The decision to buy a car might be simple, but there’s a lot to consider when deciding on the right car for you. From determining the fuel efficiency to the engine type, endless options are available to make your drive as comfortable and efficient as possible. Another decision you need to make is deciding between manual and automatic transmission.
In a car, the transmission (often called the gearbox) acts as a conduit through which power produced by the engine is supplied to the wheels, using a system of gears and gear trains. Different gears are used to send the right amount of power to the wheels to help the car operate smoothly at a given speed.
Modern cars offer two transmission types – manual and automatic. Vehicles with manual transmissions, or stick shifts as they are sometimes called, require you to manually change gears while driving the car. These cars have three pedals: brake, accelerator, and clutch. You must use the clutch pedal to change gears.
While enthusiasts find it exhilarating to have additional control over their cars through manual gear shifting, new drivers often find it complicated to use both their legs independently to press the accelerator and the clutch while driving.
Automatic cars are typically considered easier to drive as the gear shifting is automatically controlled using sensors or some mechanical parts in the automatic gearbox. There’s no clutch to operate, and you don’t need to focus on changing gears, which means you can focus on the road ahead and enjoy the drive.
Coming to the question, “Which car is better to drive, manual or automatic?” or if it’s better to buy one over the other, there’s no straightforward answer that is correct for everyone.
Even though more people are buying automatic cars than before and carmakers are slowly phasing out manual transmission in cars – it’s hard to say that one is better than the other. Both manual and automatic cars have their pros and cons, and any choice in favour of either is generally a matter of opinion.
Manual cars | Automatic cars |
Learning to drive a manual car is considered challenging, as the driver must manually change gears using a lever (or stick) and clutch pedal. | Automatic cars are generally easier to drive, as gears are automatically shifted in line with the car’s speed. |
Manual transmission is generally offered in base models, which means some manual cars are cheaper to buy than their automatic counterparts. | Automatic transmission is available as an upgrade in some car models. It means you might have to shell out more money if you don't want to shift gears. |
Manual cars have been traditionally considered more fuel efficient and cheaper to maintain than automatic cars. | Automatic cars sometimes have fewer gears than manual cars, which can make them less fuel-efficient. However, this gap is closing fast, with most automatics now offering five- and six-speed transmissions. |
A relatively simple gearbox powers cars with manual transmission. As a result, these cars are often cheaper to purchase, maintain, and repair. The fuel efficiency is also higher, making them cost-effective to run. | Automatic transmission in a car requires complicated machinery, and it could cost you more to purchase, maintain, and repair an automatic vehicle. However, with technological advances, these costs are coming down, and the fuel efficiency of automatic cars has also improved over time. |
Manual vs automatic is a long debated topic, and the answer is subjective. If you’re learning to drive, you may find it easier to drive an automatic car, as there's no need to synchronise the accelerator, clutch pedal and gear stick. However, if you are a car enthusiast and prefer to have complete control of the vehicle, you’re likely to prefer a manual car with a lever to manage its performance or speed.
From a safety point of view, both manual and automatic vehicles offer active safety features, but an automatic vehicle might be considered safer in heavy traffic conditions, as it puts less stress on the driver. In a manual car, the driver needs to focus not only on the road but also shift gears constantly to keep pace with the traffic. Since safety is the first priority, you could compare ANCAP Safety ratings of different cars to pick a safe and reliable model. This is an important step, irrespective of the transmission you select for your car.
You should also consider purchasing the right level of insurance cover for your car. It's mandatory to buy a compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance cover to drive your vehicle legally on Australian roads. Additionally, you might want to consider a policy that covers you for third-party property damage. You could also buy a comprehensive insurance cover that helps with the cost of repairing your own vehicle if it suffers accidental damage.
This article was reviewed by Peter Terlato before it was published as part of RateCity's Fact Check process.
