Manuals fade in Europe as automatics take over the market
Why manual transmissions are disappearing across Europe
Manuals fade in Europe as automatics take over the market
Europe's shift from manual transmissions to automatics accelerates: market share fell to 29% by 2024 as tech, efficiency and emissions rules reshape driving.
2025-09-01T12:26:48+03:00
2025-09-01T12:26:48+03:00
2025-09-01T12:26:48+03:00
Just two decades ago, manual gearboxes were the default across Europe. In the early 2000s, more than 90% of buyers opted for them; by 2024, the manual’s share has shrunk to 29%. The decline is most dramatic in the premium space: where automatics used to appear in roughly one out of three cars, they now account for 97%.The reasons for shelving the third pedal are straightforward—convenience, technology, and emissions. Modern automatic transmissions are priced close to manuals, deliver lower fuel consumption, and help meet tightening pollution standards. In urban stop-and-go traffic, the advantage is felt every day.Even brands that long kept manuals in the catalog—Hyundai, Volkswagen, Toyota—are steadily phasing them out. In the premium bracket, they have virtually disappeared, lingering only in a few sports-oriented models.Yet for many drivers a manual still represents what they consider real driving: emotion and a direct line to the machine that automatics and EVs rarely replicate. That romance remains, but the mass market is marching toward automation, and the third pedal is set to become the territory of enthusiasts and collectors.
Europe's shift from manual transmissions to automatics accelerates: market share fell to 29% by 2024 as tech, efficiency and emissions rules reshape driving.
Michael Powers, Editor
Just two decades ago, manual gearboxes were the default across Europe. In the early 2000s, more than 90% of buyers opted for them; by 2024, the manual’s share has shrunk to 29%. The decline is most dramatic in the premium space: where automatics used to appear in roughly one out of three cars, they now account for 97%.
The reasons for shelving the third pedal are straightforward—convenience, technology, and emissions. Modern automatic transmissions are priced close to manuals, deliver lower fuel consumption, and help meet tightening pollution standards. In urban stop-and-go traffic, the advantage is felt every day.
Even brands that long kept manuals in the catalog—Hyundai, Volkswagen, Toyota—are steadily phasing them out. In the premium bracket, they have virtually disappeared, lingering only in a few sports-oriented models.
Yet for many drivers a manual still represents what they consider real driving: emotion and a direct line to the machine that automatics and EVs rarely replicate. That romance remains, but the mass market is marching toward automation, and the third pedal is set to become the territory of enthusiasts and collectors.
