Top 15 Cars for Summer

What could be better for a cruise down the coast than an Aston Martin? The latest DB12 takes everything that was fabulous about the DB11 before it and adds more of everything: power, tech, prestige. Aston calls it a ‘Super GT’; we'd call it a spectacularly stylish way to squeeze a road trip into what remains of summer. Especially if you can get your hands on the new Volante drop-top.

Find your next used Aston Martin here

For a country not always au fait with everyday sunshine, us Brits really do engineer some of the world’s best convertibles. Perhaps the car that feels ‘most’ in every facet is the mighty Conti GTC. Speed? It’ll hit 198mph. Space? Plush seating for four. Style? With perhaps the most configurable spec of any manufacturer on sale, there’s bound to be one for every taste. And as the name suggests, crossing a whole continent will feel the work of a moment.

Find your next used Bentley Continental GTC here

Craving practicality but don’t want the high-rise styling or country bumpkin image of an SUV? Here’s the leaner, meaner alternative from M Division. For decades, car geeks cried out for an estate version of the iconic BMW M3. And it arrived just in time for M’s big 50^th anniversary party, every bit as butch on the outside and ballistic under the skin as we’d hoped. And all without losing a single litre of luggage volume over a stock 320d Touring. Bravo.

Find your next used BMW M3 Touring here 

Those rare sunny days and heatwaves do hit differently in a convertible. The market is a little slimmer than in its Nineties and Noughties heyday but among the most evergreen drop-tops still on sale is the good ol’ Mini. There’s a whole bunch on the DrivenBuy service with Sytner; classic Coopers, gnarly John Cooper Works and even a fully electric Cooper S E. However much sun you want to lap up – or noise you wish to make doing so – there’s a Mini to fit your mood.

Find your next used Mini Cooper S Convertible here 

Perhaps your summer is more about bundling the family into the car and heading for a day trip or two. The Audi A3 is consistently among Britain’s bestselling family cars, so you know you’re onto a winner already, and this TFSIe S Line model pairs typically sharp Audi styling with an efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain. Zero range anxiety but the chance to slink silently through idyllic rural villages. Perfect.

Find your next used Audi A3 Sportback here 

Or maybe you want to slink around silently the whole time? There’s a wealth of electric crossovers on the market right now ensuring ‘the paradox of choice’ feels very real. Well, a slice of German premium utilising the shared knowhow of the vast VW group feels like a safe bet and the Q4 offers different power outputs and body styles – either sensible SUV or swoopy Sportback – to make it malleable to most tastes.

Find your next used Audi Q4 e-tron here 

Want to make the jump to electric but worried about how easy (or not) it’ll be? The Mercedes EQC is a welcoming hug, feeling so much like Merc’s tried and trusted petrol and diesel SUVs that it might take you a moment to spot the difference. Its hushed powertrain feels even better suited to the comfy atmosphere on board, though, where there’s an air of calm just waiting to be shattered by a boisterous family getaway.

Find your next used Mercedes-Benz EQC here

If you’d rather see the three-pointed star on the snout of something more traditionally powered, then how about a dinky little A-Class? Another of the UK’s most popular cars, it comes in a number of different flavours, not least two different AMG performance iterations. The slightly classier, more attainable of the two is this A35. Proper hot hatch power but in a smart suit – and with standard all-wheel drive to handle whatever summer throws at us…

Find your next used Mercedes-AMG A35 here

Even better prepared for extreme weather events (or those ominous storms with human names) is this: the blockbuster remake of the Land Rover Defender. A car with supreme flexibility at its core, you’ve a bunch of engines and body lengths to choose from – but empty-nesters might just crave the simplest of the lot, this two-seat commercial Defender Hard Top. Its rugged rear quarters are primed and ready for sand, mud and dog hair – and an easy sweep clean of the lot once your adventures are over.

Find your next used Land Rover Defender here

If that’s too rugged for you, then fear not: BMW is here with a bougie saloon that cloaks its familiar practicality with a stylish sheen. The 5 Series is one of the most legendary badges on planet car; in its now eighth (eighth!) generation it offers this fresh, fully electric i5 variety. Over 300 miles of range, a booming Bowers and Wilkins stereo, muscular M Sport styling… it’s a versatile but vibrant place to savour a summer road trip.

Find your next BMW i5 here

The march towards electrification is exciting to spectate, but us car enthusiasts must have the gumption for Game of Thrones levels of loss along the way as carmakers reshuffle their showrooms to accommodate battery power. One of the more poignant departures of recent times is the Jaguar F-Type, a sports car that’s been with us over a decade but has oozed star quality the whole time. So wave a fond farewell in the only way possible – with one of the last of the lot accommodating a whacking great supercharged V8 beneath its dramatic bonnet.

Find your next Jaguar F-Type here

Or maybe you’re ready to grasp the future and embrace electric propulsion now? Well the selection of Jaguars on DrivenBuy has you covered for that, too. The I-Pace was a minor pioneer on launch, one of the first premium electric crossovers and an early signpost that EVs weren’t just going to be eco-lumps that we melancholily plugged into the mains each night. It’s aged gracefully and at a year old this example appears a bit of a bargain, too.

Find your next used Jaguar I-Pace here

You could argue the I-Pace paved the way neatly for this, Porsche’s versatile EV. The Taycan channelled lots of what we know and love about Stuttgart sports cars into a fully electric saloon - as well as practical Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo estate versions. Together, they taught us that EVs could be fun and still carry the torch for car enthusiasts in a newly electrified era.

Find your next used Porsche Taycan here 

The pure petrol hot hatchback is a rare breed these days, but we can rely on one of the originals to keep the flag flying high. Mini has no interest in dropping its boisterous John Cooper Works model just yet and this British racing green (well, Rebel Green) example looks like a riotous way to spend the summer. Those country lanes leading to your ‘characterful’ AirBnB bargain have never seemed so appealing.

Find your next used Mini John Cooper Works here 

Sytner’s DrivenBuy service may be a leader in premium used cars, but that doesn’t mean it’s forgotten those of us who just need good honest family transport. The Volvo XC40 is the perfect example of a regular, do-it-all family SUV that exudes tech and quality but without neglecting its primary role: shepherding you, your favourite people and their most treasured things around safely and without fuss. If one of these can’t take the strain out of your summer getaway, nothing will.

Find your next used Volvo XC40 here