Top 5 Reasons to Drive an Automatic Car
Manual, schmanual. See why automatic transmissions make our driving lives easier.
I’ve been driving for 14 years now: 7 years with a stick shift, and another 7 with an automatic. I’ve seen both sides of the rainbow and can tell you where the gold lies. Before you shop for that next car or praise the merits of manual, consider these 5 reasons to stick with an automatic transmission.
Reason #1 to drive an automatic: they’re easy
Automatics are easy … and easy is good.
Why hand-wash your dishes when you have a perfectly good dishwasher? “Let me make your life a little easier,” the dishwasher says. “Go finish watching Weekend at Bernie’s. I’ve got these dirty plates.”
Automatic transmissions are no different. “Let me free up that right hand for better steering and radio-station-finding,” it says. “I’ll take care of these dirty gear ratios.”
While there’s undeniable allure to the old-fashioned stick shift, the automatic transmission makes our driving lives easier and reduces accident risks by lowering the degree of driving difficulty. Consider uphill stoplights, many of which can be found in Esurance’s Bay Area backyard. Navigating these stop-and-start scenarios in a manual without burning out the clutch or bumping into the car behind you is a significant challenge.
But not with an automatic. “Don’t worry, old buddy,” it says. “I won’t let us roll backward, ever. You just keep being you.”
Reason #2 to drive an automatic: you’re older now
Let’s get this out of the way, hot shot. That manual transmission you drove in college was cool at the time. (Cut to my 2 old Jettas nodding in agreement — or trying to nod before suffering spectacular electrical failure.) It was cool to downshift into third and slam the accelerator to pass a meandering slowpoke. It was cool to use your gears as a braking device while maintaining eye contact with your passengers.
But do you know what’s cool now? Paying your bills on time. Enjoying a nice, warm cup of tea when the weather turns. A good book. Not rolling into cars driven by people you’ve never met.
Thanks to my Mazda’s automatic transmission, I never rolled into another car in 4 years of San Francisco driving. Whether we were on a slight incline or a right angle, I knew my car wouldn’t dream of it.
Reason #3 to drive an automatic: technological innovation is good (in this case, anyway)
Automatic transmissions are a modern marvel that we take for granted. First developed by General Motors in the 1930s and “battle-tested” in American tanks during World War II, the earliest automatic was an instant sensation when it debuted for the masses in the 1940 Oldsmobile Hydra-Matic. As the legend goes, its pamphlet featured just 3 directions:
- Start the engine
- Select your direction
- Step on the gas
How great is that?
Don’t get me wrong here — I get the retro thing and the importance of giving past technologies their due. If you stick to a manual to pay homage to our driving heritage, I can respect that.
If, on the other hand, you’re stuck on the stick because you think it’s a better way to drive, you may be watching the proverbial VHS cassette. Early consumer gripes about automatic’s slower response times, poor gas mileage, and higher maintenance costs are increasingly outdated thanks to 70+ years of technological progress.
Technology is helpful. Embrace it. And if you’re into the myth-busting thing, check out this article courtesy of Edmunds.com: 5 Myths About Stick Shifts.
Reason #4 to drive an automatic: it gives you more options
While the stick shift is experiencing a surge in popularity, automatic transmissions dominate the U.S. car market. A USA Today article from 2012 reported that just 19 percent of new vehicles on the market offered standard transmissions. So if you’re shopping for a new car or truck, the vast majority of your options will have automatic transmissions.
And don’t fall for old stereotypes (which were once true) about mpg and speed. The average automatic’s fuel economy isn’t nearly as deficient as it used to be. As another USA Today article pointed out, “Today’s automatics are now so sophisticated that they routinely best manuals on gas mileage.” The difference remains negligible in many of today’s models, such as the 2013 Mazda 3. The 2.0 liter automatic edition gets an average of 27 mpg while the 5-speed manual gets 28 (you can easily check your car’s mpg and compare it with others’ at fueleconomy.gov).
When it comes to speed, manual transmissions aren’t always faster. Many of the speedsters we consider the fastest — including certain Ferraris and Lamborghinis — are only available as automatics.
Reason #5 to drive an automatic: it’s a luxury in Europe
Automatic rental cars in Europe can be twice as expensive as their manual counterparts. Renting the most affordable manual transmission during one December week in London can cost as little as £160.60, while the cheapest automatic costs a whopping £347.00. In Prague, the story is similar: £190 for the low-end manual and roughly £345 for the most affordable automatic.
Because Europe totally gets it.
To conclude
Mounting an impassioned defense of a technology that most of us take for granted is an admittedly strange thing to do. But as the great comedian Louis CK points out, “Everything is amazing and nobody’s happy.”
