Is C1 or C2 harder to obtain?
2 Answers
C2 is easier. However, the C1 driver's license has a wider range of permitted vehicles than C2. Below are the relevant details: 1. C1 permitted vehicle types: Small cars C1: Small and micro passenger cars, as well as light and micro trucks; light, small, and micro special-purpose vehicles. Small passenger cars with 9 seats or less, with a designed maximum total mass of ≤4500kg. Length ≤6.0m, width ≤2.0m, height ≤2.5m. 2. C2 permitted vehicle types: Small automatic transmission cars C2: Small and micro automatic transmission passenger cars, as well as light and micro automatic transmission trucks. Small passenger cars with 9 seats or less, with a designed maximum total mass of ≤4500kg. Length ≤6.0m, width ≤2.0m, height ≤2.5m.
Last year, I just started learning to drive and practiced with a C1 manual transmission. I found it too difficult as I couldn’t get the clutch right and often stalled on hill starts. I failed the test twice and felt discouraged. The instructor said manual transmission requires good hand-foot coordination and precise timing for gear shifts, and young people tend to get nervous. Later, on a friend’s advice, I switched to a C2 automatic transmission. The change was amazing—automatic shifting made it effortless and worry-free. I practiced daily without fearing stalling, and the test was easier with fewer items like hill starts and gear shifts. I passed in just a week and got my license. In real life, automatic cars are widespread, making city driving much more comfortable. Unless you plan to drive trucks or manual cars in remote areas, I’d suggest going straight for C2—it’s much easier and saves both practice time and money.
