Buying guides
Best used automatic cars
Looking for a used automatic car? Here’s our pick of the best used cars with automatic gearboxes.
By Cazoo editorial team
Automatic gearboxes make driving a lot easier. Removing the need to press the clutch and change gears means using your car is less tiring, both physically and mentally, especially in stop-start traffic. That’s one of the main reasons automatic cars are increasingly popular.
As a result, there are a lot of used automatic cars, including about half of the cars for sale with Cazoo. Whether you want a little urban runabout for nipping to the shops or a bigger car for family trips abroad, you’ll find something to suit your needs among our top 10 automatic cars.
1. Volkswagen Golf
The Volkswagen Golf is widely regarded as the best mid-size family hatchback. It’s spacious and practical, has a user-friendly interior, looks good and feels great to drive. There are low-cost models, extremely efficient diesel engines, high-performance versions, roomy estates, plug-in hybrids and the fully electric e-Golf. In short, there’s a Golf for just about everyone.
Most of the Golf’s many engines are available with a ‘DSG’ automatic gearbox. This is a type of ‘dual-clutch’ gearbox, which in some cases can give better fuel economy than a manual gearbox. You can read more about the different types of automatic gearbox available here.
Read our Volkswagen Golf review
2. Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf was one of the first electric cars to become really popular. It’s a family-size hatchback that’s very practical, looks suitably futuristic and – like all electric cars – is really easy to drive. The latest version (sold since 2018) improves on the formula with more space, tech and range – up to 239 miles in the ‘e+’ model.
Technically, the Leaf is an automatic, though electric cars don’t have any sort of conventional gearbox. Rather, when you put the gear lever into ‘drive’, the electric motor spins forwards. When you put it in ‘reverse’, the motor spins backwards.
3. BMW 5 Series
The BMW 5 Series is a favourite of drivers who do lots of motorway journeys and families who need lots of space. It feels good to drive and is extremely comfortable. There’s space for five adults and it has a big boot, especially if you go for the ‘Touring’ estate model, and it’s packed with high-tech features.
Nearly all 5 Series models have an automatic gearbox. Indeed, it’s the only option on the latest version (sold since 2017).
4. Hyundai Ioniq
The Hyundai Ioniq is one of few cars that’s available with hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric power, so you can reduce your carbon footprint in whatever way is most convenient for you. The hybrids can give better fuel economy than a similar diesel car. The plug-in has a zero-emissions range of up to 39 miles and the latest electric models can go up to 168 miles, according to official figures.
The Ioniq is a practical family car and it’s quiet and relaxing to drive. Hybrid models have a ‘DCT’ dual-clutch gearbox like the Golf’s ‘DSG’, while the electric version has a single-speed transmission like the Nissan Leaf’s.
5. Mini Hatch
The retro-styled Mini Hatch is one of the most fun compact cars. It’s as stylish on the inside as it is on the outside and the interior has a premium feel. It’s not the most practical of small cars, but you get a bit more space (and easier access) with the five-door model (pictured). Whichever Mini Hatch you choose, its compact size and nimble feel are great for driving in town or in the countryside, especially in the high-performance Cooper S and JCW models.
All Minis, apart from 1.2-litre petrol models, are available with an automatic gearbox. They make the Mini easier to drive, but no less fun.
6. Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is one of the best premium-brand saloon cars, packed with features to make driving as easy as possible. It also looks great and the interior’s widescreen displays and luxurious comfort add a big wow factor. You can choose from saloon, estate, coupe or convertible bodies, all of which are very practical for this type of car.There also are many engines to choose from, most of which have an automatic gearbox as standard. Unusually, you select gears using a stalk mounted behind the steering wheel. Every C-Class gives you a smooth, comfortable driving experience and this is especially true of the automatic models.
Read our Mercedes-Benz C-Class review
7. Nissan Qashqai
For many people, compact SUVs have become the family car of choice and it was the Nissan Qashqai that set the trend. It combines the practicality and convenience of a compact family car like the Ford Focus with the high driving position of an SUV. That means you can get in more easily and enjoy a better view of the road.
Automatic Qashqai models have an ‘Xtronic’ continuously variable transmission (CVT). This type of automatic gearbox works differently to most others because it has no internal cogs. It makes for smooth acceleration and good fuel economy but it causes the engine to rev hard during acceleration, so it can lead to more noise in the interior than with other types of gearbox.
Read our Nissan Qashqai review
8. Audi A5
The Audi A5 is a stylish four-seat coupe or convertible. Unusually for this type of car, the back seats are roomy enough for adults and the boot is quite big. They’re not family cars but the five-door ‘Sportback’ hatchback can be, offering an interesting alternative to traditional saloons. Whichever version you choose, the A5 gives you a brilliantly user-friendly interior and a smooth, comfortable driving experience. And you can choose from a range that goes from frugal diesels to the sports car-quick RS5.
An automatic gearbox is available with every engine you can get in the A5 and many (especially the higher-powered versions) have one as standard.
9. Toyota Yaris
The latest version of the Toyota Yaris (sold new since 2020) is available only with an automatic gearbox. That’s because every model has hybrid power and, like most hybrid cars, an automatic gearbox comes as standard.
Any Yaris is really easy to drive and has a very user-friendly interior. It’s a great choice if you want a small car that makes a small impact on the environment, with official average fuel economy of nearly 60mpg. Toyota has a great reputation for reliability, and the Yaris feels solid and built to last.
10. Lexus NX
The Lexus NX is a mid-size premium SUV that offers something genuinely different to its rivals. It looks really distinctive both outside and in, with an interior that feels wonderfully comfortable and almost serene on a long journey. It’s a practical family car, with lots of space and a big boot. And it’s packed with high-tech features to keep you entertained and very well informed about how efficiently you’re driving.
Although a pure petrol version called the NX 200t was sold for a short time, the majority of used models are the NX 300h – a petrol-electric hybrid that gives you good performance and better fuel economy than many similar diesel cars. There’s no manual gearbox option, just a standard automatic that really suits the NX’s smooth, quiet driving experience.
You’ll find a range of high-quality used automatic cars for sale at Cazoo. Simply use the search function to find one you love then buy or finance it online. You can choose to have it delivered to your door, or you can collect it from your nearest Cazoo Customer Centre.
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