Advice please: Moving from manual to automatic transmission car.

There will be no difficulty, after a couple of days you'll wonder why the hell anyone would use manual.

It's very easy. My Nana is 84 and has an issue with her shoulder making changing gears difficult, she bought an automatic last year and hasn't looked back. She wouldn't venture too far at the start, she was a little nervous, but after a few days there wasn't a bother on her.

Its much easier.

Essentially you're just using your right foot for either the accelerator or the brake, basically press to go and slow down/stop.

No difference on how you use the handbrake, although pulling away while parked on an incline is easier in an automatic as you don't have to think about releasing the handbrake while also balancing between the clutch and accelerator. It will just be easing off the handbrake while you press the accelerator in an automatic.

I know nothing about Nissen Micra's but you can get them in automatic so simply switching to would probably provide the easiest transition. All you have to remember is you don't need to use your left foot at all. It might feel weird at first but you'll quickly get used to it and wonder why you didn't transition sooner.

We have both manual and automatic in our household and I much prefer using the automatic. When we finally trade out the manual we'll never go back.

My mum changed to an auto and finds it way easier on her knees, especially in stop start traffic or when negotiating turns. The previous car had a very heavy clutch.

When I drove in Canada for a few years, I found I never used the handbrake. The car won't roll back on inclines unless they're really very steep. When parking I put the shift into Park, only using the handbrake on a hill.

I found two gotchas when I started on an automatic. One was remembering to put my foot on the brake before changing into Drive (the car won't let you shift otherwise) and the other was trying to put my foot on a non existent clutch when stopping the first time or two.

There's a Nissan Micra automatic in my apartment blocks car park. It's only 1 litre but it seems a decent enough car.

Have a look at the Prius too, roomy inside. Id be not too pushed on 1 litre automatics, too little power and sluggish through gears.

I drove an automatic for a week on holidays, came home and sold my manual for an automatic, have only driven automatics since, would never ever go back. Best tip someone gave me before I drove one was to imagine your left foot no longer exists, you only ever use your right foot.

The Toyota mild hybrids are all automatic. An 80 year old aunt was addicted to petrol Corollas but has taken to the hybrid one like a duck to water. You might even find a Micra of a similar vintage?

I made the switch to automatic this year. For a day or two I found myself reaching for the gear stick. After that it just became second nature. Your parents will live it. Just don't overthink it. Driving is a joy and I should have changed years ago.

I used to have a stupid lad attitude of it's not real driving.

Part of the reason I moved to auto were unrelated hip and ankle issues/pain which my old manual nissan Almera with stiff pedals was absolutely not helping with.

Moves to an auto with much smoother pedals was a life saver. The ability to drink a coffee while driving is also a great benefit.. 😅

1/2 a day max OP and you’ll be asking yourself why you didn’t switch to automatic years ago

Given the OP's low annual mileage, a petrol hybrid is the way to go. Between ourselves, extended family and in laws there are 4 petrol Toyota hybrids. Not the most exiting car but every one of them is reliable.

Fuel economy depends on town Vs motorway. Town driving we get 5 L/100km on a Toyota CHR over the whole 35L fuel tank. Motorway at 120 it hits 7.5 L/100km.

I'm going to go against the grain here and argue that the transition isn't always easy or straightforward

For example, for some people the muscle memory of clutching and braking can come back in high stress situations and that can make things worse for them.

as per previous posters, very easy to change to automatic

first time I drove one (many years ago), I hit the brake when my brain told my foot to clutch - after that, I planted my left foot on the floor, let it push whenever the urge to clutch took over but never lifted off the floor. Doesn't take long to cure that affliction….

Automatic will change gear going down a hill just like you do yourself in a manual to limit speed, you'll still need to use brakes at times of course

Just like everything in an automatic though, it will do what it sees as correct itself rather than exactly what you'd do yourself.

A good auto though and you will be fine