Cap HPI reveals automatics over manuals trend
Cap HPI has revealed an accelerating trend of automatics over manuals in the UK, with automatics now making up about a third of the car parc.
Its data has uncovered a 13% increase in the volume of automatics from 2014 to 2024.
In 2014 there were 7.1 million automatics on UK roads but that had increased to more than 15.5 million by last year, accounting for 29.3% of the market.
In contrast, the number of manual cars on the road increased by just 2.4%, from 36.6 million in 2014 to 37.5 million in 2024. Cap HPI has also reported that manual numbers have actually fallen in each of the last five years.
Automatic for the people
Stacey Ward, senior data director at cap hpi, said: “Changing driving habits, especially in congested urban areas, have made automatics more appealing to drivers for their ease of use in stop-start traffic. Advances in technology over the past decade have also greatly improved automatic transmissions’ efficiency and responsiveness.
“The rise in popularity of EVs, which are always automatic, has significantly contributed to the increasing shift towards automatics over manual. Manufacturers have responded by reducing manual gearbox options, with some major brands eliminating them entirely from their lineups.”
She added: “Additionally, more new drivers are opting for automatic-only driving licenses. In 2012, there were just 550,000 drivers with automatic licences. In 2022, there were over 1.1 million, with this figure expected to continue to increase. Estimates suggest that by next year, a quarter of learners will qualify with a licence limited to automatic cars only.”
