Best automatic cars 2026
High-quality automatic cars from rated and reviewed dealers
10 best automatic cars: for hassle-free driving
The best automatic cars don’t just feature smooth gearboxes that take care of the shifting for you, they’re well suited for a variety of lifestyles and needs. In fact, long gone are the days of automatic gearboxes being reserved for the biggest, poshest and most expensive cars on sale.
Sure, you won’t find a BMW X5 without an auto ‘box these days, but even small, fuel-efficient models - namely the Toyota Aygo X and Renault Clio - are automatic-equipped. Hot hatches such as the Volkswagen Golf R now come as standard with lightning fast dual-clutch items for rapid gear shifts.
Our expert reviews team have tested every automatic car on sale today, in a wide range of real-world scenarios, comprehensively putting them through their paces. Here are their ten favourites:
2026
Car of the Year Award
1. Chery Tiggo 8
Chery Tiggo 8 review
Best for: unbeatable value for money
The Chery Tiggo 8 is, pound-for-pound, the best car you can buy at the moment. There’s simply nothing else on sale which offers the same mix of practicality and interior space, poshness, standard kit and fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid engine - all for the price of a mid-range Volkswagen Golf.
Not that it looks particularly cheap, because its tall, upright styling, broad grille, pointy headlights and fancy rear light bar are all smart, endowing the Tiggo 8 with a decent amount of road presence. It is a touch generic, that being said.
Step inside and the cabin really impresses, with a vast amount of soft-touch, padded surfaces which - honestly - are more pleasant than in a lot of German cars on sale. The enormous infotainment system features crisp, clear graphics and is easy enough to navigate, but it must be said the touchscreen-only climate controls are a faff to use on the go.
Another feather in the Tiggo 8’s cap is its sheer roominess inside, with plenty of space for tall adults to get comfortable up front or in the middle row. It’s a seven-seater, the big Chery, but the third row is best reserved for kids. With all seats in place the boot is only 117-litres large, but in five-seater mode there’s a handy 700 litres to fill with luggage - or for the pooch to lounge around in.
You can opt for a pure-petrol Tiggo 8, but you shouldn’t because it comes with a dismally coarse and inefficient lump of an engine. The plug-in hybrid, however, is miles more impressive with 56 miles of electric-only range. It’s whisper quiet by comparison, even when the engine does kick in.
For such a large car the Tiggo 8 is remarkably easy to drive in town. Light steering, pep from the hybrid motor and solid all-round visibility work in its favour, and it’s largely comfortable, soaking up large bumps with ease. It’s a shame that there’s a bit of wind and road noise to spoil the quiet on the motorway, and the Chery is totally out of its depth on a twisty road where it wobbles about when cornering and gets unsettled over bumps.
The Chery Tiggo 8 is, pound-for-pound, the best car you can buy at the moment. There’s simply nothing else on sale which offers the same mix of practicality and interior space, poshness, standard kit and fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid engine - all for the price of a mid-range Volkswagen Golf.
Not that it looks particularly cheap, because its tall, upright styling, broad grille, pointy headlights and fancy rear light bar are all smart, endowing the Tiggo 8 with a decent amount of road presence. It is a touch generic, that being said.
Step inside and the cabin really impresses, with a vast amount of soft-touch, padded surfaces which - honestly - are more pleasant than in a lot of German cars on sale. The enormous infotainment system features crisp, clear graphics and is easy enough to navigate, but it must be said the touchscreen-only climate controls are a faff to use on the go.
Another feather in the Tiggo 8’s cap is its sheer roominess inside, with plenty of space for tall adults to get comfortable up front or in the middle row. It’s a seven-seater, the big Chery, but the third row is best reserved for kids. With all seats in place the boot is only 117-litres large, but in five-seater mode there’s a handy 700 litres to fill with luggage - or for the pooch to lounge around in.
