The price does not tell you what type of transmission you get. Illustrative image; the vehicles do not represent specific models or brands.

8 new automatic cars under €23,000 in Romania in 2026

The short answer

On 2 September 2026, eight new cars with automatic transmission had an official list price or a public displayed figure under €23,000 including VAT in Romania: Dacia Logan Eco-G 120 auto, Dacia Sandero Eco-G 120 auto, Kia Picanto 1.0 5AMT, Suzuki Swift 1.2 mild-hybrid CVT, Toyota Aygo X Hybrid e-CVT, Opel Corsa Hybrid 110 eDCT, Renault Clio TCe 115 EDC and Citroën C3 Hybrid 110 automatic.

They are not eight versions of the same idea. Picanto uses a robotised manual gearbox, Swift has a CVT, Aygo X has a hybrid e-CVT transmission, and Logan, Sandero, Corsa, Clio and C3 use dual-clutch solutions or automated transmissions integrated into hybrid systems. The differences are felt when pulling away, on a slope, when overtaking and in slow traffic.

The short list by use:

Logan Eco-G 120 auto — for boot space, mixed roads and low fuel cost;
Sandero Eco-G 120 auto — for a simple hatchback body and urban use;
Kia Picanto 5AMT — for easy parking and short trips, if you accept the pauses of a robotised gearbox;
Suzuki Swift CVT — for a light, efficient car that is smoother in town;
Toyota Aygo X Hybrid — for urban traffic and low official consumption, with limited rear space;
Opel Corsa Hybrid — for a stronger city compact and an electrified dual-clutch gearbox;
Renault Clio TCe 115 EDC — for anyone who also does long trips, not only urban commuting;
Citroën C3 Hybrid — for easy access, comfort and a slightly higher driving position.

Prices compared correctly

The table uses official public prices including VAT, not prices from independent listings. Some are list prices, others are manufacturer-displayed offers, conditional on Rabla, financing, a commercial discount or a stock unit. These can change without the model disappearing from the range.

Model and version	Transmission type	Official figure including VAT on 2 September 2026	What must be clarified in the offer
Dacia Logan Expression Eco-G 120 auto	dual clutch, 6 speeds	€17,550 list price; €15,141 displayed with Rabla and discount	Rabla eligibility, discount, colour, delivery term
Dacia Sandero Expression Eco-G 120 auto	EDC, 6 speeds	€15,441 displayed with Rabla and discount; stock units from about €17,700 list	exact configuration and added equipment
Kia Picanto Urban 1.0 5AMT	robotised manual, 5 speeds	€17,825 list price	promotion valid on the order day and the legislative pack
Suzuki Swift Passion 1.2 mild-hybrid CVT	CVT	€18,955 recommended price	availability, colour and dealer offer
Toyota Aygo X Active Hybrid	hybrid e-CVT	€19,949 recommended price; €17,954 displayed offer	promotion duration and financing costs, if used
Opel Corsa Edition Hybrid 110	eDCT, 6 speeds	€22,050 list price	equipment, colour, dealer offer and term
Renault Clio Techno TCe 115 EDC	dual clutch	€22,100 list price	powertrain availability and mandatory costs
Citroën C3 Plus Hybrid 110	ë-DCS, 6 speeds	€22,550 list price	production month, colour and dealer offer

The €23,000 ceiling does not automatically include paint, accessories, insurance, registration, interest, fees or the cost of a trade-in. Ask for a written offer with the final price to pay, not only the monthly instalment.

1. Dacia Logan Eco-G 120 auto: space and LPG, with a new gearbox in the range

Logan is the practical choice when boot space and trips outside the city matter more than a very short body. The Eco-G 120 version combines the 1.2-litre turbo engine, petrol-LPG fuel and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. Dacia introduced this combination in 2026; it must not be confused with the old Easy-R gearboxes or with the CVT previously offered on other engines.

The official Dacia list for Logan indicates €17,550 including VAT for Expression Eco-G 120 auto. The current Logan versions and prices page displayed €15,141, but specified that the sum includes the Rabla eco-voucher and the commercial discount. Compare offers only after you separate the list price from discounts.

On the test drive, watch very slow pull-away, the manoeuvre on a slope, reversing and shifts after warm-up. A dual-clutch gearbox should not be held on the accelerator on a hill. Use the brake and the hold function, if it is in the ordered equipment. For all the data on tanks, consumption and the difference versus the manual, see the guide Logan Eco-G 120 in 2026.

