Best Automatic Gearbox

The best small automatic cars in 2021
Take the stress out of city driving and commuting
Check out our favourite small autos

The UK has a love affair with the small car and with the manual gearbox, but there’s no reason why the two must be irrevocably linked. While we love our small cars to have snickety, satisfying manual transmissions it makes a great deal of sense to fit these city slickers with automatic gearboxes instead.

A gearset of planetary or epicyclic gear set of the automatic transmission has the setting of: two sun gears in the center, one planet carrier and two planet sets. By doing this, the car mechanics plan to prevent components and alter both the system output and input. For keen drivers, the direct shift gearbox is the way to go. A CVT simply won’t be engaging enough and an automated manual will change gear too slowly. For regular drivers, the traditional auto is probably the best bet. Not only is this an automatic motorcycle, but it is also an electric powered bike. So, are we talking the best of both worlds type of performance? Despite the fact that we are dealing with an automatic transmission and electric power, this bike is the most performance-oriented electric powered bike on the market. The Best Automatic Motorcycles 2020. These steeds prove you don’t need a clutch to get the full two-wheel experience.

The benefits are clear – if you spend all your time sat in traffic or nipping around a city, all a manual offers is the ability to keep your left hand and left leg constantly busy with a million gearchanges. Why not remove all that stress and allow an autobox to take the strain of city gridlock?

There are benefits for some users as well – those who, for whatever reason, are unable to drive a manual car. Regardless of which type of automatic transmission they use, every car on this list can be driven on an automatic-only license.

Of course, manual cars still make up the vast majority of sales in the UK, and they offer their own benefits. A manual car will normally be lighter, cheaper, and more engaging than its automatic siblings. You might find that automatic gearboxes are offered only in conjunction with top-spec trim levels, or that they’re only available with a particular engine.

These issues are being addressed, though. And while in the past a small automatic car was by its very nature slow, thirsty, jerky and expensive, all the cars on this list are on a par with their manual variants. They’re a pleasure to drive if all you want is to get from A to B with the minimum of fuss.

We’ve included cars in this list that use torque converter automatics, dual-clutch automatics, and CVTs. You can read more about these types of transmission on our jargon-busting explainer page, but all it really comes down to is this – not all automatic gearboxes are created equal, and for every one that offers smooth, quick shifts, there’s another that makes driving a misery.

We’ve sorted the wheat from the chaff and chosen only cars that offer great automatic gearboxes in addition to being good to drive, practical and well-priced.

Below, we’ve listed our favourite small automatic cars for 2020. Scroll down to discover them all or click on the quick links below to jump to your favourites.

Best small automatics 2020

Peugeot 208
Renault Clio
VW Polo

The best automatic gearbox available on a small car

Pros:
✅ Looks fantastic
✅ High-tech, high-quality interior

Cons:
❌Rear seats are cramped

We think the Peugeot 208 range as a whole has plenty to offer, and rate it very highly – it’s stylish, great to drive and has a gorgeous interior. It’s a world away from the stodgy superminis Peugeot was building during the 2000s, and is a reminder that this is the company that brought us arguably the best small car ever made – the Peugeot 205.

The strength of the 208’s automatic offering is remarkable, though. It’s an eight-speed ‘traditional’ automatic, which Peugeot calls EAT8. It’s optional for 100hp models, commanding around a £1,400 premium and standard for 130hp variants.

It’s smooth and responsive, shifting between gears with the bare minimum of fuss. If you want to take control and shift yourself, it swaps cogs without hesitation. And with so many ratios on offer, top gear can be really long, making this a superb motorway cruiser.

We reckon the 208 is the best small automatic on the market, and though it’s quite pricey for a small car it’s well worth the outlay.

Price new: From £16,845
Lease this car: From £210 per month
Search for a used Peugeot 208 on Parkers here

Our favourite small car comes with a really good autobox too

Pros:
✅ Great value
✅ Huge, practical boot

Cons:
❌Tight back seats

Renault actually offers two auto gearboxes in the Clio, depending on which engine you opt for. The 100hp three-cylinder gets paired to a CVT, or continuously variable transmission – from our experience with this in the mechanically similar Nissan Micra, it’s a surprisingly slick option.

Our preferred option, though, is the 130hp four-cylinder, which comes paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. This gearbox is quick-shifting and smooth, and doesn’t harm performance or economy either.

