Growing numbers of drivers across the UK are switching to cars with automatic gearboxes, attracted by the convenience of not having to manually change gears themselves.
However, with such an enormous range of options on the market, choosing the right vehicle can be a real challenge.
I was fortunate enough to get behind the wheel of seven automatics at last month’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Test Day.
With roughly 20 minutes available per car — given the ratio of journalists to vehicles — I set about determining which one performed best when the roads became twisty.
I’ve ranked the cars from seventh to first — and the top spot could prove invaluable when deciding which automatic car to purchase, reports the Express.
View 8 ImagesChristopher Sharp with the Chery Tiggo 9(Image: Christopher Sharp)
The Chery Tiggo 9 is a large plug-in hybrid SUV from Chinese manufacturer Chery. It bears a strong resemblance to the Chery Tiggo 8, which I reviewed last year and which was crowned Mat Watson‘s Car Of The Year.
Simply put, it’s a spacious, comfortable vehicle boasting a large touchscreen. It moves, which certainly helps, and on the road it’s perfectly inoffensive to drive. It steers. It stops. It goes — though acceleration felt rather stately than swift.
Over bumps the ride is perfectly adequate and pleasantly comfortable. Through corners there’s minimal feedback through the steering wheel, though this was never a car designed to inspire spirited driving. Not spectacular, but far from awful either.
Rating: 6/10
View 8 ImagesChristopher Sharp with the Jaecoo 7(Image: Christopher Sharp)
Ah yes, the Jaecoo 7, a car The Economist dubbed the ‘Temu Range Rover’ several weeks ago. The automotive symbol of modern Britain’s roads. This vehicle has been a regular fixture on SMMT’s best-seller charts for quite some time.
Truth be told, I wasn’t certain what to expect from the Jaecoo behind the wheel. It might carry a lower price tag than the car it resembles, but would it deliver? Actually, it proved surprisingly solid and brought to mind a Land Rover Freelander. While it’s undeniably wide, its short wheelbase lends it an unexpectedly agile character.
Though admittedly not a particularly high bar to clear, the steering offered more feedback than the Tiggo 9. The engine provided decent pull and the brakes performed adequately — it was perfectly acceptable.
Rating: 7/10
View 8 ImagesChristopher Sharp with the Peugeot 308 SW(Image: Christopher Sharp)
The Peugeot was the first car I drove at this years’ SMMT test day. It’s a hybrid estate from the respected French manufacturer and a reasonably practical one at that, proving not all functional vehicles need to adopt SUV proportions.
Behind the wheel, it felt very balanced with impressive engine response and considerably more feedback through both steering and suspension than the Chinese vehicles I’d sample later that day. It was entirely agreeable, though it did possess one minor quirk that I found somewhat peculiar.
Directly in front of every driver sits an instrument binnacle or display showing crucial details such as revs, speed and other vital information. However, once I’d adjusted the car to my preferred driving position, the steering wheel obscured it entirely.
While this could be resolved by finding an alternative seating arrangement, it’s something I’ve never encountered in either a classic or contemporary vehicle before.
Rating: 7/10
View 8 ImagesChristopher Sharp with the Maserati Gran Turismo(Image: Christopher Sharp)
The Maserati stands as the priciest motor on this list. Boasting a three-litre V6, over 450bhp, and weighing just north of 1,600kg, the laws of physics worked firmly in its favour.
I must confess, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The gearbox responses are razor-sharp and it brings an enormous grin to your face, even if that grin fades somewhat when you start fretting about the low-slung nose.
Rating: 7.5/10
View 8 ImagesChristopher Sharp with the Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid(Image: Christopher Sharp)
From the priciest on this list to the most affordable, yet arguably superior, the Fiat Grande Panda Hybrid has ranked highly amongst the best small cars currently available in the UK.
Despite featuring a modest 1.2-litre petrol engine, it benefits from hybrid assistance to help power it forward, and power forward it does impressively. Like other compact Italian motors that came before it, the Panda Hybrid proves you don’t require enormous bhp and oversized tyres to have a blast.
It’s such a joy to drive that, much like the car topping this list, you completely forget about the hybrid system and absence of a manual gearbox and simply relish the experience. Every journalist I witnessed climbing out of it had a smile, and I was no exception.
View 8 ImagesChristopher Sharp with the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio(Image: Christopher Sharp)
I’ve driven the Giulia Quadrifoglio a couple of times and I it’s a car that never fails to put a smile on my face. It’s a compact four-door saloon powered by a six-cylinder engine from a charismatic Italian marque that arrived just when we’d thought Alfa wouldn’t build such a car. again.
The model I tested featured an additional Akrapovic exhaust system, allowing that engine to sing, rumble and baritone with even greater intensity. It’s only marginally heavier than the Maserati, yet boasts more power – 520bhp with a kerb weight of just over 1,700kg.
It serves as a potent reminder of what cars can achieve, even when accommodating four passengers and several suitcases. It’s nourishment for the motoring enthusiast’s soul.
Rating: 8.5/10
View 8 ImagesChristopher Sharp with the Honda Civic e:HEV(Image: Christopher Sharp)
I can’t work out how Honda have engineered a hybrid family hatchback to handle this impressively. I was gobsmacked by this car’s driving dynamics. I’ve driven the manual Type R version of this model, which stands is an absolute legend amongst hot hatchbacks.
The fact they’ve managed to develop a car that corners, brakes and rides like this is remarkable. You rapidly forget about the hybrid powertrain and simply concentrate on the sheer pleasure of driving.
At normal speeds it’s incredibly precise and engaging, yet confidence-inspiring, demanding minimal steering inputs to navigate corners with virtually zero understeer as you accelerate through them.
It’s a scalpel of a car and behind the wheel, it’s magnificent. On top of that, as a family hatchback with room for five passengers, it ticks the practicality box as well. It may not quite match the versatility of an SUV — which is arguably essential if you have children and/or dogs — but it should more than meet the needs of most drivers.
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Rating: 9/10