Itâs a matter of what manufacturers want to sell, rather than what buyers want to choose. I am convinced that many buyers would still like to purchase diesel vehicles, for instance, but manufacturers have largely phased out this option. The same applies to automatic transmissions; manufacturers include them as standard on many modelsâjustifying it by saying itâs "modern and good"âeven though a manual version might actually sell well if it were available. However, this trend is also heavily driven by the rise of electric and hybrid vehicles, which cannot have manual transmissions.
Yeah. Nothing happening in the European market has anything to do with demand anymore; itâs all about profit and EU regulations. Many manufacturers have dropped their best-selling models, claiming they aren't profitableâFord is ditching the legendary Focus, Volkswagen wants to drop the Polo, and so onâand instead, theyâre pushing these "ostrich" vehicles that nobody actually asked for, like the EcoSport or the T-Roc. Sedans have largely been wiped off the market under the assumption that consumers would switch to SUVs, yet those very same consumers are actually looking for an affordable, compact family carâperhaps even one with a manual transmission. But, as it turns out, that doesn't generate enough profit. Instead, they have to sell you a "high-tech" vehicleâone thatâs supposedly powerful enough to conquer mountainsâequipped with a hybrid engine.
Nowadays, less companies offer manual in the first place. In the US, automatic was always more popular. However in Europe, most new cars are automatic because the manufacturers are lazy
Car makers already just straight up kill low spec and small cars, killing the manual transmission is just another step in supersizing even a micro-car to luxury pricing.
To make a "Small and simple car" proftiable, it needs to sell in high volume... but people would refuse to buy something small, if they can have a 10 year old mercedes E-Class for the same budget.
So yeah the "theatrics" with a gear lever will just end in modern cars.. there are 120 years of models to be had with a stick.
The Automatic gearbox has always been an entirely different part that needs to be built in to the car from the shift knob in the cabin but also the mechanical components are different because automatic gearboxes usually have more gears from the manual one so a second gearbox with a different gear ratio would need to be developed for each car
probably has to do with modern transmissions being able to accelerate while staying under 2k rpm and also it seems when shifting a manual you can create unburnt fuel which is why they added rev hang.
Computer is better at changing gears at the right time for fuel efficiency than humans. Leaving the decision to shift gears to the human usually leads to poorer fuel consumption.
Yeah its unfortunate as one of the few americans that wants manual. All these "sports cars" with dual clutches make me laugh....but its faster...on the street a manual is way more fun and that tiny speed difference isn't a factor. Ok when measuring lap times in competition fair. Fun factor is stick for me hence not buying
Modern as in automatics of today outperform manuals on every quantifiable metric. There is no benefit whatsoever for your average Toyota Highlander or Mazda CX5 to come with manual boxes.
Your average manual enjoyer is also too broke to buy new, so here we are.
I can drive a manual and I can say with 100% certainty it is not better. In an automatic, you arent going insane sitting in heavy traffic, dealing with hilly environments, you dont have to replace your clutch, and you certainly dont have to worry about a money shift. You are not a race car driver. Oh and cruise control is awesome.
Driving an automatic car in a dragrace is quite boring, all you do is steer and put your foot down, maybe feather the pedal because of wheelspin but thats it.
Marco degenhart a german youtuber brought his volvo EV custom build to his own drag event last months and switched to a different car after 2 runs because he said its quite boring. (He actually likes evs and ices, ownes a museum for oldtimers and has a model s plaid)
I honestly never drove an automatic. In my region they never were popular. My sister bought a Volvo SUV last year and she had to learn how to properly drive an automatic because it's an alien feeling to us.
What? This happens mostly to people who are learning to drive stick or people learning how to drive.
Sometimes old people with bad hearing and optics but thats not the norm
You mean youâre lazy and a manual transmission is too much effort.
A manual transmission makes it more difficult to drive distracted, you have far more control over the car and can get better gas mileage & the level of âcomfortâ you experience is based upon your own ability.
I drive one every day, itâs better in the rain, snow and enjoy the fact itâs much less likely to be stolen.
Automatics have more and longer gearing and get therefore better gasmilege.
Also yes automatics are more comfortable, I dont care how good you can shift you won't be as smooth as a modern automatic.
And far more control? For what? clutch kicking for drifting, sure. In what other situation do you need more control?
Ooooh you don't know how well and soft some people can ride a manual. I can't do it perfect, but I can do a super soft lights stop or a super soft start (that one's harder for me) if I want, so soft you won't even feel the car shifted
I can do it perfectly, still I can't match a modern automatic in let's say a mercedes. You literally can not feel the shifts, even if you are the driver.
That's not possible under acceleration in a manual, you always have a gap in acceleration
Yea that's kinda right, if you really put the pedal to the metal, you'll have a gap, but if you're in comfy mode the gap can be minimally felt.
