Best automatic cars to buy 2024
Today’s best automatic cars are slick-shifting, relaxing and in some cases, brilliant fun - we’ve listed 10 of our favourites below
In the early days, the automatic gearbox was seen as the enemy of driving enjoyment, robbing drivers of the fine control and interaction brought by a decent manual shift, while also being sluggish and slow. Automatics have always felt at home in plush, luxurious machines, but thanks to the advance in technology, the very best automatic cars now come in all shapes and sizes – from superminis to family SUVs.
Modern automatic gearboxes are smoother, quicker and more finely tuned than ever before, with the most responsive examples found in the world’s greatest sports cars and supercars. The best automatic gearboxes can change cogs quicker than a fluent flick of the wrist and aren’t jerky at low speeds, making them perfect in high-powered machines and commuter family cars alike. Whether you want fuel economy, comfort, convenience or raw exhilaration, there's a plethora of options to decipher on today's market, and a few different gearbox technologies that lend themselves to specific types of driving.
Below, we've picked out the 10 best automatic cars on sale right now, and our list covers everything from automatic city cars to SUVs and supercars…
The best automatic cars to buy now:
10. Dacia Jogger
- Prices from £18,295
The Dacia Jogger is a fantastic, budget-friendly family car, which has the flexibility of seven-seats and lots of practicality. In addition to it's convenience, the smooth automatic gearbox found in the hybrid version takes much of the strain out of mundane day-to-day drives and commutes.
When it comes to value for money, the Jogger is almost unbeatable. The hybrid powertrain and automatic gearbox is relatively refined, with little in the way of judder when the 1.6-litre petrol engine fires into life because the battery is running low on juice, although the engine can drone a little when more power is required. Low down performance is strong, and the car is fairly quiet at higher speeds. You may notice a little wind noise and buffeting coming from the large side mirrors.
If you need vast amounts of practicality, then look no further than the Jogger. Not only does it have seven-seats, but there is a large amount of versatility on offer as you can fold the back rests to create a cavernous load area of up to 1,807 litres, and there’s a good amount of storage space, too. As standard, you’ll get safety kit like autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and traffic sign recognition. Step up to the mid-range Expression trim and you’ll also get modular roof bars and in-car tech like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also a sleep pack available, so you can turn your car into a home away from home.
9. Skoda Octavia DSG
- Prices from £27,940
The Volkswagen Group played an enormous role in bringing dual-clutch gearboxes to the mainstream, and now its DSG transmission can be found across its sports cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles. It's also found a home in the Skoda Octavia, which has long been one of its most compelling products.
There's nothing particularly exciting about the Octavia, but by clothing a Golf-derived platform in a more practical, unassuming body, Skoda has created a family friendly hatchback that's better value than its Volkswagen sibling. Aside from the sporty vRS versions, no Octavia is thrilling to drive, but DSG-equipped models take the sting out of city driving with their slick shifts and solid refinement.
With an enormous 600-litre boot and impressive rear cabin space, the Octavia is one of the most versatile hatchbacks available, and it feels built to last over many years of family duties.
8. Bentley Continental GT
- Prices from £183,500
In a sports car, a quick-shifting dual-clutch gearbox is often preferable to a lazier, smoother torque converter, which serves up a dilemma for Bentley. The Continental GT treads a line between opulent cruiser and capable sports car, so in theory, neither technology is a perfect solution.
The British firm chose to equip the latest Continental GT with a dual-clutch gearbox, and somehow, it manages to combine silky responses with rapid shifts - the results are superb, and the rest of the package is equally compelling.
Bentley is phasing out the pure-combustion V8 and W12 petrol engines and replacing them with a hybrid V8. Either way, the two-door GT has the thumping performance to match its imposing looks. Better yet, the Bentley's four-wheel drive system and active roll control make it surprisingly easy to deploy all that grunt - whatever the road surface or conditions - and it settles down beautifully when you turn things down a notch. With its spectacular wood-festooned interior, plush ride and unruffled demeanour at speed, there are few better cars for covering distance than the Continental GT - at any price.
7. Lexus NX
- Prices from £44,445
From a premium, high quality interior to a cutting-edge selection of powertrains, the Lexus NX really showcases what the very best modern SUVs have to offer.
