What Are Cars Called When the Roof Goes Down?

They’re generally called convertibles. Depending on the design and region, you’ll also hear cabriolet (or cabrio), roadster, spider/spyder, targa top, and T‑top. These names describe cars with roofs that can fold, retract, or be removed to provide open-air driving, and the terms can signal differences in seating, mechanism, and heritage.

Common Terms and How They Differ

The terminology around roof-down cars reflects body style, seating, and roof mechanics. Here are the most widely used names and what they typically mean.

• Convertible: The catch-all term, especially in North America, for any car with a retractable or removable roof.
• Cabriolet (Cabrio): Common in Europe; essentially synonymous with convertible. Brands like Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen often use “Cabriolet.”
• Roadster: Traditionally a two-seat convertible emphasizing sportiness and simplicity (for example, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Porsche Boxster).
• Spider/Spyder: An Italian-rooted term for sporty convertibles; used by brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche.
• Targa top: A semi-convertible with a removable roof panel and a fixed center roll bar/hoop (for example, Porsche 911 Targa, Mazda MX‑5 RF).
• T‑top: Two removable roof panels separated by a central “T” bar, popular in classic American cars; rarely used today.
• Retractable hardtop / coupe‑cabriolet: A folding metal roof that stows away, giving coupe-like security when closed and open-air driving when retracted.
• Open car / open‑top: Generic terms used in automotive literature and regulation to describe vehicles without a fixed roof.
• Drop‑top / ragtop: Informal slang for convertibles, especially fabric-roof models.

While “convertible” is the safest universal label, the other terms can indicate specifics—like seating (roadster), origin (cabriolet, spider), or roof style (targa, retractable hardtop).

Roof Types and Mechanisms

Not all open-air cars manage their roofs the same way. The mechanism affects weight, cargo space, noise, security, and maintenance.

• Soft-top (fabric): Uses multi-layer cloth or vinyl with manual or power operation; lighter and simpler, often quieter and better-insulated today than in the past, but still more vulnerable to cuts and wear.
• Retractable hardtop: Power-folding metal or composite panels; offers coupe-like security and weather sealing when closed but adds weight and complexity, often reducing trunk space.
• Removable panel systems (targa, T‑top): Panels lift out manually; preserve structural rigidity via a fixed center hoop or bar while giving an open feel; storage of panels can eat into cargo space.

Each approach is a trade-off: soft-tops emphasize lightness and simplicity, hardtops prioritize security and refinement, and removable panels blend open-air character with a more rigid structure.

Pros and Cons to Consider

Open-air motoring is unique, but it comes with practical considerations that differ from fixed-roof cars.

• Advantages: Immersive driving experience; better top-down visibility; strong lifestyle appeal; certain models hold value well due to enthusiast demand.
• Drawbacks: More wind and road noise; potential for leaks if seals age; greater theft vulnerability with fabric roofs; heavier mechanisms in hardtops; smaller trunks; sometimes higher insurance and maintenance costs.

If you prioritize the experience and can accept some compromises in practicality and upkeep, a convertible can be highly rewarding.

Notable Examples on Today’s Market

Although fewer than in past decades, roof-down cars remain available across price points, from everyday cruisers to supercars.

• Mazda MX‑5 Miata (soft-top) and MX‑5 RF (targa-style panel): Benchmark affordable roadsters focused on lightweight fun.
• Ford Mustang Convertible (soft-top): Iconic American option with broad engine choices.
• BMW 4 Series Convertible (soft-top): Returned to fabric roof for lower weight and more trunk space.
• Chevrolet Corvette Convertible (retractable hardtop): Mid-engine supercar performance with a power-folding metal roof.
• Porsche 911 Cabriolet and 718 Boxster (soft-top): Performance convertibles with sophisticated roof engineering.
• Mini Convertible (soft-top): Compact, urban-friendly open-air motoring.
• Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco (soft and removable tops): Off-roaders with removable roofs and doors for open-air trails.
• Volkswagen T‑Roc Cabriolet (soft-top, Europe): A rare drop-top crossover still on sale in select markets.
• High-end “Spider/Spyder” models (retractable hardtops or soft-tops): Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren offer open variants of their supercars.

Electric convertibles are rare but emerging: the MG Cyberster (on sale in China and parts of Europe), Maserati GranCabrio Folgore (electric variant rolling out), and the Polestar 6 (announced, targeting mid-decade). Several high-profile projects, like Tesla’s next Roadster, remain not yet on sale.

Buying Tips

If you’re shopping for a roof-down car—new or used—these checks help avoid headaches and ensure the experience you want.

• Inspect the roof: Look for fabric wear, seam separation, fraying, or discoloration; on hardtops, listen for squeaks and ensure panels align.
• Test operation: Cycle the top multiple times; verify latches, sensors, and motors function smoothly without binding or error messages.
• Check seals and drains: Examine weatherstrips for cracks; make sure drain holes are clear to prevent leaks and mold.
• Evaluate practicality: Measure trunk space with the top stowed; check rear-seat usability (if any) and rollover protection features.
• Drive both top up and down: Assess wind noise, visibility, buffeting, and structural shudder over rough roads.
• Budget for upkeep: Plan for seal replacements, fabric care, potential mechanism service, and insurance differences.

A careful inspection and extended test drive—especially in rainy or windy conditions—will reveal whether a given convertible fits your daily needs.

Summary

Cars “where the roof goes down” are best known as convertibles, also called cabriolets; two-seat versions are often labeled roadsters, while spider/spyder is a sporty term used by several European brands. Variations like targa tops, T‑tops, and retractable hardtops describe how the roof opens or is removed. Choosing among them comes down to your priorities on weight, security, refinement, and that unmistakable open-air experience.

What is a convertible car roof called?

Hardtops and soft-tops
With the former the car is commonly known as a soft-top convertible, while with the latter they are often described as a hardtop convertible. Whether a convertible is a soft-top or hardtop, there are more than one ways the roof may be deployed or opened.

What is a car with a retractable roof called?

A hardtop convertible uses multiple sections of metals and plastics that fold mechanically into the car’s trunk space using a dual-hinged trunklid. Soft-top convertibles, on the other hand, feature a retractable top made of polyester, vinyl and canvas, with a glass or plastic rear window.

What is a car with a roof down called?

If the car has a foldable or removable roof, then it is a cabriolet or convertible. Today, there is no functional difference between the two terms. Typically, a cabriolet or a convertible comes with two doors and has two or four seats.

What is a car with the top down called?

Other terms for convertibles include cabriolet, cabrio, drop top, drophead coupé, open two-seater, open top, rag top, soft top, spider, and spyder, although companies use many of these terms interchangeably.