The Editor’s View

According to research by CarGurus. The once universal manual handbrake has continued to decline, with 91% of new models on sale now fitted with an electronic handbrake instead. The report reveals that less than one-in-10 new car models on sale are equipped with a manual handbrake. Additionally, consumers have 61% fewer models to choose from compared to just four years ago. The brands that offer the highest percentage of models with a manual handbrake today are Suzuki (71% – five of seven models), Abarth (66% – two of three models), Dacia (50% – two of four models), Fiat (45% – five of 11 models) and Ssangyong (40% – two of five models). In the event of requiring a repair, manual handbrakes are typically less expensive to fix than their electronic counterparts – repairing an electronic handbrake can be as much as three times the cost of a manual handbrake (£220.37 manual handbrake vs £665.98 electronic handbrake)ⁱⁱ. They also have a more tactile, mechanical feel which some drivers prefer. The full report can be found here CarGurus Manual Handbrake Report