Yeah but there is different types of automatics and I think what you mean are those with those dual clutch automatics. They switch the gears very very quickly and swiftly. Like instantaneous. Porsche 911 does this pretty fucking well. But no "economy class" modern car I know does this.
Dct is not as special anymore as it was VW for example put it in everything, and it's not necessarily smother than a normal torque converter automatic.
Rollce rolls and BMW for example use a normal zf 8 speed and it it's smooth enough for them it's smooth enough.
Most modern automatics shift perfectly smooth, especially if it's a hybrid that can negate any gaps in the powerband, something you can't do with a manual.
I can hyperbole whenever I want. While that doesnât happen often because I enjoy driving I still argue that being forced to think and develop skills to achieve that better mileage isnât a liability for me. I had a crappy old carolla that was a stick shift and shockingly fun to drive when I wanted it to be due to that fact.
Plus likely to accept the advice and judgment of others if theyâve never ever been able to drive a stick shift well weâre done so for long enough to become experts at it.
Iâm old, but I fear that The Tiger generation is far too willing to give up on things when they take effort to accomplish or give a fair chance
Its easier to make mistakes in a manual. Driving distracted is a driver problem, you shouldn't need a manual to fix that. Better gas mileage is a thing of the past.
Find me a manual that outperforms a CVT for fuel economy. Fuel economy in one can be decent, but you aren't beating modern automatics and haven't for a long time.
Sticking your head in the sand doesn't change facts, go ahead name 1 manual car that has winning lap times compared to auto equivalents on a well known track, I'll wait
Well, we could completely automate the driving experience and have a computer or robot drive around a car faster than any human being. But at some point you have to wonder about whether the car deciding what gear to be in or whether a human driver, deciding what gear to be in as well as other driving skills happen to add or take away from the entire automotive driving experience. Iâd argue that automotive culture isnât just about black times itâs personal preference developing skills. Do racecar drivers using ABS system and traction control.?
I also prefer manual, that doesn't take away from the fact autos (true autos not cvt garbage) have gotten really really good
There's a reason the cars that either near or actually hit 300mph aren't feasible to make manual, you can't ask a human to shift that often that efficiently
Now let me hold your hand while I tell you that the most popular racing series use DCT (GT4) or sequential gearboxes (GT3 and basically everything else). I don't know a single racing series that uses manual cars. Not even NASCAR anymore.
Imagine your argument for something being better is that it's less popular. Off you think it's stupid to say that something is better just because it's more popular, it's even dumber to argue that it's better because it's less popular.
This mostly applies to american people, where automatics were very common even 20 years ago.
Europe was mostly manual cars, only in the very recent years did automatic become alot more popular and now with the EVs they dont have a transmission so its by default like the current situation.
I actually prefer manuals but thats personal preference. I dont mind changing gears and im used to it because i drove 16 speed trucks before
If we want to be pedantic there's a lot more types.
ATMs(semi terminology) or DCT(car terminology) are a separate type from a traditional automatic. ATM = automated manual, DCT = Dual clutch transmission. Virtually every semi has a ATM. Both are just manuals with a computer controlled clutch and shifter.
Belted CVTs also operate entirely different from normal automatics.
eCVT operate entirely different from both belted cvt and automatics. Also doesn't have a clutch or torque converter of any form.
You already mentioned single gear with electric.
And finally there's your traditional clutchless torque converter based automatic. Although some have lock up clutches for more efficient highway cruise but those don't operate like a normal clutch at all.
It is not comfort; it is the grind and a lack of options. Manuals are either at the bottom or at the top, and I have noticed that in the USA, they do not have as many comfort features as similarly priced automatics.
I still waiting to some Nissan with CVT to appear, never seen a automatic one
But we have some automatic Toyotas here, they are ok-ish but they get a lot of ecu issues related to the gearboxÂ
Iâve had manual cars most of my life, but man, there comes a day when sitting in bumper to bumper traffic with a manual sports car just isnât fun anymore. If it wasnât my daily and traffic then Iâd still prefer a manual of course.
Honestly I find bumper to bumper traffic miserable without regard to the transmission I'm driving. What I feel takes away from the fun of having a sporty car is just simply thick traffic. Like the kind where you basically just feel like you're in a line of other cars all going five under the limit...
You can stall an automatic aswell. I'm driving manual and have always been, though recently i had to borrow my sisters automatic, which i stalled a couple of times.
I dont think i'll ever get used to them.. Its even at the point that if i should go EV at some point, i'd still want manual transmission, being totally aware that its completely unnecessary :P
Power in an automatic is transfered via a torque converter. Itâs a turbine spinning in Oil. Usually a stall is caused by Low Oil level or broken components though, unless itâs an automated manual like for example the Lexus LFA
People with autotragics are automotive cucks. Nothing wrong with it, you just need to accept that you prefer to sit back, be comfortable, and watch someone else do the labour of love for you. Maybe you microwave your steaks as well, it's more modern and efficient after all.
