Row, row, row your gears

[LDB]

I'm sure the list is much better across the pond but this is what we have to work with. They can give me one of each and I'll sell all but 3 or 4 and use the proceeds to insure and drive those. It's good to dream.

https://www.caranddriver.com/feature...NFdYmqnocAx7n0

[JockoT]

Looking at the Honda Fit (Jazz in UK) and they don't know if the hybrid version will sell in the States. I am a member of a Jazz site and a few of the guys have bought them and they love the transmission. It is an electric transmission (does lock up to direct drive above 60+ mph) so it works like a Diesel Electric locomotive. The electrics drive the vehicle and the ICE charges the battery then above 60 mph the engine connects directly to the differential. There is no mechanical gearbox, CVT or otherwise. It has amazing torque and 0-62 in mid 9's.

[Draigflag]

They decided to only sell the new jazz as a hybrid now, which means no manual gearbox, understandable given 99% of buyers are aged 65+ and I thought it had a CVT with fake gears changes to remove the god awful "cow giving birth" noise symptoms?

Some nice cars in that list, surprising to see so many American marques there. I have tried many an auto, some are OK, some are just nasty, really not a fan of vw/audis dsg boxes at all, you just can't beat a manual for precision, fun and control and that feeling of being connected to the machine you're driving.

[JockoT]

Despite having a manual myself, I love automatics. But REAL automatics with a hydraulic autobox, not a rubber band CVT version. I tried one and decided I couldn't live with one of them. DSG box would be fine if they were reliable and had a long life span.
Ideally I want an EV, but whether I ever get round to buying one on a pension is anyone guess. My first EV will probably have grey tyres and a basket on the front.

[trollbait]

Is Honda using the DCT parallel hybrid system that was in the Jazz in anything now? Well, besides performance cars with the electric AWD.

[Draigflag]

I'm not sure to be honest. One thing to note about gearbox choices here, not only are manuals the preferred gearbox for the majority, but automatics can add alot to car's list price, so unless it's a complete necessity such as medical reasons, most people will not pay the extra. The auto on the new Mustang is almost $4000 extra and gets slated in car reviews. In recent years autos have become more efficient, but a few years ago, having an auto usually meant poorer fuel economy and a jump into the next road tax bracket too, so you'd be paying more for the box itself, more in fuel bills, more in road tax and perhaps more in maintenance too, not to mention acceleration was usually a second or two slower, its no wonder autos were usually just opted for on luxury cars.

[trollbait]

The manufacturing costs between a manual and automatic aren't as big as the price difference indicates. There are economic and regulatory factors at play. Automatics have a convenience fee in their price. Then the cost of certifying a drivetrain for emissions and fuel economy is a flat cost.

The less popular choice will have less units to spread that cost out over. Which is probably why the auto Mustang is $4000 more, though it is possible that it is imported vs being domestically produced. In the US, some manual transmissions have cost more than the auto because of production and sales scales.

Manuals should be more efficient, if all else was equal, but they aren't. Car reviewers, and most people that buy manuals in the US, are more interested in performance. So the manual options we get are geared for performance. Our manual Fit/Jazz will be pulling over 3000rpms when at 60mph to 70mph. Every auto I've driven at those speeds is loping along around 2000rpm. Now autos have more gear selections than most manual drivers are willing to contend with.

[LDB]

Automatics here seem to run in the $800-1200 range although I think a few are starting to make them the same price.

[Jcp385]

At least here in the US, I find that people in general don’t really pay much attention to driving. A lot of that manifests itself in small ways, for instance omitting turn signal usage or rolling around at night with high beams on. Give Americans a way to opt out of shifting, and we’re all over it. It’s ironic that a car culture like the USA is not actually all that interested in the finer points of driving. On top of that, sans any type of hypermiling techniques, automatics finally have equaled or surpassed manuals in terms of saving fuel. Plus there’s the marketing advantage that DCTs have for snapping off lightning quick shifts and eking out a few tenths of a second advantage in performance tests. So while I myself remain a manual trans guy, I also am not terribly surprised they are getting squeezed out. I believe I am the youngest member of my family - including my sizable bevy of in-laws - who can even drive a manual. I almost died laughing when my nieces, the oldest of which was 10 or 12 at the time, had to ask what the window cranks were

[trollbait]

In the US, the public transit is generally poor. Driving has become a need for many that wouldn't be part of the car culture otherwise.

The friend that taught me how to drive a manual stopped getting them after getting sick of driving them in NJ traffic.