Small Car Recommendations

[OwlHoot]

I'd recommend a Hyundai Sonata. Never driven one, but I've heard good things about it, and you can get them with automatic too.

HTH

[Moose423956]

I'd recommend a Hyundai Sonata. Never driven one, but I've heard good things about it, and you can get them with automatic too.

HTH

Norfolk 'n' way

[IR35 Avoider]

There are versions of Citroen C4 and Peugot 107 and 308 with automatic gearboxes that are in VED band B. Though you may need to test drive them to see if you like the gearbox as they may be automated manuals rather than conventional automatics. The Mitsibushi i is an interesting option.

If buying a new car I would look at a Golf with 1.4 TSI engine and 7-speed DSG transmission. Both engine and gearbox are the latest technology. The gearbox has the smoothness of a conventional automatic combined with performance and economy of a manual.

[Moose423956]

There are versions of Citroen C4 and Peugot 107 and 308 with automatic gearboxes that are in VED band B. Though you may need to test drive them to see if you like the gearbox as they may be automated manuals rather than conventional automatics. The Mitsibushi i is an interesting option.

If buying a new car I would look at a Golf with 1.4 TSI engine and 7-speed DSG transmission. Both engine and gearbox are the latest technology. The gearbox has the smoothness of a conventional automatic combined with performance and economy of a manual.

The only issue I have with a manual is use of the clutch in heavy traffic over a period of time, as it gives me sciatica on my left side. As soon as I bought my first auto the sciatica disappeared.

Edit: actually, sciatica is a great name for a car. The Honda Sciatica.

Edit: here's another one, the Hyundai Tulip. God, I'm on form today.

[IR35 Avoider]

The only reason for choosing a manual over the DSG gearbox would be cost. Reviewers of cars with double-clutch gearboxes have found that even when a particular model allowed them to take over control of the gear changes from the gearbox computer, they ended up driving in automatic mode, because it was so good. There was a very favourable review of a Porsche 911 with this kind of gearbox in the Telegraph.

(Edit: just to be clear, the double-clutch gearbox doesn't have a clutch pedal! It looks like a conventional automatic to the driver. The clutches are operated by a computer. There are effectively two gearboxes, one for the odd gears, another for the even, the computer does gear changes by simultaneously releasing the clutch on one gearbox and engaging it on the other, achieving a gear change in 10 milliseconds. The computer calculates which gear you are going to change into next and positions the idle gearbox for the change ahead of time.)

[DimPrawn]

Toyota Aygo (Group 1 insurance, 62 mpg, £35 road tax).
Drives like a go-kart i.e. good fun. Very reliable and nippy round town.

Not for motorways although going downhill, fully laden, I managed 90 mph and got a Beemer to get out of my way

I don't think you can get an Aygo in the UK with a proper auto box. Not that anyone should really want a 1.0 L automatic.

[Lockhouse]

Wife's got a Corsa. Small & reliable.

[DimPrawn]

If you want to find the right car based on VED band, emissions etc, you can use this.

http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search/vedSearch.asp

[DimPrawn]

Wife's got a Corsa. Small & reliable.

What about the car?

[Moose423956]

Wife's got a Corsa. Small & reliable.

Yes, but what about the car?