Peter Lyon
July 31, 2025
We all know the legendary Mazda MX-5. That’s the car that sparked the roadster boom in the early 90s, leading to cars like the SLK, Z3, TT, Boxster and Barchetta.
So how popular are these topless cars today? Not very, according to a recent poll. Open-top driving is increasingly becoming a rarity for U.K. drivers as the number of new convertible model options has dropped by nearly 50% since 2000, a 20-year low after peaking in 2005.
Results from the latest annual Convertibles Report by CarGurus — a leading automotive marketplace in the U.K. to shop, buy, and sell used vehicles — reveal that consumers only have the choice of 16 new convertible model options from the U.K.’s top 30 manufacturers. This represents a decrease of 48% compared to 31 in 2000.
The greatest drop in available models occurred in the last five years, showing a decline of 45% from the 29 options available in 2020. Even in the past 12 months, the body style has experienced an almost 28% decline, dropping from a choice of 22 cars to today’s 16.
CarGurus’ research also revealed that in 2025, only 10 manufacturers still offer convertibles as part of their model ranges, compared to 15 in 2000 and 23 in 2005, the height of selection. Now 68% of the nation’s most popular car makers don’t include this body style in their new model lineup. The brands with convertible models in their current range are BMW, Fiat, Ford, Jeep, Mazda, MG, Mini, Mercedes, Porsche, and Volkswagen.
Of these, just five have consistently offered a soft top to customers over the last 25 years — BMW, Mazda, Mercedes, Porsche, and Volkswagen.
Predated only by the Porsche 911 Cabriolet, the Mazda MX-5 is the longest-standing affordable convertible still on sale in the U.K., having been in the UK since 1990.
BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and Volkswagen have included at least one convertible as part of their model range for decades. More recently, BMW has offered them via the ‘Z’ range of cars, starting with the Z1 in 1989, and has consistently offered a convertible since the unveiling of the Z3 in 1995. While Porsche is synonymous with the convertible, its 911 Cabriolet and Boxster models have had an enduring presence since the 1980s and 1990s, respectively.
Of the 16 convertibles from the top 30 manufacturers in the U.K., two of them are electric vehicles—the MG Cyberster and the Fiat 500e C. Outside of these top 30 car makers other electric convertibles include the Abarth 500e and Maserati GranCabrio Folgore.
Chris Knapman, CarGurus U.K. Editorial Director, said: “Our latest annual Convertibles Report highlights more than just a drop in new car model selection. It reflects a wider shift in the automotive landscape towards SUVs. As evidence of this, note that while the number of new convertibles on sale has fallen by 45% since 2020, the number of new SUVs and crossovers has grown by a staggering 543%.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
“Thankfully, the new models that are still available in soft top form are of a very high calibre and cover a fairly broad range, from the electric Fiat 500e C city car through to more traditional sports cars such as the Porsche 911 Cabriolet. Plus, of course, the used car market remains a rich ground for soft top motoring, with our top picks such as the Mazda MX-5 starting from as little as £5,000.” On the CarGurus platform, there are thousands of used convertible models to choose from. Current listings range from value options priced from approximately £1,000, to premium used models in the hundreds of thousands.