It’s a perfect match for the Clio, which we already rate very highly – in fact, it’s the Parkers First Car of the Year for 2020 and 2021. With a huge boot, high-quality interior and good range of efficient and peppy engines, it’s as close to the perfect supermini as you can buy right now.

As a final selling point, Renault offers some fantastic finance offers on the Clio, meaning you can get your hands on one for much less than you might think.

Price new: From £15,295
Lease this car: From £133 per month
Search for a used Renault Clio on Parkers here

Sophisticated hatchback is great in automatic form

Pros:
✅ Dual-clutch gearbox is impressive
✅ Premium-feeling inside and out

Cons:
❌Can get expensive

Volkswagen’s reputation for solidity and subdued style carries over to its supermini offering – not only does the Polo feel like it’s been screwed together with real care, it’s rather classier than most small cars to look at.

It’s also spacious, with plenty of room for a small family, and good to drive with suspension that errs on the side of comfort rather than sportiness.

Volkswagen fits the Polo with its seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic – badged as ‘DSG’, or direct-shift gearbox. This transmission excels at shifting quickly – take control using the selector or steering-wheel paddles and it’ll rifle through gears as quickly as you can request them. In automatic mode, they can be a little hesitant, but under most circumstances it’s buttery-smooth.

Price new: From £15,875
Lease this car: From £203
Search for a used Volkswagen Polo on Parkers here

Closely-related to the Peugeot 208 and all the better for it

Pros:
✅ More conventional than 208 sibling
✅ Great engine lineup

Cons:
❌Low-rent interior

Best Automatic Gearbox Small Car

If the avant-garde design of the Peugeot 208 is a little racy for you, then don’t panic – Vauxhall sells the Corsa, which is now based on exactly the same mechanical underpinnings as that car.

That means not only is this Corsa a huge improvement over the outgoing model in terms of driving dynamics, interior ambiance and efficiency, it also gets the same sublime EAT8 automatic gearbox – an eight-speed torque converter that shifts quickly and with the absolute minimum of fuss.

Easy driving manners and a very conventional (in a good way) interior mean the Corsa’s a simple car to get along with, and a wide array of trim levels means you should be able to find something to suit almost any budget.

Price new: From £15,925
Lease this car: From £205 a month
Search for a used Vauxhall Corsa on Parkers here

Even automatic buyers can find a MINI to suit them

Pros:
✅ The most characterful small car
✅ Fantastic fun to drive

Cons:
❌Can get pricey
❌Not very practical

The MINI is one of the most popular small cars around, and it's certainly one of the most characterful by virtue of its cheery retro styling, fun handling and vast realms of personalisation options.

It's good news for two-pedal fans, then, that the MINI Hatch is offered with both a six-speed manual and a very well-rounded seven-speed automatic gearbox.

It's a dual-clutch type (except on firebreathing JCW hot hatch models... they get an eight-speed torque converter) and so offers snappy shifts whether you're pootling round town or zipping down an A road. Since the manual gearbox isn't exactly the MINI's strongest suit in the first place, there's no shame in opting for this automatic.

Price new: From £16,200
Lease this car: From £194 per month
Search for a used MINI Hatch on Parkers here

Surprisingly good autobox is another feather in Micra's cap

Pros:
✅ Efficient and cheap to run
✅ CVT gearbox is very good

Cons:
❌Not that fun to drive

Nissan didn't initially offer this generation of Micra with an automatic gearbox - it was added when the car was a couple of years old in response to strong customer demand. We were initially apprehensive, as the Micra uses a CVT, or continuously variable transmission - a type of automatic gearbox that's typically whiny, noisy, power-sapping and generally unpleasant to drive.

However, the Micra automatic impressed us greatly with its responsiveness, especially around town. Paired up to a 99hp 1.0-litre turbocharged engine, the Micra's actually quite fun to drive.

Other benefits include great interior space, striking looks and a really well thought-out interior. The Micra automatic is well worth a look if you don't demand a posh badge or the most engaging handling.

Price new: From £14,215
Find a used Nissan Micra for sale on Parkers here

A great way to join the electric revolution with minimal compromise

Pros:
✅ Smooth, easy and fun to drive
✅ Great driving range for a small EV

Cons:
❌Not everybody's ready to go electric yet

As an electric car, the Renault Zoe doesn't technically have a gearbox at all, automatic or otherwise. That's semantics, though - this is a two-pedal car and accessible to anybody with an automatic-only licence, so it belongs on this list.

