We rely on SUVs for almost everything today in the U.S.A. We have proper mud-hunting beasts, luxury SUVs that are now more plush than sedans, budget options that are good for families, and SUVs that can tow as much as some pickup trucks while still offering a good deal of everyday comfort.

Follow and Like top authors, topics, and trends

Browse with fewer ads across the site

Personalize your profile to showcase your activity

Get a content feed tailored to your interests

By creating an account, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive our newsletters; you can unsubscribe any time.

*Required: 8 chars, 1 capital letter, 1 number

Modern SUVs that balance comfort and efficiency may be the go-to choice for many today, but that means genuinely open-air SUVs have all but vanished. Today, we want a vehicle that can do a bit of everything. Hence, we are seeing more luxurious cabins, quieter rides, airtight insulation, and oodles of screens and tech.

Unfortunately, removable roofs and doors don't exactly help with that. Building a body-on-frame SUV that can take a beating off-road while also allowing you to remove the roof is expensive, complicated, and very niche. That's why so many automakers stopped making them.

Back in the day, though, the formula was everywhere. The first-gen Ford Bronco, Jeep CJ, Suzuki Samurai, and International Harvester Scout all had open-air fun blended into their off-road builds. Even the original Land Rover Defender could be configured like a beach cruiser.

Now, though, the list of true convertible SUVs has been reduced to just a handful, with models like the Ineos Quartermaster, the Ford Bronco Sport, the Range Rover Evoque, and the Volkswagen T-ROC Cabriolet verging on being it.

What is becoming an even rarer sight is drop-top SUVs that can seriously handle the trails and mud. This is why the Jeep Wrangler is so important in today's market. Despite the industry shifting toward softer crossovers and road-focused SUVs, the Wrangler still delivers the full open-air off-road experience. The doors can come completely off, the windshield folds down, and you can choose between soft tops and removable hardtops.

More importantly, though, none of that compromises its capabilities. Solid axles, locking differentials, disconnecting sway bars, massive ground clearance, and aggressive approach and departure angles mean that the 2026 Wrangler remains one of the few SUVs that feel equally at home crawling as they do cruising with no roof.

Then there is the teased Mercedes-Benz G-Class Cabriolet, which now feels like an almost mythical model compared to most other modern luxury SUVs. This new convertible G-Wagon combines real off-road hardware in the shape of three locking diffs, proper low-range capability, and a ladder frame, and the hardcore luxe design that has come to epitomize the legendary Mercedes SUV.

You also get a powered fabric roof mixed with military-grade toughness and an iconic badge; it brings a touch of everything to one model in a very niche market. There has been no confirmed release date yet, and prices are expected to be north of $200,000, but there isn't much like it from any other brand.

Convertible SUVs have never been popular, but Volkswagen is still trying with the new special edition T-Roc Cabriolet

While the Wrangler and the G-Class Cabriolet are exquisite examples of drop-top SUVs that can do it all, there is then the 2026 Ford Bronco lineup. There are seven main trims of the new Bronco SUV, with a starting price of $40,495, and all of them are available with a removable roof.

The full 2026 Ford Bronco SUV lineup and starting prices are as follows.

Alongside the generous amount of trims available, the new Bronco is also available with three engine options, depending on what grade you go for. The engine options and specs are as follows. Note: some trims are available with more than one engine option.

2026 Bronco Base/Big Bend/Outer Banks/Heritage Edition/Badlands

2026 Bronco Outer Banks/Heritage Edition/Badlands/Stroppe Edition

Seven-Speed Manual or Ten-Speed Automatic

Aside from the iconic nameplate, one of the most appealing things about the new Bronco lineup is that the roof-off freedom isn't locked behind a flagship grade. Every trim level in the lineup can be equipped with a removable roof system (either a hardtop or soft top), meaning that this kind of rare experience doesn't come down to how much you spend on a Bronco.

Whether it is the entry-level Base model, the retro-flavored Heritage Edition, the desert-focused Stroppe Edition, or the almighty Bronco Raptor, the core DNA stays the same: panels off, doors off, and a cabin that opens up to the elements.

Most marques treat the rarity of a drop-top as a niche add-in or limit it to aftermarket conversions, but the Bronco builds it onto the core architecture. The modular roof system means you can remove just the front sections for a quick blast in the sun, or remove the entire roof for full exposure. Add in the frameless doors, which can be removed without the need for a workshop, and the Bronco transforms from a closed cabin into something a lot more fun.

The soft-top option leans heavily into being spontaneous and folds back quickly for near-instant open-air driving, which makes it easy to switch between fully covered and partially open for when you want some rays. The hardtop versions do offer a sturdier, stiffer ride with the roof on, but both options are meant to get you as close to the adventure as possible.

Some SUVs are renowned for holding their value well, but these 10 models are the best mid-size SUVs for resale value.

The Bronco is one of the most legendary off-roading nameplates in existence, and while the market has moved on from the original models, the 2026 Bronco lineup is first and foremost an off-road machine. There is no dilution as you move up through the trims, just more layers of off-roading goodies.

The Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks come with body-on-frame construction and selectable terrain modes that make them feel more than just "soft" adventure SUVs with a funky roof. They are the entry-level trail companions, but still offer decent ground clearance of up to 11.6 inches with the Sasquatch Package added, rugged tires, and a low-range transfer case. They still get the job done.

