Small petrol automatic - recommendations please?

I am looking for something with five-doors to replace our beloved Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.6JTDm 120PS, which isn't practical with kids. It's our second car and does mainly short journeys now. I am looking for a practical petrol with a good automatic gearbox, which has some poke and is still fun to drive like the MiTo.

The Volkswagen Polo 1.4 85PS is dreadfully slow. The GTI is a bit pricey for a second car - may as well go for an Audi A1. The fiesta auto is truly rubbish. The SEAT Ibiza SE and Audi A1 Sport both seem good, all with DSG gearboxes.

Any other recommendations and do you know if Volkswagen has sorted the brake/accelerate hesitancy problems with the earlier small petrol DSG gearboxes for new cars now?

Asked on 9 December 2012 by robbyg

Answered by Honest John
Mazda 2 1.5 Activmatic.
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