recommendations for a small car with auto gearbox please?

zzzLazyDaisy

Hi, I currently drive a 5yr old Honda Civic automatic. It's a great car and a breeze to drive, but I'm not doing much annual mileage (around 4k-5k) and mostly around town (although about six times a year I do a longish motorway run). It's also a bit tight to turn in the driveway (I live down a narrow lane, so I have to go in forward, and then turn in the drive to go out).

So ideally I'm thinking of changing the car for a smaller one - something around the size of a fiat panda or fiesta or toyota yaris.

But I want a proper auto - the sort that goes smoothly through the gears without the driver being aware of it.

So before I spend a lot of time test driving, I'd be really pleased if anyone can point me in the direction of any small automatics that are a pleasure to drive - or indeed any that I might want to avoid.

Many thanks

Daisy

Quiet_Life

Honda Jazz

zzzLazyDaisy

Thanks for the recommendation - I did test drive the jazz when I bought the civic, but found it hurt my back, so I'd be interested to see what other small auto's there are around.

Thanks again though, I'll organise another test drive.

Daisy

Nicifer_noonoo

I have a toyoya yaris t3 vvt-i and it's lovely - had it three years and no problems whatsoever. Small engine, cheap road tax but can still be very nippy when she needs to be Only reason I'm parting with it is because I'm having another baby and I'll be very sad to see her go

gilbert_and_sullivan

Suzuki's, Kia's, Hyundia's, Daihatsu's and Chevrolet's all have proper auto boxes.

Suzuki Swift a very nice drive imo, though most of the above are perfectly good cars.

Almost all others have some form of automated manual or CVT gearbox.

vikingaero

The Honda Jazz is the only CVT box that is reliable and worthwhile purchasing.

Test drive anything with a MMT/automated clutch for a long long time before deciding. MMT transmissions are pretty poor and unreliable after 30-40k.

Inactive

Keep the Civic, you will never find anything as good, or better.;)

mpsavuk

Have a look at the Hyundai I10, my partner bought an automatic version and is very happy with it. Only drawback i can find is the road tax is higher due to more co2 output than a manual version but a small price to pay none the less.

rev_henry

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

Thanks for the recommendation - I did test drive the jazz when I bought the civic, but found it hurt my back, so I'd be interested to see what other small auto's there are around.

Thanks again though, I'll organise another test drive.

Daisy

There is now a new shape jazz out, which is very different to the old one, so maybe its worth another look?

Burlesque_Babe

I'm a Honda Civic auto driver (older model than yours though) and would stick to the Civic. My old one was written off when it was hit last year and I had a Citroen 3 on a 57 plate as a hire car . God it was awful in so many ways, I would never choose a Citroen after that experience. I was so happy to find another low mileage civic with the insurance money and am hoping it will do me for a few years.

iolanthe07

Avoid the DSG boxes on VW's & Seat; they can be very expensive to put right if they fail out of warranty, and apparently they are highly complex piece of kit. When I tried one I found there was a heart stopping moment coming off a roundabout when nothing happened at all for a second or two.