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As an auto,
Toyota C-HR, yes.
VW T-Cross, no.
Lexus UX, yes.
Volvo XC40, yes.
Mazda CX30, yes.
Nisan Qashqai, no.
Actually, the only one of the above I'd consider small is the VW T Cross, but with the DSG gearbox, I wouldn't be keen on an auto. Most reliable would be between the Toyota, Lexus and Mazda. Biggest is actually the Lexus, not the Volvo, though the Volvo looks 'bulkier' because of it's styling.
Based on what you've said, I think I'd probably go for the Toyota C-HR. Either the hybrid or 1.2 turbo would be fine.
Just noticed what you said re the Audi A1. You do get thing Called the A1 Citycarver (stupid name!), which is an A1 with raised suspension and some off road styling cues (extra plastic cladding). But as it is the same car under the skin as the T-Cross, I'd avoid the auto for the same reason.
Edited by badbusdriver on 30/03/2021 at 07:59
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The CH-R because it will give no trouble. However get a good test drive in one including manouvering. It will have cameras etc, but I still prefer to see out of the rear quarter and in that regard it is atrocious.
I also found the interior very claustrophobic as the windows are small, the interior including roof lining was black and the rear windows were blacked out.
I'd also agree with the Suzuki as an option.
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Toyota CH-R
Also consider a Ford Puma
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Thank you so much!
I like the look of puma but its ford maybe japanese suzuki is more reliable?
I have never had a ford before so do not know them at all.
I had a mazda, toyota, nissan, jag, vw so my knowledge is quite limited..
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Thank you so much for your response.
That worries me too about it as i read alot it can feel suffocating.
i cannot wait to go & test drive it quite possibly it will not be my cup of tea at all.. who knows..
Now im looking more at suzuki as was recommended.
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Thank you so much for your reply!
What do you think of Suzuki vitara as was recommended by one gentleman here?
Its a nice compact looking car.
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Hello All,
I saw today Sean Arona, very nice looking!
What could you say about her?
What kind of engine to go for? What spec?
Thank you!
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Be wary of any car (all VAGs) that has a dual clutch 'auto' gearbox - secondhand ones can often be offloaded because they are worn (on the way out) and will be expensive to fix, plus many are not suited to use in heavy traffic, as they will be 'slipping' their clutches a lot just like a car with a manual gearbox.
Hyundais and KIAs version of this gearbox is more reliable, VAG's 'wet' cluch versions next, then their 'dry' clutch versions (and those not overspecced enough to cope with the engine power), the Ford's (don't tocuh the Powershift dual clucth cars with a barge pole).
Cars with CVT (continuously variable transmission) and the older 'torque converter' (TC)auto boxes are generally much more reliable (Renault/Nissan CVTs are less so) but not as good on performance; the latter are not as good on mpg either, though they are improving.
The TC auto boxes are the smoothest to use under normal circumstances with mostly seemless gearchanges.
CVTs are fine at normal speed driving, but can get 'whiny' (the nature of the gearbox) when you give them a decent amount of throttle for overtaking, pull out from junctions in a hurry, etc.
Again, best to test drive a range of different ones to see what you like better/suits your usage pattern and pocket, not just to buy, but ongoing costs - reliability could be a factor going forward if the money is a bit tight - a big sudden repair bill (out of warranty) could mean the car has to be scrapped or sold for a big loss if you couldn't fund the repair.
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Thank you so much i really liked it!
What is the best spec to go for bearing in mind i want an auto?
Thank you again!
Edited by Anna Rew on 30/03/2021 at 09:12
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The spec has no bearing on the gearbox, it is the same regardless of which trim level. Though it has to be said, with some cars, you can only choose the auto on higher trim levels.
The Vitara is a good reliable car, and, like the VW T-Cross, it is actually quite small. But if you are happy with its looks and how it feels from behind the wheel, re visibility and comfort, I'd still go for the Toyota C-HR.
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My partner put the CHR at the top of her list but again didn’t like the rear view from the drivers perspective.
But she settled for an old shape Captur BUT with the new 1.3 T engine which is shared with the A Class.
£15k ex demo with five years extended warranty and three years servicing and its remarkably been faultless . So I take back all my prejudices about Renaults !
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Thank you so much for sharing and it was useful to know they can be reliable!
I m sorry but i just cannot stand french cars & have alot of prejudices about them.. only if i m totally desperate and have no choice at all it might be a renault..
Edited by Anna Rew on 30/03/2021 at 10:03
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Sorry to see your irrational prejudice against 'french' cars. I was going to suggest having a look at a Peugeot 2008 with its excellent Japanese (now there's grounds for prejudice among us oldies with memories of Brits enduring their far east atrocities) EAT6 gear box. We are very pleased with ours, and Peugeot always considered itself a cut above its compatriot competitors.
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You can get a brand new Skoda Kamiq 1.0 TSi DSG for about £18000 OTR which is substantially less than a used VW would cost. Don't worry too much about what others say about DSG issues, OK there have been some but they were on older boxes and many of the cars had been thrashed and chipped to produce torque levels that wrecked the boxes. When you consider how many cars have been fitted with DSG it only fair to assume some will have issues. Even Toyota have issues on some cars.
We bought a Skoda with a DSG box back in October last year and I am not worried about reliability at all.
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You can get a brand new Skoda Kamiq 1.0 TSi DSG for about £18000 OTR which is substantially less than a used VW would cost. Don't worry too much about what others say about DSG issues, OK there have been some but they were on older boxes and many of the cars had been thrashed and chipped to produce torque levels that wrecked the boxes. When you consider how many cars have been fitted with DSG it only fair to assume some will have issues. Even Toyota have issues on some cars.
