which is most frugal automatic family car

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 13:09
which is most frugal automatic family car - hi135

hi need help in choosing a new car,can some one please point me towardss any automatic cars which are fuel efficient and reliable

lexus is 200d/toyota avensis/mazda 6/bmw 320/passat/a4

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 14:08
which is most frugal automatic family car - colinh
Toyota Auris Hybrid (assuming Toyota's "annus horribilis" is ended!)
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Wed 22 Dec 2010 14:32
which is most frugal automatic family car - Falkirk Bairn

How big/small is the car - Perodua Myvi or 7 seater Eclass sized?

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 15:17
which is most frugal automatic family car - Berisford

If those motors you've listed were on my new car (?) shortlist, reliability and depreciation would be my considerations,

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 15:37
which is most frugal automatic family car - hi135

the size i was looking at was a 2lit diesel to seat 4/5 with reasonable boot space for a golf/cricket bag atleast

i do almost 20k or more per year,a road/motorway driving about 120 miles return journey 4 days a week

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 17:28
which is most frugal automatic family car - SteveLee
BMW 3 Series. Of course the automatics often appear to be more frugal than the manuals in official tests as the 'boxes are allowed to change up into top gear where the manuals are held in lower gears.
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Wed 22 Dec 2010 20:16
which is most frugal automatic family car - daveyjp

But top gear at low speed = worse mpg. What you can do with an auto is programme the changes to maximise economy - all auto diesels I've had have changed at about 2,000 rpm and then settled at about 1,600 rpm - just where the turbo isn't needed.

DSG boxes are the best autos for high mpg, but reliability is hit and miss. I've had two - one was excellent, the other needed major work after a year.

If decent mpg is a high priority consider the Skoda range - the Octavia is large enough for your needs, the Superb is limo like.

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 17:54
which is most frugal automatic family car - Brit_in_Germany

The VW Passat Estate 140 HP BlueMotion has a figure of 135g/km CO2 and was pretty impressive as a hire car this summer.

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Wed 22 Dec 2010 18:43
which is most frugal automatic family car - SteveLee

The VW Passat Estate 140 HP BlueMotion has a figure of 135g/km CO2 and was pretty impressive as a hire car this summer.

It'll burn no fuel at all as it sits in the dealers waiting to be repaired - again. I know two people with new Passat diesels, they have both been utter nightmares, a 1970s Skoda Estelle would be more dependable!
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Wed 22 Dec 2010 19:28
which is most frugal automatic family car - injection doc

I have owned countless auto's & the small ones are horrid, slow, dangerous & thirsty.

Mostly 2,0ltr and above are OK. the most fuel efficent I had was a 58 Passatt 2.0tdi 140 bhp Highline saloon. i could easily achieve 58mpg on a run. I wasn't a lover of the DSG box compared to most autos but its fuel economey was astounding.

I have owned 3 passats & two were high mileage ones which kept going no problem & one which was low mileage when I bought it & burn't my wallet some what! but having said that i was convinced that the dealer thought i was a cash cow!

I have to say the Passat was the most economical by far & it was ok to drive on long runs & my tall teenagers used to find plenty of room in the rear & the boot was good.

Ugly front but did what it said on the tin. I would have another.

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Thu 23 Dec 2010 16:49
which is most frugal automatic family car - pyruse

I have owned countless auto's & the small ones are horrid, slow, dangerous & thirsty.

That's not true. Owned several small autos, and they are not horrid, slow, dangerous or thirsty. Sounds like you just prefer big cars.

Current Honda Jazz CVT is great to drive, easily fast enough, handles well, and returns 50 MPG

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Thu 23 Dec 2010 16:55
which is most frugal automatic family car - injection doc

I suppose it depends on what you are used too , but one of my daughters had a Jazz CVT and it was rather sluggish at pulling away at big roundabouts & getting into the flow of traffic. It was no rocket ship & fuel economy wasn't good unless you drive like a nun.

Once you were at 65ish there was nothing left for overtaking ! 70 in a head wind was hard work !

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