The Badlands grade gets front and rear electronic locking differentials, a disconnecting front stabilizer bar, and upgraded off-road suspension tuning that keeps the wheels planted over rough ground. You also get better skid plates, more aggressive wheel and tire options, and enhanced underbody protection.

Then there are the two top-tier trims: the Stroppe Edition and the Bronco Raptor. The Stroppe is built for high-speed desert control, with tuned damping for washboard action at speed, while the Raptor adds long-travel suspension, a wider track width of 73.2 inches up front and 73.6 inches at the back, and heavy-duty FOX Live Valve Dampers made for harsh impacts.

Add in the 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 under the hood of the Raptor, which delivers maximum torque at 2,750 rpm, and you've got an SUV that crawls, climbs, gets muddy, and has fun, all with the option of no roof and doors.

Then there is the other side of the Bronco, the side that means it can be used as an everyday SUV as well as a raucous trail companion.

The new Bronco is available as a four-door and a two-door, but depending on what configuration of doors and roof you choose will depend on how much room you and your passengers get. Interior dimensions of the new Bronco lineup are as follows.

Ford hasn't neglected interior design and features in the pursuit of a solid off-roading SUV. Across the Base and Big Bend trims, you get a clean, functional layout with an 8-inch digital instrument cluster paired with a 12-inch SYNC 4 infotainment screen, while materials are deliberately rugged. You get hard-wearing plastics, exposed fasteners, and high-durability touchpoints that feel built for off-road use over and over again.

This durability continues with the kind of weatherproofing you don't usually see outside serious off-roaders. The flooring is finished in heavy-duty rubber rather than carpet, meaning that sand and mud can be rinsed straight out of the integrated plugs you also get. Seats are available with marine-grade vinyl, and even the switchgear feels sealed and robust.

The Outer Banks and Heritage Edition models get a more premium edge without losing ruggedness. You get upgraded soft-touch surfaces, available leather-trimmed seating, and better insulation for highway slogs, while the same 12-inch touchscreen receives a few more features.

At the top end, the Raptor leans a lot heavier into performance-focused detail, with heavily bolstered seats and more reinforced materials used. Importantly, though, you still get the core mud-ready feel about it.

Despite being one of the best off-roading SUVs on the market in 2026, the new Bronco lineup gets maybe surprisingly respectable all-around reviews. Owner reviews on Kelley Blue Book rate it 4.7 out of 5 overall, with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 for value and quality, 4.7 out of 5 for performance, reliability, and comfort, and 4.9 out of 5 for styling, while 93% of owners say they'd recommend buying one.

The two-door Bronco rides on a 100.4-inch wheelbase and measures in at 173.7 inches in length by 75.9 inches in width. Four-door Broncos are larger, with a 116.1-inch wheelbase and measurements of 189.4 inches in length and 86.3 inches in width. Neither flavor is hugely cumbersome for a spot of city driving if you want it.

You also get a reasonable amount of storage space throughout the lineup. Again, how much you can fit in with the rear seats folded down depends on the configuration and trim you choose. The two-door option has a maximum cargo capacity of 52 cubic feet; the hardtop four-door gets 77.6 cubic feet; the soft-top four-door has the most at 83 cubic feet, and the Raptor has 72.9 cubic feet of storage space.

What can be seen to let the 2026 Bronco down a little is its fuel efficiency, but it is expected for such a specialist off-road beast. FuelEconomy.gov says the least fuel-efficient 2026 Bronco is the Raptor, which can achieve 15 combined mpg (15 mpg city/16 mpg highway); we can't say we're surprised, though.

The two most fuel-efficient Broncos you can buy in 2026 are the automatic-transmission Base and the Outer Banks trims, with both achieving 20 combined mpg. All other Bronco trims reportedly achieve between 17 and 19 mpg, while the whole lineup's average annual fuel costs range from $3,400 to $4,500, with no prizes for guessing which trim costs the most to fill up.

While it is not one of the most fuel-efficient SUVs in 2026, the Bronco does offer a fine blend of comfort, adventure-readiness, and summer-cruisability, which we think outweighs the relatively high fuel consumption.

To celebrate its 60th birthday, Ford is throwing it a party of sorts; a new limited edition. Meet the 2026 Bronco 60th Anniversary Edition.

When you step back and take in the 2026 Bronco lineup, it is easy to say that it delivers. Yes, the Wrangler can still shed its panels, doors, and roof, and the upcoming G-Class drop-top is going to be all sorts of luxury, open-air, off-road fun, but the Bronco succeeds very well at bringing everything you could ask for from a modern on-road/off-road SUV.

It is a complete package across the range. It's not just the fact that every trim can be configured with a removable roof and doors, but the underlying hardware is built to support real use when you get out in the boonies, and you can tow up to 4,500 pounds with the Raptor (up to 3,500 pounds with the other trims). The short overhangs, proper ground clearance, standard part-time AWD, and suspension setups mean it isn't just capable in theory, but can really perform.

The best part about it, though, is that it doesn't fall apart when you bring it back to the tarmac. On-road, there may be some reports of road noise, but it is still relatively predictable, and it never feels like it is fighting you just because it is built for a tough life.

The 2026 Ford Bronco lineup is one of the few new SUV lines left where you can take the roof off, head out for a drive just because the weather is good, commute in it, and then hit a trail five minutes later without having to change much.

Found an error? Send it info@www.topspeed.com so it can be corrected.

Sources: Ford, FuelEconomy.gov, and Kelley Blue Book.

Source: https://www.topspeed.com/convertible-suv-for-summer/