If you prefer to take some of the stress out of driving by having an automatic, but don’t need a large engine or car, you may find your choice is slightly limited, especially with a budget constraint too. 

Thankfully though, this blog will give some good options for the best small automatic cars in the UK, all for under £5,000.

Honda Jazz - 1.3h IMA CVT - from £4,800

Whilst the styling may not be to everyone's taste, you can’t dispute the practicality or reliability of a used Honda Jazz.

As standard, it offers pretty much the same storage space as a larger family-sized hatchback, but all whilst being only slightly bigger than a supermini.

Even though the Jazz seems to hold its value well, £5,000 will comfortably get you either the 1.3 hybrid-CVT drivetrain, or the 1.4 petrol engine. Both will provide long service, provided they are serviced on time, and no gear changing needed!

Expect to get a 2012 car with around 80,000 miles on the clock for £5k, check for service history and underbody corrosion, the one weakness of most small Japanese cars.

Ford Fiesta - from £4,500

As it’s the best-selling car in the UK, there’s no doubt the Fiesta works well for UK roads, its compact exterior combined with ample interior space make it the perfect sized car for many. 

The options for automatics are limited, with mainly petrol engines to pick from. 

A post-2013 car certainly looks more modern, but make sure the engine oil has been changed on time, many of these 1.0-litre Ecoboost engines suffered with premature engine failure, mainly thanks to oil degradation. 

An earlier, pre-2013 car won’t give the same issues, but the 1.4 or 1.6 engines are a little less efficient.

£4,500 will buy a pre-2012 car with under 80,000 miles, budget nearer £5,000 for the later car, but watch out for that service history!

Skoda Fabia DSG - from £4,000

There’s plenty of engine choices to pick from with this generation (07-14)of Skoda Fabia, from the 1.2 TSI, a turbocharged petrol, to the really quite nippy 1.4 vRS. 

All three options can be paired to the Volkswagen Audi Group DSG gearbox, which is a great box, as long as it’s maintained.

Inside, even the high spec vRS model feels a little bare, with mostly hard plastics and a purely functional design. The included features are generally quite good, though with most vRS models having cruise control, air conditioning and parking sensors.

Volkswagen Polo - 1.4 DSG - from £4,300

As it’s based on the same platform as the Skoda Fabia mentioned above, the 09-17 shape VW Polo offers roughly the same amount of space inside, with the benefit of having a slightly better interior, there’s less harsh plastics, and the dash and controls are much more aesthetically pleasing.

Mechanically, the Polo and Fabia are very similar, sharing the same selection of engines and gearboxes. 

If you want to grab a bargain under £5000, then you’ll likely have to settle for slightly higher mileage, or an older vehicle, if you want the VW over the Skoda.

Kia Ceed 1.6 CRDi - from £4,200

Whilst the pre-2012 models now look a bit dated, the later Kia Ceed (2012-2018) still feels somewhat contemporary. 

They feature the same shape grille as the new cars, and the LED side lights add to the modern feel. 

Only one engine option is really available to those needing an auto; the 1.6 turbo diesel. Thankfully this engine is a pretty good one, offering reliability and a claimed 62 MPG, even with the automatic gearbox.

A low mileage 2014 Kia Ceed model can be bought for just under £5,000, and there’s plenty of choice on the secondhand market.

Volkswagen Golf - 1.6 TDI DSG - £5,000

Certainly on the larger size of what could be considered a small car, you do get a lot for your money with a Volkswagen Golf.

The 1.6 TDI gives a good balance of economy and power, with a claimed 67MPG possible. If you do plenty of motorway journeys, you might find the extra power that comes with the 2.0 TDI worthwhile.

For less than £5,000 you will be looking at cars made around 2010 - 2013, you can typically find examples with just under 100,000 miles on the clock.

Make sure the DSG gearbox has been serviced, it is a well-performing gearbox, but can give issues if not maintained.

Suzuki Swift 1.5 - from £4,000

The Suzuki Swift is a great little car, they have a decent amount of interior space, reasonably good handling and are cheap to run. The auto is only available with the larger 1.5 litre engine, which is still reasonably good on fuel and cheap to insure. 

Like many small Japanese cars, the interior is functional but basic, with steering wheel controls and air conditioning being the most you can expect.

A great deal because with £4,000 you’ll be able to buy a half-decent car, with sub 80,000 miles, though it will be a little older than most on this list.

Nissan Leaf 24kWh - £5,000

Certainly a left-field option, and whilst not strictly an automatic, an electric car does have the same easy driving style, having just two pedals.

The Nissan Leaf was one of the first affordable EVs that appeared on the market, but there’s still plenty of life to be had from an older electric car. 

The significant downside of an older EV is the reduction in range, when the new Leaf had around 100 miles, a 2017 car, which is just about possible on a £5k budget, is likely to have around 75 miles of range in 2025. 

For those with short commutes, and somewhere to charge it, this could be a viable budget option. 

Toyota Aygo Multimode - from £4,000

Being one of the most popular super-minis since its release, the Toyota Aygo clearly filled a gap in the market for a very small, reliable car perfect for new drivers or those living in cities. 

Thankfully, it was also offered in an automatic version, called the “Multimode”. The name refers to the ability to be driven in manual mode.

Its gearbox is an automated-manual, something I would usually say to stay away from, but despite being a little hesitant at low speeds, the multimode box is said to be surprisingly good, and above all, reliable.

A 2012-2013 Toyota Aygo can be bought for under £4,000, with less than 100,000 miles on the clock.

Automatic FAQs

What is the best type of automatic to buy?

Its said that the traditional torque-converter gearbox is the most dependable, as it is the simplest. However they are less efficient than a DSG or twin clutch gearbox, and usually best suited to cars with bigger engines. 

Are automatic cars worth it?

It depends on your circumstances, for some people, depressing the clutch can become tiresome or painful, especially in traffic. Autos also allow you to focus more on the road ahead.

That said, manuals are usually cheaper, and offer new drivers a chance to acutely understand how their drivetrain functions, which can help further down the road.

What are the downsides of an automatic car?

There aren’t many, some drivers prefer the level of control you can get with a manual gearbox. Depending on the gearbox, they can be less efficient. Typically any problems that arise with the gearbox will be more expensive with an automatic, too.

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Author - Joseph Law

Joseph has been writing about cars for over seven years and writing for Bumper for over two, blending his passion for automobiles with a talent for storytelling.

Joseph has written about engineering and cars for Autozilla, Komaspec, and several engineering manufacturers. When he's not writing or tinkering with one of his cars, Joseph dreams of owning an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale.