Driving Lessons in Newton Abbot
You'll find 12 driving schools and 40 independent driving instructors in Newton Abbot, including 11 independent female driving instructors and 6 schools that offer female driving instructors. The area has excellent quality across the board with a 4.8-star average rating, and pricing ranges from £35 to £46 per hour where advertised. Six schools teach in automatic cars and 8 offer intensive courses. The Newton Abbot test centre has a 53.8% pass rate, while Exeter's is noticeably lower at 46.8%.
- £43
- average price
- 12
- driving schools
- 40
- independent instructors
- 2
- test centres
Top driving schools in Newton Abbot by what matters most
The standout school for each of the most-asked questions.
Highway Driver Training
Cheapest manual driving school in Newton Abbot.
Cowley's School of Motoring
Highest-rated manual driving school in Newton Abbot.
Cowley's School of Motoring
Top-rated for automatic driving lessons in Newton Abbot.
Cowley's School of Motoring
Top-rated manual driving school with female instructors in Newton Abbot.
Driving lessons in Newton Abbot
12 driving schools and 40 independent instructors.
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Showing 1–20 of 52 driving schools and independent instructors in Newton Abbot.
Diamond Drive Devon
Manual and automatic
Grade A instructor with 25 years' experience and rare Diamond Advanced qualification, plus Institute of Advanced Motorists credentials earned at 19. Manual lessons from £45/hour or £430 for 10 hours; automatic from £50/hour or £470 for 10 hours. Includes structured progress tracking, detailed monthly reports, and free TheoryTest Pro app access, with training extending beyond local areas to motorways, multi-storey car parks, and town centre driving.
Easy Pass Driving
Manual
AA-rated instructor offering flexible lesson packages from £50/hour up to intensive 30-hour courses completed over 5 consecutive days at £1250. Block deals provide strong value, with 10 hours at £440, 20 hours at £860, and 40 hours at £1600, all customisable to fit around your schedule with lessons ranging from 2 to 6 hours per day.
Kingsley's School of Motoring
Manual and automatic
Start with a no-obligation 1.5-hour assessment lesson to find an instructor suited to your needs. Automatic lessons from £39/hour, or grab a starter deal: first 5 hours for £190 (Torbay/Teignbridge) or £195 (Exeter), both including assessment. Block bookings and intensive courses also available.
Vaughan's School of Motoring
Manual
Jon brings 20 years of driving experience and several advanced driving qualifications to every lesson, teaching in a calm and patient style focused on building safe, responsible drivers rather than just test passes. Lessons are £45/hour or £430 for a 10-hour block, with flexible scheduling to fit around work and study. Free unlimited access to Theory Test Pro is included, and you'll learn in a comfortable Ford Fiesta ST Line with dual controls.
Highway Driver Training
Manual
20 years' experience with one of the highest first-time pass rates in the Southwest. £35/hour for standard lessons or £50 for 1.5-hour sessions; a 6-hour block (four 1.5-hour lessons) costs £180. One-to-one tuition with flexible pick-up and drop-off, plus motorway lessons, mock tests, and Pass Plus courses also available.
Road Masters
Automatic
Over 25 years' experience with most students passing within 30 hours. Lessons from £46/hour or £460 for a 10-hour block, with 1.5 or 2-hour structured sessions including mock tests before your test day. Pass Plus courses available at £320 when you pass with Road Masters.
Williams Driving School
Manual and automatic
£45 per hour with a starter deal of 6 hours for £240, or 10-hour blocks at £420. Owner Dave Williams has nearly 20 years' experience and achieved 248 successful test passes in 2019 alone, with all 86 Google reviews and 68 Facebook reviews rating 5 stars. Lessons are a minimum of 90 minutes or 2 hours, using client-centred learning that builds confidence through structured objectives rather than aimless driving.
Horrell's School of Motoring
Manual
Grade A instructor Adam Horrell specialises in nervous learners and anxiety behind the wheel, using modern teaching techniques to make lessons enjoyable rather than a chore. Standard lessons are £45/hour or £65 for 1.5 hours, with a 10.5-hour block at £440. Pass Plus courses and motorway lessons also available, plus off-road tuition at 16 through the Devon Driver's Centre.
ICE Driving School
Manual
Operating since 1998 with over 25 years of experience, ICE focuses on structured, quality training rather than cheap lessons. Single lessons from £45, with block bookings and intensive courses available, plus mock tests to prepare you thoroughly for test day. Their instructors hold OrDIT (the highest instructor training qualification) and specialise in building safe drivers for life, not just passing tests quickly.
Drive with Emma
Automatic
A specialist instructor trained in driving assessment, neurodiversity awareness, and test nerves techniques, with a Post Graduate qualification from Oxford Brookes University. Emma has taught people with a wide variety of medical conditions and disabilities since 2015, and her dual-controlled Toyota Yaris Cross is fitted with common adaptations including left foot accelerator, push/pull hand controls, and steering aids. Ideal if you're learning to drive with a condition or disability, or returning to driving following illness or injury.
Lion's School of Motoring
Manual
An established school with over 12 years of instructor experience, known for calm, patient teaching that delivers first-time passes. Budget-friendly hourly lessons and intensive courses available, with block bookings accepted for added savings.
Cowley's School of Motoring
Manual and automatic
Regional Driving School of the Year winner, recognised at the national driving instructor awards for delivering excellence to the local community. Patient instructors use modern teaching techniques and local knowledge to guide you through test routes and build confidence, with one learner recently passing first time with only 5 minors. High pass rates, flexible lesson options, and test booking managed for you.
Andrew Broadhurst
Martin Caddy
Darren Cain
Philip Coatham
Stephen Croucher
Graham David Woodcock
Block booking
Best block deals in Newton Abbot
Pay for a block of lessons upfront and the hourly rate drops. The best block here saves you £30.
How much do driving lessons cost in Newton Abbot?
Most learners pay £45–£50 an hour. Under £45 is a good deal, over £55 is at the higher end.
Based on prices from 9 driving schools in Newton Abbot.
Intensive courses in Newton Abbot
Want to pass fast?
8 Newton Abbot schools run intensive courses, compressing months of training into days or weeks.
Newton Abbot Test Centres and Pass Rates
If you learn around Newton Abbot, the local centre is a good place to test, with a pass rate of 54%, above the national pass rate of 50%. Exeter has a pass rate of 47% and an automatic pass rate of 39%, under the national automatic pass rate of 45%. Exeter's typical wait is about 1½ months against about 3½ months in Newton Abbot, but unless you're learning on Exeter's roads, that shorter wait is the main thing it offers.
Newton Abbot
6,591 tests taken · typical wait 3½ monthsExeter
8,679 tests taken · typical wait 1½ months| Test Centre | Pass rate | Tests | Typical wait | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | Manual | Automatic | |||
| Newton Abbot | 53.8% | 55.3% | 46.9% | 6,591 | 3½ months |
| Exeter | 46.8% | 48.7% | 38.5% | 8,679 | 1½ months |