10 of the Best Used Small Automatic Cars to Buy

Toyota has more expertise when it comes to hybrid cars than any other manufacturer, with the firm producing its game-changing Prius more than 25 years ago. Today, nearly all new Toyotas use a hybrid setup, and if you’re looking for an automatic, the good news is that all of Toyota’s moden hybrid setups use a CVT automatic gearbox.

But if you’re after something small, it has to be the Yaris, which was first launched with a hybrid setup in 2012. It’s very easy to drive, and offers superb fuel economy, particularly the more it’s driven around urban areas where it can spend more time running on electricity. If you buy a registered before April 2017, it will be free to tax too. Strong demand for used hybrids means the Yaris Hybrid might seem quite expensive to buy, but it will offer minimal depreciation and is also renowned for its reliability.

Just because you want a small car, it doesn’t necessarily mean a compact hatchback, and with plenty of choice in the compact SUV class, it’s worth a look if you want something a bit taller and more spacious inside. One of the best choices is the Skoda Kamiq, which is available with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox across both the 114bhp 1.0-litre and 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol engines.

The DSG gearbox is one of the smoothest in any compact car, and doesn’t impact fuel economy like some other automatic gearboxes can do. The Kamiq wasn’t introduced until 2019, so used prices are still fairly high, but with generous equipment levels and a practical interior, you get a lot of car for the money.

If you’re looking for a smaller automatic that will be more fun to drive, we wouldn’t look much further than the brilliant Mini. Renowned for its ‘go-kart’ feel, this hatchback will leave you smiling after every drive, and there’s even the choice of sportier Cooper S and John Cooper Works models, alongside more conventional engines.

The Mini Hatch also offers a particualrly premium finish for such a small car, with plenty of technology and equipment that you’d usually expected to be fitted to much larger and more luxurious cars. Its fun styling inside and out, and plentiful personalisation available on the used cars on the market makes it a very appealing choice.

Another popular choice in the small car segment is the Volkswagen Polo. It’s been around for several decades, but in recent years, automatic gearboxes have come on leaps and bounds, making them a great choice if you’re looking for a compact auto. Our choice would be the fifth-generation Polo, sold between 2009 and 2017, that balances modernity and value for money.

Automatic Polos of this age use a smooth-shifting seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox available across much of the range, from small 1.2-litre units to the sporty GTI hot hatch model. The Polo continues to age well, with a nicely-finished interior still looking good to this day. It’s impressively roomy by small car standards as well.

The Honda Jazz might not be the most desirable of used cars, but if you’re looking for a reliable small car, it’s almost impossible to beat. Famed for its practicality, the Jazz offers levels of interior space more in-line with far larger vehicles. Boasting a big boot and clever ‘Magic Seats’ that can both flip up like cinema chairs or fold completely flat. It’s an ideal choice for those wanting a small car with lots of space.

We’d recommend a third-generation Jazz, sold between 2015 and 2020. Though Honda did offer a manual model, most models you’ll see for sale will use an automatic gearbox – a CVT gearbox to be precise. You’ll pay a few thousand pounds more for an automatic model, such is the demand for them on the used market.

The Renault Clio is another popular small choice, and is often a car of choice for first-time drivers. Due to the Clio’s great fuel economy, affordable pricing and relatively cheap insurance. Most used Clios you’ll see for sale will have a manual transmission, but if you require an automatic, they are available.

Our vote goes towards the fourth-generation Clio, sold between 2013 and 2019. Its stylish design still looks the part more than a decade later, while most models come with plenty of equipment. The best option is a model with what Renault calls ‘EDC’, standing for ‘efficient dual clutch gearbox, which was offered on petrol and diesel models at the time.

Generally speaking, automatic gearboxes don’t tend to work as well in smaller cars, and that’s why when you get down to the smallest city cars, they’re often compromised. That is unless you consider an electric city car – something like the Seat Mii Electric, for example.

Ideal for around town, the Mii Electric is the twin to the Volkswagen Up! and while on sale for a number of years with petrol engines, between 2020 and 2021 it was also sold as an EV. It’s surprisingly nippy and delivers a claimed range of around 160 miles, which is ideal for local miles. It’s roomier than you might expect, and offers fantastic value for money on the used market.

If you’re looking for the best small crossover, the Ford Puma is very tough to beat. This compact model is based on the Fiesta, and carries over that car’s fantastic driving experience, but adds more style and more interior space into the mix – especially when it comes to luggage room. Given the Puma is one of the UK’s most popular cars, there’s plenty of used examples for sale too.

While a manual gearbox is the default on the Puma, Ford also offered a seven-speed automatic gearbox, which was later introduced to the EcoBoost hybrid engine, which offers fantastic fuel economy for a car of this type. If you’re looking for something slightly bigger and easier to access, the Puma is certainly worth a look.

Peugeot has come on leaps and bounds in the past few years, with one of its strongest products now being the 208 supermini. This is now one of the most stylish and upmarket small cars you can buy, with an interior finish better than many other mainstream competitors.

There’s lots more going for the 208, though, not least its comfortable ride and strong refinement that makes this Peugeot ideal for those wanting a small to do longer journeys with. The eight-speed automatic gearbox, optional on 1.2-litre turbocharged engines, is one of the best you’ll find in any small car too. You could also look for the electric e-208, which offers fantastic value for money.

If you want a small car, you don’t have to just be limited to hatchbacks and small crossovers, as you could also consider an estate. Compact wagons were once fairly common, but in recent years it was only Skoda that offered a vehicle in this class with the Fabia Estate, which was finally discontinued in 2022.

It’s almost identical in terms of size to Skoda’s more modern Kamiq, yet offers a significantly larger boot at 530 litres. It also retains the standard Fabia’s strengths, including representing strong value for money and being very practical, not just in terms of luggage capacity. Automatic versions aren’t quite as common, but the seven-speed DSG gearbox is a good match for the Fabia Estate.