We'll probably never see the day when they stop making new convertibles entirely. But, the segment continues to be reduced year after year to an increasingly narrow niche market, making up less than 1% of all sales in the US last year. 20 years ago, that number was close to 2%, and we already thought drop-tops were an endangered species back then.The segment has become less mainstream since then, too. It's not hard to find luxury convertibles, but if you want something under $40,000, we're down to just two models: the Mazda MX-5 Miata, and the Mini Cooper Convertible. Thankfully, both models are well under $40,000, meaning you can still find an affordable drop-top in 2026, even if your options are incredibly limited. 2026 Mazda Miata Convertible The Miata Sport Convertible Starts At $30,430 Ian Wright/CarBuzz/Valnet The Miata has become almost synonymous with the convertible segment by now. Not only is the Mazda Miata keeping the drop-top alive, it's keeping the six-speed manual transmission in the conversation, as well. These are both features we associate more and more with higher-end cars lately, and we appreciate Mazda keeping both stick-shifts and convertible roofs accessible to the average car-buyer.We named the Miata our Affordable Fun winner back in 2024, and it's still the cheapest sports car on sale in the US. Mazda would have to make some serious missteps with a fifth-gen relaunch to get us to dislike this car. We've always dug this car's stylish profile and accessible price point, and we like the potent 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine under the hood, with 0–60 runs clocked as low as 5.5 seconds.What we don't like about the Miata is the excessive road noise, whether or not you have the top up. The lack of options at the entry-level is disheartening, as well. Click on any of the upholstery options in the configurator, and you'll be invited to upgrade your trim. Same goes for adding a $5,050 Brembo brakes package. The Miata Is Available With A Hard-Top Mazda The RF in the Miata RF stands for Retractible Fastback. This is the convertible hard-top variant of the car, and it's honestly supercool to see this thing in action.The cheapest RF model is the Grand Touring which starts at $38,450. After taxes and titling, that's likely bumping us well over $40,000. The soft-top is easy enough to operate, simply popping it up and down by hand, and we're not sure if it's worth spending an extra $8,020 just to save yourself the hassle. The RF Grand Touring does pack heated seats as a standard feature, but why would you be driving a convertible in the freezing cold? 2026 Mini Convertible The Cooper C Convertible Starts At $34,600 Mini The Mini is high in the running for most charming car ever built. It's never been the fastest, the toughest, the most capable, or the most durable thing on the road, but it's always been among the hippest cars available, especially for the price. Add a drop-top to the equation, and you're doubling up on the Mini Cooper's stylish appeal.The cheapest convertible Mini is the Cooper C, with a 0-60 takeoff of 7.9 seconds. The entry-level engine is turbocharged, but it's "fuel economy" turbocharged, not "quick takeoffs" turbocharged, averaging 30 miles to the gallon, to the Miata's 29 mpg.The Cooper S convertible starts at $37,900 with a 201-horsepower turbo-four, getting you up to 60 mph in 6.7 mph, which is still slower than the Miata, but the Miata doesn't have a second row. So you can't have everything (at least not at these prices). All Cooper Convertible Tops Are Automatic CarBuzz The Cooper C packs an automatic soft-top roof, which can be opened and closed with the push of a button on the key fob. What you won't find on a Mini is a retractable hard-top roof. If you don't like the soft-top, you'll want to go for the Miata.Just like the Miata, the convertible Cooper has been noted for some pretty severe road and wind noise. That's easy to accept as part of the deal when you have the top down, but you'll likely be having all of your conversations in the cabin at a low shout, even with the roof up. This List Used To Be A Lot Longer Roger Biermann / CarBuzz / Valnet New car prices are higher than ever, topping $50,000 last we checked. When you pair that with fewer and fewer automakers wanting to build convertibles in the first place, you have a list of affordable drop-tops that seems to get shorter every time you look at it. So consider this our in memoriam reel for dearly departed convertibles. The Mustang EcoBoost Convertible Starts At Just Over $40,000 Now Ford$40,440 isn't so bad for a 315-horse convertible. The Ford Mustang is an American icon, a car many of us grew up daydreaming about. But it's not quite as affordable today as it was just a couple of years ago, when you could buy the 2024 edition for $39,020. The Camaro Was Scrapped After The 2024 Model Year ChevroletA convertible 1LT Chevy Camaro just barely made the cut-off a couple of years ago, selling for $38,495. Had the Camaro stuck around, it would no doubt be selling for more than $40,000 with a drop-top today, so we would have lost this one as an affordable convertible either way. The Fiat 500c Has Been Off The US Market For Years Now FiatA modest little compact with a stylish profile and a convertible top, the Fiat 500c has been off the market since the end of the 2019 model year, when it was available with a 135-horse turbo-four engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The 500c was dirt cheap, even by pre-pandemic prices. We Lost The Fiat 124 Spyder After The 2020 Model Year FiatWith a starting price well under $30,000, the Fiat 124 Spyder only sold 1,711 units in the US in 2020, which tells us that we don't always know a good thing when we have it. A shame, as this was the perfect stylish alternative to Mazda's evergreen Miata. Volkswagen Ought To Bring The Beetle Back, Again VolkswagenOne of the best examples of automotive nostalgia done right, the New Beetle was a welcome comeback for the iconic bug, and the A5 generation VW Beetle (2011-2019) did a fine job of modernizing the car while retaining everything that made it so charming. The Miata (Probably) Isn't Going Anywhere Ian Wright/CarBuzz/ValnetThe Mazda Miata absolutely dominates a very small niche. Mazda sold 8,727 MX-5s in 2025, and has already sold 1,695 units in the first quarter of 2026. While demand for convertibles may be dwindling, the lack of competition only seems to be helping Mazda, as more and more automakers decide that it's not worth their time and resources to pursue such a small demographic.That's the cool thing about the automotive market, though. If there are just five or six people who want to buy something, you can bet that someone, somewhere, will be willing to build it.Sources: Mazda, Volkswagen, Mini, Fiat, Chevrolet, Ford.