Best used automatic cars
Give your left leg a rest with one of these nine great used cars with easy-going automatic gearboxes
Today’s traffic is enough to make even the most ardent enthusiast ditch three pedals and a stick for the ease of an automatic gearbox, but there are plenty of reasons you might choose to drive an automatic, and modern autos are far more capable than the ‘slushboxes’ of old.
More cars than ever are available with automatic transmissions too, as more customers clamour for their ease of use, and manufacturers have found ways to make them more fuel-efficient than manual counterparts. And of course, the rise of hybrid and electric cars, which are automatic virtually by default, mean the auto’s ubiquity and popularity are only going to increase.
Below we’ve selected some of our favourite used automatic cars between three and five years old, with a trio of small cars, a trio of family cars, and three wildcards to cover a few more bases – including an EV, a seven-seater car, and a sports car. It’s a sign of just how much choice you now have if you want to drive an automatic but can’t quite stretch to a brand new car.
Best used automatic cars to buy now
So let’s get stuck into our nine favourite used auto models…
Toyota Yaris (Mk4)
If you want a small car that’ll go on and on, the Toyota Yaris is probably the one to pick. It’s also auto-only these days, since all Yaris models feature Toyota’s hybrid drivetrain, which is automatic by default. The bonus here is that being a hybrid, the automatic transmission goes hand-in-hand with excellent economy - with a claimed average of nearly 70mpg and real-world efficiency in the 60s quite easy to achieve.
The Yaris is the only continuously-variable automatic on this list. You still put it in ‘drive’ and go, but the way the revs can rise and fall independently of road speed, and spin at a constant rate under hard acceleration, can feel unusual to some drivers at first. With no gears to change between, though, it’s even smoother, while the hybrid system means electric running at lower speeds. The Toyota’s popularity, economy, and reputation for reliability means firm used prices – bank on £8,000 for a late previous-gen hybrid, and £11,000 for 2020-on cars – but it’s still good value.
MINI Hatchback (F55/F56/F57)
We’ll be honest, the MINI is a car best enjoyed with a manual transmission, its short, snappy shift being part of the fun of driving this nimble little hatchback. But MINI has offered an automatic alongside the manual for several years, and if you can’t use three pedals for any reason, or simply prefer automatics, then you’ll still get most of the MINI experience with the auto versions.
The gearbox you’ll get varies depending on the model and year. In the 1.5-litre three-cylinder models (petrol and diesel) it’s a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, while 2-litre petrols and diesels get an eight-speed auto. The result is largely the same though: smooth and swift shifts, and an ease of use that takes the pain out of stop-start traffic. You’re looking at around £10,000 for a five-year old car (both three and five door), though one more automatic option is available if you drive mainly in town: 2020-on electric MINIs start at just over £12,000.
Renault Captur (Mk2)
The Renault Clio is one of the best small cars on the market right now, so it’s no surprise that the Captur, which is effectively the small SUV version of the Clio, is similarly talented. It’s been available with an automatic since launch, too. You get a six-speed dual-clutch automatic if you’re looking at pre-2019 cars, and a seven-speed unit in 2019-on second-generation Capturs.
It’s not the sharpest-shifting DCT on the market but it’s slick enough for a car like the Captur, and makes good use of the older petrol and diesel engines, not to mention the newer petrol units. Opt for the newer E-Tech hybrids and you get a different type of automatic which delivers a smooth and punchy driving experience, thanks to a 1.6-litre engine and electric assistance. Both late first-generation Captur automatics and early second-gen cars start around £9,000, with E-Techs beginning around £16,000 – a significant saving over a brand-new Captur.
Skoda Octavia (Mk3)
The Skoda Octavia has long been one of the most sensible family cars on sale. Priced similarly to the Volkswagen Golf with which it shares a platform and several engines, it’s a whole lot bigger inside and offers a huge boot, too. Like the VW Golf, a dual-clutch automatic transmission has long been an option, and it’s one that suits the Octavia perfectly.
The Czech family car’s relaxed demeanour on the road is only enhanced when it’s paired with the DSG automatic. It remains as responsive as the manual option, but true to the purpose of dual-clutch gearboxes, the shifts are seamless, and the ‘box pairs well with the Octavia’s range of petrol and diesel powerplants. A late third-generation Octavia starts at around £8,000 in both hatch and estate formats, while fourth-generation mild hybrid models are upwards of £11,000.
