Best MPG Convertibles

The Mini Cooper is redesigned for 2025 with a host of alterations throughout. It’s a little bigger inside and out, while sporting all-new infotainment tech and quirky interior design to help maintain the badge’s fun personality. It still weighs less than 3,000 pounds, too, and when combined with a potent turbocharged four-cylinder in the Cooper S, that makes for some truly hilarious fun-to-drive attitude.

Verdict: Although substantially larger than the original BMW Mini that reached America’s shores in 2002, and no longer offering a manual transmission as standard, the new Mini Cooper continues to be a stylish and fun-to-drive way of getting around, and will even return solid overall fuel economy in the process.

Long the yardstick against which its rivals are measured, the 2024 Mercedes E-Class gets a redesign. In addition to understated styling that can stand the test of time, the elegant interior adds an infusion of technology that sets new standards in the segment. Mild-hybrid engines, standard all-wheel drive, the return of the All-Terrain wagon, and an upcoming plug-in hybrid massaged for performance by AMG are all on the new E-Class menu.

Verdict: Based on observations from several days spent with the E 350 4Matic sedan, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class remains at the top of its midsize luxury sedan game when equipped with all the extras. Refined, sophisticated, and soothing to drive, it embodies what a car like this should be.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was the automaker’s entry-level model, but it needed a new role. Mercedes now has a line of compact cars serving as lower-priced entryways to the brand, so it’s moving the C-Class upmarket. The redesigned 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan borrows design elements from the automaker’s flagship S-Class to entice new car buyers on a budget who still want the most Mercedes for their money.

The C-Class competes against a formidable array of small sports sedans. Like the Mercedes, the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Lexus IS, and Volvo S60 are fixtures in this segment, with nameplates that date back at least two decades. The Acura TLX, Cadillac CT4, and Infiniti Q50 are newer names that build on their respective brands’ experience in the segment. The Genesis G70 is a relative newcomer from a recently launched brand that’s already managed to impress.

The all-new C-Class launches in C300 sedan form with standard rear-wheel drive (RWD), optional 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD), and Premium, Exclusive, and Pinnacle trim levels. Our test car was a C300 4Matic in the top Pinnacle trim. An AMG C43 performance model is also on the way, but it’s not expected to hit showrooms until after the C300, which arrives at dealerships later this spring.

We don't know if Mazda planned on launching a classic when it dropped the little Miata roadster into dealerships way back in 1990. Yet here we are, 35 years later and the little rear-wheel drive, two-seat convertible is still going strong.

Now in its fourth generation, the MX-5 is available with a soft or hard top and a six-speed manual transmission is standard. Some folks might complain about its minimal cargo space, cramped interior and hard-to-use technology. Others might want more straight-line power. Those folks just don't get it. The MX-5 isn't about practicality or beating a V8 off the line. Instead the Miata goes for driving fun where it counts– in the corners.

Verdict: The 2025 Mazda MX-5 Miata is a roadster that rewards drivers with precise handling that's only made better when the top is down and the tunes are cranked.

The Ford Mustang returns for a final tour as its primary rivals head to retirement. This seventh-generation pony car is based on its predecessor but receives numerous upgrades that significantly improve its interior and technology. For fun on a budget, it's difficult to beat a Mustang, and this newest version continues the tradition with a healthy dose of nostalgia.

If you’re looking for a car company that sells pretty much everything, look no further than Mercedes-Benz. Sedans, coupes, plug-in hybrids, EVs, heck… the German manufacturer even offers a wagon. If Mercedes doesn’t have it, you don’t want it. The fact that each vehicle is dripping with excellent design, solid performance and oodles of tech just make the brand even better.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class is a bit of an in-betweener. Introduced in 2024 as a replacement for both the C- and E-Class coupes and convertibles (or cabriolets, in Mercedes parlance), it offers four seats and three distinct trims. It might not be the most popular model Mercedes offers, but with great acceleration, stylish looks and luxury features that don’t quit, the CLE-Class definitely deserves a test drive.

Verdict: The 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class isn’t the perfect car for everyone, but for those who want an open-top weekend cruiser with all the bells and whistles, its convertible trims are tough to beat.

The BMW 8 Series is the third element of BMW’s flagship trinity. Just as the 7 Series is the top sedan in BMW’s lineup, and the X7 is the top SUV, the 8 Series lords over lesser coupes and convertibles in the BMW hierarchy.

