The Student Room Group

What's it like driving an automatic?

I took my test and drive in a manual car.

What's it like in an automatic car? I presume you can't just push the accelerator and keep it down to reach 60mph or whatever? Do you have to remove your foot from the gas to allow the car to change up a gear or something? (Wouldn't the car jump then?)

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No you don't have to lift off the pedal to change gear.
Modern automatic gearboxes are very smooth.
Reply 2
Original post by Lukev
No you don't have to lift off the pedal to change gear.
Modern automatic gearboxes are very smooth.


Not quite true...

If you've got your foot hard down and you lift off a bit the box will shift up sooner.
Broadly, the box will shift gears of it's own accord depending on what position the throttle is in.

Additionally, in most autos you can shift gears manually by using the various positions on the gate.
Contrary to popular belief, to drive an automatic PROPERLY you don't just "stick it in D and forget about it".
Original post by JC.
Not quite true...

How is what I said not quite true? Yes you can intervene and dictate a gear change but that's not what was asked about.
Do you have to lift off to reach 60? No.
Original post by Runninground
I took my test and drive in a manual car.

What's it like in an automatic car? I presume you can't just push the accelerator and keep it down to reach 60mph or whatever? Do you have to remove your foot from the gas to allow the car to change up a gear or something? (Wouldn't the car jump then?)


Just put your foot down and you'll go from 0-100mph without needing to do anything else.
All the gear changes are done by the car itself - and what someone said about altering the throttle to choose which gear you want, noone ever does that...
Reply 5
Original post by Lukev
How is what I said not quite true? Yes you can intervene and dictate a gear change but that's not what was asked about.
Do you have to lift off to reach 60? No.


OP said "do you have to lift off to change gear" and you said "no".

Which, as I said, is "not quite true".
Reply 6
Original post by Rump Steak
and what someone said about altering the throttle to choose which gear you want, noone ever does that...


You don't know how to drive an auto then.

Theres a reason that in most automatics you do not have to press the inhibitor to shift the selector beween "D" and "D3 / D2" - that is simply to prevent the car from changing into top gear (like it naturally wants to do) and subsequently labouring when you start to ascend a hill.

Also, on modern autoboxes there is normally an overdrive gear. If you lift off the throttle completely when you are just cruising along then the overdrive will naturally engage. You can then bring the revs back up to maintain cruising speed whilst having the benefit of the longer gear ratio - it's the difference between cruising in 4th gear or 5th gear in a manual.
Reply 7
Original post by JC.
You don't know how to drive an auto then.

Theres a reason that in most automatics you do not have to press the inhibitor to shift the selector beween "D" and "D3 / D2" - that is simply to prevent the car from changing into top gear (like it naturally wants to do) and subsequently labouring when you start to ascend a hill.

Also, on modern autoboxes there is normally an overdrive gear. If you lift off the throttle completely when you are just cruising along then the overdrive will naturally engage. You can then bring the revs back up to maintain cruising speed whilst having the benefit of the longer gear ratio - it's the difference between cruising in 4th gear or 5th gear in a manual.

My daddy's has something called a kickdown (or something) *nods wisely*
Reply 8
Hi there,

I have been learning to drive for along time (nearly 6 years!) I started in Manual and then found out after failing 4 tests I had dyspraxia so I went with Auto - I love it!! You don't need to lift your foot you just literally "go" so imagine everything you do in a manual minue the clutch and gears! :smile: I love it! :biggrin: I would never go back to manual now, have my 1st auto test soon :smile: x
Original post by JC.
Not quite true...

If you've got your foot hard down and you lift off a bit the box will shift up sooner.
Broadly, the box will shift gears of it's own accord depending on what position the throttle is in.

Additionally, in most autos you can shift gears manually by using the various positions on the gate.
Contrary to popular belief, to drive an automatic PROPERLY you don't just "stick it in D and forget about it".


Well said mate :wink:
Original post by JC.
OP said "do you have to lift off to change gear" and you said "no".

Which, as I said, is "not quite true".

Which is actually absolutely true. Yes you will rev to a higher point between changes if you don't, but it doesn't make me wrong in any way.