Whether you opt for the 350h self-charging hybrid or the plug-in hybrid 450h+, you’ll still get the same relaxed drive and smooth CVT automatic transmission – the same kind of gearbox found in other Toyota and Lexus cars. CVT gearboxes are known to increase engine revs sharply under acceleration and create engine drone at higher speeds, but the Lexus NX uses its electrical power to smooth this out well. There’s plenty of torque in all-electric mode, and when the engine kicks in, it’s not too noticeable either.
Lexus has done a good job at integrating the touchscreen while retaining the use of physical buttons, finding a decent balance between the two. The infotainment system is quick and responsive and is a marked improvement over the previous version. On the road, the NX is comfortable and refined, and you’ll likely see economy figures of more than 40mpg.
6. Renault Clio E-Tech
- Prices from £17,995
It’s safe to say that the Renault Clio is one of the best small cars you can buy, and we’re such a fan of the French supermini that it won our coveted Supermini of the Year award in 2022, so it’s no surprise that the Renault Clio is also one of our favourite automatic cars in E-Tech hybrid form. The E-Tech uses a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is supplemented by two electric motors and drives through an innovative clutchless automatic gearbox. It sounds awfully complex, but in reality, the setup feels reassuringly familiar for anyone who has driven a hybrid-powered hatch.
The Clio pulls away on electric power alone, with the engine firing up above town speeds when more grunt is required. One of the electric motors helps smooth out the gear changes and mitigate any jerkiness from its clutchless design, and the Clio feels surprisingly polished considering the unusual drivetrain. When we pitted the Clio against its Yaris hybrid rival, we managed to achieve 58.5mpg, so if you’re predominantly driving around town then you could see a figure well over 60mpg.
Find a twisty road and the Clio doesn’t unravel, either, with direct steering and a composed ride giving a grown up feel. The Renault’s impressive 391-litre boot also belies its supermini proportions, and the cabin is neatly designed with decent connectivity.
5. Toyota Corolla
- Prices from £30,505
The 12th-generation Toyota Corolla has been quietly impressive since it went on sale in 2019 - its sophisticated TNGA platform, peerless reliability and fuel-sipping efficiency won us over immediately. Unfortunately, its CVT automatic gearbox has been something of a weakness, causing a drone under acceleration and an unnatural throttle response.
Happily, Toyota updated the Corolla in 2023 and the gearbox is no longer a real hindrance. Throttle response is much more direct and the revs don’t often flare up during normal driving, so the Corolla is chilled and easy-going on the move.
It’s also grippy and willing in corners, although this isn’t at the expense of comfort. Bumps and imperfections are smothered nicely, and in typical Toyota fashion, there’s a sense of solidity throughout the car. Toyota claims that over 60mpg is possible, too, thanks to a 1.8-litre petrol hybrid powertrain.
Toyota’s infotainment tech has fallen short of class leaders in the past, but the facelift’s new 10.5-inch touchscreen setup is a huge improvement - the Volkswagen Golf rival is more talented than ever.
4. MG3
- Prices from £18,495
The MG3 has just received a radical redesign, and it’s safe to say the small hybrid supermini is not only a significant improvement over the previous generation, but it is now one of the best examples in its class – both in terms of its high equipment level and high-tech hybrid system.
The MG3 uses a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor, which sounds fairly standard for a hybrid car, but the majority of the power comes from the electric motor with the engine only cutting in to top up the battery when it’s running low, or sending power directly to the front wheels when more performance is needed via a three-speed automatic transmission. The gearbox is pretty smooth and unintrusive thanks to the assistance from the electric motor, but modulating the throttle pedal when parking will take some getting used to.
On the road, the MG3 has the performance and refinement of cars from the class above, and can handle rough, potholed roads with ease – but in town is where the efficient hybrid system can work its magic, with well over 60mpg possible. Not only will it cost you pennies to run, but the MG3 is also one of the cheapest hybrid cars currently on the market.
3. Mercedes S-Class
- Prices from £98,015
The Mercedes S-Class is precisely the type of car that the automatic gearbox was initially intended for. Designed to isolate the driver from the taxing elements of driving, the latest S-Class is soothing and brimming with tech, not least its hyper-advanced 9-speed automatic gearbox.
The torque converter unit switches between ratios almost imperceptibly, and Mercedes’ engineers have honed its software calibration to impressive effect. Unless you’re pushing hard - which, let's face it, isn’t a common occurrence in an S-Class - the gearbox doesn’t let the engine stray into noisy territory.
