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27/01/2025

Is it Easier to Drive an Automatic Car?

A gear stick on an automatic car during an automatic intensive driving course

Are you wondering whether to choose an automatic intensive driving course or a manual intensive driving course? If you are just starting out, you might be wondering ‘is it easier to drive an automatic car’? In short, yes – automatic cars do not have a clutch, and the gearbox is much simpler.

Driving an automatic car

No clutch means only two-foot pedals – the accelerator and the brake.  All automatic cars have a built-in transmission in the engine, which means that when accelerating or slowing down, your engine will automatically change the gear for you, allowing you the freedom to concentrate on what is happening around you.

Many people prefer to take intensive automatic driving courses so that they can drive their automatic car in heavy traffic when they pass their test. Automatic vehicles are especially good in situations with many stop-and-start situations.

If you find the idea of driving a manual car a little overwhelming, an automatic intensive course may suit you better. You will, of course, still need to learn road sense and work through the driving DVSA syllabus.

Driving an automatic car vs a manual car

Many people prefer to take manual driving courses, as learning to drive a manual car means you can choose both when purchasing your first car.

If you go on holiday or abroad for work and need to hire a vehicle, it may be easier if you have a manual licence. Some say driving a manual car gives you greater control of the vehicle. You need to be aware that if you learn to drive an automatic car and pass your test in an automatic car, you will only get an automatic driving licence and, therefore, cannot drive a manual.

Also worth noting is that should you wish to drive a manual vehicle, once you have passed your test in an automatic, you will have to re-sit the practical driving test successfully in a manual vehicle.

This, fortunately, does not include the theory test, as you will have already passed.

Disadvantages of an automatic car

Automatic cars are more expensive to buy, whether new or second-hand. As they’re more complex, repairs are more expensive. Automatic cars are also generally more expensive to insure than manual cars. This is because their parts are more costly (and more challenging) to replace.

Automatic pass rates are considerably lower than the overall average of 46.3%. When separating the two types of transmission, manual pass rates stood at 47.1%, while automatic pass rates dropped to 38.9%. (DVSA driving test statistics for 2017/18)

Advantages of an automatic intensive and automatic car

One of the significant advantages of driving an automatic car when you are learning to drive is that you don’t have to be thinking about all the different elements of driving, such as an extra pedal and moving your hand from the steering wheel to the gear stick. You just need the accelerator and the brake. For very nervous learners, this can be such an advantage when changing gears and coordination is a challenge.

However, what may offset the cost of an automatic car, is that it can be more fuel efficient as you are not revving up so much before changing gear. And many automatic cars come with a sports mode and an eco mode as well.

Whatever you choose, you will still need to pass your driving test to legally drive independently. With both transmissions available at most centres, make 2025 the year you pass your driving test – Learn with 5Day.