CarsIreland, one of Ireland's leading car marketplace platforms, is highlighting the significant shift amongst Irish drivers away from manuals and towards automatic vehicles over the past decade.  

Manual car sales in Ireland have plummeted by 50.7% over the past decade, while automatic vehicle sales have surged by an astonishing 509.8%.

Between 2014 and 2024, automatic car sales increased by 66,969 units, while manual sales fell sharply from 86.4% of the market to just 33.8%.

The tipping point came in 2022, when automatic sales overtook manual for the first time, with momentum continuing into 2023, which saw the largest single-year increase of 18,735 additional automatic vehicles sold.

In 2014, manual vehicles accounted for 86.4% of all car sales and by 2024, this had dropped to just 33.8%, while automatic cars surged to 66.2%. 2022 marked the tipping point, when automatic sales overtook manual for the first time but the most dramatic year-on-year shift came in 2023, with automatic sales increasing by 18,735 units.

This shift reflects broader trends in consumer behaviour, with drivers prioritising ease, comfort, and the technological advancements of modern automatic vehicles. The rise of hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs), which predominantly feature automatic transmissions, has further accelerated the decline of manual gearboxes.

Sinead McCann, spokesperson for CarsIreland.ie, commented: “This data signals a fundamental change in Irish motoring habits. Consumers are increasingly opting for convenience, and with the growth of hybrid and electric vehicles, the days of manual cars dominating the market are coming to an end.”

Ross Smith, the ‘Virtual Driving Instructor’ also noted, “We’ve seen a huge shift in learner preferences - when I started this career, automatic lesson requests were few and far between. Now, more students are choosing to learn in automatic cars, not only for ease but because they recognise this is where the industry is heading.”

“Learners now say that there's no such thing as a manual electric or hybrid car, so why would they bother?” he continued.

“The industry-wide change to EVs has caused a massive culture switch in how people view automatics. Every day I find myself sourcing automatic instructors for pupils who message us on our socials for lessons. I don't think there is any shame in it - drive what you find the most comfort and pleasure in!”

For consumers looking to make informed decisions about their next car purchase, CarsIreland.ie provides expert insights, car listings, and valuable market trends.