Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Sat 15 Feb 2014 21:58
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - Dingle232

I am looking for a small automatic car, petrol, for my mother. For the past few years she has had a Clio Auto (08 plate) and has found the running costs high given that the Auto box is only 4 speed. I am looking for a similar sized car, again auto, with a 5 or 6 speed box but it appears that the general theme for cars of this size are 4 speed autos. She wants a minimum engine size of a 1.4 with a 1.6 (same as her Clio) the ideal.

Budget is £7k max.

So far I've looked at Corsa, 207, C3, Ibiza, i20, Note, Punto, Polo and they all appear to be 4 speed on years up to about 60 plates. The only ones I can find are the 1.3 VVTi Yaris (6) and the Suzuki Swift (5). Not sure about the Fiesta or Fabia but she won't have one anyway so that's a bit academic.

Any more suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 15 Feb 2014 22:03
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - Avant

I'm not sure that 5 or 6 speeds would necessarily make that much difference to running costs. The VW DSG doesn't have the same penalties with economy, but I wouldn;t recommend a used one as there are relaibility problems when mileage mounts.

What about a Honda Jazz? I think the Jazz had the option of CVT before about 2008, as it does now, although there was a terrible semi-automatic contraption in beween. The Yaris is also semi-automatic - avoid this too.

Edited by Avant on 15/02/2014 at 22:07

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 09:19
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - maltrap

I have a 52 reg Polo with a 7 speed DSG gearbox, from a driveability point of view i would not recommend it. My previous VW auto's had torque converters and were excellent.I'm not sure if anyone does torque converters anymore.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 09:24
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - Collos25

Wasn't this six speed this old.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 09:29
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - Collos25

As I thought seven speed did not start production till 2008 .

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 09:33
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - gordonbennet

I suspect Maltrap's Polo is a 62 plate.

Would like to hear why it's not recommended, would that be for manoeuvering and junction performance?

Plenty of TC autos still available from Korean and some Japanese makers...who coincidentally warrant their cars for longer than 3 years..;)

Edited by gordonbennet on 16/02/2014 at 09:34

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 10:07
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - Happy Blue!

The number of gears is irrelevant to the economy of these cars. Small automatics are always far less economical than their manual versions and extra gears are not going to change that. Its the price you pay for convenience.

If I acheived even 35mpg around the suburbs from a small 1.3 auto, I would be delighted.

My father's Daihatsu Sirion 1.3 auto (four speed) averages 39mpg with a fair number of longer trips included in the mix.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 11:28
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - Dingle232

Thanks for the replies guys. However I suspected that the original question would morph into one I hadn't actually asked.......

So - are there any more out there that I haven't seen or thought about?

Avant - thanks for the heads up about the Yaris though it surprises me a little as I have never had any issues at all with Toyotas though, admittedly, I have never owned one of the MMT's. Are they really that problematic?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 12:24
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - gordonbennet
Avant - thanks for the heads up about the Yaris though it surprises me a little as I have never had any issues at all with Toyotas though, admittedly, I have never owned one of the MMT's. Are they really that problematic?

Toyota have moved away from the MMT at a rate of knots, if they can't get it right what hope anyone else, as far as i know Aygo is the only model now saddled with the thing, and i suspect that will be dropped too when the model is replaced...i hope they drop the idiot EPB (wired backwards) in Avensis at replacement time too, can then put it back on my list.

All new auto models (new shape Yaris incl) not hybrid seem to be CVT which, if as good as Avensis, is a lovely drive.

I believe MMT was the must have rushed out during Toyotas darker years, those times for which the chairman has very publicly apologised for, i would hope they have gone back to their core values and tested and revised the CVT until its as near perfect as can be, only time will tell.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 12:35
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - Dingle232

Thanks gb that's useful. I must admit that I would probably have plumped for a Toyota for the reasons you alluded to with reliability but maybe I will steer clear. Looks like the omly realistic option will be a Suzuki Swift. From everything I have read they are not a bad option at all in 1.5 guise.

Edited by Dingle232 on 16/02/2014 at 12:37

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 12:36
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - Dingle232

Thanks gb that's useful. I must admit that I would probably have plumped for a Toyota for the reasons you alluded to with reliability but maybe I will steer clear. Looks like the omly realistic option will be a Suzuki Swift. From everything I have read they are not a bad option at all in 1.5 guise.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 13:35
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - Fernando P

The Nissan Note Acenta 1.6 auto (petrol) is worth considering because it is assembled in the UK with many UK body and other parts but, more importantly, has a Japanese chain driven camshaft engine and Japanese TC gearbox. Very smooth engine and gearbox with good mpg - mid - high 30s on short runs and ~ 44 on long steady runs. Saving a penny or two on fuel consumption is not worth worrying about as other aspects of the car are v good. It has (only) 4 forward speeds but why would you need more I wonder? I purchased a used Motabilty one for the above reasons and it has been a success. Great for urban/country motoring but can be a bit "buzzy" when driven at motorway speeds.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 16 Feb 2014 20:10
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - retgwte

hyundai i20 and mazda 2 autos are good

but both 4 speed i think

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 20 Feb 2014 16:18
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - pyruse

Honda Jazz CVT.

We get 40mpg round town and 50mpg on longer trips with our 55-reg Jazz.

Super reliable and very nice to drive; loads of space.

I think the newer model is more economical, but avoid the semi-auto.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 21 Feb 2014 00:12
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - daveyK_UK

Nissan Note 1.6 auto

a reliable auto with decent fuel economy and lots of interior space

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 21 Feb 2014 13:38
Small Automatic with 5 or 6 gears? - madf

2012 Honda Jazz CVT.

42mpg - real. Mainly urban use.

Superb load carrier and takes four adults in comfort..

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?