The best small automatic cars - driven and tested

Best for: Material quality

The new Renault Clio supermini has a choice of two engines: a turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol triple and a hybridised 1.6-litre petrol four, badged E-Tech. 

Only the latter comes with an automatic gearbox, but both are great options on the road. 

The E-Tech hybrid produces 143bhp and power is managed by an unusual 'multimodal' automatic gearbox with two electric motors.

It’s frugal, with official efficiency of 67.3mpg, and it’s the cheapest hybrid on sale in the UK today, starting at £21,495.

Best for: Handling

The Seat Ibiza is another great option if you’re after a small car with an automatic gearbox.

While the Spanish supermini is sold with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, sporty FR trim and above get the option of a seven-speed automatic. 

This is partnered with the Volkswagen Group’s excellent 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, which produces 113bhp and offers a 0-62mph time of 10.3sec.

It's pricier than the Clio E-Tech, starting at £23,590, but you do get some decent equipment as standard, including LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, lots of safety systems and cruise control.

Best for: Price

Like the Seat Ibiza, the Skoda Fabia is a Volkswagen Polo underneath, so you’ve got the same 1.0-litre TSI petrol offering with a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

It comes in at £21,780, though, which represents a slight saving over the Seat. 

We’re big fans of the Fabia because it’s roomy and practical and has a genuinely user-friendly interior.

What's more, it rides better than some luxury cars on the market - a big boost to its appeal as an everyday runaround.

It’s not quite as fun to drive as the Ibiza, but it’s a great small car in its own right.

Best for: Character

Mini's evergreen hatchback gained a substantial update in 2024, returning for its fourth generation. 

Thankfully, it retained its eye-catching, characterful design, but the brand also chose to keep a choice of petrol or electric power. 

Drivers can choose between Cooper C, Cooper S and John Cooper Works variants.

Power starts at 154bhp in the C, jumping up to 201bhp in the S, and the JCW will pump out a punchy 229bhp when it arrives later this year. 

Mini's decision to drop the manual gearbox for this generation will be disappointing to some. It's a shame, for sure, but it doesn't stop the British-built car from offering one of the most fun driving experiences in its class.

It's the best-handling hatch besides the rally-bred Toyota GR Yaris, with brilliant traction and accurate steering. The ride is a bit firm, though.

Best for: Economy

Yet another great supermini on this list, the Toyota Yaris is offered with an automatic gearbox as standard – but things are slightly different here.

It’s an e-CVT, meaning there's just one continually variable 'gear'. Thankfully, on the surface, it works the same as a traditional automatic. 

The Yaris is priced from £22,640, which makes it one of the cheapest of its kind on sale today. Things are made even more simple because there's just one engine option: a hybridised 1.5-litre petrol.

It matches 114bhp of power (for a 9.7sec 0-62mph time) with class-leading frugality, with up to 70.6mpg officially on offer and achievable in reality.

Best for: Boot space 

After its heralded arrival as an EV, Jeep's compact crossover gained a mild-hybrid petrol option, which brings a near-£10,000 saving and - you guessed it - an automatic gearbox.

It’s the same six-speed dual-clutch automatic as in the Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208 (all are part of the vast Stellantis stable) with a gearbox-mounted electric motor. 

The motor-and-gearbox combination boosts performance by 30% in the mid-range, but it can be slow to change up or down when you want it to.

That said, it’s still a good alternative to the petrol manual and electric options also offered in the Avenger line-up.

Power stands at 127bhp and torque is 151lb ft, which should be more than enough for most drivers. 

Best for: Style

The Hyundai i20 is a stylish option that isn't the driver of sales it once was but still has an important role to play. 

It's available with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and although it isn't the most spritely option, it is nevertheless fairly frugal, offering 52.3mpg. 

The gearbox is mated to a 1.0-litre turbocharged engine with just 99bhp.

It's a pleasant small car; just don't expect fireworks.

Best for: Visibility

The second Toyota on our list of the best small cars with an automatic gearbox is the Aygo X, a compact crossover best described as an Aygo on stilts.

It packs a 1.0-litre petrol engine (no turbocharger here, mind) with 70bhp, which on paper looks a bit measly and underpowered. It’s not bad in town, but that claimed 0-62mph of 14.8sec is telling. 

Because it’s not a hybrid, it’s much cheaper than the larger Toyota Yaris. You will need to spend just £17,245 for the basic 1.0-litre engine with an S-CVT - or ‘small’ CVT.

In our view, the Aygo X's interior is value motoring perfected, with brilliant ergonomics and technology. Refinement is great too. 

Best for: Passenger space

There’s just one powertrain available on the Honda Jazz and just one gearbox option too.

The Jazz comes with an e-CVT and is priced from £26,395. That makes it one of the more expensive options on this list.

It’s a full hybrid, unlike the Jeep Avenger and Vauxhall Corsa, so it can deliver electric-only driving at low speeds, with the engine effectively working as a generator to charge the battery that feeds the motor.

You will get good fuel economy too, with Honda claiming a combined average of 62.8mpg.