Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions?

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 08:10
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - Gabe

I'm thinking about replacing my four year old Skoda Fabia. I'd like a city car/hatchback that is big enough for a child, is fun to drive and pretty reliable. I was contemplating a VW Golf but am put off by the price and reliability issues. Most people I speak to say I should go for a Japanese car. Any suggestions? BTW - as I live in a city I'd prefer automatic.

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 09:50
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - SLO76
Think long and hard whether you really need an auto. In the case of city, supermini and small family hatchbacks they cost more to buy and worth less when it comes to sell it on. They're more complex and thus go wrong more often.

You're right to avoid any VAG product with their DSG automated manual gearbox fitted. It's great in day to day use, uses no more fuel and doesn't hamper performance compared to the equivalent manual but they've developed a poor reputation for reliability with countless failures reported and catastrophic prices being quoted by dealers to replace boxes, one old friend of mine was quoted £6,000 to replace the box in his Audi TT 3.2 at less than 60,000 miles!

Probably the only thing I'd recommend would be a Honda Civic 1.8 auto which uses a traditional tried and tested torque converter box in place of a complex and (in the case of French cars) often jerky automated manual or a noisy unrefined at motorway speeds CVT as used by the Honda Jazz and many other small hatches. Older Jazz was known for issues with it's previous generation CVT box and the new one is too new to judge.

The Civic is quite rare with an auto but has such a good reputation they are in demand used and will command strong resale prices. There's loads of room, the engine is pretty unburstable and there's no expensive timing belt change every 4-5 years to worry about since it's a chain driven unit. All built in Britain too. Only buy one with a full main dealer service history with proof of annual oil changes.

Edited by SLO76 on 19/11/2016 at 09:52

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 12:56
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - Gabe

Many thanks - will take a look at the Civic!

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 13:58
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - Vitesse6

Don't rule out the Jazz with it's CVT box. It isn't noisy at motorway speeds, and has proven to be reliable. Yes it needs to be maintained properly, but that amounts to a fluid change every 25,000 miles.

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 14:44
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - Gabe

I did think about the Jazz but from what I understand, it's not exactly fun to drive.

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 16:30
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - SLO76

I did think about the Jazz but from what I understand, it's not exactly fun to drive.

Recently had the latest model on loan for a week while our CRV was having warranty work done. I found it well made, spacious and pleasant enough despite the bright yellow colour. The ride quality and refinement are vastly superior to my mothers 2nd generation 59 plate but I found the handling dull, the steering pretty lifeless and the 1.3 petrol lacking in torque for B road and motorway driving. The high spec auto they had in the showroom when I returned it had a fairly ridiculous sticker price of very nearly £18,000! Though it's been reliable and economical I find the earlier 2nd gen 1.2 S my mother has to be pretty awful to drive. No power despite supposedly having 89bhp, it feels more like 60. I don't know how Honda got the dynamics so wrong. It's no fun at all. The ride is firm but the handling bland and steering is devoid of any feel what so ever. A Fiesta or a Swift are vastly superior to pilot along a twisty B road and our 1.2 TDi VW Polo is a much nicer thing in almost every way, I'll give the Jazz a nod for it's excellent gearbox and superior rear seat space however. I'd definitely pick a Civic over the Jazz.
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Sat 19 Nov 2016 15:32
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - madf

Don't rule out the Jazz with it's CVT box. It isn't noisy at motorway speeds, and has proven to be reliable. Yes it needs to be maintained properly, but that amounts to a fluid change every 25,000 miles.

I have had one for 4 years. 100% reliable, easy to drive and LOTS of space.

DIY servcing cheap and easy..

Edited by madf on 19/11/2016 at 15:32

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 18:05
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - Avant

I think I'm right in saying that Hyundai use conventional torque-converter automatics in their cars, even the small ones. The i20 is a similar size to the Fabia; unsurprisingly, the i10 is smaller and the i30 larger.

My elder daughter is on her second i10 - they're lovely little cars and quite lively as long as you go for the 1.2 engine. She has the manual, so I can't say how lively an automatic would be - probably not very. I rather agree with SLO76 above.

Edited by Avant on 19/11/2016 at 18:06

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 18:23
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - SLO76

I think I'm right in saying that Hyundai use conventional torque-converter automatics in their cars, even the small ones. The i20 is a similar size to the Fabia; unsurprisingly, the i10 is smaller and the i30 larger.

