Hard Top vs Soft Top: Which Convertible to Rent in Dubai?

A retractable hard top closes the cabin like a coupe, which helps in Dubai’s summer heat. A fabric soft top is the cheaper way to enjoy the same open-air drive from November to March. Our convertibles start from AED 590 a day, and rental is without a deposit.

Hard top or soft top in Dubai: the short answer

Both roofs fold away, and both close into a sealed cabin with working air conditioning. What differs in Dubai is insulation, wind noise, how the car copes with a parked hour in the sun, and price. In our fleet of convertible cars the hard tops are Ferrari, McLaren and Corvette models, while the soft tops run from a Mini Cooper to a Bentley.

Helpful tip

Roof speed is not the difference between the two types. Our hard tops fold in 11 to 16 seconds and our soft tops in 9 to 19. Choose by insulation, noise and the season you are travelling in.

Alex Shvarov, Automotive expert with over 15 years of experience

Heat, sun and dust: what changes the choice

Dubai summer daytime highs are above 40 °C, while winter days are in the mid-20s. With the roof down in July the sun and heat reach you directly and the air conditioning struggles to cool an open cabin, so summer top-down driving belongs to early mornings and the hours after dark. With the roof up, either type gives you a sealed cabin and a working air conditioner, and a hard top adds the insulation of a metal roof.

Dust is the other local factor. On hazy or windy days close the roof before you set off: an open cabin collects dust, and so do the seats. Whichever roof you have, park in shade or covered parking and raise the roof when you leave the car.

Helpful tip

If you plan a long daytime drive in summer, ask for a hard top or a coupe-like cabin and save the open roof for the evening. In winter any roof works.

Alex Shvarov, Automotive expert with over 15 years of experience

Soft tops: what they do well in Dubai

Fabric roofs fold small and fast. BMW says the Z4’s folds in under ten seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h, and Porsche quotes nine seconds up to 50 km/h for the 718 Boxster. The Mercedes SL 55’s three-layer roof opens in 15 seconds at up to 60 km/h, according to Mercedes. A soft top also keeps luggage simple: BMW quotes the same 281 litres of boot space in the Z4 with the roof open or closed.

Soft tops are also where the lower rates are. Our convertibles start from AED 590 a day with the Mini Cooper Convertible, the Ford Mustang Convertible and the Mercedes C180 Convertible. Other fabric roofs in the fleet include the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro convertibles, the BMW 4 and M850i convertibles and the Mercedes C-Class and E-Class convertibles.

Hard tops: what they do well in Dubai

A retractable hard top turns the car into a coupe when it is closed, which helps most in a Dubai summer. Our hard-top convertibles are performance cars, and none of them is slow to close: McLaren says the 750S Spider’s roof opens or closes in 11 seconds at speeds up to 50 km/h, Ferrari quotes 14 seconds at up to 45 km/h for the F8 Spider, 296 GTS and 812 GTS, and Chevrolet quotes 16 seconds at up to 30 mph (about 48 km/h) for the Corvette C8 convertible.

The price of a hard top is higher. In our fleet the hard-top convertibles start from AED 1190 a day with the Chevrolet Corvette. The Porsche 911 Targa is a third kind: a fixed roll hoop with a roof panel that folds away in 19 seconds, according to Porsche, so it is neither a soft nor a hard top.

Our convertibles by roof type, speed and price

The table lists the convertibles in the fleet whose roof speeds are published by the manufacturers. Times are the makers’ figures and the rate is for a 1 to 2 day rental. Check the roof type and speed limit on the car’s own page.

When to take a convertible in Dubai

From November to March the days are mild and the roof can stay down from morning to night. April and October suit mornings and evenings. From May to September daytime heat is extreme, so roof-down driving is for after dark and the choice of roof matters for the rest of the day.

That is why the same car can be the right pick in one month and the wrong one in another. If your dates fall in the hot months and you want the open air, plan evening drives and book a hard top or a well-insulated soft top for everything else.

Rental terms to know before you book

Rental is without a deposit, and basic insurance is included in the daily rate. If a car is damaged, even by a scratch in a car park, a Police Report is required. Each car has its own daily mileage limit of 200 to 250 km, shown on the car’s page, with extra kilometres charged separately. Tourists need a passport, their home driving licence and an International Driving Permit; UAE residents need a UAE licence and an Emirates ID. Minimum age and licence experience differ by car and are shown on each car’s page.

Helpful tip

At handover, ask the manager to show you the roof button, the speed limit for operating the roof and how to close it quickly if rain or dust arrives. Do not leave passports, bags or phones on the seats when the car is parked, whatever the roof.

Alex Shvarov, Automotive expert with over 15 years of experience