12) 2019 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider
$66,900 | Overall Score: 6.8/10
Sitting in the cockpit of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, you can literally see the exposed metal and carbon fiber that make up the Spider’s frame and chassis. The turbocharged four-cylinder engine makes 237 horsepower and is mounted behind the driver for optimal weight distribution.
Instead of a traditional convertible roof, there is only a small cloth panel that protects the driver and passenger from the elements. Removing it requires the driver to manually fold it and place it in the tiny trunk, which negates its only usable storage space. The 4C also lacks power steering, but the payoff for these concessions is an extremely focused sports car with the presence of an exotic at a fraction of the price.
11) 2019 Nissan 370Z Roadster
$41,820 | Overall Score: 7.5/10
The Nissan 370Z is a bit long in the tooth, as it was last fully redesigned in 2009. But the Z features a powerful V6 engine and user-friendly features. That V6 puts out 332 horsepower, which is sent through a seven-speed automatic transmission (only the 370Z coupe is available with a manual).
While other roadsters might have newer tech, the Z’s infotainment system is quite easy to use. The Z roadster features a driver-focused cockpit, with gauges across the dash and an instrument cluster assembly that moves with the tilt/telescoping steering wheel – so the driver as optimal view of the gauges, no matter the placement.
10) 2019 Mercedes-Benz SLC
$48,950 | Overall Score: 7.9/10
The SLC balances performance and comfort nicely with composed handling, a lineup of powerful engines, and a power-retractable hardtop that provides four-season protection from the elements. It’s also available with the Airscarf system, which adds vents in the headrests for top-down driving in any climate.
For summer driving, the SLC’s hardtop stows in just 20 seconds and is available with the Magic Sky Control roof, which features an electronically adjustable tinted roof panel. It can go from clear to heavily tinted with the push of a button.
9) 2019 Jaguar F-Type
$63,850 | Overall Score: 8.2/10
The Jaguar F-Type boats dramatic styling, refined performance, and a handsome two-passenger interior. The bucket seats envelop the driver, while the joystick-like shifter provides the driver with the ability to “tap” to upshift and downshift easily.
Jaguar provides the InControl Remote system, which lets you lock, unlock, and start the F-Type remotely from a smartphone app. It also lets you set the climate control, so on a very hot day, you can arrive to a comfortably cool sports car.
8) 2019 BMW Z4
$49,700 | Overall Score: 8.2/10
The BMW Z4 roadster is back after a three-year hiatus, featuring more aggressive styling and the latest in-car technology. The Z4’s top can open in just 10 seconds and at speeds up to 31 mph, meaning you can drop the top while in traffic.
BMW loads the Z4 up with a pair of digital screens – one serves as the instrument panel and the other as the iDrive screen in the center console. An available head-up display also provides the driver with information without taking their eyes of the road ahead.
The Z4 returns up to 32 mpg in highway driving, which means you can spend more time driving this summer and less time at the pump.
7) 2019 Audi TT Roadster
$44,900 | Overall Score: 8.2/10
The Audi TT Roadster has sharp styling and sharper technology, coming standard with the Virtual Cockpit, which replaces the instrument panel with a digital screen that performs all infotainment functions. The result is a more minimalist cabin, perfect for enjoying top-down drives along the coast.
The TT Roadster’s trunk is large (for the class), so you’ll have room for weekend bags.
The base engine makes 220 horsepower, and the seven-speed automatic manages the power well in all manner of driving situations. Notably, the TT gets a new wireless phone charger as standard equipment for 2019.
6) 2019 Fiat 124 Spider
$25,190 | Overall Score: 8.3/10
The Fiat 124 Spider is the essence of motoring distilled into a purist’s roadster. It rides on the same platform as the Mazda MX-5 Miata but has more menacing looks and comes fitted with a turbocharged engine. It’s available with an automatic, but the standard six-speed manual is fantastic.