[child mode]Your other points are absolutely right, I just object to be being made out to be wrong when I'm not.[/child mode]
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 11
Na it's like driving a bumper car but its really not at stressful as manual, you don't roll back and you only use one foot it's alright still does the same job and changes in to different speeds smoothly but the break is much more sensitive! However you miss out on the joys of changing to 4th gear and feeling like your flying :smile: lol
Boring, uses more brakes and I prefer manual cars.
Like having sex with a girl who's making an effort. Rhythm, coupled with power steering :sexface:
Reply 14
Not as fun as a manual, especially if the car in questions a Renault Laguna with a 1.8 petrol engine. Rather thirsty as well
Original post by Runninground
I took my test and drive in a manual car.

What's it like in an automatic car? I presume you can't just push the accelerator and keep it down to reach 60mph or whatever? Do you have to remove your foot from the gas to allow the car to change up a gear or something? (Wouldn't the car jump then?)


It's not as fun as driving a manual, and you can't coast.

I don't find it any easier than driving a manual, because when you learn in a manual changing gears is second nature.

It's also kinda annoying when it's revving because you're accelerating and it wants to go up a gear so then you have to take your foot off the pedal etc etc, it's not as smooth as driving a manual (if you're good at changing gear).
Original post by JC.
You don't know how to drive an auto then.

Theres a reason that in most automatics you do not have to press the inhibitor to shift the selector beween "D" and "D3 / D2" - that is simply to prevent the car from changing into top gear (like it naturally wants to do) and subsequently labouring when you start to ascend a hill.

Also, on modern autoboxes there is normally an overdrive gear. If you lift off the throttle completely when you are just cruising along then the overdrive will naturally engage. You can then bring the revs back up to maintain cruising speed whilst having the benefit of the longer gear ratio - it's the difference between cruising in 4th gear or 5th gear in a manual.


I'm sorry that first post seemed written in a harsh way. You obviously know what you're talking about. But hear me out-
say with the overdrive gear - the reason you lift off is because you don't want to go any faster, right? The fact the car shifts up is just a consequence, you don't actually lift off because you want to change gear.
And when you're accelerating, all you need to do is plant your foot on the floor- the car will worry about downshifting for you-
This is what I'm trying to say, am I not right? Admittedly, I've only drive an auto twice - but from what I remember, you don't need to think about gears at all (except in snow and steep hills) - the car will pick the suitable gear for you.
It's just throttle down to go faster, throttle up to go slower, no?
When I drove one it was like a huge go-kart :biggrin:
(Only auto i've driven is my dads Land Rover)
Reply 18
Original post by Popppppy
It's not as fun as driving a manual, and you can't coast.

I don't find it any easier than driving a manual, because when you learn in a manual changing gears is second nature.

It's also kinda annoying when it's revving because you're accelerating and it wants to go up a gear so then you have to take your foot off the pedal etc etc, it's not as smooth as driving a manual (if you're good at changing gear).


1. You can coast, you put the transmission in Neutral

2. Changing gears may become second nature but in city driving its just plain annoying and tiresome.

3. A good auto box shifts so much smoother than any manual car can.
I learnt and passed in a manual corsa, then had a automatic smart car and now a manual micra. The transition from my instructors corsa to my auto smart car was pretty seemless. You just get used to the automatic with no clutch very quickly. I had to learn to ease off the accelerator a bit if I wanted to shift, or else the car would keep revving till 4-5k RPM. You could keep the footdown to 60, and in my case the smart car would rev to redline (6k RPM) then shift. Not much jerkiness or jumpiness imo compared to shifting manually. However I had a automated manual transmission in the smart with no clutch but could activate manual mode with paddle shifters, instead of a torque converter or CVT box which I believe shift a bit more differently but similar concept I guess.

However when I sold my smart car and I opted for manual in the Micra instead of the auto CVT they offered but I wanted to relearn manual, it was one of the hardest experiences of my life. Honestly, once you go auto you'd need quite some time to relearn. Your mind and foot doesn't acknowledge the clutch pedal, resulting in jerky changes and very slow/rushed starts. Sometimes wheel spinning like a douchebag when you don't mean too by putting too much gas, sometimes stalling because you lifted the clutch way too early. But after a couple of weeks of daily driving, I got used to the manual. And boy its rewarding, you just don't get the same sense of control with an automatic.

If you're considering an automatic, I'd say test drive one first. To be honest, in my opinion its not worth the money going for automatic unless you have a medical reason or you're just lazy. I have no problems in start stop traffic and hill starts, its a form of muscle memory and you just adapt to driving manual like its second nature. Its good to be able to drive a manual, because its a lot cheaper sometimes. Also automatics generally are less fuel efficient and emit more pollution as a result, but this is changing with the newer auto boxes.
(edited 10 years ago)

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