The 8 Series nameplate dates back to 1990, when BMW launched the first generation in the form of a wedge-shaped coupe with pop-up headlights. After that version—known as the E31—went out of production, the 8 Series took a long hiatus, returning in its current G15 form for the 2019 model year.

The 2023 BMW 8 Series gets some small updates for the new model year, including exterior styling tweaks and an enlarged touchscreen. More paint color and wheel design options round out what’s new.

The lineup remains unchanged, however, consisting of 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, and high-performance M8 Competition variants in coupe, convertible, and four-door Gran Coupe body styles. An Alpina B8 version of the Gran Coupe (launched for the 2021 model year) also returns. We tested an 840i Gran Coupe for this review.

Updated and mostly upgraded, the redesigned Audi S5 is a multi-talented sportback with performance, comfort, utility, and the latest technology. Based on the redesigned Audi A5, it features a stealthy design, thrilling dynamics, and just enough room for a family of four. The new Audi Digital Stage technology impresses, but the driving assistance systems do not. The S5 could also use sharper styling with more prominent fender blisters and additional sound deadening for a quieter highway ride.

Verdict: Drive a new 2025 Audi S5 like a typical luxury sedan, and you’ll miss the point. We didn’t fall in love with it until we took it for a rousing run on a favorite back road. If that’s not your thing, consider the new A5 or the larger A6, which is getting redesigned for the 2026 model year.

Zora Arkus-Duntov. That name is to Corvette enthusiasts, what John Bonham is to Led Zeppelin aficionados. As far back as the late 1950s, he suggested to General Motors that the Corvette should be a mid-engine sports car. But that decision would have been costly and GM was just fine keeping the ‘Vette profitable. There was a rumor that the C7 Corvette was supposed to have a mid-engine layout, but the recession of the 2000s shut the plan down. Almost 25 years after his death, Arkus-Duntov’s dream came to fruition in the form of the 2020 C8 Corvette.

In moving the engine to behind the driver, the Corvette got an instant boost in performance. It was faster and more dynamic, but there was more to it. The mid-engine placement made the new Corvette less like a step up from the Camaro and more like a world-class exotic car—think Porsche 911 or even a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

But elevating reputation also elevates expectations. Does the mid-engine 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray live up to its newfound supercar reputation? Read on to find out.

The 2025 model year marks the beginning of the refreshed 992.2-generation Porsche 911. It brings a handful of subtle changes throughout, particularly when it comes to the face, interior, and power output. While it’s dimensionally much larger than 911s or yore, that characteristic rear-engine shape is still there as well.

Verdict: Between its thrilling performance, excellent ride, great usability, and handsome looks, it’s hard to fault the latest-generation Porsche 911 Carrera.

When you consider the kind of money it takes to buy a new 2023 SL, maybe it doesn’t matter that regular irritations are a part of the driving experience. After all, this is a car designed to convey a message to society, but this year, it costs tens of thousands less to send that message, thanks to the new SL 43 model. It has a four-cylinder engine with an electric turbocharger and makes 375 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. However, we reviewed a more powerful version of the SL.

The high-performance member of the BMW 4 Series family, the 2025 M4 is available as a coupe or a convertible, with or without a manual transmission, and with rear-wheel drive (RWD) or xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD). For 2025, the M4 gets a light detail refresh, a slight power bump for Competition xDrive models, and a new operating system for the infotainment system. A limited-production M4 CS coupe is also available.

Verdict: Top up or down, driven in epic traffic or on epic roads, the M4 remains one of the best-driving BMWs money can buy. Comfortable when you want it, track-ready when you need it, and able to seat four people while carrying a decent amount of cargo, the M4 is a terrific all-around automobile.

The Corvette may be the last passenger car in Chevrolet’s U.S. lineup, but Chevy has grown the ‘Vette into a family of models in its own right. For the 2026 model year, there are now five Corvette variants to choose from, starting with the base Stingray and encompassing high-performance Z06, ZR1, and ZR1X. The subject of this review, the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, is a hybrid that offers more power and sharper performance than the Corvette Stingray, but in a less-hardcore package than the other models. Like those other models, the E-Ray gets a redesigned dashboard and other small changes for 2026.

Verdict: The E-Ray hybrid gains some performance over the already-impressive Corvette Stingray, but loses some personality.