You can opt for a pure-petrol Tiggo 8, but you shouldn’t because it comes with a dismally coarse and inefficient lump of an engine. The plug-in hybrid, however, is miles more impressive with 56 miles of electric-only range. It’s whisper quiet by comparison, even when the engine does kick in.
For such a large car the Tiggo 8 is remarkably easy to drive in town. Light steering, pep from the hybrid motor and solid all-round visibility work in its favour, and it’s largely comfortable, soaking up large bumps with ease. It’s a shame that there’s a bit of wind and road noise to spoil the quiet on the motorway, and the Chery is totally out of its depth on a twisty road where it wobbles about when cornering and gets unsettled over bumps.
2. Hyundai Ioniq 5 N
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N review
Battery range up to 278 miles
Best for: astonishing performance
While the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N technically isn’t an automatic car, the engineers at Hyundai have managed to develop a truly authentic-feeling simulated gearbox in this electric hyper-hatchback.
What makes the Ioniq 5 N so special is the smile it puts on your face. Put the car in ‘N’ mode and you’ve got simulated engine noise and gearshifts which totally transform the driving experience into something incredible, and it’s the simulated gearbox which earns the Ioniq 5 N a place on this list.
The ‘gearshifts’ are genuinely convincing, and it feels as though you’re swapping cogs in any high-performance sports car when you’re using the steering wheel paddles.
Pottering about in normal drive mode is like being in the regular family friendly Ioniq 5, just with a touch stiffer suspension and some more road noise. There aren’t multiple powertrain options, but the four-wheel drive, 650hp electric system is part of the Ioniq 5 N’s duality.
With the press of a few buttons it can turn from a regular Ioniq 5 to a fighter jet; a 0-62mph time of 3.4 seconds is enough to really pin you back in your seat - and to keep up with sports cars multiple times the Ioniq 5 N’s price.
And though it is a family hatchback, the Ioniq 5 N is much larger than it looks - larger than some mid-sized SUVs. It’s not just the engineers at Hyundai that have been clever, the designers have been too. The N’s aggressive gloss black and red body kit looks sporty and aggressive without losing any of the regular Ioniq 5’s retro charm.
Inside is just as practical as the regular Ioniq 5 too, though with some even posher and sportier details. A pair of super-supportive bucket seats in the front hug you and your passenger, with an updated centre console and loads of N-specific settings in the infotainment display.
It’s got a silly amount of power, it’s practical and it’s more fun to drive than you’d expect from an EV - so the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the wildcard of the automatic bunch.
While the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N technically isn’t an automatic car, the engineers at Hyundai have managed to develop a truly authentic-feeling simulated gearbox in this electric hyper-hatchback.
What makes the Ioniq 5 N so special is the smile it puts on your face. Put the car in ‘N’ mode and you’ve got simulated engine noise and gearshifts which totally transform the driving experience into something incredible, and it’s the simulated gearbox which earns the Ioniq 5 N a place on this list.
The ‘gearshifts’ are genuinely convincing, and it feels as though you’re swapping cogs in any high-performance sports car when you’re using the steering wheel paddles.
Pottering about in normal drive mode is like being in the regular family friendly Ioniq 5, just with a touch stiffer suspension and some more road noise. There aren’t multiple powertrain options, but the four-wheel drive, 650hp electric system is part of the Ioniq 5 N’s duality.
With the press of a few buttons it can turn from a regular Ioniq 5 to a fighter jet; a 0-62mph time of 3.4 seconds is enough to really pin you back in your seat - and to keep up with sports cars multiple times the Ioniq 5 N’s price.
And though it is a family hatchback, the Ioniq 5 N is much larger than it looks - larger than some mid-sized SUVs. It’s not just the engineers at Hyundai that have been clever, the designers have been too. The N’s aggressive gloss black and red body kit looks sporty and aggressive without losing any of the regular Ioniq 5’s retro charm.
Inside is just as practical as the regular Ioniq 5 too, though with some even posher and sportier details. A pair of super-supportive bucket seats in the front hug you and your passenger, with an updated centre console and loads of N-specific settings in the infotainment display.
