AUTOMATIC CARS
The stick shift hasn't yet gone the way of the T. rex or saber-toothed cat, but it's definitely an endangered species. As of October 2019, just 1.2% of new cars sold for the year had manual transmissions.
Manual transmission cars with gearboxes and clutches have their ardent defenders, but the facts don't support some of the reasons cited for the superiority and desirability of this transmission.
- It's easier to drive in stop-and-go traffic.
- The majority of vehicles offer an automatic.
- The transmission shifts quicker and smoother.
- It offers better gas mileage.
- A shiftable automatic transmission offers drivers the best of both worlds.