Horses for courses I prefer manual. Other swear by auto.
The problem is what the auto is attached to its a tdi diesel and thus............... a mooing cow. More pedal and the noise changes but the going doesn't get going on road too quickly and towing anything bigger than a halfrauds box trailer forget it! Again someone will say its fine. towing a RRC back from Devon a low milage well maintained disco really dissapointed us.
Someone will say (Mine is amazing its been tuned and modified la la la BUT a normal 4 pot diesel isn't much cop as the auto box soakes up so much. Offroad I'm not a fan of Auto's for several reasons: If it all goes wrong your stuck usually and the cost of repair is normally quite expensive, they're big heavy and bulky, some cannot be tow started Some can if the oil pump is driven. They're 20 years old now and a filer change missed here or there and its a disaster waiting to happen.
If you break a manual you can sometimes get it home. However an Auto makes driving it alot easier offroad. Also they take ALOT of stress off the halfshafts and drivetrain as its not delivered so harshly far smoother usually. For me, the ability to spin up wheels/i.e slipping the clutch and dumping it IS important as is engine braking and going from 1st reverse really quickly but your not talking comps or anything mad it will be perfectly fine for Greenlaning it will perform perfect.
Positives and negatives I have no need for an auto and will never get one too big, heavy and zap power. A manual is light, small and spares are cheaper and readily available anywhere.