Shift into drive: Toyota Canada helps drivers learn the gears and reclaim the fun of driving with #S

I understand that in 1968 or 69 only the manual transmission Corolla was available in the US.
Believe me, they were not missing much! In Canada I had a used 1969 Corolla with a large 1200 cc engine & a 2 speed automatic transmission. A buddy called it my "puddle jumper". It met its demise at 60 mph in a car sandwich on Highway 401

 

Kudos for teaching your kids to drive manuals. I would hope the manual transmission survives into the future, and not as just a very specific enthusiasts only reality. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the trend.

I honestly sometimes feel guilty for NOT driving a manual. I'm not going to say better, but I think a manual transmission does allow for a better bonding between Driver and Machine.
A year or two of driving the same manual vehicle, with the same clutch, and you can become I think, much more precise in your gear changes than an automatic would ever be.

Sometimes even today, I get the urge to downshift, or upshift, and get a momentary feeling of disappointment when I realize...I can't.

 

Driving a manual is a blast -- and a necessity if you do much trekking off the beaten path.

Most of my USFWS vehicles were manual.

 

Even then, the sedan chassis might be different, seeing how there is a difference between wagon and hatchback.

For the loose beach sand I want to get on, automatic is recommended as a manual can be easier to spin the wheels and dig yourself in.

The last manual I drove was a U-haul truck. That was not fun.

 

I would posit that use of a manual vs. an automatic in most conditions would depend on the skill of the individual.

I will concede that in most cases, on a very steep hill, an automatic transmission has a very distinct advantage, but know that steep hills existed long before auto transmissions and people managed anyway.

While I in no way love driving the streets of Seattle without an automatic, I can do so.

In back out in the woods conditions I really prefer the manual.

 

Also depends on the condition of the transmission. For a secondary vehicle that will be bought used with more miles on it, I'd lean towards a manual for being more reliable. Research just points to an automatic being better for my needs.

Plus many cars, including trucks, don't have a manual option here these days. Rumors the new Bronco will have one is big news.