Latest news with #manualdriving
The Australian
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Australian
Aussie ‘rite of passage' dying out
Learning how to drive a manual used to be a badge of honour but is now becoming an old-school skill. According to new research from EzLicence, nationally the average price of manual driving lessons has climbed to $83.87 compared to $80.61 for automatic. In comparison to last year, it was the other way around with manual costing less at $77.61 and automatic at $80.16. Some cities, such as Adelaide, are seeing staggering prices with manual lessons costing $271.20 per session. Yet in Wollongong, drivers are getting the best deal at $75.90 per hour. Part of the reason for the rising lesson costs is due to a nationwide shortage of driving instructors, particularly those who teach manual. According to EzLicence and ABS data, instructor numbers have dropped by 3.2 per cent over the past year. MORE: Trump declares war on 'world's worst car feature' Many of today's Aussie drivers will never know the thrill of driving a manual. There's still a steady demand for manual lessons, especially from people who need to drive manual vehicles for work, or want to have the flexibility, such as driving overseas or hiring manual cars. However, there is a clear shift in consumer preferences. Fewer inner city learners are choosing to go manual. So with a decline in demand, many driving schools are scaling back, ditching manual vehicles altogether due to longer teaching times, limited bookings and higher vehicle maintenance. So the few instructors that remain are more valuable and expensive. MORE: The Yank tank cutting Australia in two Very few cars on sale today offer manual transmissions. Manual instructors are especially scare with an average of just 10.7 manual instructors per 100 learners nationwide, and cities like Brisbane offering 7.1 manual instructors per 100 learners. EzLicence's Tobi Pearce said the shortage, particularly of manual and female instructors, is making it harder for learners to find the right match. 'Finding a driving instructor can be challenging, especially with growing demand and ongoing shortages,' he said. The iconic Suzuki Swift has seemingly succumbed to the lack of demand for manuals. Add to that the pressure of getting licensed quickly and affordably, automatic seems like the right choice. Most states also legislate that drivers who get their license in an automatic, can't legally drive a manual car until they get their full license. MORE AUTOMATIC OPTIONS There's also more automatic options in the new car market, despite manual cars being typically cheaper to purchase. For instance, according to the in Victoria (drive-away prices), the most affordable manual options are the Kia Picanto Sport priced at $21,340 and the Suzuki Swift Hybrid priced at $24,490 drive-away. In comparison to the automatic variant, the Kia Picanto is $1,000 more ($22,340) and the Suzuki Swift is $2,500 more ($26,990). The Kia Picanto is cheaper in auto than manual. But manuals are becoming hard to find, which is making the decision a no-brainer for new drivers. According to the there's currently 61 manual variants out of a total of 1,347 (4.5 per cent) vehicles available in the Australian market. Automatic versions are now priced equally or even more affordably, thanks to consumer demand, large production and dealer incentives. Manual driving isn't dead yet but it's on its way out. With fewer instructors, rising lesson costs, and limited availability on new car lots, the stick is no longer a practical choice. What was once a rite of passage, a bragging tool, a skill passed on from generation to generation is now becoming a niche hobby. Unless something changes, the next generation of drivers will never understand the satisfaction of the perfect gear change or the control that comes from driving the old-school way. Danielle Collis Journalist and Reporter Danielle's background spans print, radio and television, she has contributed to outlets such as The Age, ABC, Channel Nine and many more. For more than four years, Danielle has worked as Liz Hayes' producer and investigative journalist on her show 'Under Investigation', covering everything from corporate scandals to Australia's most baffling crime cases. Danielle's covered a range of topics from breaking news, politics, lifestyle and now motoring. Danielle Collis
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Major shortage sees critical road cost hiked across Australia: 'Prices likely to stay high'
With automatic cars now dominating Australian roads, manual driving instructors are getting harder to find — and pricier by the hour. As the popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles grows, manufacturers are increasingly moving away from the stick. While most drivers across the country opt to learn to drive in automatics, manuals are still common in trades, agriculture, and regional settings — including among drivers of utes, trucks, and older fleet vehicles in particular. Some say it gives them more control behind the wheel, others argue it keeps their car-buying options more open, and many just prefer the experience. Does a shrinking pool of manual-licensed drivers make it harder for businesses to find suitable staff? Potentially, yes. Experts warn that as lesson prices climb and access to instructors dwindles, it could deter learners who might otherwise pursue the skill, leaving fewer people qualified to drive manual vehicles. Speaking to Yahoo News, auto expert Amanda Butler pointed to data that shows manual lessons are not only becoming more expensive but also harder to access. "This combination of cost and availability could certainly be influencing learner preferences. While some still seek the added flexibility of a manual licence, rising prices — especially in cities like Adelaide — may be a deterrent, particularly