5 Top Convertibles to Consider

Times are good for convertible buyers. The market offers everything from the small and sporty to the large and luxurious. The possibilities are many and the fun is in the deciding, but for those who want a head start, here's a cross section of choices to consider.

Mazda Miata MX-5

The key to an enjoyable sports car is balance. When all the ingredients come together—handling, shifting, acceleration, braking—driving a sports car on a twisty road is intuitive; the car feels hardwired to your brain. Miata has hit that sweet spot since the get-go, and the latest generation (introduced in 2006 under the new MX-5 name) is the best yet. Mazda will tempt you with special editions that swaddle you in fine leather and surround you with options. There's even a retractable hardtop option—odd, when you consider that this is one of the world's easiest opening soft tops. For us, though, the best Miatas are the most basic. The Special Value model stickers for $20,585, and all the ingredients are there. The responsive, 166 hp four-cylinder, engine is linked to one of the shortest, snappiest manual shifters in the business. Driving position is first rate. Miata's small trunk used to be a joke, until we started seeing ones that were half its size. Pack light, use soft bags and you're good for a weekend.

Plus/Minus
Plus: A near ideal blend of handling, power, shifting and braking. The classic sports car recast for the new age.


Minus: If your driving includes a steady diet of highway travel, you may feel a little too little in this tiny soft top, jousting with the semis.

Chevy Corvette

Tanning machines come in all sizes and attitudes. In the category of high tech and high performance, consider the Corvette Convertible. Though smaller than it used to be, Corvette is still a substantial car; Convertibles weigh in at 3,199 lbs. Still, that's just 20 lbs. more than the Coupe, and with a power-to-weight ratio of 8.0 percent, the 400-hp LS6 engine provides ample motivation. For all its mind- bending performance (0-60 in under five seconds), the Corvette Convertible is content to pull daily driver duty, at ease putting around town or flying down the freeway. The standard, manual drop convertible top is easy to use and stows cleanly beneath the rear deck. An optional power top is available for those who want to simplify the process. And for all its go, Corvette does surprisingly well on gas. The two seater's estimated 28 mpg on the highway tops many cars scoring much lower on the Gotta-Have-It index.