I am looking for recommendations for a good trainer aircraft with steam gauges, autopilot that is easy to operate, and reasonably gentle. Not a speed demon. Freeware or payware, doesn’t matter. I just want to settle on one plane to learn the basics. Prefer tricycle gear. Thanks for the recommendations and assistance!
The included C172 Classic is hard to beat for what your have described above.
Just Flight Piper Warrior is an excellent trainer with all your requirements, and the flight modeling is better than the stock 172. However, the Warrior is not certified for spins, if you want to practice those. 
The Warrior may be more challenging than the 172, depending on how much of a trainer is needed.
Like Nikita, I think you can start with the C172.
It all depends on your skill level. If you’re a beginner, start with this aircraft; it’s stable and will give you what you’re looking for with the instruments you need.
You can move on to more sophisticated planes later. Justflight makes good planes, but it’s better to practice on freeware first than to struggle with payware that you might regret. Not because of the plane itself, but because of your skill level and the time you have to learn.
Cessna 152 with the WBSim mod and Boris Audio Works sound mod.
C152, DA-20, tecnam P2010 are also perfect trainers.
Just Flight Tomahawk (has an AP executable from the tablet, although the real plane doesn’t have AP) and COWS DA-40 would be my choices. Both very high-fidelity aircraft you can grow into as you fly.
Both the Carenado CT210N and the PA 28-236 Dakota and fun, easy to fly and look great.
The included C172 looks close enough and feels close enough to the real deal (I flew IRL in a C152/C142 and a Tomahawk).
The Cessna is nice round numbers to hit and not a lot of complexity to manage - initial climb at 70kn gives appropriate climb rate, such that turning at 500 feet is pretty much on the circuit pattern. Cruises at 2300 rpm - simple target to remember and hit. They can float up a little in sim when you flare, so be careful not to overdo the yoke movement (IRL they don’t do this as much)
Looks like a 182 Based on the manifold and the label on the yoke
If you want to try something a bit different then the Grob Tutor is very good
Hi, lots of recommendations were posted above, did you find what you were looking for? If so, please mark one of the above posts as a solution to your opening post. Thank you
Oops…correction..182rg..they are very similar in flight though, I like to put the wheels up on aircraft for some reason..it just feels right…Thanks for the correction Vincent…I’ll clean my Glasses 
Thread is not even a day old, lol.
Sigh..
Looking for feedback from the OP if the many suggestions above are helpful, so we can course correct if needed; and some of the suggestions, i.e., C210, are not really basic trainers either.
If you are looking for a decent trainer aircraft to learn to ‘fly’ ….forget the auto pilot…fly hands on!
…Auto pilot can come later….
I would agree though, any of the high wing Cessnas are good.