I had my first auto a few years back - an Audi A4 2.4. Fab car easy to drive and quick off the line too. Thirsty? couple of mpg worse than a manual.
Now got a Jaguar 3.0 S type, again, a couple of mpg down on the manual, but it still averages between 25 and 28 mpg, 35+ on a longer run at near legal speeds.
Wouldn't have a manual again now, unless it was 2 litres or less. I've tried a couple of cars that were 1.8 and 2.0 auto's , but they were slow and noisy, not good.
IMHO, if youre getting an auto, ideally a V5 or V6 engine will be infinitely more satisfying than an inline 4 of moderate ca