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I need a small, automatic SUV - what would you suggest?

We have an old BMW 330i and a newer Suzuki Ignis and are looking to replace both with one car that my wife can park easily in town but also can undertake infrequent longer journeys up the motorway with our dog. We like Suzuki both for reliability and have an excellent local dealer so have considered the Vitara but have heard the automatic box is awful. Can you comment on the Vitara automatic and suggest alternatives? Budget is up to around £25K.

Asked on 31 March 2023 by David How

Answered by David Ross
Given that you need something compact for easy parking as well as room for your dog and motorway comfort, we would suggest a small SUV like the SEAT Arona or the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, both of which meet these requirements and are available with an automatic gearbox.

The Suzuki Vitara was the Honest John Awards Small Crossover of the year in 2019, but the auto option uses an automated manual gearbox rather than a full automatic. You may want to try it for yourself first, but if an auto is a must-have we would look to an alternative.

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