The Zoe is one of the best affordable electric cars on the market today. It's only a mite bigger than Renault's Clio supermini so it's ideal for tight parking spaces and nipping around city streets.

With a claimed range of 250 miles on a single charge, it's also a particularly convincing long-distance electric car - a rare breed. Add in a recent, comprehensive and Clio-aping facelift to bring it a high-quality interior and the Zoe really makes an excellent case for itself.

Price new: From £29,495
Lease this car: From £198 per month
Find a used Renault Zoe for sale on Parkers here

Tiny city car makes a great EV

Pros:
✅ Great fun to drive
✅ Surprisingly long-range

Cons:
❌ Not the best motorway cruiser

Like the Renault Zoe, the Volkswagen e-Up is an electric car with no gearbox at all. It's also happens to be one of our favourite electric cars.

The petrol-powered Up is available with an automatic gearbox, of sorts, but this is best avoided as it's jerky and slow. No such complaints with the e-Up, thanks to its smooth and remarkably swift electric powertrain - you'll certainly surprise people at traffic lights.

The Up feels its age a little bit inside as it lacks a true infotainment screen - instead, there's a phone cradle, which works well but can be hard to see unless you've a very large smartphone. It's roomy for such a small car though, with space for four six-foot adults on short journeys. Not that you're limited to short journeys - with a range of 174 miles on a full charge.

Price new: From £23,555
Find a used VW e-Up for sale on Parkers here

Fiat's iconic city car gets an all-electric makeover

Pros:
✅ Great range for a small car
✅ Cool, characterful design

Cons:
❌Cramped boot and back seats

Fiat had quite the task on its hands to reinvent the 500 again - after all, the 2007 model did such a good job already. It's pulled it off, though, and the new-for-2020 500 is every bit the modern icon we hoped it would be.

As a fully electric car, it doesn't have a transmission as such - making it just like an automatic to drive, with only two pedals. Like all EVs, it's peppy and quick around town, but it also has enough performance and a long enough range to be a viable longer-distance car, too. Models with the larger battery pack can go almost 200 miles on a full charge.

Pair that ability with a high-tech and well-designed interior and standout retro-futuristic looks and we think the 500 Electric is a real winner.

Price new: From £22,995

What’s the Difference Between Manual and Automatic Car Transmission?

A car needs a full working transmission (or gearbox) in order to allow the vehicle to change gears, but the inner workings of a vehicle differs greatly between a manual transmission car and an automatic transmission car. A manual car is recognisable from the inside, as it contains a clutch pedal, which is used to change gears, as well as a gear shift stick between the two front seats, which offers full control of the car and between 5-6 gears and reverse.

An automatic car differs in that it has a simplified gearbox with the following settings: Park – P, Reverse – R, Neutral – N and Drive – D.

In a manual transmission car you will select the right type of gear for your journey, changing where necessary throughout. An automatic car does what it says on the tin, in that it selects the right type of gear for you in relation to your speed and the road conditions.

But Which is Best…Manual or Automatic?

At the end of the day, when it comes to choosing whether or not to drive an automatic or manual car, it’s still a matter of opinion and personal taste. There are many factors to take into consideration, which we will go into more detail later, but generally speaking it depends on a number of things, including what type of driver you are, the roads and conditions that you drive and your budget.

Let’s look at the nitty gritty of automatic and manual transmission cars…

Why Automatic Is Better

You’ll find that people are very evenly divided when it comes to which type of transmission they prefer and it’s often directly related to the type of car they learnt how to drive. If you learnt to drive a manual you’re going to find it strange driving an automatic and vice versa.

Best Automatic Gearbox Type

People generally love automatics because they’re easier to drive. The gearbox is so simple even a child could use the controls. Because automatic cars are easier to drive, many people choose to learn how to drive automatics only, so in this respect, they can make learning to drive way more accessible for people who otherwise might find manual gears tricky. It’s a safer way to learn too, as you’ll be keeping both hands on the wheel at all times as the gears are being taken care of automatically. This means you have more time to focus on your road position and speed.

Best Automatic Gearboxes

Automatic cars are better in cities where you drive through stop-start traffic. The drive will feel a lot more comfortable as the transition between gears will feel smoother. Stalling won’t be an issue either as there is no clutch to create that embarrassing judder that always seems to occur at the lights.

