Suggestions for a small(ish) auto

[Justin Case]

Mrs C is looking for a replacement for her recently deceased Toyota, and since we have moved most of her driving is in urban areas so an automatic makes sense. She has decided that a hatchback supermini or even slightly larger would suit the bill, but very few seem to be available locally (north of Birmingham)They also seem to be based on the plusher versions and about £2k above the manual equivalents So, any suggestion for something about 3-4 years old, budget up to £8k, but very slightly flexible. Traditional auto would be preferred to CVT or dual clutch auto. Also reasonable size boot, I think you can see why the search has proved difficult so far , but the manufacturers claim they can fill every niche

As an aside, I wonder why they are so rare, I would have thought an auto would be ideal for the use that most cars in that sector are put to.

[kieranblenk]

An automatic Suzuki (not the AGS automated manual though - avoid the Celerio and Ignis) will be perfect. A Swift, Baleno or if you want a bit bigger than an SX4 S Cross or Vitara will fit the bill. The Baleno in particular is a bit of a used car bargain as not many were sold. However they're stuffed with kit, roomy inside and the little 1.0 triple is zippy and frugal.

[ScoobyChris]

Nissan Note might be worth a look (not sure what prices are like currently).

Chris

[ZX10R NIN]

The reason auto's are rare is because supermini's as a rule are a cheap get you around car so manuals are the normal choice at your price point but that is changing now.

Conventional Auto's

Astra GTC 1.4T SRI Nav 140

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

DS3 Style Nav 110

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

208 GT Line 110

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Kia Rio 3 107

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Picanto Sport 85

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

3

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Clio GT 120 these have an DC gearbox but it's a reliable unit

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Alfa Mito Veloce 170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[mike13]

ScoobyChris said:

Nissan Note might be worth a look (not sure what prices are like currently).

Chris

Only the mark 1 has conventional auto box, made until about 2013, from then on its cvt and by all accounts not so reliable. Mines is a 2010, it's been a good car, worth more to me than it's financial value suggests. Probably getting a bit old now, having said that you could pick one up for between 2 and 3 thousand.

Great boot space too!

[Martin30]

Would an early generation EV work, Leaf/Zoe etc. with a likely 70-80 mile realistic range? All Auto, better levels of specification, space and refinement compared to a similar size/price ICE car.

Martin

[irocfan]

Maybe go a little older and get a Mini?

[ZX10R NIN]

Martin30 said:

Would an early generation EV work, Leaf/Zoe etc. with a likely 70-80 mile realistic range? All Auto, better levels of specification, space and refinement compared to a similar size/price ICE car.

Martin

Have a look at the Specs on the ice cars above most of the EV's are poverty spec in comparison.

[Justin Case]

Thanks for your suggestions, some ideas there that she hadn't thought of. Leaf sounds promising, but the only ones in her price bracket only have an80 mile range and we regularly do a round trip of 100-120 miles with no charging point. We have arranged test drives of a 2018 Peugeot 208 today and a 2017 Hyundai i20 on Monday so it looks as if she may have found something. They are certainly rare, for approved used cars the Peugeot is the only 208 auto in a local group with 13 showrooms and the Hyundai is the nearest one of that model and is about 35 miles away.

[Twig62]

Make sure that the 208 is the 110 fitted with the EAT6 automatic (which is excellent) and not the lower powerered model fitted with the awful ETG/ETS automated manual.

[Justin Case]

Happy ending The Peugeot was actually very good, although I noticed a slight surge when it changed gear (it was the automated manual) Anyway we also saw a Kia Rio on Autotrader, had a test drive this afternoon and she bought it which was as well as it involved a 110 mile round trip, that's how rare they are!.. It was a close call, though. The Kia was more refined and slightly larger in the back seat and boot, and the dash was more pleasant which was enough to sway it. It was also red rather than silver, which although not a deal-clincher does suit a small car. Can't get a link on this computer but it is the 2016 one in Sutton in Ashfield.

[ZX10R NIN]

Glad you got sorted OP.

[Justin Case]

ZX10R NIN said:

Glad you got sorted OP.

Ta, she made up her mind quite quickly. She is quite decisive, so if cars are involved I never stand in her way