Help to choose the best pure Automatic used car with budget of 7000 GBP

Hi Quin. In terms of the hill starts, surely you can get used to building a few revs before releasing the handbrake, so that it won't roll back? I understand what you're saying, it's not as easy a conventional torque convertor automatic, but I really think you'd get used to it.

But those sequential manual autos are notoriously rubbish compared to the smoothness of an old style one and I wouldn't buy one myself.

But maybe just practise a bit, I'm sure you'll get used to building a few revs first before dropping the handbrake. Either that or see what Toyota will do, or maybe trading standards might be able to advise where you stand.

Hi Quin, my wife had a very similar experience with a Corsa Easytronic, though the salesman was up front about the rollback. It's an inconvenience rather than a danger. You do, as Evo_ermine suggests, have to put on the handbrake. I did resent that, feeling that this was an auto harder to drive in some respects to a manual. I didn't know the Toyota did this as I assumed it would have hill assist, where the brake holds for a second to let you get your foot on to the accelerator.
If you want a conventional auto, I think the Koreans still use one in the likes of the Hyundai i10 etc. Nissan also have one in the Note.

Some friends of the family experienced the same problem when they traded in their 207 auto for a MMT Aygo.  The salesman didn't explain fully about the differences of a semi-auto and they were very upset at first, finding it difficult to get on with.  They looked into getting a refund but (I forget the exact details) because a p/x was involved the dealer was reluctant.  He offered a trade-up/down to an iQ/Yaris, but the friends didn't take it.  I understand they're getting on with the Aygo now, but I think it has made them more wary.

Researching autos for my parents' potential next car, I can confirm that Hyundai/Kia still use conventional automatics, so do Chevrolet and Suzuki.  Renault and Honda autos are CVTs, I think I'm right in saying, but behave like normal automatics and/or have a hill-hold function (certainly my folks' 2.0 Scenic, which is a CVT, acts like a normal auto).  Fiat's Dualogic semi-automatic also has a hill-hold function.

When I used to work as a researcher on a quality survey for 1- and 3-year old cars, the number of complaints (or "faults") we logged in relation to [the then-new] semi-automatics - along the lines of "it rolls backwards" and "I have to put the handbrake/footbrake on" - was remarkable.  Ford's Durashift was the worst offender, I recall.

The Honda HR-V suffered from the same misapprehension of what is and isn't a full automatic.

Hi Gregor60

Thank you for your comments and I can see you fully understand the situation if your wife has the same experience as I had. when the car is on the hill, you are sort of no footrest, I have to put my feet on both break pedal and accelerator, the same time one hand hold the hand break and as soon as the hand break off, press both 2 pedals together, to make sure the car won't roll back. Omg! What a car! Especially for me, I have never driven a manual car before.  It is no joke.

I am serious looking for a pure automatic car now. I spoke to the Toyota head office, they said unfortunately Toyota won't produce Pure Auto gearbox in any small car like Yaris or Aygo.

I will take your suggestion to search Korean cars like Hyundai, I heard it is good reliable car.

Thank you again for your support.

Quin

The Korean cars idea is a good one, but always take a test drive in the specific engine and gearbox specification you're interested in.

Hi Nick,

Thank you for your reply. The 2006-2011 yaris/Aygo don't have park in the Gearbox, you only use  N to park, my neighbour told me that her father has the same car as I have, he parks it in the garage on a steep hill everyday. one day he could not open the garage door, as the car rolled down to the garage door, and it Was stuck. He mentioned he definitely put the hand break on, and the same thing happened at least 3 times. He kept writing letter to Toyota company to complain about it. 

I was searching Ford Fiesta, as I only want a small car, I am not very confident to drive a big car although our family has Audi A6, I dare not drive It. I was panic to judge the distance from parked car when i am drivng along specially when a car behind me waiting-impatiently. I think Toyota Yaris is the right size for me, so I am actually looking for a small full Automatic car.

Many thanks

Quin

Hi Evo-ermine,

I had driven my Toyota Yaris (2002) for over 5 years, I was very satisfied with its performance. Like you said in terms of Hill starts, it depenses how steep/high degree of the hill, but the traffic light usually sets up on a reasonable even surface road I guess! but the car still rev after hand break off. To be honest I felt I was driving a manual car, as the driving experience was totally different from the Toyota Yaris I had before. 

I will definitely look for a different maker with conventional automatic gearbox, as I was told by Toyota that they won't produce the full automatic gear box in small car anymore.

Thank you for your help.

Quin

No problem Quin. I'd look at a Fiesta myself as I like the looks and they are highly regarded, also the Suzuki Swift althought it has a very small boot. I seem to remember the Micra has a CVT auto 'box so I'd avoid that personally. Let us know what you finally get.  

Not sure if Renaults use a CVT - I think the Modus may use a semi-automatic, and one of the Scenics had a dreadful reliability record for its torque converter box. Don't dismiss the CVT - it's a great box for 99% of the time but if you really floor it it is noisy - the revs scream up, remain high and the car "catches up" as it were. My car, which I've only owned for a week, has a CVT and I really like it. I prefer it - shock, horror, to the revered DSG on my wife's Polo. Honda use a CVT in the Jazz, though they dallied briefly with a semi-auto called the i-Shift, which got mixed reviews.