Automatic transmission cars are better for areas with lots of hills. They might not be as fun to drive on a hilly road, but it’ll definitely be less stressful as navigating steep roads using a manual transmission can be tricky business.

Why Automatic Is Worse

If you learn to drive using an automatic transmission car then you’ll always be an ‘automatic driver’. This means that if you wanted to drive a manual transmission car, then you’d have to retake your test in a manual car. Better to learn how to drive manual car and then make the decision as to which you prefer afterwards in our opinion.

Automatic cars are thought to be not as fuel-efficient as a manual transmission car, although technology is advancing and some are said to be better.

One of the downsides of driving an automatic car, is that they’re more expensive to buy. Not only is the initial purchase cost higher, but they also can be expensive to fix as the mechanisms are more complex than the mechanisms of their manual brothers.

Another knock-on effect of this, is that insurance is often higher for an automatic car. So while these cars are felt to be safer than manual transmission cars, they will cost you more money in the long run.

Why Manual Is Better

Most manual transmission drivers will tell you that the reason that they like driving manual is because it feels like real driving. With a manual car (or stick shift in the US) you have total control of the vehicle, you’re more involved with the mechanics of the car and will find that it’s an entirely different type of drive to that of an automatic. With an automatic transmission car you will no doubt have an easier, smoother journey. A manual car will challenge you in different ways but ultimately you will get a better sense of fun when you have total control over the gears and clutch. Of course this is only really the case if your daily commute isn’t in heavy traffic each day. For that, an automatic would be definitely better.

Manual cars are more fuel efficient – as the engines are lighter and less complicated you’ll get more mileage from your fuel. The car isn’t second-guessing gears either, which automatics tend to do, you have control over the gears and the way in which your car uses its fuel.

The biggest reason to drive a manual car is that they’re significantly cheaper to buy both new and second-hand. If you’re looking to save money then consider driving a manual car, as not only are the running costs lower than an automatic and the initial cost of buying cheaper, but the insurance costs are lower too and this is because the inner workings of a manual car are far less complicated.

Driving a manual car means that you will have to learn how to drive and take your test in a manual car. Once passed you will own a manual license which means you can choose to drive manual or automatic. It’s much better this way around.

Why Manual Is Worse

As we mentioned above, if your daily commute involves hundreds of miles of motorway then maybe a manual car isn’t the best choice for you. It’s nice to have full control of your vehicle but after a few hours on a straight road you’ll wish your car was working the gears itself.

Most car hire places in Europe and pretty much all car hire places in the US will offer you an automatic transmission car. If you passed your driving test in a manual car then it’s going to take a while to get your head around automatic gears. That being said, it’s easier to learn automatic than stick-shift gears.

Manual cars are more difficult to drive and involve more thinking. If you live in a hilly area then this it can be tricky to operate the gears and clutch.

You’re likely to stall in a manual transmission car. It will happen from time to time and it will always happen when people are watching. The shame of a stall never fades.

Related Post: How To Properly Add Fluid to an Automatic Transmission Car

Conclusion

The subject of manual transmission vs automatic transmission is always going to be subjective. Everyone has their favourite type of driving, because really that’s what it is. Little to do with the car and more about the driving. What type of drive do you want? If you live in an urban area and spend long periods of time on straight roads amid heavy traffic, then a manual car might not be the best choice for you. An automatic car could make a daily commute like this much more bearable.

Best Automatic Gearbox Cars

Some drivers just want more control. If you learnt how to drive on a manual and then switch to an automatic you will know that the feeling is strange. It’s almost like something is missing. It doesn’t tend to feel like driving at all, it feels a bit like cheating, which as ridiculous as it sounds, will ring true for manual car drivers.

The issue of budget needs to be reiterated too. Automatic cars are definitely more expensive to buy, more expensive to fix and more expensive to insure. But they are easier and have their benefits too.

Before making a decision to buy a manual or automatic car then really look at your driving needs and at least try out the two different types in order to get a sense of how they feel.

You’ll instantly know which one you prefer.

Best Automatic Gearbox Technology

Sources:

How to Choose Between a Car with Automatic or Manual Transmission, wikiHow
Is it better (or easier) to tow with an automatic or manual transmission? – howstuffworks

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