Manual cars could be nearly extinct in five years if the number of new models halves

The number of new regular models that are manuals has more than halved in just six years, research shows.

Car manufacturers that no longer offer new showroom models with manual transmissions include Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Lexus.

Of the 300 models currently available to UK buyers, only 89 are manuals – down 18 per cent on last year.

At the current rate of decline, experts say the manual transmission could be all but extinct by 2029, along with chokes, cassette players and wind-up windows.

The demise of the manual is fueled by the age of electric vehicles, all of which are automatic.

The legislation calls for 80 percent of new cars sold in Britain to be electric by 2030, rising to 100 percent by 2035.

The extensive research by online marketplace CarGurus assessed the 30 most popular car brands in Great Britain.

It showed that sales of new manuals fell from 194 in 2018 to 89 this year – a drop of 54 percent.

Jeep, Land Rover, MINI and Honda only offer one manual option in their range.

Volkswagen offers the most with ten, followed by Ford and Hyundai, each with six.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows that more than three-quarters – 76 percent – ​​of new car sales in 2011 were manuals.

Last year that figure had fallen to less than three in ten vehicles: 28.7 percent.

Manuals that have ceased production include Britain’s best-selling car of all time, the Ford Fiesta, which last rolled off the production line in July 2023.

Novice drivers are also choosing automatic transmissions more often than ever during their driving tests, accelerating the demise of the manual gearbox.

A record 324,064 automated tests were taken last year, according to official figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

The legislation calls for 80 percent of new cars sold in Britain to be electric by 2030, rising to 100 percent by 2035.

That was an increase of a third since 2022 and 269 percent more than the 87,844 automatic tests ten years earlier.

They were responsible for 37 percent of the 865,000 driver qualification checks carried out last year.

CarGurus has put together a guide on its website to some of the best new cars still available with a manual transmission.

They include the Kia Picanto as a city tourer; Seat Ibiza as a small hatchback; Ford Puma for a small SUV; Skoda Octavia Estate for a large family car; and Mazda MX-5 as a sports car.

CarGurus says used car buyers can save an average of 14 per cent (or £3,466) by opting for a manual.

Researchers compared the prices of 2020 models listed on the site for the 30 most popular car brands.

Novice drivers are also choosing automatic transmissions more often than ever during their driving tests, accelerating the demise of the manual transmission

For example, a manual 2020 Citroen C3 costs an average of €12,442, compared to €15,743 for an automatic – a saving of 21 percent.

Meanwhile, a Volkswagen Polo costs £18,285 (compared to £15,736, a saving of 14 per cent); a Nissan Qashqai £20,223 (£18,006, 11 percent); and a Ford Fiesta £17,189 (£15,730, eight percent).

Chris Knapman, editor at CarGurus UK, said: ‘Between increasing consumer demand for automatic transmission cars and the rapid expansion of new EV models coming to market, we could be the end of the road for the manual transmission approaching.

‘Historically, manual transmissions have been preferred due to their lower cost compared to automatic transmissions, as well as their more responsive nature and improved fuel economy.

‘Technological developments, however, ensure that many modern automatic machines are at least as efficient as a manual alternative and are much more responsive than the systems of the past.

‘It is likely that manual gearboxes will continue to hold a special place in the hearts of enthusiast drivers because of the greater interaction they offer.

‘And of course manual cars will still be a big offering on the second-hand market in the coming years.

“For those willing to shift gears themselves, choosing a manual car can also be a smart, money-saving move.”