The value of new Automatic Transmissions Compared to new Manual Transmissions
The concerns with new model manual and automatic transmissions are convenience, cost, control, fuel economy and durability. Automatics are the most convenient and easiest to drive. Anyone that has spent miles in stop and go traffic on the interstate will agree, all that clutch and shifter work is no fun. And getting a manual equipped vehicle started going up a hill takes some practice. But new systems called hill-hold or hill-assist can sense the vehicle's incline and engage the brakes automatically to prevent the vehicle from rolling backward while the clutch is engaged, simplifying hill starts with manual transmissions.
The initial purchase price of a manual transmission is less than automatics on many new models. From $820 on aToyotaCorolla, to about $1100 on aChevroletSonic, the savings are significant for a manual transmission on a new model. Some models like the Ford Focus Titanium offer no discounts. This savings or cost will be reflected in the sales price when selling your car used or trading it in someday in the future. Also since manual transmissions are not as popular as automatics, when you decide to sell your manual equipped car there may not be as many buyers for it. The exception to this would be on sports cars and off road vehicles, where manual transmissions have somewhat greater demand in the market than on other vehicles.
Being able to control the power to the wheels with a manual transmission can help in slick or muddy conditions. Also aggressive driving with a sporty car can be enhanced by the control offered with a manual. Automatics have gotten better with traction control features controlled by a computer to assist with slick or icy conditions and performance driving enhancements make automatics more competitive than they were in the past. Anti-lock brakes help with stopping in icy conditions no matter which transmission is being used, but when coupled with a foot operated clutch that can instantly remove power from the wheels, a manual transmission can still improve control when stopping.
New automatic transmissions have improved over the years. They are being controlled by the same computer that controls the engine and this has made a big difference in the fuel economy discrepancies between manuals and automatics. EPA estimates generally give 1 or more miles per gallon (MPG) advantage to manuals. EPA tests are done on standardized systems to allow comparison between different makes and models. These standards do not reflect accurately how each individual may drive in the real world. Thistestby Consumer Reports reflects some of these differences and shows that manuals can get better mileage then the EPA standards indicate, and offer greater acceleration.
How an operator drives a manual transmission has a lot to do with fuel economy. A person can foresee road conditions that a computer can not. Upcoming hills or stops allow the operator to disengage the transmission and coast more. An automatic can also be shifted into neutral, but this negates the convenience of an automatic, and takes longer to shift in and out of gear due to the hydraulic clutch.
Manual transmissions take more finesse and practice but properly driven can offer greater gas mileage, more control, and are more durable. The final decision on which transmission to buy rests with operator preference more than anything else. The convenience of an automatic verses the control and economy of a manual.
