As manual cars rapidly disappear from Australian roads, the demand for manual driving is steadily plummeting, but driving experts warn we might be losing a crucial road skill in the process.
While manuals once accounted for the majority of passenger cars on our roads, they’ve been swiftly overtaken by automatic-transmission vehicles in recent years, with fewer learner drivers willing to give a stick shift a go.
In Western Australia and Queensland, automatic drivers are required to retrain and retest in order to drive a manual car. This means a specific manual licence is necessary.
In most other states and territories, while you can learn and test in a manual car, a separate licence isn’t needed. Instead, motorists can simply switch to driving a manual once they obtain a full, unrestricted licence.
“Manual driving is definitely becoming more niche among Australian learners”, Amanda Butler, Head of Marketing at EzLicence, told Yahoo News.
She said most people are forgoing the extra learning and opting for “simpler” automatic vehicles.
According to licensed driving instructor David Wright, motorists who can confidently drive a stick shift tend to be better drivers, and it’s a skill that more Aussies should have.
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David Wright is a licensed driving instructor servicing the NSW Central Coast region.
(Cool Driver Training)
Wright, who operates Cool Driver Training on the NSW Central Coast, said “manual drivers are more involved with the driving experience”.
“I think that tends to make them better drivers, primarily because they’re more aware of their surroundings,” he explained.
“You’ve got to think more about what you’re doing, and you have to plan ahead.”
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Are there still manual cars in Australia?
According to EzLicence, a platform for learner drivers, the declining popularity of manual learning reflects the broader Australian car market.
“Automatic vehicles now dominate, and most new hybrid and electric cars don’t offer manual transmission at all,” Butler said.
Wright agreed, saying these limitations “make it difficult” for learner drivers to learn manual driving. Popular first cars, such as the base model Yaris or Corolla, are only available in automatic, he pointed out.
“If you walk into any major brand, Toyota or something like that, you can’t even buy a car in a manual transmission anymore,” Wright said.
Why are fewer people learning how to drive manual cars?
In 2000, six out of 10 new vehicles sold in Australia had automatic transmission, according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
Last year, it was 9.8 out of 10, and so far in 2026, it is closer to 9.9, the ABC reported.
The slow demise of manuals is in part thanks to “a whole generation” that never learned how to drive them, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries’ chief executive Tony Weber told the ABC.
As a result, there are fewer instructors who teach manual, according to EZLicence.
Some say manual vehicles give them more control behind the wheel, others argue it keeps their car-buying options more open, and many just prefer the experience. Source: Getty
Wright said that while he still teaches manual driving, only about 10 per cent of his customers request the dying skill.
“It’s definitely on the way down,” he said
What are the benefits of driving a manual car?
Car enthusiasts still tend to lean toward a manual transmission, Butler and Wright both agreed. Wright said it’s also a lot more fun.
Learning to drive manually also offers greater flexibility.
“Particularly for work requirements in industries like trades, transport, or agriculture,” Butler pointed out.
“One of the biggest advantages of learning manual is flexibility, as passing a manual driving test allows drivers to operate both manual and automatic vehicles,” she said.
“Learning manual can also help drivers develop stronger vehicle control and road awareness, while opening up access to a wider range of cars, work vehicles, campervans, and overseas rentals where manual cars are still common”.
Is learning to drive a manual more difficult?
Wright admitted that learning to drive a manual car can take longer, which is partly why so many Aussies avoid it.
“The best way to learn how to drive a manual car is to first become a proficient driver in an automatic car, and then you can transition over much more easily because you already know what you’re doing,” he said.
Learning to drive in a manual car can present “a whole lot of problems” which could “delay the learning process”.
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