Automatic gearbox
Automatic car hire in Malta
There are 3 dedicated automatic classes (the Toyota Aygo, Opel Corsa and Peugeot 3008), from €12 a day. Insurance and unlimited mileage are included in every rate, and you collect at Park East inside Malta International Airport.
Automatics available to book
These three are the automatic options: choose one on the booking form, with insurance and unlimited mileage included in the rate.
Category A
Toyota Aygo — Automatic
The smallest automatic on offer, effortless around town
From
€30/day
Category M1
Opel Corsa or Similar — Automatic
Five-door automatic supermini with a proper boot
From
€12/day
Category N1
Peugeot 3008 — Automatic
Automatic SUV with space and a higher ride
From
€24/day
Why most visitors pick one
You're driving on the left
If you normally drive on the right, an automatic takes the gearstick — and your weaker hand — out of the equation entirely while you get used to the other side of the road.
The junctions come quickly
Malta packs a lot of roundabouts and tight turns into short distances. Fewer things to coordinate makes the first day considerably calmer.
Hills, and traffic on them
Mellieħa, Valletta's approaches and most of Gozo involve gradients. Hill starts in stop-start traffic are exactly where a manual stops being fun.
Automatic hire — the questions we get
- Can I book an automatic car in Malta?
- Yes, there are 3 dedicated automatic classes (Toyota Aygo, Opel Corsa and Peugeot 3008), from €12 a day. The other classes are manual.
- Is an automatic worth it in Malta?
- For most visitors, yes. Malta's roads are narrow and busy, junctions come quickly, and you'll be driving on the left with the gearstick on your other side if you're used to right-hand traffic. An automatic removes one thing to think about while you adjust.
- Does an automatic cost more to hire?
- Yes, the automatics are a separate set of classes (the Toyota Aygo, Opel Corsa and Peugeot 3008), priced above the manual equivalents, so choose the automatic class when you book. Availability is limited, so it is worth booking early, particularly in summer.
- Can I be sure I'll get an automatic?
- Yes — the automatic classes are separate on the booking form, so booking one gets you an automatic. If the exact model is out, another automatic of the same size is held for you, and you're told before you travel rather than at the desk.
Ready when you are
The island's 7,000 years of history will still be here next year. Your holiday won't. The car is the easy part.
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