Manual or Auto Gearbox in new car!

[kennysarmy]

I've been driving for over 35 years and have only ever driven manual cars, current is a 67 plate SEAT Leon but I'm looking at up to 18 month old Skoda Karoq's and the majority of them seem to be AUTO gearboxes.

 

Is AUTO the way to go?

 

Pros and cons?

[mavhc]

I've never owned a car with a gearbox, just another thing to go wrong

[3s-gtech]

UK market forces are showing that the majority of buyers want auto gearboxes now, where we used to be firmly against. The difference being that modern autos, DCTs etc are so much better than earlier slushboxes.

 

It's entirely personal. What do you want to drive? Either is fine.

 

Pros of auto - easy to use, easy to drive, much easier in traffic, often faster than the manual, better availability, integration with other systems like self driving if that's your thing, cleaner user interface

Cons - often less engaging and 'fun' to drive, complex (especially when electronic systems are heavily involved), expensive to repair, sometimes 'dim witted', depending on the model can be harder to sell

 

  

2 minutes ago, mavhc said:

I've never owned a car with a gearbox, just another thing to go wrong

 

I've owned cars with two gearboxes! Problem is, that factoid is equally irrelevant to the thread. Your electric cars do have a gearbox, but they're single speed.

Edited October 10, 2025 by 3s-gtech

[Jaan]

I've owned both, and while I'm a bit of a "driver" who genuinely enjoys a good old manual (that connection to the car is unmatched!), I also really missed the ease of the auto in my old Honda Accord.

 

Right now, my drive is the perfect example of this split: I have an older Audi A4 B5 with a 5-speed manual, and a Tesla Model Y which, of course, just has forward and reverse.

 

If someone's never driven a traditional automatic, I think "flappy paddles" (a dual-clutch or similar automatic with manual control) are a fantastic compromise. You get the comfort of a full auto mode, but you can still use the paddles on the steering wheel for a more involved, sequential "manual" experience.

 

My 13-year-old daughter is already developing her own preference, though. She's decided she wants an automatic, based purely on watching me drive the Audi versus the Tesla. She doesn't grasp the mechanics yet, but her intuition is already there!

 

It's funny because I'm heavily into sim racing, so I have access to flappy paddles, H-pattern, and sequential shifters. When I've been teaching her the basic principles of driving, she described the manual as being like "patting your head and rubbing your stomach" compared to the simplicity of an auto.

 

I would say the manuals are slow disappearing, esp with EV now slow becoming more popular...

 

it's a tough one!

 

 

[6Foot3]

With auto, you can eat and drive.

 

I heard...

[Davit2005]

Autos these days have come a long way. If you do lots of town driving I'd defo go Auto. Autos can often be more economical than manual i.e. the DSG is a great gearbox. But not all autos are the same. The fiat 500 is jus an automated manual I think and behaves differently than a normal auto.

 

Autos are generally easier to park, you can mostly get enough pull on an auto to reverse at low speed and therefore you only need to use the break peddle to control the speed.

 

They may need extra maintenance too, do some research on the car you get.

Edited October 10, 2025 by Davit2005

[Jaan]

4 minutes ago, Davit2005 said:

Autos these days have come a long way. If you do lots of town driving I'd defo go Auto. Autos can often be more economical than manual i.e. the DSG is a great gearbox. But not all autos are the same. The fiat 500 is jus an autoamted manual I think and behaves differently than a normal auto.

 

Autos are generally easier to park, you can mostly get enough pull on an auto to reverse at low speed and there for you only need to use the break peddle to control the speed.

 

They may need extra maintenance too, do some research on the car you get.

 

That's a very good point stay away from automated manuals (in my opinion)..... these just have a robotic clutch actuator, and are essentially just manual gearboxes with a robot pressing and selecting gear...... very clunky 

[Jaan]

I should add, that once you've driven a auto you'll be like...."why didn't i do this sooner!".....

 

If you're not a "petrol head" and dont need to manual connection to the car, i'd 100% say go auto with flappy paddles.

[HarryMonkey]

I currently drive both, my car is an auto and my work van is a manual. Personally I would go for auto every time now. Much easier, especially in traffic, no more foot on and off the clutch as you wind your way at snail pace through a queue.

 

[Davit2005]

1 hour ago, Jaan said:

I should add, that once you've driven a auto you'll be like...."why didn't i do this sooner!".....

 

If you're not a "petrol head" and dont need to manual connection to the car, i'd 100% say go auto with flappy paddles.

This is where the DSG and possibly others stand out. Due to the way the DSG changes gear. It pre-selects gears depending on whether you are breaking or accelerating so don't confuse it 🙂

 

The one thing I'd still say though if you want a greater driving involvement for fun stick to a manual. I have a Seat Leon Cupra but I think the old MK3 XR3i was more fun. Modern cars deal with a lot more things than old cars. i.e. I used to get awful torque steer in the XR3i but the Leon jus deals with it. Can put foot flat on the floor when pulling away from a junction into a road and it jus deals with it due to a trick LSD similar to what the Golf R has between front and rear wheels.

 

Quote

A DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) is a type of automatic transmission that uses two clutches to shift gears quickly and efficiently, while a traditional automatic uses a torque converter and clutch packs. DSG gearboxes offer faster, smoother gear changes and better fuel economy than conventional automatics due to their pre-selecting of the next gear. Traditional automatics can provide a more seamless and quieter experience, though they are less efficient and can have a slight lag during shifts. 

 

Edited October 10, 2025 by Davit2005

[andy_b]

After 15 years driving urban traffic jams in a manual, I swapped to an auto and wouldn't go back.

 

7 years in Skoda DSGs and now 4 years in an EV.

 

Occasionally the DSG would be in the wrong gear to what I thought it should be, but that was once in a blue moon.

Edited October 10, 2025 by andy_b

[FN-GM]

When I lived in the UK, I drove manual. When I moved to Australia, I have only owned automatic cars. I would never go back to manual.

 

Australia went to primarily automatic a long time ago. A few years ago, we had a loan car (whilst the usual was in for repairs) at work that was manual and I was the only one who could actually drive it!

Edited October 10, 2025 by FN-GM

[Jaan]

3 minutes ago, andy_b said:

After 15 years driving urban traffic jams in a manual, I swapped to an auto and wouldn't go back.

 

76 years in Skoda DSGs and now 4 years in an EV.

 

Occasionally the DSG would be in the wrong gear to what I thought it should be, but that was once in a blue moon.

 

 

 One pedal drive in EVs........ love it lol. ill not go off topic though.

[Davit2005]

1 minute ago, Jaan said:

 

 

 One pedal drive in EVs........ love it lol. ill not go off topic though.

Yes please keep that to the EV thread 😉

[NegativeKillDeath]

Can you get an extended test drive? You say up to 18 month old so presumably from a main dealer who might offer a longer test drive. 

 

I have been auto for 8 years now and wouldn't go back. ZF 8 Speed has been rock solid. 

[Jaan]

Alfa Giulia has that box also doesn't it?

 

You could always just rent one. if you're not sure which path to take. (As in from a car rental place rather than pcp etc)

 

 

Edited October 10, 2025 by Jaan