Manual Vs automatic: which one should you choose

Pros and cons manual and automatic cars

Whether you are buying a new car or learning to drive, choosing either a manual or automatic transmission is part of the process. The transmission will allow your vehicle to change gears and transfer power from the engine to the wheels in the most efficient way possible, to get you from A to B.To help you weigh up automatic vs manual pros and cons, we will take you through the key differences.

Manual vs automatic – ease of use

If you are looking for the easiest possible car to drive an automatic is a great option, although a manual clutch and gears is easy to master with a little practice. If you are learning to drive and want to get on the road as quickly as possible, it takes drivers much less time to master an automatic car as you will be able to focus on speed and road positioning.

If you regularly drive in heavy traffic, an automatic car will be much easier as it will require less manual operation during the stopping and starting. This is great for novice drivers who may struggle with stalling at awkward times such as traffic lights and roundabouts. But, if you learn to drive in an automatic car you will only be licenced to drive an automatic vehicle.

Manual vs automatic – price

The main advantage of manual transmission vs automatic is price, with a new manual transmission car costing a few thousand less than the automatic equivalent. They are also cheaper to maintain as there are fewer components when compared to an automatic transmission. When there are repairs to carry out the cost is often much less than with an automatic car but, it is worth bearing in mind that manuals are more susceptible to driver abuse.

Manual vs automatic – efficiency

A manual transmission engine is less complex, has more gears and weighs much less than an automatic engine. This results in better fuel efficiency, with drivers saving roughly 5 to 15 percent on average fuel costs.

Manual vs automatic – control

Although an automatic car is designed to choose the best gear for the situation, they can be likely to move into a gear which is too high and waste potential power. An automatic engine is designed to respond to situations as they occur, however a driver of a manual vehicle will be able to anticipate conditions and select the ideal gear for the most efficient use of power.

Manual vs automatic – which should you choose?

If you are looking for an easy and comfortable drive, an automatic transmission system is probably a great option for you. But, if you would like a responsive, more involved driving experience which saves you money a manual is ideal.

If you would like to find out more about manual vs automatic transmission please contact the expert team at one of our local centres in Harlow and Maidstone. We have a range of manual and automatic vehicles available and will be happy to arrange a test drive for you.