The spiritual successor to the mk1 Ford Ka (but automatic)?

[white_goodman]

Due to a recent injury to her left arm, my mum no longer finds it easy to drive her manual Citroen C3 Picasso, so is considering getting an automatic (her first) as a replacement. My first thought was a Fiesta/Polo/Ibiza/Fabia and for something a bit more “premium”, I think the Audi A1 Sportback is a really neat little car, however all those cars are a fair size now and hardly cheap anymore and she doesn’t necessarily need anything that big or expensive. She says that she would be fine with a 3 door but I guess a 5 door would be OK. As it’s her first auto, I think she would probably prefer a conventional torque converter auto to a CVT and I’ve asked her to consider an EV but she is reluctant and my parents are also considering downsizing in the near future, so may not have easy access to charging at home. They normally buy new/nearly new but would consider something up to 2 years old if low miles.

I asked her what she likes and the car she has owned that she always raves about is the mk1 Ford Ka that she owned for 10 years. It was fun to drive, looked very distinctive without being retro and was reliable and cheap to run. Like most of them, rust killed hers though and even the newest one is around 10 years old, probably rotten and was never available as an auto, so not really an option.

I think that the VW Up is a really neat little car and possibly the closest car in spirit to the mk1 Ka but as far as I am aware, it is not available as an automatic.

You can only get an auto with the 1.2 or the Abarth in the Fiat 500 I think? My wife and I had an early 500 with the manual and 1.2 and it was great but I think the later 1.2s are very sluggish and that automatic transmission isn't that great and the Abarth version would be too stiff for her I think?

I love MINIs. They have character and are really fun to drive but I struggle to recommend them, as the boot is miniscule and my R56 wasn't very reliable and was expensive to fix.

One car that's on my radar but I don't know much about is the Vauxhall Adam. Quite a cool-looking thing and although rare, they did do an auto with a 1.4 petrol. Any good?

What are the best of those options and are there any other good options that I have not considered? As I said, has to be a petrol automatic (but preferably not a CVT), small 3 or 5 door hatchback, economical, cheap to run etc, reliable.

Like me, they're a bit blown away by the price of new cars these days. 20k for a new Fiesta seems like a big ask but they could go up to 20k if they had to (although 15k or so would be better)!

[skyrover]

Honda jazz?

[white_goodman]

Good cars but it's the archetypal "old lady" car, which I'm not sure she would like. Isn't it a CVT too?

[Phunk]

Toyota Aygo Auto?

Bomb proof, tiny and a bit quirky

[stevemcs]

The up is a robotised manual as is the Argo/c1, the newer f56 minis are much more reliable and I would certainly pick one over an a1 which I wouldn’t class as reliable.

My choice after the mini, a Suzuki swift.

[georgeyboy12345]

What about a TwinAir engined Fiat 500? Turbocharged, so a bit more torque than the 1.2, so should handle the autobox better
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111079...


I think the latest Mini with the BMW B38 engine should be more reliable than your old R56. Here's a nice one with the comfort pack, which surely will be appreciated. Get them to remove the silly roof rack.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109187...


Smart ForFour
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111119...


Brand new Suzuki Ignis 1.2 DualJet MHEV
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/new...


Toyota iQ, but they are a bit old now
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111259...


Or what about a small SUV? I'm sure she'll appreciate the high driving position

Toyota C-HR Hybrid
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107104...


Brand new Hyundai Bayon MHEV
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/new...


Honda HR-V
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108246...


Kia Soul 1.6 T-GDI
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110228...

[Pica-Pica]

white_goodman said:

“…first thought was a Fiesta/Polo/Ibiza/Fabia and for something a bit more “premium”, I think the Audi A1 Sportback…”l

I had to laugh at that. 8 years ago we looked for a replacement for my wife’s much-loved but rusty (yes the fuel filler surround) 10 year old Mk.1 Ka.
We looked at the Fabia and the Audi A1, and Fiat Panda. The A1 was style over substance, tiny inside. Whereas the Fabia was plenty roomy for four adults (and I mean 6 footers). We got the Fabia 1.2 Tsi. We still have the Fabia; the engine is great around town, and beyond - struggles a bit on long motorway hills, but comfortably does long runs, nevertheless. Until recently, the Polo was bigger in the rear seats than the Golf, worth a look at.
Her sister had a Jazz and swapped it for an auto Jazz after fracturing her left wrist. A very practical car and huge inside for her art gallery business.
If she wants a small car that is roomy inside, practical and reliable, you can’t go wrong with a Jazz or Fabia (any repair bills will be cheap and rare). If she wants a bit of pzazz and a small car, then a Fiat 500 of some flavour maybe. A small Toyota would be reliable too … Aygo?
Unless she lives her life around cars, and loves badge snobbery, go for the most reliable and well-supported brands. There is nothing more irritating and boring than frequent dealer trips to ignorant ‘service’ (?) advisors.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Wednesday 1st December 17:28

[ZX10R NIN]

Vauxhall Adam this to me is a good modern alternative to the MK1 Ka

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110228...

Toyota IQ

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111269...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110278...

