Automatic or Manual Car Hire in Spain?
The first question is not which transmission is cheaper. It is which one every named driver is licensed and comfortable to use.
If code 78 appears beside category B on your driving licence, book an automatic. If it does not, compare the offers available for your dates and choose the transmission that makes the actual trip easier.
Check field 12 on the licence
On an EU-format licence, restrictions appear in field 12 beside the category they affect. Code 78 means that category is restricted to vehicles with automatic transmission.
The category matters. If 78 is printed beside category B, you cannot use that category to drive a manual car in Spain. Spanish rules require drivers to comply with the coded restrictions on a valid licence; being a visitor does not create an exception.
EU rules define the distinction by the clutch, not by the shape of the gear selector. A vehicle is treated as manual when the driver must operate a clutch pedal or hand lever when starting, stopping and changing gear. An automatic with paddles or a selectable sequential mode can therefore still be suitable for code 78, provided no driver-operated clutch is required.
If the licence is not in the EU format or its restrictions are unclear, check with the issuing authority and the rental supplier before booking. Do not rely on what a comparison-site filter assumes.
Book the transmission, not the badge
Rental listings often show a model followed by “or similar”. The photograph helps illustrate size and style; it does not necessarily guarantee that exact model.
The ACRISS classification used across much of the industry separates transmission from fuel or powertrain. The third character describes transmission and drive, while the fourth describes fuel or power. That is why “hybrid” or “electric” should not replace a transmission check: confirm the transmission field or booking code itself.
For any offer, save the page or confirmation showing:
- Manual or automatic transmission
- Vehicle group and size
- Number of seats and doors
- Luggage capacity
- Fuel or power type
If automatic is a legal requirement, do not accept a manual substitution at collection. If a specific model matters for accessibility or another practical reason, ask whether the supplier guarantees it rather than assuming the picture does.
Keep the transmission on the confirmation:
RentaCarBestPrice lists the transmission for available vehicles. Save the selected offer so you can verify the same transmission during handover.
Which is more practical?
An automatic reduces the number of tasks in stop-start traffic and can make the first drive easier for someone accustomed to the left side of the road. A manual can still be a sensible choice when every named driver uses one confidently and the available offer fits the trip.
Do not choose a manual solely for a lower displayed price if one driver is rusty. A hill start, unfamiliar roundabout and navigation instruction arriving together is a poor refresher lesson.
For mountain routes, automatic does not mean ignoring gear control. Spain's DGT warns that continuously riding the brakes on a long descent can overheat them. Before leaving the pickup point, identify the vehicle's lower-gear or manual mode and ask the supplier if the controls are unfamiliar.
Check before leaving
At handover, confirm the transmission before loading the car. Adjust the seat and mirrors, identify reverse, the parking brake and any lower-gear mode, then make sure every named driver can operate the vehicle.
The choice is straightforward: code 78 means automatic; otherwise, compare the actual offers and choose the transmission your drivers can use without learning under pressure.
Sources: EU driving-licence codes and field 12, Spanish General Driver Regulations, DGT guidance on licences valid in Spain, ACRISS vehicle codes, and DGT braking guidance. Last checked: September 2026.