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BMW 5 Series 545e F 3/4

10 Best Automatic Cars to Buy in 2024

Cars with engines need gears so that the power the engine is producing, and the speed it is turning at, translates to the speed required of the car, achieved by the speeds its wheels turn.

In a car with a manual gearbox, drivers select the gear ratio themselves, depressing the clutch to disengage the gearbox temporarily, allowing them to select a different gear, before releasing the clutch pedal and re-engaging the engine and gearbox.

All that can get a bit wearing, particularly in heavy traffic, and an automatic gearbox comes into play here, as this will select a gear itself with no need for the manual use of a clutch, or the moving of a gearlever. Automatic gearboxes have improved enormously over recent years, and are now roughly as efficient as a manual, while the software and hardware behind gear choice and selection is, in many instances, better than what can be achieved by a human driver.

If you’re in the market for an automatic car then you’re in luck, as there are hundreds of great choices out there. So many in fact that it can all seem a bit overwhelming, which is why we’ve picked some of the best ones for you to look at, including everything from hatchbacks to family cars and SUVs.

BMW 3 Series

1. BMW 3 Series

9/10
BMW 3 Series review
Battery range up to 34 miles
The BMW 3 Series is one of the best posh saloon cars on sale, it’s packed with tech, has an amazing interior, is efficient, great to drive and spacious enough for a family of four. Some options are rather pricey but every version, excepting the base model, comes standard with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. This transmission, made by a company called ZF (one of the best firms in the business), is smooth, responsive, and hard to beat.
Tesla Model 3
2024
Outstanding EV Award

2. Tesla Model 3

9/10
Tesla Model 3 review
Battery range up to 436 miles
Electric cars offer smooth and quiet progress allied to instantaneous responsiveness, thanks in part to not needing to change gears. The Tesla Model 3 is one of the best EVs on sale today and aside from the odd build quality issue, offers a range of strengths including breath-taking performance and a funky minimalist interior. It might take a while to get used to the large central touchscreen and a lack of driver display behind the steering wheel, but given how many Model 3s one sees on the road, it's fair to say people acclimatise pretty easily.
Porsche 718 Cayman

3. Porsche 718 Cayman

9/10
Porsche 718 Cayman review
Purists will tell you to pick a manual transmission in a sporty car like the Porsche Cayman, but the seven-speed PDK automatic transmission offers sharper responses and is far less work when you’re stuck in traffic. As if to prove this point, this writer once drove a Le Mans winning driver around a test track in a Porsche with a manual gearbox, and the test driver remarked that the company's automatic gearbox was the better choice in almost every respect.

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Peugeot 208

4. Peugeot 208

8/10
Peugeot 208 review
The Peugeot 208 offers seating for four and a great interior and can be had with a smooth-shifting 8-speed automatic gearbox if you opt for the petrol engine. This makes it perfect for the stop-start driving of a crowded city centre, although stick to the smaller wheels for a smooth drive. The 208 is a great-looking car, too, while you could opt for an automatic version of the Vauxhall Corsa, which is mechanically the same, if you wanted to broaden your options.
Volvo XC40

5. Volvo XC40

7/10
Volvo XC40 review
Battery range up to 26 miles
The Volvo XC40 offers slick Scandinavian styling inside and out as well as some very efficient hybrid engines. The entire range now comes as standard with an 8-speed automatic transmission, making this small SUV an even more desirable option even if some interior materials could be better. Comfy, safe, and a great family car, the XC40 has a lot of fans.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Saloon

6. Mercedes S-Class

9/10
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Saloon review
Battery range up to 59 miles
The S-Class has long been the luxury saloon benchmark and its nine-speed automatic transmission is about as good as it gets. It shifts through the gears with imperceptible smoothness, regardless of the driving mode you choose. It may look more subtle than some rivals, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Just be sure you don't want much in the way of driver engagement, as this car is all about luxury, refinement and isolation from road and wind noise.
Skoda Kodiaq (2017-2024)

7. Skoda Kodiaq

9/10
Skoda Kodiaq (2017-2024) review
With seating for seven or a massive boot, few SUVs in its segment offer as much space and comfort as the Skoda Kodiaq. It may be a bit low on tech but the optional seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is great, providing crisp and quick gearshifts. The Kodiaq is almost impossible to not recommend to family buyers, such is its roster of talents.
Kia EV6