It’s got a silly amount of power, it’s practical and it’s more fun to drive than you’d expect from an EV - so the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the wildcard of the automatic bunch.
3. Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai Santa Fe review
Best for: all-round ability
The Hyundai Santa Fe is such a good car that it’s the outright winner of the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards. Where the Santa Fe was once the vehicle of choice for green-laning enthusiasts looking for a rough-and-ready workhorse, Hyundai has transformed it into the best all-round SUV you can buy.
The self-charging hybrid model is our pick of powertrain, though only the plug-in hybrids (PHEV) are available with four-wheel drive. All Santa Fes come with a 1.6-litre petrol engine with electrical assistance. You can have a PHEV Santa Fe with 253hp, and even though the self-charging model only comes with 215hp it’s a more pleasant car to drive.
It looks like nothing else on the road with its bluff, boxy silhouette and sharp edges. H-pattern LED lights at both ends and chunky wheel arches mean you won’t mistake the Santa Fe for any other SUV on the road. It may not be as quite as big as the BMW X5 or Kia EV9, but it has more road presence than either alternative.
A benefit of the Santa Fe’s footprint and square shape is that there’s loads of room inside. It’s a properly usable seven-seater with a frankly absurd amount of interior space - and 17 cupholders spread out across all three rows. Even the rear bench gets climate control.
Space in the front and middle rows is plentiful, the seats are comfortable and the interior design blends chunky features and slick infotainment. Materials don’t feel quite as posh as the Hyundai’s German alternatives but the build quality is solid, and the Santa Fe is great value with plenty of standard kit.
It’s a comfy cruiser, and motorways are taken in the Santa Fe’s stride. Dips in the road are absorbed well by the soft suspension, and its big square corners mean the Santa Fe is surprisingly easy to thread through narrow city streets. All in all, Hyundai has pulled out all the stops to engineer an excellent family SUV - and it’s succeeded.
The Hyundai Santa Fe is such a good car that it’s the outright winner of the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards. Where the Santa Fe was once the vehicle of choice for green-laning enthusiasts looking for a rough-and-ready workhorse, Hyundai has transformed it into the best all-round SUV you can buy.
The self-charging hybrid model is our pick of powertrain, though only the plug-in hybrids (PHEV) are available with four-wheel drive. All Santa Fes come with a 1.6-litre petrol engine with electrical assistance. You can have a PHEV Santa Fe with 253hp, and even though the self-charging model only comes with 215hp it’s a more pleasant car to drive.
It looks like nothing else on the road with its bluff, boxy silhouette and sharp edges. H-pattern LED lights at both ends and chunky wheel arches mean you won’t mistake the Santa Fe for any other SUV on the road. It may not be as quite as big as the BMW X5 or Kia EV9, but it has more road presence than either alternative.
A benefit of the Santa Fe’s footprint and square shape is that there’s loads of room inside. It’s a properly usable seven-seater with a frankly absurd amount of interior space - and 17 cupholders spread out across all three rows. Even the rear bench gets climate control.
Space in the front and middle rows is plentiful, the seats are comfortable and the interior design blends chunky features and slick infotainment. Materials don’t feel quite as posh as the Hyundai’s German alternatives but the build quality is solid, and the Santa Fe is great value with plenty of standard kit.
It’s a comfy cruiser, and motorways are taken in the Santa Fe’s stride. Dips in the road are absorbed well by the soft suspension, and its big square corners mean the Santa Fe is surprisingly easy to thread through narrow city streets. All in all, Hyundai has pulled out all the stops to engineer an excellent family SUV - and it’s succeeded.
4. Toyota Aygo X
Toyota Aygo X review
Best for: outrageous fuel efficiency
If your car’s mpg figure is more important than its 0-60mph time then the Toyota Aygo X is the car for you, because it’s not only one of the most fuel efficient cars on sale - it’s one of the best city cars around, too.
