Automatics for the people: less than a third of new cars can be ordered with a manual gearbox (2024)
carwow analysis finds manual gearboxes disappearing from manufacturer brochures; driving tests and new-car sales following suit
Just 98 of the 298 new cars on sale today are available with a manual
62.4% of new cars sold in 2021 were automatics, up from 24% in 2011
Driving-test candidates taking tests in autos trebles in a decade
Less than a third of the new cars currently on sale are available with manual gearboxes, an exclusive investigation by carwow has found, a trend echoed by new-car sales figures and driving-test data.
Of the 298* new models available to order in the UK, 200, or 67.11%, are only available with automatic transmissions, leaving just 98 cars (32.89%) for drivers who want to change gear themselves.
A number of car makers offer only automatic gearboxes across their ranges, with no models from Mercedes, Genesis, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lexus, Maserati, Rolls-Royce, Subaru and Volvo being available with manual transmissions. Just two car makers – Abarth and SEAT – offer manual gearboxes with all the cars they sell.
The scarcity of manual gearboxes in car makers’ ranges is echoed in new-car sales figures. Data shared with carwow by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows just 24% of new cars sold in 2011 were ordered with an automatic gearbox, a figure that had risen to 62.4% by 2021.
Learner drivers are also far more likely than ever before to take their driving test in a car with an automatic gearbox. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency told carwow that just 5.2% of candidates took their test in an automatic in financial year 2010/11, a proportion that had more than trebled by 2021/22, when 15.78% of driving tests were conducted in automatic cars.
Given sales and manufacturer trends, the fact that drivers who pass their tests in automatics are unable to drive manual cars looks to be less of an inconvenience than it once was.
Automatic Vs manual sales Automatic Vs manual driving tests
Year
Automatic
Manual
2021
62.4%
37.7%
2020
56.2%
43.9%
2019
49.1%
50.9%
2018
43.2%
56.9%
2017
40.0%
60.0%
…2011
24%
76%
Source: SMMT
Financialyear
Autodrivingtests
2021/22
15.78%
2020/21
13.81%
2019/20
12.66%
2018/19
11.12%
2017/18…
9.53%
2010/11
5.2%
Source: DVSA
Why are manual gearboxes dying out?
The demise of the manual gearbox can be attributed to several factors. First, it is intrinsically linked to the growing popularity of electric cars, which are never available with manual gearboxes. The same is true of hybrid cars, with one or two past exceptions.
Second, modern safety systems are often easier to integrate into cars with automatic gearboxes. Autonomous emergency braking, for example, can apply a car’s brakes if sensors detect an obstacle for which the driver has not taken evasive action. In a car with a manual gearbox, AEB can cause the engine to stall if the driver doesn’t depress the clutch, something that does not happen in a car with an automatic transmission.
And while automatic gearboxes tended historically to be significantly less fuel efficient than their manual counterparts, technological and engineering advancements mean today’s auto transmissions have efficiency figures that are more comparable to manuals.
Automatic gearboxes have also become far more rewarding to use over time. Whereas once drivers might have found a lethargic auto with just four speeds and a reluctance to change down when overtaking, today’s autos often come with seven, eight, nine or even ten speeds, can change down almost instantaneously and often feature steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters that allow drivers to decide for themselves which gear the car should be in.
Additionally, autos tend to offer a packaging advantage over manual transmissions: with no need for a mechanical gear-lever, automatic gearboxes can be controlled by a dial, buttons, or some other space-saving control, leaving more room for cubby space where once a shifter would have sat.
*Audit of cars available on manufacturers’ online configurators conducted in September 2022; vehicle derivatives (EG estates) were assessed, but not counted as individual models
Manual sales made up less than a percent of cars sold in the US in 2021, but last year, that number was around 1.7 percent. Not a lot, but not nothing. Many automakers have expanded their manual offerings, too, perhaps most notably Toyota bringing a manual to the Supra for the 2023 model year.
