Manual gearbox on brink of extinction: Huge leap in automatic-car sales and driving tests

Auto Express

26-05-2025

The manual gearbox could be on the verge of extinction, because new Auto Express-exclusive data shows the very few new cars on sale available with this kind of transmission. This mirrors continuously-falling sales across the UK and ultimately limits the number of drivers willing and able to change gears themselves. Advertisement - Article continues below
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.'
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