Warmer weather has arrived and if you have your eye on a cool new set of wheels, you're in luck. Now's a good time to buy a new convertible because there have never been more good, reasonably-priced roadsters to choose from.
In this slide show, we rank six two-seater convertibles on their cool factor, with five stars being the highest ranking. All of these models are rear-wheel-drive cars priced with a manual transmission. Insurance premiums and service costs are supplied by Vincentric. Take a look. You really don't have to have bags of money to drive a fun, sporty car.
--By Mark Solheim
SEE ALSO: Cool Convertibles That Carry Four
CHEVROLET CORVETTE
- Sticker/dealer cost: $53,335/$47,821
- Horsepower: 400 (zero to 60: 4.2 seconds)
- Miles per gallon: 18 city/28 highway
- Service cost (five years): $3,830
- Trunk space: 11 cu. ft.
The latest 'Vette is less muscle car and more Euro-style sports car, but it still has wicked power and generous cargo room. A little too much plastic inside can be forgiven.
Sponsored Content
(opens in new tab)
MAZDA MX-5 MIATA SPORT
- Sticker/dealer cost: $22,030/$20,399
- Horsepower: 166 (zero to 60: 6.5 seconds)
- Miles per gallon: 25 city/30 highway
- Service cost (five years): $3,279
- Trunk space: 5.3 cu. ft.
Lightweight and balanced, the Mazda is built to achieve a "driver and car as one" sensibility. Trunk space is decent; a hard-top-convertible version sells for a $2,815 premium.
Sponsored Content
(opens in new tab)
NISSAN 350Z
- Sticker/dealer cost: $36,165/$33,553
- Horsepower: 306 (zero to 60: 5.6 seconds)
- Miles per gallon: 19 city/25 highway
- Service cost (five years): $3,281
- Trunk space: 4.1 cu. ft.
Speed and exuberant owners make the Z the most expensive of the bunch to insure. Trunk volume is stingy, too, but it has better center-console storage than the others.
Sponsored Content
(opens in new tab)
PORSCHE BOXSTER
- Sticker/dealer cost: $46,395/$40,543
- Horsepower: 245 (zero to 60: 5.1 seconds)
- Miles per gallon: 20 city/29 highway
- Service cost (five years): $4,895
- Trunk space: 9.5 cu. ft.
The Boxster corners and brakes like a dream. The engine is placed mid car, so there's storage fore and aft. But options can run up the price, and service costs are steep.
Sponsored Content
(opens in new tab)
SATURN SKY RED LINE
- Sticker/dealer cost: $29,025/$27,177
- Horsepower: 260 (zero to 60: 5.7 seconds)
- Miles per gallon: 22 city/31 highway
- Service cost (five years): $4,044
- Trunk space: 5.4 cu. ft.
Beautiful, fast and fun to drive. But rear and over-the-shoulder visibility is poor. Putting the top up and down is time-consuming, and trunk space is tiny.
Sponsored Content
(opens in new tab)
HONDA S2000
- Sticker/dealer cost: $34,845/$31,433
- Horsepower: 237 (zero to 60: 5.8 seconds)
- Miles per gallon: 20 city/26 highway
- Service cost (five years): $4,679
- Trunk space: 5 cu. ft.
A pure roadster with a no-frills design, the S2000 hits the sweet spot on the price/performance continuum. Handling is superb thanks to a 50-50 front-rear weight distribution, and its modest horsepower from the VTEC four-cylinder engine belies its speedy acceleration. The power top is simple to drop, too. And although cargo space doesn't appear capacious, you can fit several grocery bags in the trunk.
Sponsored Content
(opens in new tab)
-
-
McDonald’s Gold Card: The Mysterious Piece of Plastic That Gets You Free Food for Life
Order from the McDonald’s app in December for a shot at winning a rare McDonald’s McGold Card and free food for life.
-
Microwave vs Air Fryer: Which is Cheaper for Cooking?
Can the trusty microwave be beat by the air fryer for cost savings in the kitchen?
-
Car Buying in a Topsy-Turvy Market
You need a new car? Good luck with that! What should you do? We've got some answers.
-
10 Things to Know About Hurricane Insurance Claims
Becoming a Homeowner Hurricane damage? Know what’s covered, what isn’t, and how to make the most of your policy if you need to file a claim.
-
The Most Expensive Natural Disasters in U.S. History
Economic Forecasts Wind, water, fire and drought have all wreaked havoc on the United States. What’s been the worst?
-
Watch Out for Flood-Damaged Cars from Hurricane Ian
Buying & Leasing a Car In the wake of Hurricane Ian, more flood-damaged cars may hit the market. Car prices may rise further because of increased demand as well.
-
Car Buyers: The 3-Day Grace Period Is Just a Myth!
Buying & Leasing a Car Many car buyers think they have three days after making a purchase to return a car. Here’s where they’re going wrong, and what they should do instead to get a decent used car.
-
PODCAST: Car-Buying in an Inflated Market with Jenni Newman
Buying & Leasing a Car With cars both scarce and expensive these days, what to do if you want – or need – a new ride? Car-buying strategist Jenni Newman of Cars.com shares some tips. Also, more on the magical 9% savings bond.
-
Amazon Prime Day 2022: Some of the Best Deals from Kiplinger Editors
Amazon Prime Amazon Prime Day is here. We’ve identified some great values on products and services, a number of which we’ve used ourselves.
-
The "Real" Cost of Buying a Car
Brandon Copeland Atlanta Falcons linebacker and Kiplinger contributing editor Brandon Copeland illustrates how car prices are far more than meets the eye.