It’s a funky little tike, with a dinky, curvy five-door body that’s been around for a while, yet a 2025 update saw a boxy, aggressive new front end grafted on to bring it in line with Toyota’s other models.
The interior is much the same, with a funky, oval-themed dashboard housing a 9.0- (or 10.5-inch in posher models) infotainment touchscreen and a small driver’s display behind the wheel. All of the cabin plastics are hard and scratchy, but in classic Toyota fashion everything feels superbly screwed together.
Sadly, the Aygo X’s diminutive size works against it inside, because not only is there little storage space and a tiny boot but the back seats are practically unusable for adults - and the back door openings are a nightmare to squeeze through.
However, you’ll soon forget about your crying mates in the back once you get on the road, because not only is the Aygo X easily capable of over 80mpg in the real world, it’s brilliant to drive, too. It’s zippy off the lights and a doddle to manoeuvre in town, stable and planted on the motorway and genuinely good fun on a country lane.
If your car’s mpg figure is more important than its 0-60mph time then the Toyota Aygo X is the car for you, because it’s not only one of the most fuel efficient cars on sale - it’s one of the best city cars around, too.
It’s a funky little tike, with a dinky, curvy five-door body that’s been around for a while, yet a 2025 update saw a boxy, aggressive new front end grafted on to bring it in line with Toyota’s other models.
The interior is much the same, with a funky, oval-themed dashboard housing a 9.0- (or 10.5-inch in posher models) infotainment touchscreen and a small driver’s display behind the wheel. All of the cabin plastics are hard and scratchy, but in classic Toyota fashion everything feels superbly screwed together.
Sadly, the Aygo X’s diminutive size works against it inside, because not only is there little storage space and a tiny boot but the back seats are practically unusable for adults - and the back door openings are a nightmare to squeeze through.
However, you’ll soon forget about your crying mates in the back once you get on the road, because not only is the Aygo X easily capable of over 80mpg in the real world, it’s brilliant to drive, too. It’s zippy off the lights and a doddle to manoeuvre in town, stable and planted on the motorway and genuinely good fun on a country lane.
5. BMW X5
BMW X5 review
Battery range up to 45 miles
Best for: spacious, stylish, luxurious fun
As the winner of the ‘Adventurer’s Choice’ award at the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards, it should come as no surprise that the X5 is one of the very best automatic cars you can buy.
All X5 models come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and you get a wide range of engine options to choose from. The sweet-spot of the bunch is the X5 xDrive m50e plug-in hybrid, with an impressive 67 miles of electric-only range. With a short commute and semi-regular charging, you’ll hardly ever have to worry about filling the tank.
It’s a handsome car, with big proportions and crisp lines as well as intricate details in its LED headlights and taillights. Some BMW design is polarising, but the X5 has managed to avoid the trend of outrageous stylistic touches.
Inside the X5 is very posh, and even the standard vegan leather is lovely to the touch. Interior space is good too, with buckets of room for both front and rear passengers, and a 650-litre boot with an optional third-row of fold-out seats. You can’t spec a seven-seater hybrid unfortunately, as the PHEV batteries live where your feet would.
Twisty roads are a blast in the X5, as BMW has managed to once again work its magic and turn a two-tonne family chariot into a very fun car to drive. The X5 is as enjoyable when attacking corners as it is comfortable when cruising on the motorway or in town.
As the winner of the ‘Adventurer’s Choice’ award at the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards, it should come as no surprise that the X5 is one of the very best automatic cars you can buy.
All X5 models come with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and you get a wide range of engine options to choose from. The sweet-spot of the bunch is the X5 xDrive m50e plug-in hybrid, with an impressive 67 miles of electric-only range. With a short commute and semi-regular charging, you’ll hardly ever have to worry about filling the tank.
It’s a handsome car, with big proportions and crisp lines as well as intricate details in its LED headlights and taillights. Some BMW design is polarising, but the X5 has managed to avoid the trend of outrageous stylistic touches.
