For many, the ability to drive a manual is the ultimate automotive litmus test. It’s often said you can’t truly be a “car guy” or “car gal” without mastering clutch control and having at least three different shift patterns etched into your muscle memory.
But what’s the real value of this skill? Nearly all new cars hitting the U.S. market are automatics—a trend that’s been around for quite some time. As vehicles of all types have evolved significantly over the years, many of the traditional arguments for driving stick, like quicker 0-60 times or better fuel efficiency, no longer hold true.
So, why should you still learn to drive a manual and own a car that requires it? Let’s first look at some reasons why a manual might not be the best choice, before diving into why it’s still worth acquiring the skill.
For general driving, a manual is second best
There is nothing more frustrating than trudging through heavy traffic with nothing but fond memories of the last time you hit third gear. Unfortunately, that’s most of your life if your daily driver has a manual gearbox.
Conversely, an automatic allows you to go on autopilot as your right foot either lightly taps the brake, or eases onto the accelerator. Something with level 2 self driving or better is an even more sensible choice. It will stop and start for you as you vacantly stare out through the windshield. So if you’re looking for a daily commuter and nothing else, full-auto is the only way.
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A stick shift will make your lap times suffer
As much as it pains me to admit, a manual transmission is often second-best on the track—at least in most cases. If you’re driving a modern performance car, the automatic transmission will outshift you. The same goes for a dual-clutch or any other self-shifting gearbox. There’s no denying it: modern transmissions are just that good.
This wasn’t true 20 or so years ago, so if you’re racing a classic or something close to it in age, you might have an advantage. Likewise, if the competition is limited to manual gearboxes, then a stick shift makes sense. But given the choice between a manual Porsche 911 from the last 20 years and one with the PDK gearbox, the automatic is the obvious pick.
That’s not even taking into account the skill required to effectively use a manual transmission on the track. Heel-toe shifting is essential, and it’s one of the hardest driving techniques to master—especially when you have a hundred other things to think about.
Driving manual is still good for drifting
While a manual may leave you struggling in traffic or on the track, it does give a bit of an advantage to the drifters out there. While dumping the clutch isn’t particularly good for it, a “clutch kick” is one of the easiest ways to get the back end of a vehicle sliding.
It won’t really help you maintain a drift—that’s mostly down to steering angle and the amount of throttle you’re giving it—but being able to predictably initiate oversteer is a major plus in the drifting world. This isn’t to say you can’t drift automatics, or that you should dip and drop the clutch every time you want to slide your manual vehicle around. But it is a nice tool to have in your repertoire.
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Final thoughts
While driving stick is standard practice in much of the world, it has long been an enthusiast’s skill in the United States. It’s almost a necessity for classic car collectors—if you don’t have at least a basic grasp of a manual transmission, you’re missing out on a good portion of the market. It’s also a way to feel more connected to the driving experience.
On the flipside, it can hinder your on-track performance in many cases, be a hassle in heavy traffic, and, if we’re being honest, most people care about your shifting ability as much as they care about your golf handicap. Plus, with the rise of EVs and hybrids, the stick shift could eventually become extinct. Still, for true gearheads, it’s a must-have skill, and a manual Miata makes for the perfect “third car.”