2. Dacia Sandero Eco-G 120 auto: the same idea, in a hatchback

Sandero uses the same Eco-G 120 family and the six-speed EDC transmission, but it is shorter and has a tailgate. It makes sense for town, shopping and a family that does not need Logan’s boot. The close prices make the choice more one of body than of mechanics.

The official Sandero versions page displayed €15,441 for Eco-G 120 auto, with Rabla and commercial discount. The official stock portal showed Eco-G 120 auto units around €17,700 at list price, some with extra packs. That is why the relevant sum is the one on the written configuration, with version code and options.

Try access to the rear bench, the boot with objects used daily and visibility when reversing. If you will cover a lot of motorway with four people and luggage, compare Sandero directly with Logan, not only on price.

3. Kia Picanto 1.0 5AMT: the smallest, but it does not have a classic automatic

Picanto Urban 1.0 5AMT had a list price of €17,825 including VAT in the official Kia offer. The name 5AMT means a five-speed manual gearbox in which clutch and shifts are actuated automatically. It is neither a torque-converter automatic nor a CVT.

The advantages are small dimensions and the elimination of the clutch pedal. The limit appears in hurried traffic: when changing gears there can be a noticeable pause, and very slow manoeuvres must be done without forcing the clutch. Before ordering, drive the car on a slope, in a car park and on a boulevard where it can pass through the first three gears.

Picanto makes sense for one or two adults, urban commuting and short parking spaces. If you will frequently carry adults in the rear or bulky luggage, measure the space before choosing on price.

4. Suzuki Swift 1.2 mild-hybrid CVT: simple and smooth in town

Swift Passion 1.2 mild-hybrid CVT was listed at €18,955 including VAT in the official Suzuki Romania list, a document declared valid until replacement. The mild-hybrid system assists the combustion engine, but does not turn Swift into a full hybrid comparable with Aygo X.

The CVT favours smooth running. On strong acceleration, revs can rise and stay high while speed builds; that is normal behaviour for this type of transmission, not proof of slipping. Test, however, the noise and the response when overtaking on the route you will use.

Swift is a balanced choice for anyone who wants a light car and does not need a large interior. Check the final price at the dealer, because the Suzuki list is a recommended figure, and the transaction is made in lei at the dealer’s exchange rate.

5. Toyota Aygo X Hybrid: low urban consumption, with e-CVT

Aygo X Active uses a 116 hp full-hybrid system and e-CVT. The Toyota Aygo X Hybrid page indicated a recommended price of €19,949 and an offer of €17,954, with mixed WLTP consumption of 3.7 l/100 km for the displayed configuration.

Toyota’s e-CVT is not the belt CVT found on other cars. The hybrid system manages the ratio between the combustion engine, the electric motors and the wheels. When driving, the advantage is smooth pull-away and energy recovery; on acceleration, the combustion engine can stay at a constant high rev.

Aygo X makes sense almost exclusively as an urban car or for two people. Check rear access, visibility and the boot with real objects. The financing offer displayed by Toyota adds fees and conditions, so do not compare the instalment with the full price of another model.

6. Opel Corsa Hybrid 110: quicker, but also more complex

The official Opel list of 4 May 2026 indicates €22,050 including VAT for Corsa Edition Hybrid 110 with a six-speed eDCT automatic. The Opel document also shows 4.6 l/100 km and 102–103 g CO₂/km in the mixed WLTP cycle for the 110 hp version.

The 21 kW electric motor is integrated into the dual-clutch transmission. The system can help when pulling away and at low speeds, but Corsa is not a PHEV and does not charge at a socket. On the test, watch the transition between electric running and the combustion engine, the response when entering a roundabout and control in slow manoeuvres.

Corsa is more suitable than Picanto or Aygo X if you frequently do national-road trips. In return, the cost of tyres, insurance and options can quickly move the bill over the ceiling.

7. Renault Clio TCe 115 EDC: versatile hatchback, without a hybrid component

Clio Techno TCe 115 EDC was listed at €22,100 including VAT on the official Renault Clio versions and prices page. It is a petrol engine with a dual-clutch automatic, different from Clio E-Tech full hybrid 160, which uses a multimodal transmission.

Clio has a body better suited to mixed use than Picanto or Aygo X. Techno equipment includes fittings that explain part of the price difference, but it must be compared with equivalent rival equipment, not with their base versions.

Test repeated pull-aways, the slope, the parking brake with Auto Hold and shifts at national-road speeds. Ask in the offer for the exact engine and gearbox code; the generic term “EDC” must not be extrapolated to all Renault generations.

