10 hard-top convertibles to use all year round

Winter is a good time to invest in a convertible. How so? Well, the appetite for soft-top motoring is lower at this time of year, giving you a better chance of bagging a bargain than in summer, when everyone wants a drop-top for those wind-in-the-hair thrills.

When it comes to the options, there is much to be said for a 'hard-top' – a convertible whose retracting hood is made from metal or glass, rather than fabric. With their superior protection against the elements, these really are cars that you can drive (and store outdoors, if you need to) all year round. What's more, a hard-top will be quieter on the road, easier to maintain, and a harder challenge for thieves and vandals.

Here are 10 great modern hard-tops that would make excellent year-round cars. As with all convertibles, remember to thoroughly check the roof-folding mechanism on any hard-top you inspect.

And if someone does make off with your beloved convertible, classic convertible insurance will be there to offer some financial protection.

Mercedes SLK (1996-2004)

The first generation of Mercedes' compact luxury roadster was an instant success. Of course, taking design cues from its SL big brother was a wise move. What really made waves, though, was the SLK's innovative hard-top technology. The folding metal electro-hydraulic roof took just 25 seconds to operate.

The range got four-cylinder engines (most of them supercharged) to start with, allowing the lightweight hard-top to sprint from 0-62mph in around eight seconds. The handling was sporty, but that didn't detract from the car's generally relaxed and comfortable feel – embodied in the big, yielding seats, softish steering and generous boot. Yes, this was a great little two-seat grand tourer. And, for those that did require a little more performance, the more pokey 3.2-litre V6 engine joined the range in 2000.

And 'SLK'? It stands for sportlich, leicht, kurz – sporty, lightweight, compact. All you want from a two-seater.

Vauxhall Astra TwinTop

Convertibles should have an air of style and glamour to them. So can the chopped-top version of a car as everyday as the Vauxhall Astra pass muster here?

Well, yes, actually, it can. Despite the cool factor they embody, some convertibles can look a little ungainly in top-down or top-up mode (or both), owing to the generous rear section required for all that retractable-roof business to fold down into.

The Astra convertible, in fact, managed this feat better than most, looking well-proportioned in either mode. Derived from the MkV Astra, it got its gently canted roofline from that generation's elegant, Bertone-styled Coupe variant.

You get the option of diesel and turbocharged petrol engines, and the TwinTop, like other MkV Astras, is solidly put together. If you need a bit of an image boost, get your Astra TwinTop in one of the bolder colours, with sporty Irmscher styling and bigger wheels. Hey presto – a hard-top with real road presence.

Peugeot 206CC (2000-2008)

The Mercedes SLK mentioned above was the first modern hard-top convertible. The next to arrive on the landscape, in 2000, was the little Peugeot 206CC. And this really did represent some fresh-out-of-the-box thinking, as the baby Pug was the very first supermini to get the convertible treatment.

Introduced in 2000, the 206CC was very well received: it had some clever technology, it looked good, and it was attractively priced. Indeed it was, with apologies to the Merc, the first affordable modern hard-top.

Its popularity, meanwhile, means that it's now relatively easy to find on the used market.
Probably not that suitable as a family car, as the rear seats will only accommodate the smallest children, while the sloping roof limits headroom. Think of it as a two-seater runabout with space in the back for shopping or weekend luggage, and enjoy it in all British weathers, and you've got a nice, affordable little open-top on your hands.

Renault Megane MkII CC (2003-2009)

Renault offered a convertible option in the Megane right from the start, but when it came to the second generation they opted to trade in the previous car's fabric roof for a retractable glass top.

We could debate the aesthetic and handling trade-offs of soft and hard-tops all day long, but one thing was clear: that glass top made the MkII Megane CC a very safe car. Buyers got no fewer than six airbags, plus a reinforced windscreen surround and roll hoops. They could even specify pop-up roll-over protection. This was not a convertible that compromised on safety or stability.

It also managed to look pretty decent, in both top-up and top-down modes. The all-glass roof meant that you could enjoy a bit of the outside world even on those cold winter days when having the roof down just wasn't feasible.

Toyota MR2 (1984-89 / 1989-99)

Toyota's mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive firebreather was one of the first cars to reach our shores with a T-top variant. Popular in the US (it was pioneered in the 1967 Chevrolet Corvette C3), this bodystyle employs two removable glass panels either side of a central T-section running right down the middle of the roof.

This simpler way of getting (some of) the roof down meant that the T-top version of the MR2 looked very similar to the standard coupe form. The car also retained the latter's structural rigidity, and was just as engaging to drive, with none of the heaviness or wallowing that can afflict some convertibles.

Both the first and second generations came with this semi-convertible option: by the third iteration, however, Toyota had gone fully open-top with a fabric roof.

The MR2's enviable reputation as a hugely engaging everyday sports car means that both generations are now highly sought after. In particular, the second-gen car gained quite a following among the modifying crowd (this was the Max Power era, after all), so untampered versions of this generation will be harder to find. If you do get hold of one, make sure you know about any modifications, as you may need to specify them on your classic car cover documentation.

