Manual or Automatic: Which Transmission Do Used Car Buyers In Lucknow Prefer?

Manual transmission cars have been the preferred choice for car buyers in India. However, with increasing traffic congestion over the past decade, more drivers are opting for automatics to reduce driving fatigue. According to CARS24 data, cars with automatic gearboxes contributed to 14.7% of all used car sales in India in 2024, up from 11.8% in 2022.

Even in a non-metro city like Lucknow, the percentage of second hand automatic cars was close to 6%. In this article, we’ll delve into the transmission preferences of Lucknow’s used car buyers and how those preferences are slowly changing.

Used Car Transmission Trends in Lucknow: Manuals On Top

For a deeper understanding of used car buying habits in India, we look to the CARS24 Gears of Growth report. Armed with these insights, here are some conclusions on secondhand car transmission preferences in Lucknow.

Key Takeaways:

• Despite being a Tier 2 city, there’s a sizeable uptake for used automatic cars in Lucknow
• Manual transmission cars are still more popular, due to lower upfront costs and lifetime ownership costs 
• Sale of used automatic cars is growing slowly versus previous years
• As Lucknow continues to grow, the adoption of automatic cars is expected to rise in both new and used markets 

Do Transmission Types Affect Resale Value In Lucknow?

Manual transmission cars hold onto their values better than automatic cars. This is due to the simple reason that demand for used manual cars in Lucknow still vastly outstrips demand for used automatics. For the buyer, a used automatic car presents more of an unknown, especially in terms of maintenance costs versus manual cars. That said, more affordable AMT technology is helping change that perception. 

• Manual gearbox cars have better resale value than automatics due to being inherently more reliable
• Manual cars are more in demand because of lower running costs and maintenance costs
• Generally, there is less demand for automatic cars in Tier 2 cities as there is less heavy traffic congestion
• Used AMT cars are more affordable to buy than other types of automatics, are more appealing to buyers from smaller cities

Correlation Between Fuel Types and Transmission Types

Used petrol manual cars are the most affordable options available, across segments of cars in India from hatchbacks to SUVs. Automatic gearboxes paired with petrol engines can make for a good choice for city cars. On the other hand, automatic gearboxes paired with diesel engines can make for effortless highway travel. There will usually be more demand for petrol automatic cars in highly congested cities. Diesel automatics show a higher preference in cities where buyers undertake frequent highway travel.

Petrol:

A big chunk of used petrol cars in Lucknow are equipped with manual transmissions. Used automatic petrol cars has shown a marginal increase over the previous year, most likely due to increasing traffic.  

Diesel: 

It’s a similar story with used diesel cars in Lucknow as most of them sold are equipped with manual transmissions. Due to the higher cost of diesel automatics, the increase in this segment is lower than the increase for automatics paired with petrol engines.

Body Types and Transmission Types: The Correlation

Hatchbacks still lead used car sales in Lucknow, with over 55% market share, down from 58% the previous year. Both sedans and SUVs have risen in popularity in the used market in Lucknow at the cost of hatchbacks. This is especially surprising for the pre owned sedan market which has seen a drop in other parts of the country versus previous years. This change can be attributed to the perceived prestige attached to sedans as family cars versus hatchbacks. That said, used SUVs have edged out sedans with a 23% market share versus a little over 21%.

Hatchbacks: 

Most used hatchbacks in Lucknow were sold with manual gearboxes. Buyers chose manual hatchbacks for the most bang for their buck, both in terms of purchase price and ownership costs. AMT hatchbacks are gaining ground, since they are a popular choice of automatic cars for beginner drivers. 

Sedans:

While manual sedans still dominate the used market, the share of automatic sedans is on the rise. This could be attributed to more buyers opting for sedans with automatics as family cars to tackle city traffic.  

SUVs:

While used SUVs have gained ground in Lucknow in 2024, the manual transmission still clearly reigns king. Uptake of automatic SUVs has barely improved over previous years. This could be due to the mindset in less developed markets that sedans are the more premium choice than SUVs, or just lower purchasing power compared to Tier 1 cities.

Reasons Behind Used Manual Transmission Vehicles Being More Popular in Lucknow

There are a few reasons why old manual cars remain the popular choice in Lucknow, mirroring trends in transmission preferences around the country. 

• Used manual cars are more affordable to buy 
• Manual cars return better fuel efficiency, an important factor that influences buying decisions in smaller markets
• Tier 2 cities like Lucknow don’t suffer from as much traffic congestion as larger cities, leading to less buyers making the switch to automatics
• There’s no dearth of options for used manual cars in the market, while automatics still present less choices in the used market

Why Choose an Automatic Transmission

Automatic cars offer greater ease of use for buyers.. With no clutch or gear shift to worry about, the driver can focus attention on the road ahead. Automatics, as a result, make for a more relaxing drive, both in the city and out on the highway. Buyers who need a vehicle for city commuting and intercity travel can benefit from an automatic car.

This convenience does come at a cost. There is usually a higher purchase price to deal with, as well as lower fuel efficiency and higher ownership costs. AMT cars are a good compromise in that regard, providing the convenience of an automatic at nearly the same price as a manual car. 

Most Popular Used Cars in Lucknow, Transmission Wise

Three of the top selling secondhand manual cars in Lucknow are hatchbacks, while four of the top selling automatic cars in Lucknow are hatchbacks as well. The Maruti Suzuki Swift is the most popular used manual car in Lucknow. The Maruti Suzuki Celerio is the most popular used automatic car in Lucknow. Both these cars feature AMT technology. 

Manual Cars:

Lucknow prefers low maintenance hatchbacks but compact sedans and sedans also sell well. The Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and Honda City are also on the list of top five used manual cars in Lucknow. 

Automatic Cars:

Hatchbacks continue to reign supreme even on the list of top five used automatic cars in Lucknow. The Maruti Suzuki Dzire is the only compact sedan amongst these hatchbacks. Interestingly, all the top selling automatics are AMT cars. The Swift Dzire was available with a 4-speed torque convertor automatic until 2017 when the new-gen Dzire was launched with an AMT. 

Conclusion

Looking at the transmission preferences of the used car market in Lucknow, we can see that price plays a big role in buying decisions. Manual cars dominate the market as they are more affordable to buy and maintain. This preference highlights a strong demand for affordable, reliable cars.

The automatic cars that buyers chose also represent the budget end of the segment. AMT cars feature heavily, thanks to their lower cost to buy, similar fuel efficiency to manuals and lower maintenance costs than conventional automatics.