Is an automatic car more convenient to drive than a manual car?
The answer to the above question is a resounding 'Yes'. For the ones who are on their way to buying a first car, let me tell you that driving in start/stop traffic can be really tiresome. For the simple reason that there are three pedals to operate (i.e. clutch, brake and accelerator). To crawl through the traffic, it would require constant switching between the pedals, which can take a toll on the driver. The automatic car on the other hand, would be more convenient to drive due to the simple reason that it has only two pedals to operate (brake and accelerator). The transmission would automatically change gears depending on input received from brake/accelerator. Absence of clutch also means that you do not risk stalling the engine every time you begin to move from a stationary position. I shall add that most automatic transmissions these days are equipped with the crawling function. Which is essentially that, as soon as you remove the foot from brake pedal, the car begins to move on its own on speed of around 5-6 km/hr (provided the car is in the drive mode). So, in traffic, you would only need to operate one pedal and not even two. If your expected driving is mostly in an urban city, where start / stop traffic is common, the automatic is the way to go. Considering if you would be driving in city even for 50% of the time, it's still better to go with an automatic rather than manual. Highway usage does not require frequent gear changes, so an automatic does not make much sense in a situation where only highway travelling is required. For extended highway usage, you should perhaps look for the cruise-control function that offers great convenience.
Does it cost more to maintain an automatic car than a manual car?
Traditionally, some automatic cars were more expensive to upkeep. However, largely technologies have matured enough and it's safe that they don't break that easily nowadays, and are definitely more robust. So, unless you are completely wrong in your choice of the manufacturer or the car itself, it's safe to say that you cannot go wrong with most automatic cars that are out there these days. That said, in case if something does go wrong, the automatic may be marginally more expensive to upkeep in comparison to it's manual counterpart.
Does an automatic car consumes more fuel than manual car?
No, they do not. In fact in some rare cases, they are found to be more fuel-efficient.
Is AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) the same as other transmission systems?
The answer is Yes and No. Yes, because it would offer the same convenience as others, since there would be no clutch pedal and you would get the same comfort as you would with any other transmission. No, because, the underlying technology that AMT uses is different than the DCT (Dual-clutch transmission), CVT (Continuously variable transmission) or a torque converter. So, all transmissions are different in that respect. AMT is one of the most inexpensive technology that's employed by almost all entry-level cars.
Can we safely use an automatic car on hilly terrain?
While you should be able to drive in hilly terrain with an automatic car on most hilly terrain. However, we would recommend you to buy a car that at least offer a manual mode too. In case the hills are really steep, you should be able to hold in a smaller gear for greater torque. So, perhaps you may want to avoid the Renault Kwid, which does not offer a manual mode and there's a simple rotary switch that changes the drive modes.
