Manual gearbox on brink of extinction: Huge leap in automatic-car sales and driving tests
Our findings show that, as of the time of writing, there are just 96 models being offered with a manual transmission, as opposed to 404 models that are automatic-only, with the former representing just over 19 per cent of the overall market.
Compare this with just three years ago where almost a third of all models (including body style derivatives such as estates, coupes and performance variants) were available with a manual gearbox.
With the number of new, manual cars available dwindling this has had a significant impact on sales. In 2024, the UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said just 22 per cent of new cars left the forecourt with a manual transmission. This comes as part of an overall decline in the number of manual registrations over the last few years, with automatic sales having become the majority in 2020.
So why is the manual gearbox going away? There are several reasons, but mainly it comes down to customer preferences and the rise of automatic-only EVs. Firstly, many drivers simply prefer driving an automatic car; while enthusiasts typically prefer the analogue and involving nature of changing gears themselves, taking this action out of the equation ultimately makes driving much more relaxing, which many drivers prefer. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Then there's electrified vehicles which, whether you're discussing hybrids or full-fat EVs, almost all operate as full automatics. As these begin to flood into the used market, the UK car park will slowly-but-surely say goodbye to the manual transmission, with this type of gearbox left exclusive to the cheapest or most driver-focused cars on sale.
It's perhaps no surprise then that more and more young people are choosing to take an automatic driving test, rather than the full manual alternative. Figures from the AA Driving School found that one in five of its students (21 per cent) took and passed their practical test in an automatic car in 2024, up from just nine-and-a-half per cent five years prior.
Such is the case, AA Driving School's managing director, Emma Bush, said: 'As more people become confident with the idea of their driving future being electric, the idea of needing to drive a manual vehicle will feel irrelevant to many. Indeed, we see many are already choosing to not only learn in an automatic, but to learn in an electric vehicle.
'We see this trend continuing and the need for manual tuition declining, although manual licences will remain important for some drivers as they will want the option to drive a larger variety of vehicles.'
Manual or automatic, you can buy a vast range of new and used cars with our own Find a Car service...
Find a car with the experts Labour hints at major luxury car tax U-turn to boost EV sales
Labour hints at major luxury car tax U-turn to boost EV sales
Is pressure from retailers and car makers finally cutting through with ministers? Mazda has killed off the electric MX-30, and we can't say we're surprised
Mazda has killed off the electric MX-30, and we can't say we're surprised
The MX-30 EV has been axed, but the Japanese brand will have another crack next year when it launches the all-new Mazda 6e saloon Car Deal of the Day: this Tesla Model 3 won't break the bank at £271 a month
Car Deal of the Day: this Tesla Model 3 won't break the bank at £271 a month
Tesla's Model 3 is a global best-seller – but it doesn't cost the earth to bag one. It's our Deal of the Day for 23 May
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
10 minutes ago
- BBC News
Beloved by bands and bank robbers, the Ford Transit turns 60
Climbing into a 1965 Ford Transit is like stepping into a time capsule on wheels. Forget your modern high-tech nicknacks like satnavs and touchscreens. All you get here is a steering wheel, a big chrome-lined speedometer dial and a chunky heater control. There isn't even a on the road, it rattles and bangs and occasionally jumps out of gear. Disconcertingly, there's no seatbelt, the seat itself has an alarming tendency to move around, and the brakes don't seem to do very much at all. Beautiful as it is, it's hard to imagine that this elderly machine was ever state of the art. Yet when the original Transit first rolled off the production line at Ford's plant in Langley, Berkshire, on 9 August 1965, it was a revelation. By the standards of the day, it was remarkably spacious, powerful and practical. It was comfortable, had sharp handling, and put existing vans such as the Morris J4 firmly in the years later, the Transit has been redesigned many times, but the brand itself is still going strong. It remains a staple for many small businesses, even in an age when "white vans" are ten a penny, and the market is rife with competition. It is the world's best-selling van - and more than 13 million have been built so far."There are lots of iconic cars: the Morris Minor, the Mini, the Land Rover, the VW Beetle, but there's only one iconic van, and that's the Transit," says Edmund King, president of the AA."It's probably the only van that people really know". Originally a collaboration between Ford's engineers in the UK and Germany, and primarily aimed at the British and European markets, the Transit was designed to be as versatile as possible. It rapidly became a staple for tradespeople, including builders, carpenters, electricians and delivery it also appealed to others looking for spacious, cheap transport - including aspiring rock bands. It was almost a rite of passage. Among those who spent time on the road in one were Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, the Small Faces and Slade."It was the freedom to go where you want, when you want. Petrol was a lot cheaper than it is now," says Peter Lee, founder of the Transit Van Club."I ended up in Spain, lived in one for 13 months as a hippy on a strawberry farm, then came back and started a business. Before you know it, I had 180 workers in 28 Transit vans driving around London." 