Automotive

Everything vs Manual: should i just give up now? (Mazda CX-3)

  • Last Updated:
  • Jun 25th, 2016 3:30 am
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jul 3, 2002
4865 posts
188 upvotes
GTA
denti72 wrote: been driving auto now for 3 yrs... gawd damn i miss my stick. i'm looking at picking up a beater with stick just so i can drive stick.

problem is it's hard for find manuals now only select cars and manufactures still offering manual :(
This is the problem I'm running into. Within a year, maybe two, it'll be time for a new vehicle. Mid-size sedan for our needs - and manuals are just disappearing in this segment. I'm at a point in life now where I can afford and would like to go for a higher-trim model, but in a lot of cases (Honda Accord for example) the manual is only on the lower trims. Other makes have just cut it completely (Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion, etc). Hybrid and electric are not manual.

Gonna be a tough decision.
Rock it.
Quitter
User avatar
Nov 22, 2012
234 posts
127 upvotes
Toronto
Just went through a similar debate when picking up my latest car. Wife doesn't drive manual, but i drive 95% of the time anyways, and our family car is auto. So i stuck with stick. Drive about 2 hours in rush our each day, my left knee can get a little sore, but it's worth it for those few KM's where the road opens up.

Yes the modern dual clutch autos are great. I was really impressed when test driving, but there's something about choosing your own gears, perfectly rev matching leaving a corner.. or even just leaving it in 1st or 2nd for a little longer than you should..

IF you want a CUV, have you considered the Subaru Forester? Comes in a manual. Not sure which trims though.

EDIT: you can get the 2.5 Touring Package with a 6-Speed manual
Sr. Member
Jan 20, 2004
769 posts
248 upvotes
If you're looking for a manual trans in a CUV, keep in mind that most won't be AWD unless you get the auto trans. Subaru's manual trans maintain the AWD though, although a different implementation compared to the auto trans counterpart.

Another issue with the manual-shift modes of auto trans are that with so many gears, the gear ratios are very close and doesn't feel the same as a true manual trans and you'll be up shifting so often that makes it feel more like a chore and not what you're used to, not to mention the delay before it actually changes gear.
Sr. Member
Mar 9, 2009
665 posts
236 upvotes
Milton, Ontario
HRV or Crosstrek would be my alternatives.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Nov 7, 2013
601 posts
189 upvotes
the 604
petermcjoe wrote: Why not HRV? I am not a huge fan, but it comes in stick. Seems like a good competitor to the models you mentioned. Settling for auto/DSG/2 pedal when you wanted a manual will give you second thoughts. Get the stick.
exactly what i'm looking at now... saw a review that revealed it's quite slow off the mark due the CVT, but manual seems to mitigate that. also digging that interior space is much better managed than the CX3 or Juke.
dudeexcellent wrote: I know taste is personal, but why a CUV???? The higher centre of gravity kills the enjoyment of driving for me. Why not just get a Mazda 3, Subaru Impreza, VW Golf or some other hatch?
love the small 4-banger hatch! owned two of them over the past 15 years (Mazda 323 Special Edition, 1st Gen Toyota Yaris), and my initial plan was to "upgrade" to Golf or Mazda 3, actually. love the compactness and how cheap my fuel bills are! but i guess part of this is "growing up". kind of sad getting to be more responsible. pretty much need an A to B vehicle with reasonable fuel economy, stick (so i don't get bored to death), and room enough to move ppl and stuff around decently. plus, like so many, i play musical chairs for street parking in Van, so something like the HRV would work, but nothing bigger.

maybe the 2017 HRV will have a punchier engine, that would make it a no brainer.


edit: maybe screw all this! because the Honda Civic Hatchback 2017 looks like it's right out of Robotech! damn, maybe i can postpone growing up for a few more years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGmHi6KULus
Deal Addict
Jan 13, 2014
2907 posts
2135 upvotes
Calgary
CX 3 is incredibly. You're better of with something different. Like a Subaru.
Deal Fanatic
Nov 11, 2008
8976 posts
2827 upvotes
I made the change to a CX5, and I'm missing manual. It's just os boring now... Tiptronic is not the same...
Member
Mar 7, 2010
438 posts
271 upvotes
North GTA
If CUV is not mandatory, I'd suggest to try out Golf. It is head and shoulders above the rest in terms of power, comfort and driving enjoyment. It can be pricey, but if you keep your cars long term this wont be much of a concern.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Mar 24, 2004
8683 posts
573 upvotes
Toronto
Drive a Mazda 3 6MT. They're much larger than your old 323 (awesome btw :D ) or Yaris. And very premium and very fun to drive :)
Newbie
Jun 8, 2016
56 posts
158 upvotes
I switched from a manual to a CVT on my last car. Hated every second of it.

The biggest thing about manual is the control over power transfer, which there isn't any at all in a CVT. Just imagine when you have to brake on a red to green light because the car in front makes a sudden stop, on a manual you can just press in the clutch and kill all torque while braking at the same time as oppose to pressing hard on brake and wait for the CVT to do its work.

Never would I ever go back to an automatic transmission.
Penalty Box
Nov 25, 2013
992 posts
295 upvotes
1. Yes, Thank goodness for automatic transmission

2. It's still an automatic.

I know people who prefer washing clothes manually with hands instead of using washing machine because they find it's more fun and controlling that way. Similarly, washing dishes with hands is more fun for some people. Whatever makes you happy get that and in your case it's an old outdated manual transmission which ofcourse you like and find more fun to drive
Deal Expert
User avatar
Mar 6, 2003
19712 posts
13576 upvotes
Ottawa
On some cars, the manuals are geared lower and at 120km/h, you might be buzzing along at over 3000rpm which is annoying. Sometimes the automatic has higher final gear for quieter cruising. On a Honda Accord, the manual has a 0.69 ratio in sixth whereas the CVT can go down to 0.41 and the auto is .55, so the engine will be revving at a higher rate with the manual. On sports cars it makes sense but on more mundane cars, the autos have a quieter cruising gear.

Our old Mazda was like that, it was five speed but I kept wishing there was a sixth gear on the highway.

In general, if it's a boring slow car meant for smooth quiet driving, I'd rather drive it in automatic. Usually in those kinds of cars, the engine is so quiet and there isn't much sensation in driving.
Deal Guru
Jun 11, 2005
13892 posts
3539 upvotes
Toronto
Well I have a CX-3.

The manual mode basically let's you choose your gears. Upshifting and downshifting is really quick for a fake manual. It's definitely more speedy than most. The CX-3 holds gears very well and will let you redline the engine unlike many other cars with the fake manual.

Driving manual in the cx-3 is kind of pointless. The CX-3 is not a fast car. In fact it's pretty slow. Driving in manual at high rpms will only create noise and not power. It does not make a great noise either. It's a very dreadful buzzing sound. It's best to drive in auto and go easy on the throttle so it's more quiet.
Deal Expert
Aug 2, 2004
38384 posts
12008 upvotes
East Gwillimbury
I ran into the same dilemma you did 4 months ago. I picked up a new VW and it is only offered in an automatic. I also considered the Mazda 6 which did come in a manual for the same price as the automatic. I purchased the VW

This if my first automatic in 25 years.

For the first month I kept looking for the clutch. I stopped doing that eventually but I still leave my car in gear when shutting it off. Have to remember to put it in park

Do I miss it? Sometimes, but I will just take the motorcycle out if I want some fun. When I'm in the car I want comfort and air conditioning

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)