Automatic’s are different thats for sure. I need an auto now also, like you and my current car is a golf dsg. The gearbox is always changing up way to early like at 30mph it’s in 6th gear, coz i’m light on throttle or using acc. Then when i need to increase speed, I’ve gotta press the pedal so far down to make it downshift.. its so annoying, or it’s badly laboured. so i have to knock it into sport mode from normal. but that kills the fuel and over revs before it changes up.. it’s great at that changing up.. unless it’s in 7th gear then it will have 6th ready.. ha ha but actually if you drive it hard it’s great, smooth it is not and is why i’m getting a cvt.. coz it’s on the car I’m getting soon..
My next car will be a honda and that has a CVT there’s pro’s and cons to both but really it depends how you drive. Deffo getting a test drive for more than 20 mins a must as you may not like it. At the end of the day 3 years is along time and worst thing about my golf is the seats. so this time i need an auto more comfortable seats and adaptive cruise..
checkout https://www.motability.co.uk/products/search/
prob not much choice in the bigger suv’s under 1k that are auto’s they do cost more than the manuals