'Britain's most wanted van' The Transit's speed and loading space also appealed to people on the wrong side of the 1972, so the story goes, a Metropolitan Police spokesman claimed Transits were being used in 95% of bank raids, adding that its speed and loading space meant it had become the perfect getaway vehicle. This, he commented drily, made it "Britain's most wanted van".Meanwhile the stereotype of the bullying "white van man", defined by Sunday Times reporter Jonathan Leake in 1997 as "a tattooed species, often with a cigarette in his mouth, who is prone to flashing his lights as he descends on his prey", did not specifically target Transit drivers. But given how many of them were on the road by then, it is a fair bet they were implicated. Made in Turkey For nearly half a century, Transits were built in Britain - first at Langley, then at a factory just outside Southampton. But this closed in 2013, as Ford removed production to Turkey, where it said costs were "significantly lower". It was a controversial move that put hundreds of employees out of work. It was described by unions as a 'betrayal'. Today, Ford continues to highlight both the Transit's British heritage and the work that still takes place here, especially at its UK headquarters in Dunton, Essex."Dunton is the home of the Transit," insists Ford of Britain's managing director, Lisa Brankin"It's where we manage all the engineering and design work for the new vans. But we also build our diesel engines in Dagenham, just down the road, and we make power packs for electric vans in Halewood, near Liverpool."Most of the company's European production remains in Turkey, and that looks unlikely to change. "It's about efficiency and just centring manufacturing into one place, rather than having multiple sites across Europe," Ms Brankin explains. Much of the activity at Dunton now is focused on what the next generation of Transit vans will bring. But will there ever be another radical game-changer like the original model?"We're working on it," says director of commercial vehicle development Seamus McDermott, when I ask him that believes that what customers want from a van has not really changed in 60 years. It is still all about having a reliable set of wheels that is versatile and cheap to run. But the way that goal is achieved is now very different."Electric vehicles are cheaper to run and cheaper to repair," he says. "Also, when we bring in more software defined, 'smarter' vehicles, the ability to manage fleets remotely will help bring down costs as well. So the revolution will be about propulsion and software."But while the Transit brand has already endured for 60 years, today it is heading into an uncertain future, according to AA president Edmund King."In the 60s, 70s and 80s, if someone's father had a Transit, they would get a Transit," he says."I think that's changing now. There's more competition across the van market, and therefore brand loyalty is certainly not as strong as it used to be."
Auto Car
27 minutes ago
- Auto Car
£1500 off Renault, Nissan, Citroën, Vauxhall EVs as grant list grows
The government has confirmed 13 more models to be eligible for its new Electric Car Grant (ECG), including EVs from Renault, Nissan and Vauxhall - having announced that six electric Citroëns were eligible earlier this week. The ECG is applicable to certain electric cars priced at £37,000 or under, depending on the emissions output of the countries where they are built, and awards discounts of either £1500 or £3750. This first batch of confirmed cars have received the lower amount, but some are among the cheapest EVs on sale already, making a £1500 discount all the more significant. First 19 ECG cars: what they cost now Alpine A290: £32,000Citroën e-Berlingo: £29,740Citroën e-C3: £20,595Citroën e-C3 Aircross:£21,595Citroën e-C4: £26,150Citroën e-C4 X: £27,215Citroën e-C5 Aircross: £32,565Renault Mégane: £30,995Renault 4: £25,495Renault 5: £21,495Renault Scenic: £35,495Nissan Micra: £21,495Nissan Ariya: TBCVauxhall Corsa Electric: £25,280Vauxhall Combo Life Electric: £29,865Vauxhall Astra Electric: £24,895Vauxhall Mokka Electric: £30,180Vauxhall Frontera Electric: £23,995Vauxhall Grandland Electric: £34,555 Advertisement The Nissan Ariya is currently priced from £39,645 in entry-level Evolve trim, and so it will need a price cut to come in under the £37k threshold. Nissan says it will reveal pricing changes on Wednesday 13 August but it is not clear whether the SUV will receive a cheaper new trim level to take it below that point or simply have its on-paper price reduced.
