Choosing a Rental Car with an Automatic Transmission

When looking for a rental car, you’ll probably start by considering the type and price. But also take a moment to think about the transmission: do you want a rental car with a manual or automatic transmission? If you already drive an automatic, that will likely be your preference when renting a car as well. But what if you usually drive a manual transmission car? Or if you don’t own a car but most likely got your driver’s license in a car with a gearshift? Even then, choosing an automatic rental car isn’t a bad idea at all. Read below to find out why.

In many countries, driving an automatic transmission is the norm, including in the United States, Canada, South Africa, and Australia. One of the reasons is that people in those countries regularly drive long distances, and traffic in (major) cities is often very heavy. The same is true in countries such as Japan and South Korea. It is therefore no coincidence that in those countries, too, virtually everyone drives a car with an automatic transmission.

Renting an Automatic Car for Your Vacation

Now ask yourself what you’ll be doing when you rent a car for your vacation. Is the answer that you’ll be driving long(er) distances and visiting unfamiliar cities and towns? That’s exactly why an automatic rental car is worth considering for your vacation. Of course, you’re looking forward to a fun trip, but in most cases, you’ll be traveling through unfamiliar territory. It’s nice not to have to shift gears so you can focus entirely on the traffic, the route to your destination, and the road signs. An automatic transmission is also safer: two hands on the wheel, no distractions from shifting gears—just drive!

If you’re going on vacation to a country where they drive on the other side of the road, renting an automatic is a real lifesaver. You’ll already have to concentrate (especially the first few days) on staying on the right side of the road, so you don’t want to have to think about which hand to use to shift gears.

Renting an automatic is becoming more affordable

Rental cars with automatic transmissions are (still) often slightly more expensive than manual cars, but that’s by no means always the case. For example, in some countries (such as those mentioned above), you can only rent cars with automatic transmissions, and in countries like Norway and Sweden, the selection of automatic rental cars is so large that they’re often cheaper than manual cars. This is entirely due to the local market: the number of Norwegians and Swedes who drive automatic cars has risen sharply in recent years. In other European countries as well, more and more people are opting for automatic transmissions. The supply of automatic rental cars will follow this trend, narrowing the price differences.

Thinking about making the switch? Rent an automatic car first!

If you own a manual transmission car and are thinking about switching to an automatic, renting a car with an automatic transmission is the best way to try it out. Rent one for a weekend getaway, for example, and then decide whether your next car will be an automatic. Ultimately, the choice comes down to your personal preference. But let yourself be surprised by the safe and relaxed way of driving: just accelerate and brake. It’s also ideal for driving in traffic. You don’t have to constantly press the clutch, take your hands off the steering wheel to shift the gear lever, and then release the clutch—it’s all fully automatic. Plus, with an automatic transmission, the engine can’t stall.

In recent years, a lot of work has gone into optimizing automatic transmissions. Cars with automatic transmissions have at least six gears, but often more. That makes gear-shift-free driving very comfortable. It’s no wonder that many people who’ve driven a car with an automatic transmission once don’t want anything else.

Persistent Misconceptions About Automatic Cars

You often read and hear that an automatic transmission consumes much more fuel. That used to be true, but the fuel consumption of a modern automatic is barely higher than that of a manual transmission car. In fact, fuel consumption is usually lower these days, especially when compared to a “sporty” driver in a manual transmission car.

Another persistent misconception about automatic transmissions is that you can’t drive them “sportily.” That used to be true, but it no longer applies to modern cars. Dual-clutch automatics, in particular, easily outperform manual transmissions. With a dual-clutch transmission, the next gear is already primed to engage. You simply can’t match that shifting speed with a manual gearshift. Why do you think some higher-end “sporty” models are now only available with this type of automatic transmission?

Automatic cars without a dual-clutch system often have a “sport mode” in which the transmission shifts to a higher gear later, allowing you to keep accelerating longer. Additionally, some automatic transmissions have a manual mode, which lets you choose the gear yourself. Since you still don’t have to press a clutch pedal, this is referred to as semi-automatic driving.

Disadvantages of renting an automatic car

Apart from the sometimes higher price in some countries (see above), we can’t really find any downsides to renting a car with an automatic transmission. Unless, perhaps, you have to get used to it for a bit. You’ll find that you’ll quickly get the hang of driving an automatic. Just take it for a short test drive on a quiet road or in a parking lot.

Booking an Automatic Rental Car

When you search for a rental car on our site, you’ll see both manual and automatic transmission cars by default. In our filter system, you can check the “Automatic” option, which will show you only rental cars with automatic transmission. If you also select your preferred car class and click “Automatic” twice, you’ll quickly see the price difference. In many cases, the price difference between an automatic and a manual rental car will be much smaller than you might expect, and in some countries, an automatic is even cheaper.

We recommend booking well in advance if you want to rent a car with an automatic transmission. If you book later, there’s a chance that automatic rental cars will no longer be available. You don’t take any risk, because if you sign up to track the rental price of that car after booking, you’ll automatically be notified of any price changes. If the price drops, you can cancel your current booking up to 48 hours in advance and rebook the car at the lower price!