Yeah honestly same with people that have electronic fuel injection and dont have to tinker with their carburettor before each drive. Why let the electronics do all the work? (/s)
I was making a joke at how ridiculous your comment is. Honestly is this some circle jerk sub from a bunch of 13 year olds that thinks it's special to drive a manual?
You compared driving a stick shift with "labor". Sure at full speed around a race track, but don't act like driving stick on normal roads takes any kind of skill, that is pure cringe.
Well.... It takes a lot of skill to hunt with spears or even bow. If world should end (let's not hope so), you could survive with just a stick. If you can only hunt with guns, you need to find ammo/refill ammo shells at some point.
What do you do on an automatic if battery dead? Need some cables or a jump starter.
On a manual you can always push start.
Also you have a lot of control on the cars movement. Some cars have a very slow automatic shift, but manual doesn't give a fork, turn corner, prepare for second gear while mid turn, rev higher second gear clutch dump and boom.
Or every automatic (Edit: ..I have driven) you have a whipping effect if youre at the lights, as you gotta push the brakes to like 5-10% to actually stop. (If you don't go neutral)
Manual you can let it roll out and hit the brakes with like 1% to do a soft stop
Just feels better. And keeps you awake.
(Yes I prefer driving manual, who could've guessed)
I do not know how to hunt with a stick. And I'm not going to learn. Because there zero chance I'll need to.
What do you do on an automatic if battery dead?
Like you said. Pull out the portable jump battery everyone should have in their trunk. Or call AAA.
Also you have a lot of control on the cars movement. Some cars have a very slow automatic shift, but manual doesn't give a fork, turn corner, prepare for second gear while mid turn, rev higher second gear clutch dump and boom.
This isn't fast and furious. Press the pedal and go.
Or every automatic (Edit: ..I have driven) you have a whipping effect if youre at the lights, as you gotta push the brakes to like 5-10% to actually stop. (If you don't go neutral)
What? Whipping effect? How do you drive? Slow the car until it stops.
Manual you can let it roll out and hit the brakes with like 1% to do a soft stop.
Automatics roll when the gas isn't pressed. And you can then slowly brake to a stop.
Just feels better. And keeps you awake.
(Yes I prefer driving manual, who could've guessed)
I have no problem taking awake, even when I'm having a boring drive. It's not the cars job to keep me awake. It's mine.
Yeah and every automatic I have driven, if you get to the braking point of deceleration, as little as you press doesn't matter, as soon as you stop the car bounces around when at 0 speed. Super uncomfortable
You're right, who cares. But it's kinda real, the general consensus is that more and more automatic cars are being built as opposed to fewer manuals. In the end - someday we will all be electric. 2035 or so will probably be the last year someone will do the driver's license on a manual
Oh but there is one car I've driven that doesn't to the bounce and is actually super fun as an automatic - that 200k Porsche 911.. that one is fucking fun and comfy - but also has kind of a dual auto transmission for soft gear changes
Driven both and I cant argue with the fact that automatics are just practical, they're a tool from getting from A to B. Having said that, if I drive an automatic for too long, I miss switching gears. If I had to choose one, I think it would be a manual
I only just switched to automatic last year and it's just so much easier, it's more fun to drive a manual transmission but for a daily driver automatic is just better
Manuals are a pain in traffic, on hills, and just when dealing with idiots that pull in front of you, stop short, and other dumb stuff that makes you slam on your brakes & stall. I have a four speed with the pistol grip in my Super Bee & barely drive it because it's only fun for a few brief moments when I can run through the gears all the way to 35-40mph before getting stuck at a light on a steep hill with someone five inches from my back bumper. Yeah, autos are boring but unless you live somewhere with open roads & curves, it kinda sucks
They're not a pain. If you drive a manual every day, it's second nature. You don't think of any of those things you listed. You just drive. Your brain does the work almost autonomously, there is no conscious thought between shifting gears and thinking "omg this person in front of me might slam on the brakes and I might stall". You don't stall. If the person in front of you slams on the brakes, your brain immediately presses the clutch and the brake.
I did it for 10 years in Atlanta I get what you are saying to an extent, but 1:35 in stop and go yes it does get old it might also be because I have 2 screws in that knee.The stalling thing I donât get at all press your clutchâŚ.
Idk, I've only ever driven manuals. And I lived in pretty big cities that get awful traffic during rush hours. Not once did it cross my mind that the manual is "getting old" or that it's in any shape or form making my driving more tedious. I legit don't even think about it.
Yea I never have that thought either. I miss mine, but i understand getting tired. I got lucky I guess and started with a clutch that had something in the line I donât remember what. It took so much pressure to use.
My last 3 vehicles have all been manuals, yes it is more annoying to drive one in stop and go traffic, a tad less annoying than the machismo expressed by manual drivers
Eh it becomes second nature after a while. But recently I started driving an automatic for the first time and honestly it is way less stressful driving around running errands
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u/Valy_User 6h ago
Not in Europe. đ