Nearly nine in 10 new cars on sale in the UK today (87%) come without a manual handbrake.
According to CarGurus’ fifth annual instalment of the Manual Handbrake Report, manufacturers are continuing the switch to the electronic handbrake at pace, with models offering a manual handbrake falling to just 13% in 2022, compared to 17% in 2021, 20% in 2020, 30% in 2019 and 37% in 2018.
Household names such as BMW and Peugeot have dropped the manual handbrake all together over the past year.
The BMW X1, M230i xDrive Coupe and M4 Convertible have all now been fitted with an electronic parking brake while Peugeot has discontinued its only manual-handbrake product, the 108 city car.
In addition, the Citroen C1 and Nissan Micra, both of which featured a manual handbrake, have been discontinued in the UK in the last 12 months.
Meanwhile, Audi continues to offer a manual handbrake on 1% of its models, while Vauxhall has dropped over 40% of its manual handbrake vehicles, with models such as the Combo Life and Vivaro Life facing an electric facelift in 2022 and the removal of the manual handbrake.
Abarth remains the only manufacturer to offer manual handbrakes across its product portfolio.
Chris Knapman, editor at CarGurus UK, said: “The fifth instalment of our Manual Handbrake Report shows the number of new models featuring a traditional handbrake has continued to fall.
“The discontinuation of some well-known models, along with the increasing prevalence of EVs, has contributed to the 4% drop over the last 12 months.
“Since 2018, we have seen a fall of 24% in the number of new cars being fitted with a manual handbrake. It was always likely that the expected 2030 ban in sales of new petrol and diesel cars would spell the end of the manual handbrake – the question now is whether it can even last until then.”
