Manual Transmission

A manual transmission puts gear changes in your hands: a clutch pedal and a gear lever that you work to move up and down the gears yourself. It asks more of the driver but gives more direct control over the car.

Across Morocco and much of Europe it is the default. Manual cars make up the bulk of rental fleets here, which means they are easier to find, cheaper to rent and come in the widest choice of models — a real saving if you are comfortable driving one.

The flip side is the effort. In heavy city traffic or on steep hill starts, constant clutch work is tiring, and if you have never driven a manual, a holiday on unfamiliar roads is not the place to learn.

If you can drive manual, it is usually the most economical choice. If you cannot, or simply prefer not to, make sure you book an automatic specifically — do not assume the car will be one, because here the default is manual.