Economy | Style and luxury | Convertible | Performance

Coupés are a fun. They offer a stylish, exhilarating top-down driving experience, but will a two-door convertible really meet your motoring needs?

Here are some points you should consider before parting with your cash.

The upsides

Coupés are great looking cars with smart curves and streamlined features.

The top down driving style makes for a racy driving position, emphasising the coupé’s exciting feel – making them fun cars to drive.

The downsides

There is often less headroom than other car types, and their sporty nature means fuel economy isn’t always great.

They may not make ideal family cars since most convertibles have only two seats, and there’s not always much room for the kids (or the shopping) in the back.

And coupés are less likely to come cheap - but you will get extra style for your money.

Economy

The Toyota MR2 is popular and at around £1,500 for a second hand model in good condition, the affordable two-seater has a retro feel with its pop-up lights, and is a solid choice for the buyer who’s looking for a coupé with a sportier feel.

Mazda’s MX-5 is extremely reliable, has superb handling, a top speed of 129mph, and its good fuel economy means it can run for 38.7mpg. Prices start at £18,312 for a new MX-5.

Style and luxury

One of the most popular coupé cars in the UK is the stunning Audi TT – blending simplicity with elegance, while remaining comfortable and swift. The 1.8-litre T model is priced at £20,310.

If you’re looking for something at the executive end of the market, the BMW 3-series two-door coupé is the perfect choice. It’s available from £20,465.

Convertible

The Renault Megane Coupe Cabriolet is a reliable convertible which offers a stylish glass roof, and is priced from £16,500.

Ford’s Focus CC is available in a variety of brightly-coloured editions and is a strong all-rounder. It can accelerate from 0-60mph in around ten seconds before hitting a top speed of 127mph. Prices start at £16,795 and buyers can choose from 2-litre petrol and diesel engines.

Performance

Porsche’s 911 coupé is a dazzling motor - the S model puts out 350bhp of power and can achieve a top speed of 182mph. The 911 boasts Porsche’s classic style, and prices start at £61,620, going up to £131,070.

The Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG is an excellent choice for car buyers who have a little more money to spend on their coupé - or in this case, super-coupé.

It offers 514bhp and a top speed of 155mph - but a price tag of £73, 997. The new black series will have an even higher top speed, but also a higher price tag of around £100,000.