Best used automatic small cars for less than £10,000

The Volkswagen Polo is a comprehensively neat, all-round package and the top of our tree here. 

For starters, it's good to drive in all its variants, and it has a supple ride. The small, turbocharged petrol engines are the ones to pick as they are smoother and quieter than the diesels.

The Polo is remarkably comfortable and has a nicely finished interior that mimics the larger Volkswagen Golf. There's a good amount of room for a couple of passengers in the rear, and the boot is impressive for a car of this size. The interior exudes class, and it all feels nicely put together. All versions are well-equipped, too. 

It's our number one here because it proved slightly more reliable than the Ford Fiesta in our most recent What Car? Reliability Survey, scoring a terrific 98.5%, and also because we really like its DSG automatic gearbox. 

"Now you can buy a relatively fresh 2019 Polo for this money, it's our number one here. It's so classy and has a feeling of unburtability about it that few others here can match." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2019 Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI BlueMotion Tech Match DSG, 59,259 miles, £9995

Read our full used Volkswagen Polo review

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The Ford Fiesta is a bestseller and our runner-up here for good reason. Ford knows how to do small cars well, and the Fiesta has always been the prime example.

Its forte is its excellent driving experience, featuring a composed ride and fun handling. It's a decently comfortable and practical car, too.

Admittedly, the infotainment system isn't quite on a par with the best in the class, but the rest of the package is so good that it’s hardly a deal-breaker.

Examples featuring the Powershift automatic gearbox aren't as common as manual models, but there are still plenty to choose from. Reliability is strong, too, with a good 95.2% score in our most recent reliability survey. 

"Who doesn't love the old Fiesta? I miss it for its driving pleasure and all-round practicality. Buy used and smile, I say, and it's great in automatic mode too." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2019 Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium Powershift 5dr, 45,558 miles, £9200

Read our full used Ford Fiesta review

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The Toyota Yaris must be a wizard because few can master petrol and electric power quite like it. It combines the two for incredible fuel efficiency, and, as if by magic, this hybrid achieves that without the need to be plugged in.

That hybrid system also means the Yaris is a two-pedal car, and this is an easy-to-drive automatic. Its spellbinding talents don't end there either. It's reliable, cheap to run and good value used. It's also smart and roomy, being one of the more spacious cars in its class. Despite this, it's quite compact outside, making it easy to park and place on the road. 

What you'd be getting is a solidly built small car that's good to drive, if not admittedly quite as much fun as some of its rivals, like the Fiesta. All in, though, it's a neat package and a great used buy. 

"A solidly built and really nice car, this one. Good looking too, I think. It should be one of the cheaper cars here to run." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2019 Toyota Yaris 1.5 Hybrid Design, 47,000 miles, £9995

Read our full used Toyota Yaris review

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Small cars don’t come much more desirable than the Mini Hatch. It handles well, comes with a large range of engines and has a funky, high-quality interior. The automatic option is a good one, too, so progress is always smooth. 

True, you lose out on boot space and the rear seats are a little cramped, but if practicality isn’t so much of an issue, there’s no doubt the Mini is a car that appeals to the heart.

Reliability is excellent, with a terrific 99% score in our most recent reliability survey, but used prices are higher age-for-age than some rivals here. 

"There's no substitute for the Mini. I love them. If you could get a slightly newer one for our money, it'd be up the top of this chart." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2019 Mini Hatch 1.2 One auto, 60,000 miles, £9990

Read our full used Mini Hatch review

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You might be surprised that you can even get the Kia Picanto with an automatic gearbox, because it's an inexpensive city car and one typically seen sporting a gear lever and clutch pedal.

That isn't the only pleasant surprise the Picanto has to offer, mind you. Despite its compactness and urban focus, it offers lots of big car features and some sprightly engines. In other words, it's versatile and well-rounded, refined and economical. 

City cars often have skimpy equipment levels and meagre engines, but the Kia Picanto offers lots of big car features. It's a great blend of space, performance, comfort and equipment. 

Its small size and light steering make it a doddle to park – ideal for a small city car, really. Reliability is great, too, with a score of 98.5% in our most recent survey. You can put one on your driveway for as little as £6000 now. 

"It's so close between this and the i10, it's like choosing your favourite child. The Picanto's just ahead on value, and it feels slightly newer than the previous-gen i10." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found 2019 Kia Picanto 1.25 2 auto, 70,499 miles, £8695

Read our full used Kia Picanto review

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This Hyundai i10 shares much of its parts (and greatness) with the Kia Picanto, although it's a slightly older model.

