Although the UK experiences more than its fair share of rain and temperatures not exactly favouring short sleeves, it’s still one of the biggest markets for convertible cars.

Maybe it’s the clichéd wind-in-the-hair feeling that driving an open-top car provides and, if we’re brutally honest, the ‘showy’ nature of such cars that many find appealing, but with the recent advancements in car design it’s perhaps surprising that not many more people opt for top-down motoring.

From a financial point of view they’ll always carry a premium over their closed roof counterparts, but the shortcomings of convertibles are now nothing compared to what they used to be. Gone are the days of a convertible having majorly compromised handling due to the loss of rigidity from having no roof, while draughty, ill-fitting hoods and the often resulting damp interior are a thing of the past too. Buy a new convertible and it will be just as comfortable as its tin-top brethren, especially as a good deal of the open-top models now use a metal folding roof.

The only downside is that when lowered, the roofs of such cars can take a healthy chunk out of boot space. However, if you like the idea of letting the sunshine in without compromising load-carrying ability or breaking the bank, there are a couple of worthwhile options. Trawl the internet for the most affordable new, four-seat, open-top models and it’ll throw up the Citroën DS3 and Fiat 500 – although strictly speaking, they’re not ‘full’ convertibles but have full-length fabric roofs.

Efficiency and low running costs
Of the two, it’s the Fiat that’s cheapest, coming in at circa £13,700 for the 500C Pop Cabrio. It’s reasonably well equipped, with features including a CD/MP3 player, air conditioning, electric front windows and central locking, but it’s only a 1.2-litre 69hp petrol engine under the bonnet and alloy wheels are extra. Opt for the Citroën DS3 Cabrio and it’ll set you back at least £15,295. In return for their hard-earned cash, customers benefit from a decent specification that includes LED Daytime Running Lights, rear parking sensors and 16-inch black diamond alloy wheels. Like the Fiat, the most affordable DS3 Cabrio comes with a 1.2-litre engine. Neither car could be considered fast but what they lack in outright speed, they make up for in efficiency and low running costs. The Fiat for example returning nearly 60mpg on the combined fuel economy cycle.

There are pros and cons for each but both are a safe bet – the Fiat having rock-solid residual values and the Citroën being voted ‘What Car?’ Magazine’s best open-top car for under £25,000 in 2014. So, if you want a new convertible but are worried what a relatively limited budget will buy, don’t be – the outlook’s as sunny as it could be for affordable top-down motoring.