Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of automatic vs. manual driving lessons — based on what many driving schools (and the Prestige Driving School among them) tend to recommend. Which is “best” depends a lot on your circumstances, driving goals and priorities.

✅ What automatic lessons offer

  • Easier and faster to learn: Automatic transmissions remove the need to handle a clutch or shift gears manually. That means beginners can focus on steering, road awareness, braking/accelerating, and traffic rules — without juggling gear changes.
  • Less stress, especially for city or heavy-traffic driving: In congested traffic or frequent stop-and-go conditions, automatics can make driving — and learning — smoother and less tiring.
  • Faster progression / fewer lessons needed (often): Because learners don’t need to master clutch control and gear changes, they often reach road-readiness more quickly.
  • Good for certain learners: If someone is nervous, anxious, has poor coordination, or simply wants to concentrate more on traffic awareness than mechanical control — automatic may be a better start.
  • Confidence-boosting: For many new drivers, not having to worry about stalling, clutch biting points, or mis-shifting reduces anxiety and builds confidence in early driving.

So, what Prestige Driving School (and many others) often recommend: if you want a smooth, quick, low-stress start — especially if you expect urban driving or value comfort — automatic lessons are often “the easy way in.”

⚠️ What you lose when you choose automatic — and what manual lessons give you

  • Less versatility: If you learn in and pass with an automatic car, your licence may restrict you to automatics only; you won’t automatically be qualified for manual-transmission vehicles.
  • Less control over the vehicle: Manual transmission gives you more granular control over gear changes, engine performance, and vehicle behavior — useful in challenging conditions (hills, rough terrain, slippery roads).
  • Greater long-term flexibility and broader vehicle access: Having manual-driving skills makes you eligible to drive both manual and automatic cars — which is useful if you later borrow, rent, or buy a manual-transmission vehicle.
  • Better understanding of vehicle mechanics and potentially lower long-term costs: Manuals tend to be cheaper to buy, maintain, and repair; also, learning manual can give you a better feel for how the car works.
  • More widely applicable in diverse driving conditions: On hills, rough terrain, or in non-automatic-friendly areas, manual skills can be a real advantage.

In short: manual lessons tend to produce more capable, flexible drivers — especially if you think you may need to drive different types of cars or deal with varied driving conditions.

What “Prestige-style” recommendation would look like (based on school-style guidance)

  • If you are a complete beginner, especially in busy city conditions or heavy traffic → Automatic lessons are a very attractive, low-stress, quick path.
  • If you foresee driving in varied conditions (hills, rural areas, possibly manual cars) or want maximum future flexibility/skills → Manual lessons are better long-term.
  • If you want a balanced approach: some students even begin with automatic to gain confidence, then — if they have time and interest — switch to manual to expand skills.
  • If you want to maximize value (affordability, wider car-options, resale/rent options) → Manual remains more practical.