Auto Express has named the best automatic cars in the UK, with the winner beating the iconic Porsche 911 to the top spot
Car reviewers have revealed their favourite automatic car(Image: Getty Images)
A team of motor gurus handed down an intriguing judgement as they set out to name the best non-electric automatic car on the market. They considered a wide range of cars at varying price points to crown their top pick.
The boom in automatic transmission has been unmistakable since the turn of the millennium, with modern vehicles, the length and breadth of the UK, now frequently sporting the option for an automatic gear shift. Three in 10 drivers, will choose an automatic car, according to This Is Money.
Yet, when it came time to select the finest among these vehicles, the adjudicators at Auto Express decided to exclude electric vehicles from consideration due to their unique powertrains that operate without conventional automatic gearboxes.
This decision paved the way for a list dominated by petrol and diesel-powered cars.
Electric vehicles might be all the rage, but their absence didn’t dull the surprise of the competition’s results—as more budget-friendly models soared past their higher-end competitors.
Following rigorous evaluations, the BMW 3 series emerged victorious as the UK’s premier automatic vehicle, overtaking the famed Porsche 992 911 for supremacy, reports the Mirror.
Commentators at Auto Express were full of adulation for the BMW offering.
They remarked: “BMW appears to be trading on wacky, controversial styling as of late, but the latest 3 series remains resolutely sensible – and brilliant.”
Modern BMWs go a little too heavy on the touchscreen-based controls, but it’s hard to fault the cabin’s quality of design. The 3 is a big car these days, so passenger accommodation is now pretty good.”
While the BMW boasted a significantly lower price tag than the high-performance sports car it outshone, with an initial cost of £41,220 – almost a third of its Stuttgart-based rival’s £103,700 – it was the third-placed vehicle that stole the show.
The latest iteration of the Citroen C3 truly shines, thanks to its starting price of a mere £20,115. This not only undercuts the Porsche by a factor of five but is also roughly half the cost of the BMW.
Nevertheless, it still managed to eclipse other high-end vehicles, including the Mercedes S-Class and Bentley Continental GT, to secure its podium spot.
The experts stated: “In the supermini class, the Citroen C3 stands out for its focus on comfort and practicality, particularly in the automatic petrol version.
“The C3 is more about comfort than sportiness, with light, precise steering and soft suspension…the cabin is thoughtfully designed, with clear, user-friendly controls and a spacious feel that ensures comfort for the driver and passengers.”
Budget-friendly options such as the Dacia Duster, MG3, Skoda Octavia and Renault Clio – all of which are available with manual gearboxes, also secured places within the top-ten list.
Dacia Dusters can be available for less than £20,000.
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