That’s a good thing, because the S-Class cuts out tyre roar and harshness from the road beautifully, and any rough edges would emerge very quickly. The interior looks more spectacular than ever, too, thanks in part to Mercedes' latest MBUX infotainment touschscreen. It feels modern and intuitive, although the S-Class's cabin quality falls slightly short of its predecessors in some places.
2. Porsche 911
- Prices from £99,800
The last three generations of Porsche 911 have moved the goal posts for automatic sports cars. Early torque converter Tiptronic units were slightly out of step with the 911’s alert dynamics, lacking immediacy at crucial moments during a fast drive. However, over time and through multiple iterations of its dual-clutch PDK automatic gearbox, Porsche has come to produce one of the best automatic gearboxes out there.
It’s almost surreal how quickly the 992-generation car can flick through gears - pulling a paddle provides a seamless upshift or a perfectly blipped downshift to keep the turbocharged flat-six motor in its sweet spot.
The latest 911 is bigger than any version before, but it does a brilliant job of keying into the road and carrying huge speed. Not only that, the car is a comfortable cruiser, with a beautifully finished cabin and plenty of storage space for a weekend away. The 911 really is one of the most usable sports cars on sale.
1. BMW 3 Series
- Prices from £39,895
BMW appears to be trading on wacky, controversial styling as of late, but the latest 3 Series remains resolutely sensible - and brilliant.
It's difficult to pick holes in the facelifted model, which loses the option of a manual gearbox in favour of an eight-speed automatic sourced from ZF. The gearbox is refined and preempts your driving exceptionally well, smoothly shifting into the right gear when you need it to.
Punchy six-cylinder engines sit at the top of the range - their hushed, unstressed character is a great match for the gearbox, but even the four-cylinder diesel engine in the 320d is relatively quiet and potent enough. The latest 3 Series combines BMW’s trademark poise and accuracy with a compliant ride, and its new dual-screen iDrive 8 infotainment system is a match for the best on the market. Frankly, so is the rest of the car.
Best automatic cars:
- BMW 3 Series
- Porsche 911
- Mercedes S-Class
- MG3
- Toyota Corolla
- Renault Clio E-Tech
- Lexus NX
- Bentley Continental GT
- Skoda Octavia DSG
- Dacia Jogger
Types of automatic gearbox
Here’s a quick guide to the technology behind the different types of auto gearbox on the market today…
'Traditional' automatic or torque converter automatic
The oldest and best-known type of automatic transmission is sometimes called a 'traditional automatic', but it's more accurately named a torque converter automatic. It uses a fluid coupling between the engine and gearbox which transmits power under load. These have been in use since the middle of last century and since then have been endlessly refined and improved.
Torque converter autos offer very smooth but not necessarily lightning quick gearchanges, earning them the affectionate name of 'slushbox' in some cases. That reputation is changing though, largely thanks to brilliant torque converters like the ZF 8-speed auto, which is fitted in dozens of performance cars from BMWs to Jaguars.
Dual-clutch gearbox
This type of gearbox is given many names by different manufacturers - Volkswagen calls it DSG and Porsche PDK, for example - but the principle is similar across different brands. A dual-clutch system operates with two clutches, as the name would suggest. One clutch handles odd-numbered gears and the other handles even numbers, and the two work in tandem to give amazingly fast gear changes.
On the move, twin-clutch automatics are smooth, quick-shifting and can even better their manual rivals for fuel economy and emissions. However, for pure city driving they can be jerky, and should they go wrong they're very expensive and difficult to repair.
CVT automatic (Continuously Variable Transmission)
A different choice altogether is a CVT or Continuously Variable Transmission. Pioneered by DAF in the 1950s, these use belts rather than gears to provide a single variable gear, allowing for seamless ratio changes. Economical and cheap to repair, these types of gearbox are best avoided by keen drivers as they can give a somewhat disconnected feel to the car - as well as being noisy under load.
Automated manual transmission
Rounding things off is the automated manual transmission. These transmissions use a regular clutch and gear set-up but robotise the action. They feature mostly in cheap city cars - for example, Smart used exclusively automated manual transmissions across the Fortwo range until the most recent model. They have the advantage of being cheap, lightweight and simple - but are often jerky around town and under hard acceleration. They're often best avoided, and you won't find any in our top 10 list.
