Best automatic cars for Motability 2025
These great cars all have automatic gearboxes and can be snapped up via the Motability scheme
A recent survey showed that the number of new drivers taking automatic-only driving lessons is on the up. After all, there are plenty of reasons to choose an automatic car over a manual, especially in modern conditions where congestion is heavier than ever, city streets are often choked and difficult to manoeuvre around and two-pedal transmissions are better than ever.
Gone are the days where an automatic gearbox meant worse fuel economy, higher maintenance costs and worse reliability than a manual, as today they’re often the most frugal and inexpensive models in the range to buy, as well as sometimes the most engaging to drive. More and more new cars are removing the option of a manual gearbox completely.
Automatic cars have always been popular on the Motability scheme, too, where self-shifting models are often the go-to choice for drivers with reduced mobility. Here’s our pick of the best automatic cars for Motability customers that you can get right now.
Hyundai i10
- Model: i10 1.0 Advance Auto
- Advance payment: nil
- PIP weekly cost: £69.25
- Car size: city car
- Fuel type: petrol
- Gearbox: automatic
There’s something lovably no-frills about the Hyundai i10 Advance – it’s a basic, characterful city car with a functional, spacious cabin and tall wide-access doors, which will appeal to many Motability buyers. The automatic gearbox is actually an automated sequential manual, which means quick and responsive changes but just the two pedals. With no advanced payment and a weekly cost of only £69.25 it’s one of the least expensive automatic cars on the Motability scheme.
Renault Megane E-Tech
- Model: Megane E60 160kW Techno Comfort
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: nil
- Car size: hatchback
- Fuel type: electric
- Gearbox: automatic
Across the entire Motability spectrum at the moment, the Renault Megane really stands out – not only is it available for nil advance payment, but of all the cars at that level, it’s one of the most stylish and technologically advanced, too. It’s very much the vehicle with which Renault began its remarkable recent revolution of advanced electric powertrains and strikingly stylish cars, while the futuristic cabin is packed with technology and advanced safety features.
Hyundai Kona Electric
- Model: Kona Electric 115kW Advance 48kWh 5dr
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: £599
- Car size: compact SUV
- Fuel type: electric
- Gearbox: manual
There’s nothing dramatic or jaw-dropping about the Hyundai Kona Electric – unlike its bigger sibling, the Ioniq 5 – but as a highly usable introduction to electric motoring the compact Korean SUV takes a lot of beating. It has a fast-charging 48kWh battery pack which will give you up to 234 miles (WLTP), or if you want to increase your advance payment by £250 you can get the 319-mile 63kWh model. Both are spacious, functional and easy to drive, with a tall cabin, good access and excellent visibility.
MINI Cooper
- Model: Cooper 1.5 C Classic Auto
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: £999
- Car size: city car
- Fuel type: petrol
- Gearbox: manual
Choosing a car on Motability doesn’t preclude you from getting your hands on one of the most fashionable or chic models on the road. Everyone loves a MINI Cooper, especially one with a sharp-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is not only easier to drive than the manual but also faster and more responsive. There’s no better car for zipping around the city, while the petrol engine means it will appeal to urban users who can’t access off-street charging.
Renault Scenic E-Tech
- Model: Scenic 160 kW Techno 87kWh Long Range
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: £995
- Car size: compact SUV
- Fuel type: electric
- Gearbox: automatic
Renault reinvented the Scenic at the same time as it launched the all-electric Megane. Now a small SUV rather than the mini-MPV of old, the Scenic offers an impressive range of 379 miles (WLTP) in Long Range Techno trim, which is massively appealing on Motability for a down payment of only £995. It’s the best EV range on offer for the price. It’s also a great car, with a cabin dripping with easy-to-use tech and striking styling both inside and out.
Lexus UX
- Model: UX 300e Urban
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: £995
- Car size: compact SUV
- Fuel type: electric
- Gearbox: automatic
Lexus’s first all-electric model, conceived as a compact urban SUV, is an incredible offer right now on Motability, as the brand looks to expand its presence in the electric car market. The Lexus UX uses a 72.8kWh battery powering a 150kW electric motor, delivering a total output of 202bhp and a 279-mile range (WLTP), with a classy, refined and high-tech cabin, a premium image and a well-constructed feel. With an advanced payment of £995 it’s on a par with many less premium rivals in terms of the initial outlay.
Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Model: Ioniq 5 125kW Advance 63kWh
- PIP weekly cost: total mobility allowance
- Advance payment: £1,299
- Car size: SUV
- Fuel type: electric
- Gearbox: automatic
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is one of the most distinctive cars on the road, and also a highly usable electric model with 273 miles of range available (WLTP). Its futuristic exterior and vast size is matched by an equally spacious and high-tech cabin, packed with digital functionality and advanced safety features. It’s a fascinating, interesting vehicle, as well as one that offers great practicality, which is essential for many Motability users. For an extra £300 advance payment, you can move up from the 63kWh battery model to the 84kWh version, which has a range of 354 miles (WLTP) and a more powerful 168kWh motor.
