly comfortable, the 2016 Alfa Romeo 4C takes a different approach. It's rigid, aggressive, and feisty, perfect for those folks who have a bit more to spend than, say, a Miata buyer, and can appreciate the additional performance.

The lightweight Alfa Romeo 4C Spider has a mid-mounted 1.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that sends 237 horsepower to the rear wheels via a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox. There aren't many creature comforts, other than thin leather seats, a radio, and air conditioning. What you can’t enjoy in terms of luxury, you’ll appreciate in crisp handling, open-air freedom, and individuality.

While the Alfa makes comfort sacrifices for outright performance, Porsche’s Boxster is on our list of 10 Best Convertibles to Buy in 2016 because it’s both an engaging driver’s car and an easy place to spend hours behind the wheel. Road trips, canyon drives, or anything in between, the 2016 Porsche Boxster is up to the task.

Powering the Porsche Boxster is a 2.7-liter flat-6 engine that delivers 265 horsepower and 206 foot-pounds of torque. In a sports car that weighs less than 3,000 lb, the base powertrain is plenty potent, but Porsche also offers 315- and 375-horsepower versions of its Boxster, which is available only as a convertible. If you’re a fan of the classic Porsche 6-cylinder powerplant, you’d better snatch up a Boxster now, because next year the German automaker transitions to a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine.

Those who tend to fall in love with their cars at first glance will have a tough time passing up the Jaguar F-Type. Designed by the masterful Ian Callum and built in England, the F-Type convertible captures the soft curves of the classic 1960’s E-Type Jag while pumping up the aggression for modern enthusiasts.

Supercharged V6 and V8 engines are on offer, with outputs ranging from 340 to 550 horsepower. Either a six-speed manual or 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox transfers grunt to the rear wheels, while all-wheel drive is available. The Jaguar F-Type convertible is just at home rumbling along a narrow British lane as it is slicing up a sinewy mountain pass. This is particularly true when youre driving the potent all-wheel-drive F-Type R, with its massive power, big brakes and adaptive sport suspension. 

The final addition to our list of 10 Best convertibles to Buy in 2016 is the classic Porsche 911, which works beautifully as an open-top road warrior. Porsche has offered its 911 Carrera as a convertible for decades, and with the re-introduction of the Targa last year, buyers can choose a 911 with a conventional ragtop or the gorgeous self-stowing glass panel.

This is the final year for the classic naturally aspirated flat-6 in the 911, as Porsche will switch to turbocharging for the 2017 model year. The 2016 Porsche 911 Cabriolet, at $101,700, is easily the most expensive vehicle on our list, but it justifies this price by being an outstanding all-around sports car with beautiful looks and a legacy that stretches back decades.