Manual sales made up less than a percent of cars sold in the US in 2021, but last year, that number was around 1.7 percent. Not a lot, but not nothing. Many automakers have expanded their manual offerings, too, perhaps most notably Toyota bringing a manual to the Supra for the 2023 model year.
Manual transmission cars are less common than vehicles with automatic transmission, accounting for less than 2.5% of sales in the United States. Fewer than 15% of modern car models even offer manual transmission as an option.
According to CarMax, 96 percent of Americans drive automatics. And, unsurprisingly given that statistic, people just aren't buying cars with manual transmissions in the United States. According to Edmunds.com, in 2018, they made up just 2 percent of all vehicles sold.
Manual mode provides the driver of a car with a sense of control because it lets you choose a single gear and keep it there. When you select “3” using manual mode, most transmissions will hold that specific gear as long as possible. In this respect, it's very similar to a true manual transmission.
With proper maintenance, transmissions can last up to 300,000 miles or more. This includes changing the fluid in your transmission system and regular checkups. However, when you don't keep up with routine maintenance, your transmission might have problems at the 100,000-mile mark or even sooner.
Although there are only a select few new cars that still offer a manual transmission, the ones that do still come with a stick-shift are among the most enticing sports cars, sports sedans, and hot hatchbacks on the market today. Here, we've ranked the best new cars that still offer a manual transmission in 2024.
Only around 18% of American drivers can handle a manual transmission, according to U.S. News and World Report. You know: the clutch pedal and the stick shift—three on the tree, four on the floor or, I don't know, five to drive maybe. Different gears, manually engaged.
New Mexico has the highest rate of manual transmission vehicle purchases at 5.65 percent, followed by Idaho (5.29 percent), Rhode Island (5.16 percent) and Utah (4.94 percent). Residents of Illinois are the least likely to purchase a stick shift, with a take rate of only 2.04 percent.
Are manual cars going away? In short, yes. There's no set ban on manual transmission itself, but there is a ban coming into place in 2035 on all petrol and diesel cars. That, by default, rules out manual cars, as all electric cars are automatic.
What percentage of cars in America are automatics? - Quora. It has to be very high, like about 95% plus. Very few manual transmissions cars are sold in the US, and they are usually found in sporty cars like the Mustang or Corvette. The vast majority of Americans can't be bothered with shifting gears with a clutch.
Manual transmissions require less servicing to remain functional and don't need the same type of oil as an automatic transmission. Cars with a stick-shift usually last longer than an automatic of the same make and model.
The average manual driver is not always so proficient. In getting the gear right, automatics consume less fuel, save money and emit fewer emissions. These are among the reasons why it's ever harder to buy a new manual-transmission model of any kind in many countries.
One of the biggest benefits of driving a manual car is more engagement with the driving experience. When you drive a manual transmission vehicle, you need to make more decisions about driving based on road conditions, speed, road incline, and more.
Overall, driving a stick shift is more advantageous because of its better control. One can better control their speed and revs (engine revolutions per minute, RPM) due to the ability to change which gear the car is in manually. This is something that cannot be done in an automatic.
The pawl is what locks the transmission and keeps it from transferring mechanical power to the wheels of your vehicle. Shifting gears while still in motion can damage this locking mechanism. And if this part fails, your vehicle could easily roll away.
Following advancements in engineering and driving technology, by 2023, approximately 1.7% of all new cars were equipped with a manual transmission. However, according to a report by CarMax, there has been an uptick in sales for cars with a stick shift in the last few years.
Though declining in popularity over recent decades, a few automakers continue to roll out manual transmission cars. The following includes vehicles with manual transmission options from the 2023 and 2024 market: Acura Integra Type S. BMW M2.
Fuel Efficiency In the past, manual transmissions were valued for their excellent gas mileage. Today, many automatic vehicles have received some serious updates that allow them to match and even surpass stick shift vehicles when it comes to saving on gas.
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