Car of the Year Awards 2025: Best coupé and convertible for value
Staycations are all the rage these days. Holidaying here in the UK can cost less than venturing abroad, plus it’s generally more convenient. Then there’s the environmental argument: the shorter the distance you travel, the lower your carbon footprint. Rather than flying out to the Bahamas, then, buy a Fiat 500e Convertible and let the sunshine come to you.
Until the new Mini Cooper Convertible arrives in the spring, the chic Fiat is the cheapest new open-top car you can buy, being priced well below the BMW 4 Series. Yes, it’s cheaper still in mild hybrid petrol form, confusingly called the Fiat 500C, but we’d pick the electric 500e.
It looks and feels vastly more sophisticated; after all, it was all new in 2020, whereas the hybrid has its basis in a 2007 design. With 0-62mph taking 9.0sec, the 500e is also nippier, and the fact that it’s electric prevents it from polluting the very air that you’ve retracted the roof in order to enjoy.
With an official range of 188 miles, occasional long trips aren’t out of the question, but it feels most at home in the city, where its tight turning circle and compact dimensions turn the gauntlet of urban traffic into something of a holiday.
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