Rover 200 Convertible (1992-95)

The second generation of Rover's small family car appeared in 1989, and proved to be a decent effort. Three years later, though, Rover turned out something a little more surprising, in the form of the 200 Coupe – a noticeably longer, lower, svelter version of the practical (if modestly sporty) family hatch. This, in turn, spawned a hard-top cabriolet form – more accurately, a T-top like the MR2 above, in which the roof panels could be removed to leave a central stabilising bar.

These days, driving enthusiasts seem to prefer the hard-top coupe form, meaning that T-top 200s tend to sell at slightly lower prices. Engines include a Honda 1.6-litre automatic, and a later Rover 1.6 manual. Both will represent a very affordable way into top-down motoring.

There's even a great owners' club, the Rover 200 & 400 Owners Club, where you'll find a wealth of expertise, help sourcing parts, and even possible discounts on your classic car insurance.

Ford Focus MkII CC (2004-2010)

Ford didn't give the first generation of their game-changing Focus hatchback a cabriolet option – and, by the time the third generation came along in 2011, they'd made the decision to shelve the drop-top option. That means, if you want a Focus convertible, you're looking at a MkII car, in either pre- or post-2007 facelift form. Which is no bad thing, in fact, because the second-generation Focus was a fine car.

You get a wide range of engine choices, both petrol and diesel, in the CC. When it comes to handling, the Focus CC puts on a decent display. If not quite as sharp to drive as the legendarily engaging Focus hatch (that extra weight plays a part), it still keeps enough of the latter's fine driving characteristics to make it more engaging than most drop-tops.

It's a safe car, too, with front, side and curtain airbags plus stability control, all earning it a five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.

Some owners have run up against problems with the roof leaking – especially on early models. So, if you are buying a used Focus CC, press the seller on whether this problem has come up and, if so, ask to see documentation on any work done to fix it. If you’re thinking of doing your own restoration, make sure you have some classic Ford insurance in place.

Jaguar XJ-SC (1983-88)

Fans of Jaguar's big, handsome grand tourer (and E-Type successor) had to wait eight years from its launch in 1975 before any sort of cabriolet version became available. Even then, for many that first attempt wasn't yet the ideal solution – but it makes an intriguing used buy now.

Arriving in 1983, the XJ-SC had targa-style removable panels, as well as a fold-down rear window, giving most of a convertible experience. Not quite all, however, as the central bar remained to give the car the stability it needed. Many XJS fans still clamoured for a full convertible and, in 1988, Jaguar duly brought out a fabric-top convertible version.

That soft-top XJS was a big success, leaving its targa-top predecessor somewhat in the shade. Which isn't altogether fair, as the XJ-SC is a fine car whose relative rarity nowadays makes it a highly desirable classic. It also, notably, coincided with the moment that Jaguar added a much more economical V6 to the XJS range – a more suitable alternative, for many buyers, to the potent but thirsty V12.

Porsche 993 Targa (1994-1998)

Porsche has offered a Targa version of its iconic 911 sports car almost since the car's first appearance in the 1960s. Whichever 911 generation you're eyeing up, there will be a drop-top version for you.

We’ve gone for the 993, as the last of the air-cooled 911s. It also treads a fine line between the revered and now seriously pricey 1970s and 1980s generations, and its 996 successor with its slightly divisive looks (those fried-egg headlamps).

What's more, the 993 introduced Porsche's new 'greenhouse' system – a retractable glass roof that would live on in the 996 and 997 generations. Essentially, the roof disappears under the rear windscreen, producing a large open-top section – bigger and more exhilarating than the arrangement used on previous generations, where a section of the roof was removed and a wide B-pillar worked as an anti-roll bar.

This roof arrangement, though neat, was complex and could go wrong so, once again, check it's working properly and ask to see evidence of any work done on it. And be sure to protect this, and all other parts of your new Porsche plaything, with some classic Porsche insurance.

Honda S2000 GT (1999-2009)

From the NSX, the supercar you could afford, to the space-age looks of the eighth generation Civic, Honda have given us some adventurous designs that have often trodden new ground in the story of motoring. And one of their biggest successes was this fantastic, fine-handling open-top sports car.

Available in soft-top roadster and removable hard-top GT form, the S2000 pulled more than 240bhp from its two-litre engine. In fact, its power output of around 124hp per litre was, famously, the highest of any mass-produced, non-turbocharged car. It had plenty of grunt, was hugely engaging to drive (its perfect 50:50 weight distribution made for fine handling), and was also a smart looker. The engine revved to an adrenaline-pumping 9000rpm and yet, being a Honda, was pretty much bombproof.

Definitely a car for having some fun in, whether or not the wind is in your hair.

Lots of moving parts? We recommend classic car insurance

There's no doubt that a convertible can be huge amounts of fun – and, if you go for the hard-top kind, you can take it out in all weathers.

Of course, that convertible technology does add another layer of complexity to your vehicle – and another set of mechanicals to look after and maintain.

In our eyes, that makes an even more compelling case than usual for arranging some classic car insurance, to help with the costs of whatever restoration and repair work may lie ahead.

If you own or are thinking of owning a convertible classic, why not contact us to find out more?

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.