Using data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on the most popular used cars sold in 2024, the company compared figures from 2023 to 2024 inclusive. The findings highlight that repair costs are, on average, around 20 per cent more expensive than the previous year, and in in some instances nearly 30 per cent more. Among the models most impacted is the much-loved and now discontinued Ford Fiesta, the most popular used car in 2024. Its average repair bill rose from £925 in 2023 to £1,159 last year, a 25 per cent increase. It topped the league just ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa which saw average repair costs rise over the year from £604 to £727, a 20 per cent increase. With the exception of the Vauxhall Astra which showed an increase of 28 per cent in average repair costs, the others all came in under 20 per cent. The Volkswagen Golf’s average repair costs crept up 18 per cent from £1,011 to £1,200 over the year, similar to that of the Nissan Qashqai. Other popular models included the Ford Focus with a 15 per cent increase from £1,158 to £1,327. The BMW 3 Series average repairs increased just 10 per cent from £1,307 to £1,443. The lowest rise among the popular models was the Volkswagen Polo. It recorded a modest rise of 3 per cent, its average repair bill rising from £791 in 2023 to £813 in 2024. Adding to car complexities, another leading online automotive platform, CarGurus, has revealed the move away from manual gearboxes in favour of automatic transmissions. The number of new cars currently available here with a manual gearbox is at its lowest in 10 years, marking a 57% decline from 2015. At present, there are only 82 new models available from the leading manufacturers with manual gearboxes. This has dropped from 192, ten years ago. Manufacturers that do not provide an option for manual gearboxes in their new models include Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Volvo, Tesla, MINI and Lexus. Jaguar did not have applicable models for this year's study due to its decision to pause the sale of new cars until its planned 2026 relaunch. However, the brand did not include manual options in 2024 and has announced the intent to go all-electric. A survey of 2,000 UK motorists last year found that only 28 per cent said they would miss manual gearboxes. When comparing age groups, those over 65 were most likely to miss manual gearboxes (35%), compared to 26% of 18- to 24-year-olds, and 22% of those aged 25 to 34. The findings suggest the decreasing demand for manual transmissions, leading to less customer choice in the new-car market. Closer to home, figures by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) show that in 2024, just over 66 per cent of all new cars sold in Ireland had automatic transmissions.