for younger Australians or those on tighter budgets," she said. Butler, of driving school EzLicence, said the company's latest analysis found that Adelaide is by far the most expensive city for manual learners, with an average hourly lesson rate of $271.20 — more than double that of the second-most expensive city, Canberra, at $92.90. Newcastle ($89.20) followed, with Sydney ($87.70) trailing behind, and Geelong ($87.50) rounding out the top five. The data also revealed that learning to drive a manual is now more expensive than automatic, marking a reversal from the previous year. In 2023–24, manual lessons averaged $77.65, slightly cheaper than automatic at $80.16. But by 2024–25, manual prices had jumped to $83.87, while automatic lessons saw only a modest increase to $80.61. Automatic learners still copped price hikes, with Adelaide topping the charts at $112.93 per lesson, according to the data. Wollongong ($84.52) and Canberra ($84.32) followed close behind. On the more affordable end, Bendigo offered the cheapest automatic lessons at $74.79, with Hobart ($76.17) and Sydney ($77.81) also below the national average. "While automatics are becoming more common, manual licensing still has a place, especially in regional areas or certain industries where manual cars remain prevalent," Butler said. "Learners will ideally continue to have the freedom to choose what suits them best, whether that's manual or automatic. It makes sense to keep encouraging them where there's demand. But we also need to think about the supply side. 💡 Aussie roads dark for months as sinister $100 million trend escalates 🚘 Push for major road rule change affecting hundreds of thousands 🛞 Major road rule changes coming into effect on July 1 "Without enough qualified instructors offering manual lessons, prices are likely to stay high, and accessibility will remain limited. Supporting instructors to continue teaching manual, whether through incentives or easing operational costs, could help keep this option viable in the years ahead." Overall, South Australia emerged as the most expensive state for manual licence instructors, with lesson prices rising 10.7 per cent since 2023. Tasmania remains the most affordable, averaging $76.17 per hour. On the cheaper end, Wollongong topped the list, with manual lessons averaging just $75.90 per hour, followed by Bendigo ($76.10), the Gold Coast ($78.90), Perth ($81.90), and Cairns ($83.20). Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Aussie ‘rite of passage' dying out
Learning how to drive a manual used to be a badge of honour but is now becoming an old-school skill. According to new research from EzLicence, nationally the average price of manual driving lessons has climbed to $83.87 compared to $80.61 for automatic. In comparison to last year, it was the other way around with manual costing less at $77.61 and automatic at $80.16. Some cities, such as Adelaide, are seeing staggering prices with manual lessons costing $271.20 per session. Yet in Wollongong, drivers are getting the best deal at $75.90 per hour. Part of the reason for the rising lesson costs is due to a nationwide shortage of driving instructors, particularly those who teach manual. According to EzLicence and ABS data, instructor numbers have dropped by 3.2 per cent over the past year. There's still a steady demand for manual lessons, especially from people who need to drive manual vehicles for work, or want to have the flexibility, such as driving overseas or hiring manual cars. However, there is a clear shift in consumer preferences. Fewer inner city learners are choosing to go manual. So with a decline in demand, many driving schools are scaling back, ditching manual vehicles altogether due to longer teaching times, limited bookings and higher vehicle maintenance. So the few instructors that remain are more valuable and expensive. Manual instructors are especially scare with an average of just 10.7 manual instructors per 100 learners nationwide, and cities like Brisbane offering 7.1 manual instructors per 100 learners. EzLicence's Tobi Pearce said the shortage, particularly of manual and female instructors, is making it harder for learners to find the right match. 'Finding a driving instructor can be challenging, especially with growing demand and ongoing shortages,' he said. Add to that the pressure of getting licensed quickly and affordably, automatic seems like the right choice. Most states also legislate that drivers who get their license in an automatic, can't legally drive a manual car until they get their full license. MORE AUTOMATIC OPTIONS There's also more automatic options in the new car market, despite manual cars being typically cheaper to purchase. For instance, according to the in Victoria (drive-away prices), the most affordable manual options are the Kia Picanto Spor t priced at $21,340 and the Suzuki Swift Hybrid priced at $24,490 drive-away. In comparison to the automatic variant, the Kia Picanto is $1,000 more ($22,340) and the Suzuki Swift is $2,500 more ($26,990). But manuals are becoming hard to find, which is making the decision a no-brainer for new drivers. According to the there's currently 61 manual variants out of a total of 1,347 (4.5 per cent) vehicles available in the Australian market. Automatic versions are now priced equally or even more affordably, thanks to consumer demand, large production and dealer incentives. Manual driving isn't dead yet but it's on its way out. With fewer instructors, rising lesson costs, and limited availability on new car lots, the stick is no longer a practical choice. What was once a rite of passage, a bragging tool, a skill passed on from generation to generation is now becoming a niche hobby. Unless something changes, the next generation of drivers will never understand the satisfaction of the perfect gear change or the control that comes from driving the old-school way.
