Car dilemma. Hoping someone can help!

I have an automatic BMW 3 Series, my third BMW. I’ve never experienced this lagging you mention.

Test driving is the way to go so make some appointments and see what you think.

i drive a hyundai i10 automatic and i love it. it's a motability car so i've no idea on price.
as i'm a larger lady i was concerned about the amount of room in the driver's seat but there's plenty of room and a passenger isn't sitting shoulder ti shoulder with me.
i haven't noticed any lag when driving off at junctions or traffic lights and the acceleration is great (not that i zoom off at junctions unlike some drivers).
i would recommend hyundai and if you don't feel the i10 is roomy enough there's the i20.

I have a 2019 VW Tiguan automatic. ULEZ compliant. No lag. Very nice to drive and very responsive. I hope your husband finds a car to suit him

Jess20

Hate the scrappage system. Can't he hang on to the Volvo and find another way to get through the ulez or do you live inside it or something? Never going to be greener to have to scrap a good car

I'm guessing that Wiser lives in a similar area to us, we are in ULEZ and have no choice. Prior to the recent changes we were very close to the boundary and it would have been very easy to slip into it without realising, so we ditched our old cars (26 and 21 years old) replacing with with compliant vehicles.
We didn't have scrappage at the time so it was an expensive exercise, but it would have had to be done fairly soon anyway.

Wiser surely your husband can ask the sales person about this issue?

I don't think that modern automatics would be any problem at all, but obviously a test drive is the answer.

Hate the scrappage system. Can't he hang on to the Volvo and find another way to get through the ulez or do you live inside it or something? Never going to be greener to have to scrap a good car

Marmin you have still got to "gel" with a car though. Irrespective of reliability.
What you need is to find a car that "feels" right as well as operating reliably.

Lexus is a Toyota brand but super-smooth and luxurious. If I had spare cash I'd definitely look there! I haven't driven a new one except as a hire car for s few days but that was an automatic abd didn't judder either.

My son has an Audi S3. His wife's is an Audi A4.

Don't modern cars have two turbos?
One starting low revs and one high revs? And then surely the new car electronics should be countering that.

I would definitely look at newer Audis if you haven't already.

I think Nannarose has mentioned the three key words. Toyota, Honda, Kia. All modern cars are reliable, some more than others though. These three invariably top reliability charts each year. Particularly in automatic form. Join the owners'forums online, ask questions and seek advice. You will be welcomed. Take your time, make up your own minds - it is a big expense. Good luck.

Jane43 - this Jazz is 8 now. Maybe the juddering will come! 🥺

I love my son's automatic Audi which is petrol. I drove it for 3 weeks about a year ago when we went to visit him. It was a "sporty" drive and very responsive. Never had that problem. Will try to remember the model. It was a beautiful drive - I have a manual Audi which is much less fabulous to drive. I would definitely consider an Audi.

I have inherited a Honda Jazz which is automatic and though I don't like it at all I have never had the juddery problem in that either! I do like to use the "sport" mode if I want it to be nippy (eg busy city driving) but don't use it all the time.

We have a Citroen C3 automatic and it is fine, previously we had a Honda Jazz and it developed the juddering problem after a few years. Our son just had a Jaguar automatic, it is the first automatic he has owned and he loves it, before he bought it he did lots of research reading reviews etc which is worth doing as there is a lot of information on the Internet.

Sorry Wiser, I didn't see your post asking me what car I drive.
We drive a Kia Sportage - which may be too big for you. We got it initially because we towed a folding camper, and now it takes my mobility buggy.
Since my first hip replacement I have driven automatics, and have had Toyota, Honda and Kia. All I can say is that I have never experienced the juddering you describe.
I hope you sort something out.

I have an automatic Honda Jazz. Love it, no problems at all.

Driving me automatics is a dream. I disliked one I had 14 years ago but love my Mini Cooper countryman - it’s a hybrid

I have an automatic Mazda 6 Sportactiv estate and a Saab convertible - and the Mazda has more safety features than you could shake a stick at. It's petrol, comfortable and has great systems for stopping you from getting too close to other vehicles, for keeping in lane, for parking easily. I can select a manual option if I wish to interact more. Cars have certainly moved on and I believe all electric vehicles will be automatic.

I have driven automatics all my life.
I don’t really understand what it is the husband is questioning in new cars. I thought maybe not moving away quickly from a stop. ie at a junction or roundabout
My car now is a Vauxhall Mokka and I have no issues with it whatsoever. Getting a quick start is a weekly issue for me at a particularly busy roundabout when I have to cross the main flow of traffic. No problem.

Volvo XC90 (petrol) is the work car, here, automatic. Runs great, no problems with the automatic. I much prefer standard when I let the horses out to run, but I suspect that is just me.

sorry, I meant to add - driving a new automatic is much different to the older ones, they change gear (??) so smoothly and quickly now

my husband has a volvo v60 hybrid (auto) 2 years old, it is lovely to drive if this helps in any way. I have recently driven a nissan juke hybrid auto and it was a dream. I am absolute convert to automatics, I just wish I could afford one

ayse

We have a Citroen automatic. It’s very easy to drive and I love it. It wouldn’t be ULEZ compliant but I’m sure you can buy more updated models. It’s a Berlingo and has very good driving visibility especially as it’s high up. Good for smaller people.

I also have a Berlingo automatic.. it's so easy to drive and marvellous for loading up if you take out the seats

Wiser is it possible he actually wants to stop driving completely and is looking for an excuse? Most people aren't quite so concerned about technicalities when changing cars

We have driven automatic Volvos and SAABs for decades and never had this problem. DD has also driven automatics for nearly as long, Hyundais and Suzukis,again without a problem.

Thank you all for the advice. I have been reading them to him. I will get him to read the suggested article. I think the near misses when the car lagged unnerved him more than he let me know at the time. We haven't used our car for 4 weeks. Went out today so will pay Ulez online ne tomorrow. I think he wants a nice car but realises we don't use our car much. I always hated driving so stopped ten years ago. If I was on my own Id be like Driving Miss Daisy!