Used Automatic Cars for Sale

You might think there is just a single type of automatic gearbox available, but this is far from the case. In fact, of the cars on sale today, there is a range of different types. It’s worth noting automatic cars now outsell manual, not least helped by the fact all full-hybrid and electric cars are seen as ‘automatic’.

Let’s look at the most popular type of automatic gearboxes.

Torque converter

Historically this was the most popular type of automatic gearbox and it remains commonplace today, especially in more executive and luxury models. A torque converter works by having a thick, hydraulic liquid that transfers drive from the engine to the gearbox, helping to ensure a smooth feel.

Dual-clutch automatic

A second type is a dual-clutch automatic, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. It’s used widely in the Volkswagen Group, as well as in Hyundai and Kia models, in fact. As its name suggests, it uses two clutches, with the idea being that the car can line up the gear it thinks you’re going to take next, while one clutch is still driving the car, helping to allow for quicker gearshifts. While often very efficient, they are complex, and expensive to fix when things go wrong.

CVT

CVT gearboxes, standing for continuously variable transmission, are widely used in hybrid models, including those from Toyota and Nissan.

A CVT gearbox uses two pulleys, one connected directly to the engine and another to the wheels. These expand and contract as you accelerate and decelerate, which alters the gear ratio.

The engine is always kept between the highest and lowest ratio, meaning it’s always working in the car’s rev range. There are no fixed gears as such, which means that acceleration is smooth and linear, though they can be quite noisy.

Automated manual

Automated manual gearboxes are usually favoured to keep costs down, and are often used in small city cars.

Under the surface, the gearbox works much like a manual, but electronics decide when to change gear, rather than you having to decide – and then it disengages the clutch, selects a gear and re-engages it. They are often quite jerky, however.

The obvious advantage of an automatic gearbox is that you don’t have to change gear yourself, which is one less thing you have to worry about when driving. They’re particularly appealing if you drive in urban areas when having to change gear manually can become a chore.

While in the past automatic gearboxes could be jerky and inefficient, these days are largely over, with the best automatic gearboxes being much quicker to react and change gear than doing it yourself. Many are also more efficient on fuel, too.

The complexity of some automatic gearboxes is a disadvantage, as repairs can be expensive if anything goes wrong. Similarly, a car with an automatic gearbox will nearly always cost more to buy (either new or used) than a manual, with the exception of some sports cars where changing gears yourself via a manual gearbox is seen as an asset.

If you pass your driving test in an automatic car, you are also restricted as you won’t legally be able to drive a manual car without passing another test.