Inside the X5 is very posh, and even the standard vegan leather is lovely to the touch. Interior space is good too, with buckets of room for both front and rear passengers, and a 650-litre boot with an optional third-row of fold-out seats. You can’t spec a seven-seater hybrid unfortunately, as the PHEV batteries live where your feet would.
Twisty roads are a blast in the X5, as BMW has managed to once again work its magic and turn a two-tonne family chariot into a very fun car to drive. The X5 is as enjoyable when attacking corners as it is comfortable when cruising on the motorway or in town.
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6. Honda Civic
Honda Civic review
Best for: just being the best family hatchback
You don’t stay relevant for over 50 years by being mediocre, and the Honda Civic has been one of the best hatchbacks you can buy since it was launched. The current model is the best it has ever been, sporty to drive, comfortable and practical - and with a good automatic gearbox.
It’s handsome, too, with a much sleeker silhouette than any other hatchback on sale - almost like a liftback saloon. The slender headlights and taillights are just sporty enough without being too aggressive.
The interior is just as handsome, minimalistic without being boring and full of soft-touch materials and real metal trim - no aluminium-look plastic here. It’s less fussy in there than any other hatchback, but feels as premium as more expensive cars.
While there’s plenty of room in the front and tall adults won’t struggle for leg space in the back, the sloping roofline does rob you of headroom - and the tallest adults will feel their hair ruffled by the roof. The 410-litre boot makes it more practical than its alternatives, too.
It’s also an excellent all-rounder, being not only comfortable and easy to drive around town thanks to good visibility and light controls, while still being great fun on a country lane. Get it on the motorway and you’re in for a quiet, comfortable journey with minimal wind and road noise.
You don’t stay relevant for over 50 years by being mediocre, and the Honda Civic has been one of the best hatchbacks you can buy since it was launched. The current model is the best it has ever been, sporty to drive, comfortable and practical - and with a good automatic gearbox.
It’s handsome, too, with a much sleeker silhouette than any other hatchback on sale - almost like a liftback saloon. The slender headlights and taillights are just sporty enough without being too aggressive.
The interior is just as handsome, minimalistic without being boring and full of soft-touch materials and real metal trim - no aluminium-look plastic here. It’s less fussy in there than any other hatchback, but feels as premium as more expensive cars.
While there’s plenty of room in the front and tall adults won’t struggle for leg space in the back, the sloping roofline does rob you of headroom - and the tallest adults will feel their hair ruffled by the roof. The 410-litre boot makes it more practical than its alternatives, too.
It’s also an excellent all-rounder, being not only comfortable and easy to drive around town thanks to good visibility and light controls, while still being great fun on a country lane. Get it on the motorway and you’re in for a quiet, comfortable journey with minimal wind and road noise.
7. Renault Clio
Renault Clio review
Best for: affordable chic
The Renault Clio is one of the most stylish small cars you can buy, with a handsome exterior design paired with a funky interior and some excellent engine options to choose from. It’s practical too, and the Clio was highly commended in the Smart Spender category of the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards.
The updated Clio’s design brings it bang up to date with slim LED headlights and striking LED accents flanking the slim grille. The front end is a little sharper than the rest of the car, but new LED taillights add a touch more style to the back of the Clio too.
Inside the Clio is dominated by a large portrait infotainment screen on high-spec cars, and the new climate control buttons feel much more premium than what came on older models. Well placed soft-touch plastics help the Clio to feel posher than it is too.
Front passengers have loads of space, though the rear bench is a little cramped for knee room. The boot is enormous for a car of its size, larger than all of the Clio’s alternatives, and it’s a great shape too.
The hybrid model is the pick of the bunch, with enough power to get you up to speed and plenty of low-speed pep to zoom around town with. Some alternatives are quieter on the motorway, but where its firm suspension jiggles you about in town it helps make the Clio rather fun on a twisty road.
