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Compare the best used automatic cars

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Rated 4.6/5 from 53,247 reviews

Best used automatic cars of 2024

Automatic cars have become hugely popular thanks to modern gearboxes offering fast, slick gear changes that allow the driver to relax and focus on the road ahead. If you’re looking for a second-hand automatic car, here are 10 of the best. From family SUVs to sports cars, and practical estates to small city cars, there’s something for everyone.

Audi A6 Avant

1. Audi A6 Avant

7/10
Audi A6 Avant review
Battery range up to 32 miles
As a large, premium estate, the A6 Avant (Avant being Audi’s term for estate) has the class and equipment that you would expect from an Audi, and gives alternatives like the BMW 5 Series Touring and Mercedes E-Class Estate some stiff competition. To drive, it is incredibly relaxing and has a hewn-from-rock sense of build quality. Factor in the A6 Avant’s massive boot, and used automatics don’t come a lot better.
Skoda Kodiaq

2. Skoda Kodiaq

9/10
Skoda Kodiaq review
Skoda has a reputation for building practical family cars, and the Kodiaq is its most spacious model, meaning this SUV is more useful than a Swiss Army knife. Couple this with smart exterior styling, a well-built interior and a slick-shifting dual-clutch auto gearbox, and it’s hard to find any chinks in the Kodiaq’s armour.
Porsche 718 Cayman

3. Porsche 718 Cayman

9/10
Porsche 718 Cayman review
If the thought of quick and precise gear changes is enough to keep you awake at night with excitement, then look no further than the Porsche 718 Cayman, which gets Porsche’s brilliant PDK dual-clutch gearbox. It’s a barrel of laughs to drive and capable of going from 0-60mph in as little as 4.4 seconds. The only thing more impressive than its straight-line performance is the way it sticks to the Tarmac in turns.
Audi Q7 (2015-2019)

4. Audi Q7

9/10
Audi Q7 (2015-2019) review
The Audi Q7 is a seven-seater SUV that is sturdy and comfortable; of course, it also has an automatic gearbox that changes gear with almost imperceptible smoothness, while the Q7 is also armed with all the tech you’d expect from a posh, massive SUV like this.
Ford Fiesta

5. Ford Fiesta

7/10
Ford Fiesta review
When we think of automatic cars we tend to think of larger models built for motorway miles, but the Fiesta is a great example of a desirable small car with an auto ‘box. This little Ford is great to drive, comes with low running costs and more practicality than you might expect from a car of this size.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Saloon (2017-2019)

6. Mercedes S-Class

8/10
Mercedes-Benz S-Class Saloon (2017-2019) review
Battery range up to 31 miles
Cars don’t come much classier than the Mercedes S-Class. This high-end saloon has such a plush interior that it makes a pub with an open fire and free booze seem uninviting. Plus, you get loads of space for four people and their luggage. Its nine-speed automatic gearbox feels velvet-smooth, and even basic models have enough power for effortless progress.
Volkswagen Golf (2013-2019)

7. Volkswagen Golf

8/10
Volkswagen Golf (2013-2019) review
No matter what car you’re looking for, the Golf is probably on your shortlist, so it makes sense that it should be one of the best automatic used cars you can buy, too. Variety is the name of the game here, with hatchbacks and estates, economical and performance engines and everything in between. The Golf also looks great, has a solid interior and is great to drive.
BMW 1 Series (2015-2019)

8. BMW 1 Series

8/10
BMW 1 Series (2015-2019) review
The eight-speed automatic gearbox in the BMW 1 Series is brilliant, with smooth shifts when you’re cruising and quick changes when you’re pressing on down your favourite country road. And you’ll end up doing the latter more often than you might expect in the 1 Series, simply because it’s a load of fun to drive.
Nissan Leaf

9. Nissan Leaf

8/10
Nissan Leaf review
Battery range up to 239 miles
The Leaf is a slight curveball in this list, in the sense that it is electric and therefore doesn’t have a conventional gearbox. But like an auto you just put the car in ‘drive’ and away you go, so we think it counts. It’s worth considering, too, because the Leaf has long been the king of affordable electric motoring thanks to being decent to drive, fairly spacious and cheap to run.
MINI Countryman (2016-2023)

10. MINI Countryman

7/10
MINI Countryman (2016-2023) review
Battery range up to 28 miles
The MINI Countryman has the cutesy looks of MINI’s smaller offerings while standing as a relatively large SUV. As a result, it’s much more practical than you might expect with room for four and a boot that’ll swallow a couple of large suitcases. Just like every other MINI, though, the Countryman is fun to drive, and its six-speed automatic gearbox is great for stop-start urban driving.

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More advice about used automatic cars

Used automatic cars FAQs

The Ford Fiesta is one of the best second-hand small cars with an automatic gearbox. It’s a great all-rounder, with decent practicality for its size and a fun driving experience.

Other small cars worthy of consideration include the Toyota Yaris, Honda Jazz and Kia Picanto.

If you’re looking for the absolute cheapest used automatic car, there are plenty of old, high-mileage examples to be found for less than £1,000, including the Honda Civic and Ford Focus for family duties, the Mercedes SLK for those who want something sporty, or a Land Rover Freelander if you need a 4x4.

Looking for something newer? The cheapest used autos that are less than five years old include the excellent Skoda Octavia, Hyundai i10 city car, and practical Ford B-Max.

Some of the most reliable car manufacturers include Lexus, Toyota, Honda and Mazda, so it’s worth gravitating towards them if reliability is key. It’s impossible to guarantee a car won’t go wrong, so when buying any used car it’s a good idea to give it a once over and try to find examples with a comprehensive service history for extra peace of mind.

Aside from the usual used car checks, when test driving a second-hand automatic car you should take note of the gear shifts. They should be quiet and fairly quick, with no hesitation or juddering between shifts. If the car feels like it’s struggling to find the next gear, or is anything other than smooth when pulling away from a standstill, it could be a sign of an issue.

Also listen out for the sound of the engine getting louder, as if you are revving the car, between shifts. If this happens and the car isn’t accelerating, it’s a sign the gearbox has problems.

There aren’t any specific cars that should be avoided, but some drivers might find the gear changes in older automatic transmissions are frustratingly slow. And while modern systems are quick to shift – and in some cases seem to have an almost telepathic understanding of what you want them to do – older autos can feel rather dim-witted as they’re slow to respond to inputs. If you’re considering swapping into an older model, take a test drive to see if this is a problem or something that doesn’t bother you.

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