Kia Sportage (Mk5)
The first couple of generations of Kia Sportage were relatively obscure, but that couldn’t be further from the truth today – the Korean family SUV is one of the UK’s best-selling cars. Our three- to five-year-old age range here covers both the current model launched in 2022 (for which you’ll pay upwards of £17,000) and the previous generation car, where around £11,000 will get you into an automatic-equipped diesel.
Later cars are petrol (and hybrid, and plug-in hybrid) only, and all perform well - the regular petrol is quicker with its dual-clutch auto than it is in manual form. The hybrids are naturally auto-only and the plug-in throws a 42-mile EV range into the mix, but all are easy and comfortable to drive, with sensible and well-equipped interiors in both generations covered here. It’s no wonder so many people buy them.
Honda Civic (Mk10)
The spectacularly good to drive Honda Civic Type R is manual-only, but milder versions of the tenth-generation Honda Civic (the generation before the current model launched in 2022) came with an automatic option (with prices from £12,000 for a five-year-old model) and still make for very capable, and importantly very reliable, family cars.
Buyers could opt for the automatic gearbox, a CVT unit, on both the 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre petrol engines. CVTs aren’t for everyone, due to the way the revs soar under hard acceleration, but 44.8mpg from the smaller engine isn’t bad at all in a large-ish petrol hatch, while the 1.5 could launch to 62mph in 8.3 seconds.
The tenth-gen Civic’s cabin wasn’t quite as classy as the latest car but it’s still well-built, and the Civic is spacious too, with a 478-litre boot that’s almost 100 litres larger than the one in the equivalent VW Golf, so practicality is a strong point. Automatic or not, the outgoing Civic always drove well too, making it no surprise Honda turned out such a great hot hatchback from the platform.
MG4
An automatic transmission is a common theme among every electric car you can buy today. It’s not that EVs don’t function with a manual, they simply don’t need one – so if you prefer to drive with only two pedals, then every EV on the market is an option to you. The MG4 earns its space in this list for being both a talented car in its own right, EV or not, and even more of a bargain as a used car than it is when new.
New MG4s start at under £30,000, but cars just a couple of years old with the smallest 51kWh battery have already crept under the £15,000 mark. These models offer a claimed range of 218 miles and 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds, but spend a few grand more and the 64kWh battery models become available, with a claimed 281 miles and well over 200 miles in the real world. The MG4 is smooth and straightforward to drive, too, with a simple rotary knob for selecting drive, reverse, or park.
SEAT Tarraco
This former Auto Express New Car Awards winner – it was our favourite large SUV in both 2020 and 2021 – is a great family car whichever engine or gearbox you choose, but as another recipient of the Volkswagen Group’s dual-clutch automatic - badged DSG - the Seat Tarraco has got one of the better autos on the market at its disposal, and picking a DSG-equipped Tarraco gives you one fewer thing to think about during hectic family duties.
You can find the DSG on all the Tarraco engines, with a choice of 1.5 and 2.0-litre petrols, and a brace of 2.0-litre diesels. The more powerful units are definitely more relaxed in this seven-seater (the rearmost seats are better for children than teens or adults), and prices for early SEAT Tarracos currently start around £17,000, regardless of engine.
Alpine A110
The unavailability of a manual gearbox is one of very few criticisms you can level against the Alpine A110, but if you’re looking for an automatic to start with, then even this isn’t a factor – and you’re left with simply one of the most talented and entertaining sports cars you can buy. The A110 pairs its 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto, and shifts are smooth and swift – becoming even quicker in the car’s sport mode.
Alpine gets the tactility of the car’s paddle shifters right too, so while you’re not handling a lever and an extra pedal, it’s still an engaging experience. The real star is the handling though, thanks to a kerb weight of around 1,100kg, light but talkative steering, and a ride quality that’s better than most family cars. A110s depreciate slowly, but you can get into a 2020 car from around £40,000.
Did you know you can sell your car with Auto Express? Get the highest bid from our network of over 5,500 dealers and we'll do the rest. Click here to try Auto Express Sell My Car now...