The Renault Clio is one of the most stylish small cars you can buy, with a handsome exterior design paired with a funky interior and some excellent engine options to choose from. It’s practical too, and the Clio was highly commended in the Smart Spender category of the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards.
The updated Clio’s design brings it bang up to date with slim LED headlights and striking LED accents flanking the slim grille. The front end is a little sharper than the rest of the car, but new LED taillights add a touch more style to the back of the Clio too.
Inside the Clio is dominated by a large portrait infotainment screen on high-spec cars, and the new climate control buttons feel much more premium than what came on older models. Well placed soft-touch plastics help the Clio to feel posher than it is too.
Front passengers have loads of space, though the rear bench is a little cramped for knee room. The boot is enormous for a car of its size, larger than all of the Clio’s alternatives, and it’s a great shape too.
The hybrid model is the pick of the bunch, with enough power to get you up to speed and plenty of low-speed pep to zoom around town with. Some alternatives are quieter on the motorway, but where its firm suspension jiggles you about in town it helps make the Clio rather fun on a twisty road.
8. BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series review
Battery range up to 34 miles
Best for: day to day life
In a world full of SUVs, the BMW 3 Series proves that you don’t need a lofty driving position and four-wheel drive to be comfortable, practical and safe. It’s arguably the most iconic of the posh compact saloons, and it’s certainly the best of the bunch.
The entire model range is equipped with a frankly outstanding eight-speed automatic gearbox. It’s smooth and quick to change gear, and it’s part of the reason the 3 Series is such a good car to live with.
It’s a handsome car, with sleek headlights and kidney grilles which are large but not quite the ‘supersize me’ XXXL of the 3 Series’ siblings. Aggressive LED ‘eyebrows’ within the headlights add some sportiness to the front end, while at the back of the 3 Series is an angular rear ‘diffuser’ trim and L-shaped LED taillights.
The interior has seen a huge change, with a pair of screens in a curved display atop the minimalistic dashboard. The new layout looks rather smart with some lovely details in the air vents, but the loss of physical climate control buttons is a shame as the touchscreen controls can be frustrating to use.
Motorways and driving in town are both quiet and comfortable no matter which engine you choose, but twisty roads are where the 3 Series really stands out against its alternatives. It’s a hugely fun car to drive in any spec.
In a world full of SUVs, the BMW 3 Series proves that you don’t need a lofty driving position and four-wheel drive to be comfortable, practical and safe. It’s arguably the most iconic of the posh compact saloons, and it’s certainly the best of the bunch.
The entire model range is equipped with a frankly outstanding eight-speed automatic gearbox. It’s smooth and quick to change gear, and it’s part of the reason the 3 Series is such a good car to live with.
It’s a handsome car, with sleek headlights and kidney grilles which are large but not quite the ‘supersize me’ XXXL of the 3 Series’ siblings. Aggressive LED ‘eyebrows’ within the headlights add some sportiness to the front end, while at the back of the 3 Series is an angular rear ‘diffuser’ trim and L-shaped LED taillights.
The interior has seen a huge change, with a pair of screens in a curved display atop the minimalistic dashboard. The new layout looks rather smart with some lovely details in the air vents, but the loss of physical climate control buttons is a shame as the touchscreen controls can be frustrating to use.
Motorways and driving in town are both quiet and comfortable no matter which engine you choose, but twisty roads are where the 3 Series really stands out against its alternatives. It’s a hugely fun car to drive in any spec.
2026
Pleasure of Driving Award
Highly Commended
9. Volkswagen Golf R
Volkswagen Golf R review
Best for: a sensible hot hatch
Okay so a 333hp, rip-snorting hot hatch may not sound very sensible, but when an exciting engine is wrapped up in a sensible, practical and comfortable car with a slick automatic gearbox, it makes for a solid all-rounder - also known as the Volkswagen Golf R.