Auto Express
an hour ago
- Auto Express
Lucky 13 more cars confirmed for Electric Car Grant… but there's a catch
The hatchback of the moment is amongst a raft of 13 cars from Renault, Alpine, Nissan and Vauxhall confirmed to receive the government's Electric Car Grant, bringing the starting price of the retro-styled Renault 5 supermini down to just £21,495. The new models are in addition to six Citroens confirmed earlier this week. Advertisement - Article continues below But no car has yet qualified for the higher £3,750 amount, with all 19 now announced models coming in at the lower £1,500 level. Buyers will now be able to secure a grant on a new 5, as well as other EV models in the Renault line-up such as the boxier Renault 4 (now £25,495), the Renault Megane hatchback (now £30,995) and the Renault Scenic SUV (now £35,495). Check the latest prices through Auto Express' Find A Car service and see what you can save on a new EV. Furthermore, if the 5 isn't quite sporty enough for you, Renault has confirmed that the R5's sporty sibling, the Alpine A290 will also qualify, although the most-powerful GTS model doesn't make the cut, as this costs over the £37,000 threshold. The 5's cutesier cousin, the Nissan Micra (which shares many of its parts and matches the Renault on price) will also get the government £1,500 discount, as will the larger Nissan Ariya SUV. This previously started from £39,655, with Nissan chopping enough from the list price to get the entry Engage trim below £37,000. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The entire Vauxhall EV range will also get the official government grant, following the brand pre-emptively announcing a company-backed alternative in the interim. The electric versions of the Vauxhall Corsa, Mokka, Frontera, Astra and Grandland will all benefit from a £1,500 grant. Advertisement - Article continues below Citroen was first to confirm its entire EV line-up would be eligible for the grant early this week, across the e-C3, e-C3 Aircross – including the longer-range model announced last week – and e-C4, plus the new e-C5 Aircross and e-Berlingo, all of which only qualify for £1,500 of funding per vehicle. While any discount is undoubtedly good news for buyers, it does beg the question as to how eco-friendly a car needs to be in order to qualify for the top-level £3,750 grant from the government. There's also the question of brands having (or not having) the appropriate Science-Based Target Initiative (SBT) accreditation. This displays a firm's commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, working towards a target of net-zero, and is mandatory for receiving the government's grant. However, speaking to industry insiders, Auto Express understands that there are brands with parallel certifications representing similar climate goals that are unable to receive the grant because they don't specifically have an SBT. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Therefore, as more cars are announced for the grant, and we are aware of several brands that have completed the application process and are awaiting confirmation, there may be some glaring omissions from the list as companies without the stipulated accreditation argue their case to the government in hope of receiving the much-coveted discount. Advertisement - Article continues below Auto Express has approached the Department for Transport for comment on this issue, but is yet to receive a response. "The confirmation that more affordable, practical EVs have been approved for the Electric Car Grant is exactly what the market needsData from Carwow's platform shows that buyers are ready to act; demand for EVs under £37,000 jumped 124 per cent in the week following the scheme's announcement. Interest in already-approved models has surged, and we expect these newly added vehicles to draw immediate attention. We welcome the support of the Electric Car Grant for every electric model in the Vauxhall line-up - including those manufactured here at our Ellesmere Port plant - and hope this will enable more British motorists to enjoy the benefits of switching to electric.' 'Nissan has always been electric vehicle pioneers and this announcement is an exciting step in the UK's electrification journey. Micra and Ariya are first, and we have three new EVs on their way, including the all-electric British-built Leaf which will go on sale later this year.' 'We have been asking Government to match its environmental ambition with action to accelerate demand for electric vehicles, and it has delivered on that with the creation of the Electric Car Grant (ECG). 'Moving forward, it is critical that manufacturers, charging infrastructure providers and Government continue to collaborate as a team to build the required electric vehicle ecosystem, building on the positivity that this latest scheme injects into the market.' 'Another wave of cars qualifying for the Government's revamped Electric Car Grant is yet more welcome news. It's also very positive to see other manufacturers that don't meet the grant's green production targets lowering their prices. Those looking to make the switch now have a wider choice of better value vehicles than ever before. This can only help speed up the transition to electric motoring." Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express ? We'll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too . Find a car with the experts BYD gives up on EV grant, and offers five years of maintenance instead BYD gives up on EV grant, and offers five years of maintenance instead With a Government grant looking unlikely, BYD has announced a new warranty and maintenance scheme to tempt buyers Fiat and Abarth electric cars plummet in price as brand reintroduces 'E-Grant' Fiat and Abarth electric cars plummet in price as brand reintroduces 'E-Grant' Fiat offers sizable discounts as it awaits confirmation that its EVs are eligible for the new Government grant Car Deal of the Day: MGS5 EV for under £200 a month is a true bargain Car Deal of the Day: MGS5 EV for under £200 a month is a true bargain The ZS EV's replacement is an excellent small electric SUV, and our Deal of the Day for August 4
