Manual Transmissions Slightly More Popular

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

According to Edmunds, 6.5 percent of new vehicles sold had a manual transmission, more than double that of 5 years ago. What’s next? The return of diesels? Wagons?

The USA Today article (which cites Edmunds data) notes that fuel economy is no longer a driving factor in the adoption of manuals. Instead, the cheaper prices, fun factor and ease of operation (relative to older manual transmissions, thanks to more user-friendly clutches and hill-hold systems) are spurring consumers to go for manual gearboxes. Of course, we still haven’t reached the 2002 industry high of 8.5 percent.

Ford notes that 10 percent of Focus sales are manual transmission cars, while Dodge expects 20 percent of their Dart compact sedans to come with three pedals rather than two. Ford claims that 25 percent of Focus buyers have an income over $100,000 – and that they are more likely to have traveled overseas, rented a stick shift car, and liked it enough to buy one for themselves.

Manual transmissions, aside from being fun, have also been touted as a way to keep kids from texting behind the wheel – a noble idea, but one that can easily be worked around. Not that I’d know first hand or anything…

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

More by Derek Kreindler

Comments
Join the conversation
5 of 69 comments
  • Volt4obama Volt4obama on May 01, 2012

    I prefer cooking from scratch versus eating pop-tarts. Anyone who does not know how to drive a stick, and calls themselves a gearhead, is actually a poser.

  • AJ AJ on May 02, 2012

    Manuals are great for sports cars and big trucks... having had both. Currently I have one manual, which certainly makes a Civic Coupe a fun car to drive. Rather zippy! However my Jeep (mostly for off-road use) is otherwise an auto. No one wants to play with a clutch while on the rocks.

    • Stuki Stuki on May 03, 2012

      Big trucks is actually one area where autos really shine. For long haul, automated clutch transmissions keep fuel burn down by diligently sticking to the most efficient rpm range; while for construction site type use with heavy loads, torque converters are preferable for the same reasons you prefer them on your Jeep.

  • SunnyvaleCA SunnyvaleCA on May 02, 2012

    There's a superb writeup about how modern manual transmission works. It's at http://www.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm This is nearly the only place on the internet that Flash (tm) is useful. Oh, and I just have to mention that I was once the proud owner of a totally USA-spec Mercedes 300E with a stick. The original owner paid thousands extra for it. I let it sit on a Lexus dealer's lot for over a month before graciously relieving them of it. And forget the "3 pedal" label; the W124 bodies have a pedal for the parking break, so this was a "4 pedal" affair.

  • Piro Piro on May 09, 2012

    I drive a diesel wagon with a manual transmission. Not rare at all.. .. in the UK.

Next