8. Citroën C3 Hybrid 110: comfort and access, at the edge of the ceiling

C3 Plus Hybrid 110 automatic cost €22,550 including VAT in the official Citroën Romania list, valid for production starting in May 2026. The system uses a six-speed electrified ë-DCS automatic and an integrated electric motor.

C3 has ground clearance and a driving position that ease access, without being a large SUV. It is the choice to test if you put comfort on uneven surfaces ahead of a sporty steering feel. The trial must, however, include a degraded street, a slope and slow traffic; the showroom presentation does not say how the suspension and gearbox work on your route.

At €22,550, any paint, pack or accessory can exceed the €23,000 ceiling. Ask separately for the list price, the dealer discount and delivery costs.

How to choose the gearbox type, not only the model

For very slow urban traffic

Aygo X e-CVT and Swift CVT offer the smoothest pull-aways among the models on the list. Picanto AMT can be slower when shifting, and dual-clutch gearboxes must be tested carefully in manoeuvres and on a slope.

For national roads and motorway

Clio, Corsa, Logan and C3 make more sense through power, wheelbase and body. That does not mean they are all equally comfortable: drive each car at 90–130 km/h and check noise, the seat and mid-range acceleration.

For low fuel cost

Logan and Sandero can use LPG, Aygo X is a full hybrid, and Swift, Corsa and C3 are electrified to different degrees. Compare the cost on your route, not a single WLTP figure. The guide full hybrid or plug-in hybrid explains the differences between technologies; none of the models on this list is a PHEV.

Checklist before you sign the order

The offer contains the model, equipment, engine, transmission and the exact configuration code.
The price including VAT is separated from Rabla, the commercial discount and the financing discount.
Paint, wheels, packs, accessories and the legislative pack are listed.
The exchange rate used for payment in lei is specified.
The delivery term and the conditions under which it can be changed are written in the contract.
The deposit, refund conditions and penalties are explained.
You have checked whether the promotional price requires scrapping, credit, leasing or a trade-in.
You have calculated the total cost of financing, not only the monthly instalment.
You have received the warranty conditions for the car, the hybrid system and the 48 V or traction battery, as applicable.
You have done a test drive with the engine and gearbox ordered, not only with the same body.
You have tested pull-away on a slope, reversing, parking and slow traffic.
You have checked the driver’s place, rear access and the boot with objects used daily.
You have compared RCA, CASCO, tyres and servicing for each finalist.
You have asked for the buy-back offer separately, so you can see the real price of the new car.
You have not signed only because the discount expires the same day.

For a used automatic, the criteria are different. Compare the new-car list with eight used automatics under €15,000 and read the guide for checking DSG, CVT, PowerShift and torque-converter gearboxes.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the cheapest new automatic car on the list?

By the official list price identified, Logan Eco-G 120 auto starts at €17,550. Dacia also displayed a lower price of €15,141, conditional on Rabla and a commercial discount. Sandero had a close conditional offer, and stock-unit prices varied with equipment.

Is AMT the same as an automatic gearbox?

AMT eliminates the clutch pedal and shifts automatically, but mechanically it starts from a robotised manual gearbox. It can have more visible pauses between gears than a CVT, e-CVT or a torque-converter automatic.

Are CVT and e-CVT the same thing?

No. Swift uses a CVT, while Toyota Aygo X Hybrid has e-CVT in the hybrid system. The names are similar, but the construction and the way power is transmitted are different.

Is a dual-clutch gearbox good in town?

It can be fast and efficient, but it must be tried in slow traffic, when parking and on a slope. Do not hold the car on a hill with the accelerator; use the brake or Auto Hold according to the manual.

Is an automatic hybrid worth it if you drive little?

For urban traffic, Aygo X, Corsa and C3 can recover energy and reduce consumption, but the price difference must be related to annual kilometres. At low mileage, comfort and the type of route can matter more than strict payback through fuel.

Is the website price the final price?

Not always. It can include Rabla, financing or a commercial discount and can exclude paint, accessories, the legislative pack or credit costs. The offer signed by the dealer is the document you must compare.

Does full hybrid mean you have to charge the car at a socket?

No. Aygo X Hybrid charges its battery through energy recovery and with help from the combustion engine. The mild-hybrid systems on Swift, Corsa and C3 do not connect to a socket either. A PHEV is a different category and has a larger battery and a charging port.

What do I choose if I only want two pedals and predictable costs?

Start with Picanto, Swift and Aygo X for town, then compare Logan and Clio if you do long trips. The final choice must be made after a test drive, the total offer and insurance and service costs, not after the “automatic” label.

8 new automatic cars under €23,000 in Romania in 2026: prices, gearboxes and how to choose