One of the first decisions you’ll face when learning to drive is whether to take manual or automatic lessons. Both have advantages, and the right choice depends on your driving goals, budget, and where you’ll be driving most often. At Glow Driving School, we offer both options and help learners across Wimbledon, Wandsworth, Fulham, Putney, Richmond, and nearby areas choose the best path for their needs.

Manual driving lessons are the traditional choice in the UK. With a manual licence, you can drive both manual and automatic cars, which gives you more flexibility, especially if you plan to travel outside the UK or rent cars abroad. Manual cars are often cheaper to buy and maintain, and learning to drive a manual gives you better control over the vehicle, especially on different road types and terrains. However, manual lessons can take longer to master, as you need to get comfortable with clutch control, gear changes, and hill starts — something many learners find challenging, particularly in busy South West London traffic.

Automatic driving lessons, on the other hand, are becoming increasingly popular, especially in cities like London. Automatic cars are simpler to drive since there’s no clutch and no need to worry about gear changes. This makes them ideal for learners who want a quicker route to passing their test or who feel nervous about juggling multiple controls at once. Automatic vehicles are also more common among electric and hybrid cars, making them a future-friendly choice. The downside is that if you pass your test in an automatic, you’ll only be licensed to drive automatic cars, which could limit your options later.

At Glow Driving School, we offer trial lessons in both manual and automatic vehicles so you can experience each option before committing. Our instructors provide honest feedback and help you choose based on your confidence level, driving goals, and lifestyle.

If you spend most of your time in South West London, where heavy traffic and frequent stop-start driving are common, automatic lessons can be less stressful and help you pass faster. However, if you want flexibility and broader driving options, manual lessons are still the better long-term investment.