The 124’s charm is in its simplicity, as the convertible cloth top is fully manual. Just reach up, unlatch it, and lift it up to stow in behind the roll bars. Because the top assembly is so compact, trunk space remains unchanged whether the top is opened or closed.
5) 2019 Mercedes-Benz SL
$89,150 | Overall Score: 8.6/10
The Mercedes-Benz SL stems from a long line of elegant and athletic Mercedes-Benz roadsters, harking back to the original SL Gullwing from the 1950s (widely regarded as the world’s first supercar). Like the aforementioned SLC, it features Airscarf, but unlike the SLC it comes standard with 362 horsepower on-tap.
That’s from the base twin-turbocharged V6 engine, but there are two other engine options, including the one in the SL 63 AMG that makes 557 horsepower. The SL also features a top-notch interior and a fun-yet-comfortable ride that will be perfect for any summer road trip for two.
4) 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster
$124,700 | Overall Score: 8.8/10
If you want a Mercedes-Benz roadster and prefer something a bit more sporty, the AMG GT has you covered. It’s more athletic, more menacing, and more expensive than SL. However, the AMG GT comes with a lighter cloth convertible top. The top is available in colors like red and tan.
The cloth top gives the AMG GT a more timeless appeal compared to the SL and SLC, but it’s also lighter. The “base” version of this roadster can still get from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and hit a top speed of over 190 mph – which should be plenty to air dry your hair after a day at the beach.
3) 2019 Porsche 718 Boxster
$59,000 | Overall Score: 8.8/10
The Porsche 718 Boxster is a taut, responsive sports car that doesn’t sacrifice anything in the way of performance to provide top-down driving. The heart of the 718 its trio of available four-cylinder turbocharged engines. No matter which one you select, the midengine placement provides optimal balance.
The cabin is sleek and modern, outfitted with features like heated and cooled seats and a heated steering wheel. The midengine layout also allows for both fore and aft cargo compartments, letting you pack up for a long weekend drive.
2) 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata
$25,730 | Overall Score: 8.9/10
The fun, plucky nature of the Mazda Miata will turn any commute into an adventure. It makes 181 horsepower, which is up 26 horsepower from last year. That might not sound like much power, but it’s more than enough for the Miata.
For 2019, the Miata gets a new standard backup camera. It’s viewed through the screen atop the center of the dash in a very attractive, purposeful interior.
The standard seats are made of a mesh that is thinner than a typical seat cushion. It provides an extra inch or two of headroom for the driver or passenger.
1) 2019 Chevrolet Corvette
$55,900 | Overall Score: 9.0/10
Far from the days of it being regarded as a simple fiberglass American sports car, the current Corvette is a modern, world-class performance machine. With a seven-speed manual transmission and Magnetic Selective Ride Control, it is a sports car capable of hanging with the exotics.
Under the hood is a standard V8 engine making 455 horsepower. That comes with both the coupe or convertible variant.
Even if you choose the coupe, you don’t have to forgo open-air driving. The roof panel removes and stows behind the rear seats.
Honorable Mentions
U.S. News & World Report typically covers high-volume cars for the average commuter. That's not a perfect Venn Diagram overlap with ideal summer roadsters. If you have the coin, there’s a whole crop of high-end, exotic drop-tops with breathtaking performance and the looks to match. We don’t rank them on our site, but we detail them on the following pages.
2019 Porsche 911 Speedster
$274,500
The base level Porsche 911 is a special car. We review it on our site, where the four-seater earns accolades as an iconic, luxurious, and blisteringly quick sports car.
However, if you want something truly unique, look to the 911 Speedster. Only 1,948 will be built (as in the year Porsche started selling road cars). It features a minimalist cowl and lightweight construction. It is the last version of the outgoing 911 to be built before it is replaced with the all-new 2020 model. It can be yours for a quarter-million dollars.
