The European convertible market has a big surprise: the best-selling convertible is none other than an SUV. The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet has taken the top spot, selling 6,110 units from January to June 2024.
An unexpected trend
The automotive world is sometimes full of surprises. This year, it is an SUV that is at the top of the convertible sales in Europe. The Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet, an unusual model with its mix of SUV and convertible features, has managed to seduce the European public. Although convertibles are less popular than they used to be, it is surprising to see an SUV dominate this segment.
The success of the T-Roc Convertible contrasts with the unsuccessful attempts of other manufacturers. Nissan, with its Murano CrossCabriolet, and Land Rover, with its Evoque Convertible, have failed to capture the interest of consumers. On the other hand, the T-Roc Convertible has managed to find its place in the market.
The numbers behind the success
With 6,110 units sold in the first half of 2024, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet dominates the convertible market in Europe. Although this figure represents a decrease of 22.7% compared to the same period in 2023, it is still more than enough to retain the top spot.
In comparison, the legendary Mazda MX-5, often considered the ultimate convertible, is content with second place with 3,545 registrations. This 15% decrease can be explained by the transition between the ND2 and ND3 models, as well as the withdrawal of the 2.0-litre engine in Europe.
The convertible podium
The podium of convertibles in Europe is completed by the Alpine A110, which, although not a convertible, is included in Dataforce statistics that combine sales of coupes and convertibles. From January to June 2024, Alpine sold 2,563 units of the A110, recording an increase of 47.6% compared to the previous year.
Interestingly, another convertible actually outsold the T-Roc, but is listed separately due to its premium brand status. That’s the Mini Cabriolet, with 11,140 units sold, despite a 11.6% drop from 2023.
Luxury convertibles on the rise
In the luxury convertible segment, the Porsche 911 Cabriolet ranks second, with a sales increase of 5.1%, reaching 5,784 units. The BMW 4 Series Cabriolet ranks third, with 4,714 units sold, despite a decrease of 21.7%.
These figures show continued interest in luxury convertibles, despite the dominance of SUVs in the overall convertible market.
The future of the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet
The standard Volkswagen T-Roc also continues to perform, being the most popular model in the compact SUV segment with 105,332 units sold in the first half of 2024. Volkswagen has confirmed that a second generation of the T-Roc will arrive soon, likely as early as next year.
However, there will be no new version of the T-Roc Cabriolet. The German brand has announced that it will discontinue convertibles from 2025, marking the end of production of the T-Roc Cabriolet.
The withdrawal leaves a void in the convertible market, but also highlights changing consumer preferences, which are increasingly moving towards SUVs.