Small car automatic - recommendations please?

zzzLazyDaisy

I will have to think about changing my trusty 9yr (old model) honda civic hatchback auto soon. I have had it from new and it hasn't given me a minute's trouble but I have to accept that it won't go on forever.

Ideally I would like a smaller car. I am only doing around 3,000 miles pa, these days and no motorway driving. Also a smaller car would be easier to handle in the very tight turning circle at the end of my drive.

I want a 'proper' automatic (not a semi-auto), and in an ideal world, I'd like a three door, but I accept I may reluctantly have to consider a 5 door.

I have done so much on-line research that I have fried my brain! Any ideas / recommendations would be gratefully received.

Many thanks in advance

Daisy

gilbert_and_sullivan

Why can't your present car go on virtually indefinately, my daughters on her second Civic of that model, mercilessly thrashed her first to about 150k without a single problem, and we found her another low mileage identical model which is provig every bit as good.

How many miles has your present car done and does it have any known problems lurking...my thoughts are to either spend some money on your present car, a minor refurb if you like or even a major including paint etc if you really like it, or if its done a few miles now to find another identikit with lower mileage.

Toyota Corollas and Honda Civics of your model are well regarded as two of the best cars in this class ever made, i doubt you'll find as good in anything newer.

Course if you want a new car for your own pleasure then ignore all that rubbish.

Korean cars are almost universally fitted with proper auto boxes, plenty to choose from there, Kias come with 7 year warranty and with your mileage would be a sensible choice.

victor2

As above. Honda's have a great reputation for reliability.
However, if you are seriously looking for something else (why not another Honda?) then maybe a Toyota Prius? It is fairly big and has 5 doors which you say you may have to consider. Turning circle may therefore not meet your requirements. It drives like an automatic, thanks to its cunning "synergy" drive system, so it never changes gear since it doesn't have any in the traditional sense. The second generation models had an 8 year/100,000 mile warranty on the hybrid drive, so Toyota obviously had confidence in it. Very cheap to tax and quite economical too.
Worth test driving one, especially the T-Spirit model equipped with a reversing camera.

zzzLazyDaisy

Thanks. The thing is that I had a crunch (my fault entirely) while turning the car in the drive. It is only bodywork, but the car looks a mess and it will cost around £600 to put right. The reason for the crunch is that I have a spinal injury and doing a several-point-turn is difficult and painful, so I tend to cut corners - literally, on this occasion

So the need to shell out has made me stop and consider whether it might be better to put the money towards a smaller car.

Thanks for recommending Kias, I'll have a look at them.

If anyone has any other recommendations, I'm all ears!

facade

I don't think there are any small "proper" automatics left in production, they are all dodgy CVT or dual clutch affairs.

The tiny vauxhall/suzuki - agilla I think, used to be "proper" as did the 1600 Astra about 5 years ago, even Nissan have changed the Note to CVT, and the little Suzukis have gone the same way.

knightstyle

With that milage do not buy a later diesel lots of stories about expensive repairs on this site.
What is wrong with a modern automatic? Have a drive in a Yaris, they are reliable, safe, and economical. True they do not have an auto box with torque converter but after driving one for a day or two you should get used to it.
Oh and have you looked at a Smart car, lots of fun and will put a smile on your face.
Really you need to go and have a few test drives to see which car suits you, leave your cards and at home so you cannot be pushed into buying without reflecting on it and take a knowledgeable friend along.

vickssinex

Vauxhalls still have the conventional auto boxes - my last two cars were both Corsas. The gearboxes have a useful button to give you extra grip when moving off in the snow.

nickcc

vickssinex wrote: »

Vauxhalls still have the conventional auto boxes - my last two cars were both Corsas. The gearboxes have a useful button to give you extra grip when moving off in the snow.

If it's like the Mercedes it just makes the box start off in second.

fivetide

Wild card - at that sort of mileage - could you do without a car?

Are there buses? Would the money saved on fuel, tax, insurance, servicing etc pay for a taxi once in a while if all you do is nip to the shop?

If you ever do need to go a longer distance you could hire a car although i appreciate that having a car sat there ready to go is generally appealing!

victor2

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

Thanks. The thing is that I had a crunch (my fault entirely) while turning the car in the drive. It is only bodywork, but the car looks a mess and it will cost around £600 to put right. The reason for the crunch is that I have a spinal injury and doing a several-point-turn is difficult and painful, so I tend to cut corners - literally, on this occasion

In light of that, all the more reason to consider a car with a reversing camera. I mentioned the Prius because I'm familiar with it, but other smaller models have it as an option. Once you get used to the camera, you can safely reverse without having to turn your head towards the rear.

leedsmodus

http://www.aixam.co.uk/