My elder daughter is on her second i10 - they're lovely little cars and quite lively as long as you go for the 1.2 engine. She has the manual, so I can't say how lively an automatic would be - probably not very. I rather agree with SLO76 above.

Can't say anything against the current generation of Hyundai's and I believe you're right regarding still using a traditional converter auto box. Better value than a Civic but worth less when it comes to sell on so probably won't save much if any money in the long run. As a home trader I'm a big fan of Civics, I've bought, sold and run loads of them over the years with little trouble and they're an easy sell especially at the cheaper end of the market I focus on. 5yr unlimited mileage warranty is a bonus on the Hyundai but next to impossible to claim on if you don't maintain a full main dealer history. Great cars, we almost bought an i40 1.7 diesel Tourer instead of the CRV.

Edited by SLO76 on 19/11/2016 at 18:28

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 19:13
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - daveyK_UK

mazda 2 auto - nice drive as well

or suzuki swift (not sure if they do an auto?)

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 19:15
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - RT

Can't say anything against the current generation of Hyundai's and I believe you're right regarding still using a traditional converter auto box.

Hyundai is offering DCT's on certain new models - but until recently all their automatics were conventional torque-converter.

They do also make CVTs but I don't think they're used on UK models - with the possible exception of the new Ionic.

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Sat 19 Nov 2016 19:33
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - SLO76
Right enough, just had a wee look, seems the i30's box was replaced with a DCT in late 2015. Wonder how well it'll stand up longterm? I did see loads of 1-2yr old 1.6 diesel autos when I was wondering round dealers and car supermarkets in Glasgow recently looking for a similar sized diesel for a friend. They were all autos which she didn't want, eventually settled on a nice 3yr old Leon 1.6 diesel and I flogged her old Passat. Thanks for correcting me.
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Sun 20 Nov 2016 00:11
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - Avant

Someone, somewhere, must be able to make a DCT that weill last for more than three years. Maybe Hyundai have cracked it - at least they offer a 5-year warranty.

There's less of a loss in performance with these than with torque-converter autos, so you can see why they're common in smaller cars. I personally wouldn't want to drive a TC auto with anything less than a 2-litre engine.

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Sun 20 Nov 2016 16:16
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - Gabe

Thanks for all your suggestions!

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Tue 22 Nov 2016 20:45
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - alan1302

ey're an easy sell especially at the cheaper end of the market I focus on. 5yr unlimited mileage warranty is a bonus on the Hyundai but next to impossible to claim on if you don't maintain a full main dealer history.

I was always a bit concerned over the warranty but have just had the power steering replaced on my i10 at 3.5 years old and its never been to a main dealer for a service

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Tue 22 Nov 2016 22:21
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - SLO76
You must've had a service manager who was willing to lie for you. In order to make a claim they need to state to the manufacturer that the car has a full history and if it's not been done by a dealer they need proof it's been done to their standards using manufacturer parts only. Either they've lied about this on your behalf or they've been under the impression that it has a dealer history. I've seen plenty of warranty claims rejected during many years in the trade because people didn't stick to dealer servicing and have recently encountered it with an old punter who bought a Kia Picanto he was told still had two years of warranty remaining but had a claim for a starter refused because he couldn't prove the servicing garage had used Kia parts/service items and followed their guidelines. You've been very lucky.
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Tue 22 Nov 2016 18:13
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - chewer1

Had an automatic Hyundai i10 for two years now. It has a four speed T converter box which I find excellent with really smooth changes.

I find it fun to drive and get 40mpg which doesn't sound great but is worth it for the relaxed easy drive.

Makes a great city car and also [ somewhat amazingly ] a pleasant quiet cruiser on fast roads.

Some may scoff at small automatics but always being in the right gear to take advantage of opportunities in town traffic I find a very worthwhile advantage.

Although it is good on the open road kickdown produces a lot of revs and only '' reasonable '' overtaking and in this I miss my old 2 litre automatic !

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Tue 22 Nov 2016 18:45
Automatic City Car/Hatchback. Suggestions? - skidpan

Just been to put the bin out and I got a reminder why I hate autos. A total muppet in a Auris Hybrid went up the road (30mph limit - bit af a slope - probably about 1 in 20) with the revs flying up and down as he floored it and then lifted off. Probably appears regularly on a Toyota forum complaining about his poor mpg.

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