Even in styling terms the Golf R is fairly tame compared to a lot of other hot hatches. It may be all-grille at the front and features an aggressive rear bumper with quad exhausts, but it’s devoid of the bulging wheel arches and ridiculous rear wings of some of its alternatives.
The interior is very much like the regular Golf too, though the R does have a pair of rather fetching body-hugging sports seats with funky blue fabric upholstery. The cabin plastics are largely squidgy and pleasant to the touch, but the touch-sensitive climate controls and steering wheel buttons are very irritating to use on the move.
It’s the same as the regular Golf for cabin space, meaning you’ll fit four six-foot tall adults in with ease, but the four-wheel drive gubbins under the boot floor rob it of cargo capacity; there’s only 341 litres to fill back there, barely any larger than a Polo.
It may feature a highly-tuned 2.0-litre turbocharged engine under the bonnet, but the Golf R is perfectly easy to drive in town. The stiff suspension and sticky tyres do thud and drone through the cabin at times, but it’s worth the compromise for how good the spicy Golf is to drive on a country lane.
Okay so a 333hp, rip-snorting hot hatch may not sound very sensible, but when an exciting engine is wrapped up in a sensible, practical and comfortable car with a slick automatic gearbox, it makes for a solid all-rounder - also known as the Volkswagen Golf R.
Even in styling terms the Golf R is fairly tame compared to a lot of other hot hatches. It may be all-grille at the front and features an aggressive rear bumper with quad exhausts, but it’s devoid of the bulging wheel arches and ridiculous rear wings of some of its alternatives.
The interior is very much like the regular Golf too, though the R does have a pair of rather fetching body-hugging sports seats with funky blue fabric upholstery. The cabin plastics are largely squidgy and pleasant to the touch, but the touch-sensitive climate controls and steering wheel buttons are very irritating to use on the move.
It’s the same as the regular Golf for cabin space, meaning you’ll fit four six-foot tall adults in with ease, but the four-wheel drive gubbins under the boot floor rob it of cargo capacity; there’s only 341 litres to fill back there, barely any larger than a Polo.
It may feature a highly-tuned 2.0-litre turbocharged engine under the bonnet, but the Golf R is perfectly easy to drive in town. The stiff suspension and sticky tyres do thud and drone through the cabin at times, but it’s worth the compromise for how good the spicy Golf is to drive on a country lane.
10. Toyota Yaris Cross
Toyota Yaris Cross review
Best for: efficiency in the city
Where the regular Yaris is the mild-mannered middle child and the GR Yaris is the hot-headed smaller cousin, the Yaris Cross is the more mature older sibling. It’s bigger and more practical, and it’s so good that it won the Urban Living category of the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards.
There are some similarities to the regular Yaris in its design, but the Yaris Cross is beefed up with a taller ride height, plastic body cladding and some more aggressive shapes such as the front grille and headlights. It’s a funky looking thing, and it stands out against its mini-SUV alternatives
The interior is a bit disappointing though, and while the layout is clear and easy to navigate it’s very dark in there. The materials are all fairly soft-touch, but there’s a lot of plastics with very little in the way of trims or colourful accents to break up the expanse of dark grey in the cabin.
The front seats are highly adjustable and it’s easy to get comfortable, but the rear is very tight - though the boot capacity is a useful 391 litres.
Motorways aren’t the Yaris Cross’s strong suit as it can take a while to get up to speed, but once you’ve reached cruising speed it’s fairly quiet and comfortable. Around town the lofty driving position helps when manoeuvring in traffic and the hybrid engine is at its best – quiet and economical. It’s surprisingly fun on a twisty road, too.
Where the regular Yaris is the mild-mannered middle child and the GR Yaris is the hot-headed smaller cousin, the Yaris Cross is the more mature older sibling. It’s bigger and more practical, and it’s so good that it won the Urban Living category of the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards.