8. Kia EV6

9/10
Kia EV6 review
Battery range up to 361 miles
The EV6 is stylish, fun to drive and has plenty of great tech. Being an EV means it provides one seamless burst of acceleration that no petrol or diesel rival with a traditional gearbox can match. The ride is a tad firm though, and rearward visibility could be better, but the wraparound dashboard and brisk, seamless performance really do make it feel like you're driving the future.
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

9. Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

9/10
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio review
The Giulia Quadrifoglio is a great-looking car and has a fantastic engine, thanks in part to its responsive eight-speed automatic transmission. The interior trim is not quite on par with its German rivals, but it is just as rapid and even more entertaining to drive. Even the standard Stelvio is a great-handling car, with this and the Porsche Macan being among the few SUVs that can genuinely be said to reward keen drivers.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class Saloon

10. Mercedes C-Class

7/10
Mercedes-Benz C-Class Saloon review
Battery range up to 30 miles
The C-Class is an upmarket executive saloon that comes packed with the latest tech including a standard fitment nine-speed automatic gearbox. It may have a slightly smaller boot than rivals and some fiddly controls, but it is comfortable to drive and has arguably the poshest interior in its segment. Think of it like a small S-Class and you won't be too far wrong.

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Advice about automatic cars

Automatic cars FAQs

The basic definition of an automatic car is on whose gearbox changes gears without your input – unlike in a conventional manual car where you need to operate both the clutch and gear lever to change gears. This is useful in busy urban traffic as you don’t have to constantly deal with the clutch and gearstick.

Out on the motorway, the fact that they often have more ratios and a long cruising gear can also make them more efficient on long-distance runs. They do tend to cost a little more than a manual car, so you might need to budget a little more if you’re after an auto model.

This is the term used for cars with automatic gearboxes that offer some form of manual control, usually in the form of steering-wheel mounted paddles or a manual mode on the shifter itself. The gearbox will still be an automatic, but the manual override will let you select a gear and hold onto it until you hit the rev limiter – although some cars will change up for you regardless of the mode you are in. The same applies to downshifts where the computer will change down for you as your speed decreases even if you are in manual mode.

In many ways, automatic cars are simpler to drive than ones with manual transmissions. Generally, you’ll need to put the car’s gear lever into ‘P’ or ‘park’ mode and have your foot on the brake to start an automatic car. Next, while keeping your foot on the brake, you can move the gearstick to its ‘D’ or ‘Drive’ position. All you need to do then is to release the foot brake and depress the accelerator.

A traditional torque-converter automatic does not have a clutch although most of the modern variants have what is called a lock-up feature which incorporates a mechanical clutch into the system.

A CVT or Continuously Variable Transmission does not have a clutch as it uses a set of cone-shaped pulleys and drive belts to provide an almost infinite number of gear ratios. 

A single-clutch transmission is essentially a manual gearbox where a computer takes over the operation of the clutch. The more modern and smoother version is called a DCT or dual-clutch transmission and it uses a set of clutches and two gearsets to provide very quick and seamless gear changes.

Yes. Driving an automatic requires less skill than a manual so if you passed your drivers test in a manual transmission car you are ‘automatically’ allowed to drive an automatic as well. This does not work the other way around, so if you have passed your test with an automatic transmission car you will need to retake your test in a manual car to be allowed to drive both.

The Honda CR-Z used to be the only manual transmission hybrid car when it was on sale a few years ago but that model is no longer available. Just about all modern hybrids and EVs have automatic transmissions due to the complex nature of their drivetrains.

Mild hybrids, which incorporate a small 48-volt electric motor with an internal combustion engine, can be paired with manual transmissions and these include models like the Hyundai Tucson MHEV and Kia Stonic MHEV.

In general, a car with an automatic transmission will cost more than the same car with a manual gearbox as the manufacturing costs are higher. You will also find that more upmarket or luxurious cars tend to be fitted with automatic transmissions as very few people want a Mercedes S-Class fitted with a manual gearbox.

If you want one, absolutely. Modern autos are so smooth, efficient and convenient that it's tough to recommend a manual transmission in many instances, unless you're after a sports car and want to feel more engaged with the driving experience.

No, not really. With automatics being available on almost every car on the market (indeed, some brands no longer offer manuals at all), the question should be which car to buy in general, rather than which automatic car should I avoid. Our comprehensive suite of car reviews can help you here.