Albania’s wild mountains, new toll motorways and lively city traffic make the choice between a stick-shift and an auto more than a question of comfort. Below, you’ll find the 2025-ready breakdown of prices, availability, terrain and driving style—plus two deep-dive guides from our site for everything else you need on the road:

• Ultimate Guide to Renting a Car in Albania – 2025 Edition
• Traffic Rules, Fines & Safe Road Trips 2025

1. Fleet Snapshot: Manuals Still Rule

• Roughly 70–80 % of rental inventory is manual, a legacy of local buying habits and lower purchase prices. 
• Automatics are expanding fastest in SUV, hybrid and 7-seater categories introduced for the 2024–25 season. 

Takeaway: If you’re travelling in high season (July–August), expect manual cars to be plentiful but automatics to sell out weeks in advance.

2. What You’ll Pay in 2025

Automatics carry a 20–30 % premium because they’re fitted mostly to newer, higher-trim models. The gap widens for 4×4 SUVs popular on the Theth and Valbona routes. 

3. Terrain & Road Reality

• 70 % of Albania is mountainous with average altitudes around 700 m. 
• Secondary roads: 56 % run through mountain terrain, with 8–10 % gradients on SH 21 and SH 75. 

Manual advantages

• Responsive engine-braking on long downhill stretches.
• Finer torque control for gravel climbs around Theth or Lëpushë.

Automatic advantages

• No clutch fatigue in Tirana’s stop-and-go traffic.
• Hill-start assist handles steep city ramps (e.g., Gjirokastër’s cobbled lanes).

4. Fuel Economy & Pump Prices

Octane-95 petrol averaged 173 Lek ≈ €1.76 per litre in July 2025, among the highest in the Balkans. 

Manuals still sip 5–10 % less in budget hatchbacks.

• Modern 8-speed automatics and CVTs cut the gap to 1–2 L/100 km on the highway.

For a 270 km Tirana → Saranda trip, that can mean €3–€5 more in fuel costs with an automatic—small change for convenience, larger on a month-long itinerary.

5. Insurance & Mechanical Peace of Mind

Tip: Whatever you drive, confirm the car carries a reflective vest, warning triangle and snow chains (mandatory Nov 1–Apr 30 in mountain zones).

6. Decision Matrix

7. Quick FAQ (2025)

How early should I reserve an automatic in peak season?
Six–eight weeks out is safe; some fleets keep < 20 % automatics in economy class.

Will I be charged if the clutch fails?
Only if misuse is proven (e.g., continuous half-clutch on climbs). Normal wear is on the agency.

Can I swap to an automatic on arrival?
Possible, but only if one is parked on the lot. Bring an International Driving Permit so you can switch provider without paperwork hassle.

8. Bottom Line

Pick manual if you’re price-sensitive, confident with a clutch and planning serious mountain detours.
Pick automatic if urban ease, simple hill-starts and lower stress matter more than cost – especially for first-timers or families.

Before you lock anything in, skim our full Ultimate Rental Guide for booking hacks and read the latest Traffic Rules & Fines so you’re road-ready from kilometre one.

Happy shifting—or cruising—and see you on Albania’s serpentine highways!