Kia Picanto X Line

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111169...

3

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110088...

Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111300...

[Om]

A car I haven't seen mentioned yet - the Nissan Note (previous generation) - 1.6 Auto - conventional auto, fairly compact and easy to place/drive.

[white_goodman]

Thanks. Not a huge fan of the Auto/C1/107 but I haven't driven the mk2 versions to be fair. I found the originals to be quite uncomfortable, tinny and buzzy but then I guess the mk1 Ka was pretty tinny too!

Good to know that the new MINIs are more reliable and the Swift is a great shout. Is that a CVT or torque converter auto? The only potential issue might be that I'm not sure how close their nearest Suzuki dealer is.

[white_goodman]

georgeyboy12345 said:

What about a TwinAir engined Fiat 500? Turbocharged, so a bit more torque than the 1.2, so should handle the autobox better
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111079...


I think the latest Mini with the BMW B38 engine should be more reliable than your old R56. Here's a nice one with the comfort pack, which surely will be appreciated. Get them to remove the silly roof rack.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109187...


Smart ForFour
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111119...


Brand new Suzuki Ignis 1.2 DualJet MHEV
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/new...


Toyota iQ, but they are a bit old now
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111259...


Or what about a small SUV? I'm sure she'll appreciate the high driving position

Toyota C-HR Hybrid
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107104...


Brand new Hyundai Bayon MHEV
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/new...


Honda HR-V
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108246...


Kia Soul 1.6 T-GDI
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110228...

And ZX10. Thanks for that. I didn't realise you could get a 500 Twinair as an auto, that Picanto looks like a decent little car too and the Adam is still one that I will suggest if we can find an automatic one.

[stevemcs]

The earlier Swifts were a proper torque convertor box, not sure if the newer ones have changed to dual clutch.

The 500 TA is a cracking car but the gearbox is the awful robotised manual

How about a Twingo or Smart fortwo ?

[georgeyboy12345]

Don't think you can get Twingos with an auto? Or at least not in budget

[Luanmapo]

white_goodman said:

Due to a recent injury to her left arm, my mum no longer finds it easy to drive her manual Citroen C3 Picasso, so is considering getting an automatic (her first) as a replacement. My first thought was a Fiesta/Polo/Ibiza/Fabia and for something a bit more “premium”, I think the Audi A1 Sportback is a really neat little car, however all those cars are a fair size now and hardly cheap anymore and she doesn’t necessarily need anything that big or expensive. She says that she would be fine with a 3 door but I guess a 5 door would be OK. As it’s her first auto, I think she would probably prefer a conventional torque converter auto to a CVT and I’ve asked her to consider an EV but she is reluctant and my parents are also considering downsizing in the near future, so may not have easy access to charging at home. They normally buy new/nearly new but would consider something up to 2 years old if low miles.

I asked her what she likes and the car she has owned that she always raves about is the mk1 Ford Ka that she owned for 10 years. It was fun to drive, looked very distinctive without being retro and was reliable and cheap to run. Like most of them, rust killed hers though and even the newest one is around 10 years old, probably rotten and was never available as an auto, so not really an option.

I think that the VW Up is a really neat little car and possibly the closest car in spirit to the mk1 Ka but as far as I am aware, it is not available as an automatic.

You can only get an auto with the 1.2 or the Abarth in the Fiat 500 I think? My wife and I had an early 500 with the manual and 1.2 and it was great but I think the later 1.2s are very sluggish and that automatic transmission isn't that great and the Abarth version would be too stiff for her I think?

I love MINIs. They have character and are really fun to drive but I struggle to recommend them, as the boot is miniscule and my R56 wasn't very reliable and was expensive to fix.

One car that's on my radar but I don't know much about is the Vauxhall Adam. Quite a cool-looking thing and although rare, they did do an auto with a 1.4 petrol. Any good?

What are the best of those options and are there any other good options that I have not considered? As I said, has to be a petrol automatic (but preferably not a CVT), small 3 or 5 door hatchback, economical, cheap to run etc, reliable.

Like me, they're a bit blown away by the price of new cars these days. 20k for a new Fiesta seems like a big ask but they could go up to 20k if they had to (although 15k or so would be better)!

Just read your post OP and wanted to say that VW Up autos are available, my niece has just purchased one and said how awesome it is.

Here’s a link for them on autotrader…..

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?postcode=N...

[white_goodman]

Luanmapo said:

Just read your post OP and wanted to say that VW Up autos are available, my niece has just purchased one and said how awesome it is.

Here’s a link for them on autotrader…..

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?postcode=N...

Thanks for that. Will check it out.

[Baked_bean]

At work one of our pool cars is a F56(?) MINI petrol auto, just the standard 1.5 I think and it is a perfectly good little car and they do have a charm of their own- although the f56 less so than the old models.

[stevemcs]

white_goodman said:

Luanmapo said:

Just read your post OP and wanted to say that VW Up autos are available, my niece has just purchased one and said how awesome it is.

Here’s a link for them on autotrader…..

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?postcode=N...

Thanks for that. Will check it out.

Its an awful gearbox though, its a manual with auto shift.