With that sentiment in mind, take a moment to really consider what the humble automatic is trying to do: shift for you.
That’s amazing!
And I didn’t even get into clutch repair.
Nope, still want a stick. Much more fun, keeps your attention on the road, and with very little experience, you can manage those hills without burning the clutch. I still vote for the manual.
A good read – humorous writing!
clutch repair in a manual? Dont get me started on clutch repair on an automatic. Yes,ryry, they too have clutches. Rolling back into other cars? Well maybe you should be driving an auto. In 20 years I havent rolled back or burnt a clutch. its good that automatics give the driver an extra free hand, they need it to reply to that all important text message.
I agree Rob, I focus on JUST driving so much more in a standard. My mind tends to just wander in an auto. I love my standard, wouldn't have it any other way. These points are all just a matter or opinion. Driving a manual is really no harder than an auto when shifting becomes second nature to you and manuals tend to be cheaper then their automatic counterparts.
I will never buy an automatic at any age. Unlike many seniors, when I am no longer able to drive efficiently, I will do the world a favor and stop driving.
Are you saying that people who drive manual can't pay their bills, drink tea, or enjoy a good novel? Invalid reasoning; conclusion does not follow from premise.
Many of the automatic only options are crap. And we don't live in Europe.
From a mechanical standpoint, manual transmission is preferable.
A 2013 Mazda with a 2.0 liter engine only gets 27-28 mpg? Hahaha thats nothing to brag about. My 1997 Camaro z-28 with a 5.7 liter engine and 6 speed manual trans gets the same mileage and is way more fun to drive than some 2.0 liter with a slushbox trans.
Drove boring automatics for my first 5 years of driving, learned to drive a 5 speed Celica, loved it. next car? 5 speed Cavalier and loved it for over 2 years. it's recently been totaled and I am feverishly hunting for a new manual trans to continue enjoy driving. if it can make a 2002 cavalier exciting to drive, can only imagine the joy of driving a newer one on a nicer car!
The statement Ferrari's and lambo's only come in automatic is false they use tectonic gearing with an automatic clutch. You know tthe little spoon on the steering wheel. They do also have an automatic version. …just so you dont embarrass yourself. I have to wonder what other glaring errors you made in this article.
Oh btw having lived in Belgium Europe… automatic trannies are very rare. Most of them don't want them. If you drive an automatic there… the will tell you that you cannot drive. The fact the rental places charge more is so they can milk American tourists.
I've been driving a manual for over ten years after several automatics, and love it. I also have never rolled backwards on a hill and hit somebody. It's called learning to properly drive before you go out in real traffic. This article didn't make a single good enough point for me to consider an automatic a better choice. ” It's easy” ? Well driving makes traveling easier in the first place, using a manual is a breeze as long as you have all four limbs, so what's your point.
Oh, ”It's for the Lazies”, that's more like it. Lol I'm not hating here, though. To each their own, but there's just no real justifiable reason that makes an automatic a better choice, unless one has a physical issue, or are lazy and/or want to do multiple things while driving, which unfortunately too many people do. Manuals force you to pay attention to traffic and surroundings.
And btw, making ”automatics are a luxury in Europe” one of the top 5 reasons just shows how few the real advantages of an automatic transmission are.
However, there are many applications in professional driving, where automatics make sense, like an ambulance or Mack trucks (15+ gears?? Just kill me now) And if the author thinks that a Ferrari has the same type of automatic that a civic uses,…I rest my case.
You get more control in rain or icy conditions. See people spinning their wheels in an automatic? That is easy to avoid in a stick shift. I love driving a stick, and it's up to $1000 cheaper when you buy the car. It's also a theft deterrent, since so many people can't drive stick transmissions these days. There have been a few stories where carjackers had to ditch cars cause they couldn't get them to move. LOL!!!
Sorry ryan but it sounds like u never learned how to drive a stick properly, or learned anything about cars.
I've been smoking & driving since 1976 & have had acouple of wrecks, most have been from drinking but not all.
You've also been smoking and commenting on the wrong article!
Granted, I can agree with most of these points as well as most of the "Top 5 Reasons to Drive a Stick" on the same website (with each page having a link to the other at the bottom of the article). But I have to point out, if we're to take these articles seriously, why does this one state, "Early consumer gripes about automatic’s slower response times, poor gas mileage, and higher maintenance costs are increasingly outdated…", and the other article states, "What’s more, sticks accelerate faster than automatics. And since vehicles are most efficient in higher gears, timely acceleration and upshifting is crucial to getting your best gas mileage". It's a bit contradictory.