There are some similarities to the regular Yaris in its design, but the Yaris Cross is beefed up with a taller ride height, plastic body cladding and some more aggressive shapes such as the front grille and headlights. It’s a funky looking thing, and it stands out against its mini-SUV alternatives
The interior is a bit disappointing though, and while the layout is clear and easy to navigate it’s very dark in there. The materials are all fairly soft-touch, but there’s a lot of plastics with very little in the way of trims or colourful accents to break up the expanse of dark grey in the cabin.
The front seats are highly adjustable and it’s easy to get comfortable, but the rear is very tight - though the boot capacity is a useful 391 litres.
Motorways aren’t the Yaris Cross’s strong suit as it can take a while to get up to speed, but once you’ve reached cruising speed it’s fairly quiet and comfortable. Around town the lofty driving position helps when manoeuvring in traffic and the hybrid engine is at its best – quiet and economical. It’s surprisingly fun on a twisty road, too.
10. Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio review
Best for: four-door performance
As far as high-performance four-door cars go, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is a bit of a left-field choice compared to the typical German alternatives - but it’s one hell of a performer, and it’s easy to live with too.
It looks stunning, with some gorgeous Italian flair and soft curves where its alternatives have sharp lines. The aggressive LED headlights straddling the classic Alfa Romeo triangular grille, taut rear-end with quad exhausts and the beautiful flower-inspired alloy wheels work devastatingly well together.
Inside, unfortunately, is a bit disappointing. The sporty Alfa is a rather expensive car, and the fit and finish just isn’t up to par with fast German saloons. The infotainment system is also poor; laggy and with a design that’s not very intuitive to use.
The engine is where the Giulia Quadrifoglio comes into its own, with a simply phenomenal V6 which not only sounds amazing but goes like the clappers when you put your foot down. You can feel a constant power surge all the way from a standstill to the redline in the Alfa, and it’s a joy to drive fast.
Attacking high-speed corners is a piece of cake, and the Alfa feels more like a sports car than a family saloon - but it’s still more comfortable than a BMW M3 and it’s a more interesting choice too. It’s quiet, refined and deals with bad roads well.
As far as high-performance four-door cars go, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is a bit of a left-field choice compared to the typical German alternatives - but it’s one hell of a performer, and it’s easy to live with too.
It looks stunning, with some gorgeous Italian flair and soft curves where its alternatives have sharp lines. The aggressive LED headlights straddling the classic Alfa Romeo triangular grille, taut rear-end with quad exhausts and the beautiful flower-inspired alloy wheels work devastatingly well together.
Inside, unfortunately, is a bit disappointing. The sporty Alfa is a rather expensive car, and the fit and finish just isn’t up to par with fast German saloons. The infotainment system is also poor; laggy and with a design that’s not very intuitive to use.
The engine is where the Giulia Quadrifoglio comes into its own, with a simply phenomenal V6 which not only sounds amazing but goes like the clappers when you put your foot down. You can feel a constant power surge all the way from a standstill to the redline in the Alfa, and it’s a joy to drive fast.
Attacking high-speed corners is a piece of cake, and the Alfa feels more like a sports car than a family saloon - but it’s still more comfortable than a BMW M3 and it’s a more interesting choice too. It’s quiet, refined and deals with bad roads well.
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Factors to consider when buying an automatic car
Bodystyle
Where automatic cars are so commonplace now, there’s a huge range of bodystyles to choose from. If you live in a tight town, a small hatchback might make most sense, while for long-distance family road trips you’re better off with a big estate car or SUV.
Budget
Whether you’re on a shoestring budget or you’ve got cash to burn, there’s an automatic car to suit your budget. There are some small cars which have excellent automatic gearboxes, as well as luxury sports cars with gearshifts so smooth you can barely feel them.
How do you like to drive?
For fast driving enthusiasts, a powerful car with a rapid dual-clutch automatic gearbox will offer the fastest gear changes. Meanwhile if you just want to waft around, look for a big luxury saloon - ideally a hybrid, which keeps you gliding along during gearshifts.
