It is one of the biggest arguments in the motoring world: manual vs automatic! Here we unpack pros and cons of both, as well as what’s best for you!
The manual vs automatic gearbox debate has raged for as long as cars have been offered with either. For quite some time, there would be strong arguments and good cases for choosing each, but given the recent advances in tech, automatic transmissions have come a long way. Still, there are many motorists who firmly believe in the power of the manual gearbox.
Generally, a car with a manual gearbox features three pedals; clutch, brake, accelerator. An automatic vehicle has two pedals; brake and accelerator.
Manual Gearbox Pros
- Engagement: When driving a manual gearbox, you’re focused and concentrating on timing those gearshifts, balancing the clutch and some motorists feel this is the best way to drive as you’re in complete control.
- You can start a car with a flat battery: Flat battery? No problem, simply clutch in, engage 2nd gear and either push the vehicle or roll down a hill. Release the clutch and the engine should start.
Manual Gearbox Cons
- Harder to master: Learning the art of simultaneously releasing the clutch and gently accelerating takes time and concentration.
- Uncomfortable in traffic: The constant clutch in, clutch out gets tiring in gridlock traffic.
- Clutches are expensive: The clutch is a wear n tear item and generally excluded from warranties. Misuse can result in premature failure and will be a costly exercise to replace.
- Not compatible with modern tech: Many semi-autonomous technologies like emergency braking and adaptive cruise control are not offered on vehicles with manual gearboxes.
Automatic Gearbox Pros
- Ease of use: Simply select Drive and away you go with both hands on the wheel. It doesn’t get easier or simpler than that. Bonus: it’s impossible to stall an automatic!
- Smoother drive: Most autos are silky smooth, you just don’t feel the gearshifts anymore.
- Quicker: In a race between a manual car and a DCT, the car’s computer can change gears quicker than humans.
- Lighter on fuel: Some autos, like the CVT are engineered to keep the engine in that perfect sweet spot of performance and efficiency.
Automatic Gearbox Cons
- Pricey: In comparison to a manual version, some automatics are bit more expensive, but this is rare these days as automatics are more popular.
- Less control: While we appreciate how easy it is to drive an auto, its also not very involving and you may get distracted or lose focus.
Manual vs Automatic: Our choice?
Here at Cars.co.za, our content team has the chance to drive around 100 vehicles each year and some of the senior members have been behind various steering wheels for well over a decade. We’ve noticed a remarkable decline in the number of manual gearboxes offered by car brands in South Africa. In 2023, less than 10% of our road tests featured cars with a manual gearbox.
The incredible rise of the automatic as well as side technologies like dual-clutch transmissions, continuously variable transmissions (CVT)and automatic manual transmissions (AMT) have proven to be quicker, easier to use and require less maintenance.
While we’d savour every single moment with a high-performance vehicle equipped with a slick manual gearbox like the BMW M2, the reality is that the automatic version is faster in a straight line and easier to use on a daily basis.