2019 BMW i8 Roadster
$163,300
If you want to show the world you care about the environment, but also want to stand out from a sea of well-heeled Tesla owners, the BMW i8 is an eco-friendly way to make a splash. The i8 is a plug-in hybrid that uses electricity to deliver impressive performance.
The i8 looks like nothing else on the road, and once you get inside, you’ll notice the exposed areas of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, which makes up much of its construction. With the top-down, the i8 Roadster looks like something plucked from the future.
2019 Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster
$463,742
As if the Lamborghini Aventador were not dramatic enough, the convertible design adds a whole other dynamic of style and flair. Its 6.5-liter V12 engine makes an incredible 740 horsepower and provides a zero-to-60 time of around three seconds.
True to Lamborghini styling, the Aventador appears almost impossibly wide. The low-slung design allows this supercar to take on high speeds and rocket around corners with impunity. There’s really no bad season and no bad place to make an impression with the Aventador.
2019 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder
$203,674
The “Spyder” name – versus the use of “Roadster” with the Aventador – indicates that the drop-top Huracan is a bit more of a twitchy, nimble machine than its big brother. It’s a taut, lightweight ride that features a V10, allowing the Huracan Spyder to get from zero to 60 in just 3.6 seconds.
The minimalist cockpit is styled like a stealth jet and features a fully digital instrument panel that operates all of the vehicle’s infotainment and driving function menus. The button guard on the start/stop button further drives home the Huracan’s fighter-jet presence.
2019 McLaren 570S Spider
$219,780
A relative newcomer in the supercar game, the McLaren lineup has exploded in recent years to more than 10 models. The 750S features a midmounted 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that makes 562 horsepower.
The 570S Spider features a clever folding top that stows in just 15 seconds, opening the modern, sophisticated cockpit to the sun. Combined with the 570’s dihedral (look it up) doors, this McLaren is a showstopper.
2019 McLaren 720S Spider
$306,000
While the 570 is part of McLaren’s “Sport” series of cars, the 720 is the mainstay of its “Super” series, and it lives up to the billing. The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 will take the drop-top 720S from zero to 60 in less than three seconds. For the speed demons out there, it can take you from zero to 124 mph in 7.9 seconds.
The stunning appearance of the 720S Spider is capped off by the high-tech power hardtop, which retracts or raises in just 11 seconds. What’s left with the top down are two buttresses that frame the cabin, making quite the impression when pulling up to a South Beach hotel.
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18 Best Roadsters for 2019
- 2019 Chevrolet Corvette
- 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata
- 2019 Porsche 718 Boxster
- 2019 Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster
- 2019 Mercedes-Benz SL
- 2019 Fiat 124 Spider
- 2019 Audi TT Roadster
- 2019 BMW Z4
- 2019 Jaguar F-Type
- 2019 Mercedes-Benz SLC
- 2019 Nissan 370Z Roadster
- 2019 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider
- 2019 Porsche 911 Speedster
- 2019 BMW i8 Roadster
- 2019 Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster
- 2019 Lamborghini Huracan Spyder
- 2019 McLaren 570S Spider
- 2019 McLaren 720S Spider
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Enjoy the Summer … and the Road Ahead
For many drivers, the convertible is the ultimate way to take in the joy of driving, as well as the summer sun. Roadsters are convertibles that do not have rear seats. Less practical than their four-seater cousins, roadsters are more focused on performance. They vary in size, price, and performance – but are all about the drive.
No matter your budget, there is a roadster for you. Some roadsters, like the Mercedes-Benz SL, have a retractable power hardtop in place of traditional soft tops, providing additional protection from the elements. Some of these roadsters are exceptionally well-equipped, while vehicles like the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider are truly stripped-down to the bare driving essentials. We’ve ranked most mainstream roadsters on the market according to their performance in our U.S. News Best Cars rankings. Cars that are not ranked on our site are listed as honorable mentions at the end of the article.
Read on to learn about these extremely fun-to-drive cars, including their performance and price. Some of the price tags on these vehicles are astonishing, but many are special enough to match it.