The 2020-present Hyundai i10 has since taken its place and, if you happen to have a little more than £10,000 to spend, we'd suggest taking a good look at that car. However, if you'd prefer to stay firmly within our budget, there's no harm in going for the spacious, reliable, good-to-drive runaround pictured above. 

If you're looking for a tiny town car that offers more civilised motoring on a sensible budget, the Hyundai i10 is an ideal candidate. It's relatively spacious, comes with a smart-looking interior and great infotainment system, and rides and drives more impressively than plenty of bigger, pricier cars.

More refined than the automatic version of the Skoda Citigo, it'll cost you a fraction more like-for-like to buy, but it's worth it. 

"A lovely little car, this one, one of my personal favourites. You can pick up the latest i10 for this money, and that's an even better car, but only in manual form." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found 2019 Hyundai i10 1.2 SE Auto, 41,277 miles, £8700

Read our full used Hyundai i10 review

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The Renault Clio has always been a popular choice for all of those seeking a stylish, refined and grown-up small car, yet you can pick up this latest-gen model for very reasonable money.

You can save on fuel costs by choosing a hybrid version, too, although we reckon most people will be happy with the cheaper (and more reliable) 1.0-litre petrol engine. 

A major selling point is the Clio's interior, which looks and feels smart inside and comes loaded with goodies. Rear space isn't as good as some of its rivals here, but the boot is impressively large. 

More good news comes with the used car prices, which are highly competitive. Its reliability is similarly good, with an overall score of 93.5% in our survey. 

"The Clio has always been blessed with a bit of French flair. It's always caught my eye. I like the space inside and the driving experience, too" – Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2021 Renault Clio 1.0 TCe Iconic, 40,768 miles, £9499

Read our used Renault Clio review

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We've always had a soft spot for the Honda Jazz, and this 2015-2020 generation is definitely worth a good look.

Interior space and practicality are two Honda Jazz fortes, because it feels MPV-like inside and has rear seats that can fold completely flat, plus the base of its rear bench can also fold up against the seatback to allow tall or wide items to be loaded widthways. Maximising useful interior space was Honda’s aim with this generation of Jazz, and it succeeded.

This model is also towards the top of the tree when it comes to reliability. It's also good to drive and comfortable to ride in. 

However, the Jazz would have finished higher in this top 10 list if it hadn't been for its CVT gearbox sometimes being a little unrefined under acceleration, and the intrusion of a little more road noise than some of its rivals produce. 

"The Jazz is a great car. Practical and reliable, and so, so spacious. I don't mind the CVT gearbox as much as some, so this would definitely be one of the ones I'd buy here." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2019 Honda Jazz 1.3 S CVT, 56,132 miles, £9800

Read our full used Honda Jazz review

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You'll have to go a little older (than most cars on this list) if you want an Audi A1 within budget, say a 2017 example, but that's the price you pay for luxury.

Both regarding interior quality and driving refinement, the A1 is, well, A1. It's about as plush as small cars get, and that's a key reason why it was our overall What Car? Car of the Year way back in 2011.

On top of that, it offered a good range of engines, though we'd stick to the petrol-powered cars, a smooth ride and tidy handling. It was relatively quiet, too, and although the rear room is a little tight, it makes up for it by being dinky in its exterior dimensions, meaning it's a doddle to drive and easy to park. 

Meanwhile, its reliability is also good, with a strong score of 97.5% in our most recent survey. 

"Blimey, this is classy. A great and typically Audi interior. I love it. Put me down for one." - George Hill, used cars writer

We found: 2017 Audi A1 1.0 TFSI Sport S tronic, 47,741 miles, £9999

Read our full used Audi A1 review

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It may have been replaced by the newer 2021-onwards Skoda Fabia, but don't let that put you off: this previous-gen model is fantastic.

It's mechanically based on the VW Polo, and it's cheaper. It was our Car of the Year in 2015 and Used Small Car of the Year in our 2020 and 2021 awards. It's well equipped, has lots of interior space and a comfortable ride. The smooth dual-clutch automatic gearbox completes what is already a very cool, calm and collected machine.

Only a mixed result in our most recent reliability survey counts against it here, and is the reason it doesn't finish higher up our top 10. 

"The Fabia was number one on this chart until its reliability score was revealed this year. A great car, but others will be more dependable, it seems." - Mark Pearson, used cars editor

We found: 2019 Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI DSG SE, 28,655 miles, £9960

Read our full used Skoda Fabia review

Find a used Skoda Fabia for sale