Manual vs. Automatic Transmission: Pros and Cons
The cars on roads today either have an automatic or manual transmission. Customers can choose to drive an automatic gear shifting car or a car that car requires manual gear changing. Many modern cars offer both the options. Which kind of transmission is better? The answer to that question is not as easy as both the transmissions have their advantages and disadvantages. But first, it is important for you to familiarize yourself with their definition.
Manual Gearbox
In a manual car, it is up to a driver to change the gears. These cars have five or more forward gears. A clutch pedal needs to be pressed before changing gear.
Automatic Gearbox
In an automatic transmission, gearbox changes gears for you. It means you do not need to put your mind on the speed, instead focus on whether you are going forward, backward or stop. There are different types of automatic gearboxes. Let us take a look at them.
• Traditional Automatic Transmission
It can be found in almost every car. It offers smooth and reliable gear changes. This transmission uses a torque converter to change gears instead of a paddle.
• Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
In this transmission there are no fixed gears, thus no gear changes. It is very smooth and reliable but can be noisy. It uses belts and pulleys instead of traditional steel gears.
• Clutchless Manual Gearbox
It is a normal manual gearbox that uses electric motors to change gear automatically.
In this transmission, a normal manual gearbox has used that changes gears automatically. The ride can be jerky.
• Dual-clutch Automatic Gearbox
It offers a combination of an automatic and manual transmission. Shifting to a higher or lower gear is smooth, but there can be reliability issues over time.
Which Transmission is better?
There is not any straightforward answer to this question. It depends on the individual circumstances and driving style. There are pros and cons to both of these transmission types. Here are pros and cons of the automatic and manual transmission cars.
Pros of Automatic Transmission
• There is nothing difficult about shifting gears, but it requires a little practice before some drivers learn to control a manual transmission vehicle. In contrast, automatic transmissions are much simpler and the drivers required significantly less time to learn.
• Keeping both hands on the wheels all the time is good from a safety point of view. It is possible to do on automatic transmission car, but not on a manual car.
• It can be awkward and embarrassing if your car stalls right when the traffic light changes. It is not a common problem for those driving automatic transmission as it happens only when there is a mechanical problem in the vehicle.
• In high traffic, it is easier to drive an automatic car than a manual car as the manual car requires starting, accelerating, decelerating, and stopping the car. The manual car drivers may find it irritating to constantly starting and stopping the car.
Cons of Automatic Transmission
• The automatic cars are costly in the long run. The maintenance of these cars is costly because of the complex design system.
• The drivers have to rely on torque converter in order to change gears. It results in low fuel consumption.
Pros of Manual Transmission
• Manual cars give you more control since you control the gears. It makes it easier to slow down or stop.
• If you are a budget-conscious buyer then there is no comparison between a manual and automatic car. On average, a manual transmission vehicle costs you significantly lower than an automatic car.
• The manual cars are more fuel efficient than automatic cars. It is because you are not using as much power with an automatic.
• Manual cars are less popular than automatics, so there is a low risk of getting these cars stolen.
Cons of Manual Transmission
• The manual transmission requires you to take one hand off the wheel to shift gears. Additionally, there is an extra pedal to deal with.
• Constantly working the clutch of an automatic can irritate the driver, especially in the high-traffic areas.
• Learning a drive stick can take some time. It is not simple like an automatic car.
• Reselling a vehicle with manual transmission can be cumbersome since many people prefer to drive an automatic car and many do not know how to work with a manual transmission.
