Best All-Wheel-Drive Convertible | 2023 Ratings

Characteristics of Convertibles with 4-Wheel Drive

There are a lot of different types of drop-tops out there. Some are built purely for laidback driving, while others have sportier inclinations. Similarly, luxury and comfort may take a back seat at times. All offer open-top driving, but what other similarities should you expect?

Style: By design, these are sensuous cars, with lines that are only accentuated further when the top is down. The interior is generally quite well-appointed, with between two and four seats available. Those with the latter are usually quite cramped in the rear, though larger models do supply enough space for larger passengers.
Performance: Often based on popular sedans or coupes, many convertibles come with a powerful engine that should make them pretty fast. However, replacing a solid hardtop with a retractable roof does have an impact on aerodynamics, and this is exacerbated when the roof is down. Having AWD instead of rear- or front-wheel drive helps to improve handling if you enjoy driving a little harder, but very few models have a manual transmission, so engagement is not always the best.
Price: Most convertibles with 4WD are produced by premium brands, so you can expect the price tag to reflect as much. When you add the low mpg figures because of all the extra weight convertibles suffer from, the total cost of ownership is quite high. This is true even of cheaper models.

What to Consider When Buying All-Wheel-Drive Convertible Cars

Anyone that owns a convertible car will certainly tell you all about the benefits, though they may forget the downsides in their excitement. So, here we list some of the obvious advantages and disadvantages of 4WD convertibles:

Pros

Fully immersive open-top thrills and chills while feeling stylish
Sporty, animated all-wheel acceleration off-the-line and onward
Many feature all-weather comfort parameters such as neck warmers

Cons

Relatively pricey for what you get overall in terms of luxury and features
Structural integrity is compromised, sometimes hindering handling dynamics
Most, especially those with four seats, lack rear passenger and trunk space

FAQs

What’s the best AWD convertible?

The Mercedes-Benz AMG S63 Convertible and SL63 both earn stellar marks across the board. Both share a 4.0-liter bi-turbo V8 engine, albeit in different states of tune. The BMW M8 Convertible is an attractive alternative, alongside the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet.

Are there any AWD cabriolets available with a manual transmission?

Manual transmissions are quite rare in this day and age, and among convertibles with all-wheel drive, they are non-existent.

Are AWD convertibles less economical on fuel?

All-wheel-drive convertibles do often return lower mpg figures than their FWD and RWD counterparts because of the extra weight that the all-wheel drivetrain adds to the vehicle. Their poorer aerodynamics when driving with the top down also impact fuel economy.

Best All-Wheel-Drive Convertible of 2023