Best used automatic small cars for less than £10,000
Are you a fan of affordable small cars, but not manual gearboxes? Well, here are the best automatic small cars on the used market, and they're all less than £10,000...
Traditionally, if you wanted an automatic gearbox in your car, you had to go large and expensive. This is because smaller models were usually equipped with a manual. That trend has changed over the last few years and more people are now buying automatic small cars – people are buying more automatic cars in general, actually.
Increased demand results in increased supply and there are many good options to choose from now, even used. Here, we've listed 10 of our favourite small automatic cars for a budget of £10,000 or less.
Strengths
- Spacious interior
- Good to drive
- Standard infotainment system
Weaknesses
- Hard interior plastics
- Low speed ride could be better
- Shortage of advanced safety kit
It may have been replaced by the newer 2021-onwards Skoda Fabia, but don't let that put you off: this previous-gen model is fantastic. It's mechanically based on the VW Polo and it's cheaper. It was our Car of the Year in 2015 and Used Small Car of the Year in our 2020 and 2021 awards. It's well equipped, has lots of interior space and a comfortable ride. The smooth dual-clutch automatic gearbox completes what is already a very cool, calm and collected machine. Only a mixed result in our most recent reliability survey stands against it here.
We found: 2019 Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI DSG SE, 28,655 miles, £9960
Read our full used Skoda Fabia review
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Strengths
- Brilliant to drive
- Good equipment levels
- Punchy engines
Weaknesses
- Small boot compared with rivals
- Not as much rear leg room as a VW Polo or Seat Ibiza
- Some cheap interior plastics
The Fiesta was a bestseller for good reason, with this final model arguably marking the height of its career. It's excellent to drive – the best in its class – with an expert ride and handling balance, even if it isn't quite as cushy as the Fabia. Examples featuring the Powershift automatic gearbox aren't as common as manual models, but there are still plenty to choose from.
We found: 2019 Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium Powershift 5dr, 45,558 miles, £9200
Read our full used Ford Fiesta review
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Our pick: 1.0 2 5dr
Strengths
- Useful boot
- Good fun to drive
- Long warranty
Weaknesses
- Slightly firm ride
- Noisy engines
- Dated infotainment on cheaper versions
You might be surprised you can even get the Picanto with an automatic gearbox, because it's an inexpensive city car and one typically seen sporting a gear lever and clutch pedal.
That isn't the only pleasant surprise the Picanto has to offer, mind you. Despite its compactness and urban focus, it offers lots of big car features and some sprightly engines. In other words, it's versatile and well rounded.
We found 2019 Kia Picanto 1.25 2 auto, 70,499 miles, £8695
Read our full used Kia Picanto review
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Our pick: 1.2 Advance 5dr
Strengths
- Strong 1.2 engine
- Quieter than its rivals
- Class-leading infotainment system
- Terrific reliability
Weaknesses
- Not as fun to drive as a VW Up
- Safety and security not as good as some
- A little pricey
This i10 shares much of its parts (and greatness) with the Kia Picanto, although it's a slightly older model. The 2020-present Hyundai i10 has since taken its place and, if you happen to have a little more than £10,000 to spend, we'd suggest taking a good look at that car. However, if you'd prefer to stay firmly within our budget, there's no harm in going for the spacious, reliable, good-to-drive runaround pictured above.
We found 2019 Hyundai i10 1.2 SE Auto, 41,277 miles, £9400
Read our full used Hyundai i10 review
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Our pick: 30 TFSI Sport 5dr
Strengths
- Refined petrol engines
- Agile handling
- Superb interior quality
Weaknesses
- Diesel is noisy
- S line suspension hurts ride comfort
- A little pricey for the age of car
- Question mark around reliability
You'll have to go a little older (than most cars on this list) if you want an Audi A1 within budget, but that's the price you pay for luxury. Both in regards to interior quality and driving refinement, the A1 is, well, A1. It's about as plush as small cars get and that's a key reason why it was our overall What Car? Car of the Year in 2011.
We found: 2016 Audi A1 1.0 TFSI Sport S tronic, 47,741 miles, £9999
Read our full used Audi A1 review
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Strengths
- Fun to drive
- Low running costs
Weaknesses
- Not as practical as some rivals
- Some cheap materials inside
The original Mini is an icon and its charm lives on in this, the Mini Hatch. Its style doesn't rule over substance, though, because the Hatch has all the amenities and features you'd want from a modern small car. It's also rather posh, with a high level of interior quality. The only thing it isn't rolling in is space and practicality.
We found: 2017 Mini Hatch 1.2 One auto, 60,000 miles, £9990
Read our full used Mini Hatch review
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Our pick: 1.0 TSI Life 5dr
Strengths
- Classy image
- Comfortable ride
- Economical engines
Weaknesses
- Comparatively expensive
- Not as fun to drive as rivals
- Underpowered entry-level engine
The Volkswagen Polo costs more to buy than many of its direct rivals, hence it doesn't finish higher – you'll just about get a 2016 version of the older 2008-2017 Polo for our money. It has a supple ride and a well-finished interior that mimics the larger Volkswagen Golf. The small, turbocharged petrol engines are the best picks as they tend to be smoother and quieter than the diesels.
We found: 2017 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI BlueMotion Tech Match DSG, 59,259 miles, £9995
Read our full used Volkswagen Polo review
Strengths
- Very spacious
- Well equipped
- Sturdy cabin quality
Weaknesses
- Harsh ride
- Unrefined engine
- Not much fun to drive
Interior space and practicality are two Honda Jazz fortes, because it feels MPV-like inside and has rear seats that can fold completely flat, plus the base of its rear bench can also fold up against the seatback to allow tall or wide items to be loaded widthways. The model is also towards of the tree when it comes to reliability. The Jazz would have finished higher in this list if it hadn't been for its CVT gearbox sometimes being a little unrefined under acceleration.
We found: 2019 Honda Jazz 1.3 S CVT, 56,132 miles, £9800
Read our full used Honda Jazz review
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Our pick: 1.0 TCe 90 Techno 5dr
Strengths
- Flexible engines
- Proving reliable
- Low CO2 emissions
Weaknesses
- Cheapest cars are poorly equipped
- Notchy gearchange
- Tight rear head room
The previous-generation Renault Clio has always been a popular choice for those seeking a stylish small car. It's well equipped, too, especially in Dynamique Nav trim. The 1.5 dCi 90 offers great fuel economy, even with the EDC automatic gearbox, but, unless you’re planning to do lots of motorway miles, you’ll be better off with the lively 0.9 TCE petrol.
We found: 2018 Renault Clio 1.5 dCi Dynamique S Nav EDC, 57,000 miles, £9895
Read our full used Renault Clio review
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Our pick: 1.0 TSI 95 FR 5dr
Strengths
- Keenly priced
- Low running costs
- Lots to choose from
Weaknesses
- Cramped rear seats
- DSG gearbox reliability
- Rivals are better to drive
The latest version of the popular Seat Ibiza is in our price budget. The driving experience is very close to being Fiesta good. And it's more practical than a Fiesta. Our favourite 1.2-litre automatic version in well-equipped SE trim is a good bet, but so is the 1.0-litre unit in FR guise. Only a poor performance in our most recent reliability survey demotes it to 10th place here.
We found: 2018 Seat Ibiza 1.0 TSI FR DSG, 47,340 miles, £8430
Read our full used Seat Ibiza review
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