Until relatively recently, buying a used car with two pedals instead of three was considered the height of recklessness. Today, such fears have passed, since it is already known which models will not cause much trouble if used carefully. The editors of Motor magazine have compiled a list of five unpopular, but strong automatic transmission options.
Experts have long noted the reliability of automatic transmissions in Volkswagen Polo, Hyundai Solaris, as well as their derivatives – Skoda Rapid and Kia Rio, respectively. But these models are not easy to buy on a limited budget: the cheapest cars, as a rule, are killed by harsh operation.
But there are examples that are much less in demand by the general public, and therefore easier to select: on message boards you can find extremely attractive sedans and hatchbacks of relatively new years of manufacture and with relatively low mileage. Below is their list.
Toyota Yaris
Toyota
Aisin U340E is considered a truly legendary development: this hydraulic automatic machine is capable of outlasting the motor with which it is combined, often covering more than 300-400 thousand km without serious intervention. With timely oil changes, the service life is impressive.
The only downside worth noting is the comparative slowness of switching, but this drawback can definitely be forgiven for the fantastic reliability of the unit. As for cars, in addition to the small Yaris, this “automatic” was also equipped with the larger Corolla and Auris: they are easier to find on the market (the choice is wider), but their prices will be higher.
AvtoVAZ
In 2012, AvtoVAZ equipped the Granta with a classic hydromechanical transmission of the famous Jatco brand: a 16-valve 1.6-liter engine with a power of 98 hp was then coupled to the Japanese automatic transmission.
The gearbox has a very long service life, high maintainability and a simple design. And the main disadvantage is the low location of the stamped four-speed crankcase: the ground clearance is the official 160 mm, but the distance to the automatic transmission pan is even less, so you should be more careful off-road.
By the way, instead of the Granta, you can also consider related cars of the Datsun brand – the on-DO sedan or the mi-DO hatchback, which can offer an absolutely similar power unit.
Nissan
Another classic “torque converter”, which can be characterized by the words “made to last”, and it was made a long time ago – the first samples date back to 1990.
True, experts interviewed by the editors of Motor magazine noted one feature: over time, as it wears out, the “automatic” may begin to “kick” when changing gears. In most cases, the problem can be solved by adjusting the brake band rather than doing a major overhaul.
On all Nissans (Almera Classic, Note and Tiida), the unit runs for a long time, and in the event of a serious breakdown it is easier to buy a contract one than to repair an old one – their price at disassembly is about 50 thousand rubles.
Skoda
The unit is a joint product of Aisin and Volkswagen, where the German side was responsible for the cooling system, aggregation and settings of the control unit.
By the time the second Fabia appeared, the six-speed Aisin Warner TF-61SN had managed to overcome all possible diseases, becoming a completely reliable option. “Automatic” can be found on many models of the brands Audi, BMW, Ford, Saab, SEAT, Volkswagen and even BAW, but it is the Skoda Fabia II that will be the most recent and inexpensive.
Hyundai
The A4CF1 unit traces its origins to Mitsubishi transmissions, but was independently modified by Hyundai engineers. It is widely found on a variety of cars of Korean brands of those years.
On runs after 150 thousand km, a simple “four-speed” when changing gears can disappoint with thoughtfulness and jolts, but continue to work. And it works for a very long time, especially if you don’t forget to change the oil in it.
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