Automatic superminis: what's important? - Verdict

If you know you need an automatic, worrying about recouping its extra cost is academic - if you need it, you need it.

However, that doesn't mean that you should simply buy the automatic version of whatever you fancy.

It pays to do your sums before you buy - for example, some cars are thirstier and emit more carbon dioxide than others, and lose performance, too.

Also make sure you test-drive all the ones on your shortlist to see what suits you - come back to whatcar.com soon, when we'll have the results of an automatic supermini supertest to help you decide.