We bought a Skoda with a DSG box back in October last year and I am not worried about reliability at all.
If the OP is buying new, I wouldn't be overly concerned about the reliability of the DSG, but I would if it was a used car. You just don't know how it has been driven.
However it isn't just the potential unreliability which puts me off, but the drivability too. Not too long ago a forum member reported on a test drive of a VW T-Cross with the 115bhp 1.0 and DSG. Said it was absolutely hopeless, with jerky changes delayed reactions and never seeming to know which gear it should be in. This behaviour (albeit to a lesser extent) is something I have read about in various magazines re (small, so maybe just realties to the dry clutch version) VAG cars using the DSG. The car driven by the forum member was new, so I suppose it might get better and 'settle down' over time along with familiarisation from the driver, but this, along with the potential for problems, means I just wouldn't bother.
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You can get a brand new Skoda Kamiq 1.0 TSi DSG for about £18000 OTR which is substantially less than a used VW would cost. Don't worry too much about what others say about DSG issues, OK there have been some but they were on older boxes and many of the cars had been thrashed and chipped to produce torque levels that wrecked the boxes. When you consider how many cars have been fitted with DSG it only fair to assume some will have issues. Even Toyota have issues on some cars.
We bought a Skoda with a DSG box back in October last year and I am not worried about reliability at all.
If the OP is buying new, I wouldn't be overly concerned about the reliability of the DSG, but I would if it was a used car. You just don't know how it has been driven.
However it isn't just the potential unreliability which puts me off, but the drivability too. Not too long ago a forum member reported on a test drive of a VW T-Cross with the 115bhp 1.0 and DSG. Said it was absolutely hopeless, with jerky changes delayed reactions and never seeming to know which gear it should be in. This behaviour (albeit to a lesser extent) is something I have read about in various magazines re (small, so maybe just realties to the dry clutch version) VAG cars using the DSG. The car driven by the forum member was new, so I suppose it might get better and 'settle down' over time along with familiarisation from the driver, but this, along with the potential for problems, means I just wouldn't bother.
Might have been me you are referring to. Drove a brand new Superb 1.5 DSG that was totally dumb but a 3000 mile old Passat 1.5 DSG was better (but still not perfect. Neither was jerky, just a bit slow witted.
But surely we can only give the OP ideas and suggest they take a drive. If they like it they could continue investigating a purchase, if they don they will look elsewhere.
Fortunately I have enough common to be able to make my own short list of suitable cars and then test drive them, just like I did pre internet except then I had to go round getting brochures, now I download them.
I am also able to know what I like and what I don't. Tried plenty of cars that others worship on here but in my world I would not have one even if I was paid (Avenis 1.8 Estate springs to mind - dreadful thing).
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Thank you so much i really liked it! What is the best spec to go for bearing in mind i want an auto? Thank you again!
I see you added the Mazda CX-30. You may want to add the (now out of production from 2019) smaller CX-3 to the list - just as nice looking, but smaller inside, and available in auto form from the base SE spec (which isn't that bad) through SE-L (Nav) - the best value spec, up to Sport (firmer ride on bigger wheels/ low profile tyres but looks the best).
Don't bother with the diesels, which can be trouble, but the 2.0L petrol engine is reliable, not quick , but nice, and the auto gearbox smooth and reliable.
The newer CX-30 (from late 2019) is very good, more roomy inside and shares the excellent styling cues of the current Mazda3/CX-5 inside and out. The CX-3 is based on the current Mazda2 but is in-between, size-wise, that and the Mazda3.
The boot of the CX-3 is about the same as the Mazda3 hatch except for the Sport models, where its boot is reduced in size due to extra in-car entertainment in the underboot area.
The CX-30 will be a lot more expensive, even when using the 'same' (later variant) of the standard 2L petrol engine, even more so when fitted with the more powerful 'Skyactiv-X' engine.
If you are happy with the size/boot space of the CX-3 and prefer a nice ride quality over 'more sportiness', I'd go for a CX-3 in SE-L Nav Auto form on 16in tyres. The CX-30 in Skyactiv-X SE-Lux form is better, but will likely cost (even for second hand versions) about £5k - £8k more than the CX-3.
Both cars are very nice cars to drive.
I'll leave others to comment on the other cars/theirs suggested - it's just that I own a Mazda3 (not the latest one though) but have test driven the CX-3 I spoke of in auto form and thought it very nice indeed - if a bit expensive (new) back then (in 2017).
As it's a discontinued model (it's still sold abroad and parts will be available for at least 10 years), you may find the second hand prices more reasonable now. The HJ site has some via its search service here:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/cars-for-sale/search/
You may also find some nearly new (showroom or test drive cars) or pre-registered deals available from some main dealers, as the latest regs change was only on 1st March.
Always get a test drive on a variety of road types/speeds, and make sure you get the seating/steering wheel position adjusted sufficiently so you can get the best out of it.
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Thank you so much it is a lovely looking car & for a good money too! Shame it is discontinued though as it can be a struggle to find parts & therefore they can go up in price otherwise great looking auto!
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Thank you so much it is a lovely looking car & for a good money too! Shame it is discontinued though as it can be a struggle to find parts & therefore they can go up in price otherwise great looking auto!
It was only discontinued (new sales) in 2019, and the law states that parts MUST be available from the manufacturer for 10 years after it goes out of production, noting that this car is still made - just not sold in the UK.
My gen-1 Mazda3 (built in late 2005) went out of production in 2009, but I've had no problems obtaining OEM parts from my local main dealer.
Nothing to worry about, especially as many of the internal bits of the CX-3 are shared with the Mazda2, which is still in production today.
Given that it is smaller than the other cars you've been considering and nearer to the Polo's size (still bigger), it's well worth a look.
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