Even the best automatice isn't directly connected to your brain the way your left leg and left arm are.
Whether that matters or not depends on personal preference and skill.
Many people do not drive well enough to beat the autobox ever.
Other people have skill and want the control/entertainment of a manual.
Even if you have the skill often you might want to take the lazy option.

And as mentioned mnay times the option might not be available to you in the car you want.

Also also, this is a car enthusiasts forum. Most people don't care, we're the odd ones out.

Edited 29 March29 Mar by Aspman

On 28/03/2026 at 18:39, shempy said:

Hi all. Been driving various Euro manuals for fifty years (Renaults, Peugeots,Alfas, Skodas -even a Lancia) Loved them all. Then I needed a new estate.Guess what ? No manuals in Australia. I bought a Peugeot 508. Asin eight speed slushbox.Thought I would get used to it. No way, box was whiny and unintuitive. Steering was computer game light and feelless. Put up with it for two years and traded it in on a 2022 VRS. Bliss.I drive it exclusively in manual mode and with the DCC I can fine tune the suspension to just the way I like It. I would love a manual but down here car choices are limited.

I'm in Australia too and been driving DSG transmission cars for 15+ years in the form of A3, S3, GTi, Superb, a couple of Passats and now a 4.5 Octavia VRs so seen them really develop into something that is now quite smooth, controllable and reliable, and even a bit of fun when using the paddles in "manual" mode. My ex once had one of the dreaded Golf 118TSi's that had a number of issues that VW were in denial about. One of my GTi's (MK VI?) was very jerky as well. They're particularly easy when driving around Sydney in it's traffic and traffic lights every 200m.

However, I'm currently teaching my 18-year-olds to drive and got them a Fabia Monte Carlo manual. They complained it was pointless as most cars are auto of some variety, and more than likely they will end up in a single pedal EV in the not-too-distant future. My reasoning is that I think it will teach them to be better drivers as you have to pay more attention to the car by feel and noise. You have to set up for corners, junctions, hills and traffic conditions. You have to concentrate! They are not simply a point and shoot armchair. I also reasoned that they could get into any car, anywhere in the world and just drive it if they had to. They are in the early stages but getting the idea. After 6-12 months after passing the test (hopefully!) it will be second nature to them.

7 hours ago, Aspman said:

You really need a car that suits the autobox that is in it, and tbh that doesn't often work. Or the custom gearbox software is terrible.
I've had a number of autos and I think bar one they've all had pretty much the same gearbox

My autos -

BMW 335d, ZF 8 speed - brilliant, felt like a perfect match, only rarely did the box seem to get it wrong with a weird double shift down.
Range rover 3.0 V6 (275), ZF 8 speed - Also really good, no issues or weirdness even off road.
Mini Countryman JCW, ZF 8 speed - Awful, changed down at the drop of a hat, hesitant to up shift. Works best if you drove the car like it was being stolen but even then clunky and rough.
Maserati 3.0 V6d, ZF 8speed (see a pattern), OK not as good as the first two but not bad, occasional sluggish downshift
Subaru Outback CVT - Meh, it's a dull car to drive and the box is also pretty dull, does what it needs but clunky setting off or pulling out at junctions.

We have manuals and autos in the house still. Manual for fun, auto for day to day.

I agree with this 100%. The Octavia suits a DSG. A 3 Series suits a DSG. An MX5 suits a manual. An M2 suits a manual.

The only thing I would ask is, what does a 911 suit? Any variant or generation. Many people are prepared to die on the manual 911 SC-era hill, but tbh I personally can’t imagine spending a £180,000 GT3 and not ticking the PDK box. A GT3 RS is speed only, a Turbo S is speed only (neither of which available as a manual), so maybe what we’re saying is a manual box is only for those cars that are about driving, not pure outright speed?

Modern DCTs and torque converters are a far cry from the original auto boxes some on here remember. I think my DQ381 is pretty perfect, and even the DQ200 in the Ibiza is pretty damn good (same complaints as @mac11irl though).

You wouldn’t catch me dead in a CVT. I also think many manual cars are now the below base models only - really cheap, nasty 5 speed boxes designed for the base Polo and more. That being said, I recently had a 2026 Skoda Scala as a courtesy car. It was a 1.0 manual 6-speed and you know what? First new VAG car I’ve driven (out of many) that I actually liked. The steering wasn’t scarily light, the infotainment was useable and the gearbox was solid. Yes, the clutch felt like it wasn’t attached to the car, but overall - really really good! Thoroughly recommend to any on here.

I have never ever thought i wish this was a manual i was driving to have more control. I started driving when about 10 offroad, in Manuals and me Mums Mini,s, or 1100 / 1300 Austin Automatics. I lost my leg at 17. Then Out of the dozens of 2 pedal cars i have driven or owned in 50 years the Toyota iQ 1.0 CVT was perfect. I even liked my Volvo 340 & 343 Selectamamatics, they were perfect in winter / snow. A favourite i had for 3 years was a Fiat Punto 1.2 Speedgear (CVT) Not a Duologic. The biggest issue and failure was a Transit Durashift. when it worked it was great, when it played up was when i found out the ex Demonstrator should have been scrapped and never sold, but i had bought off a disabled lady that raced huskies & had it converted to a camper at much expense and i had thought the hand controls and a failed brake light brought on the issues. It could still be changed manually by the buttons on the steering wheel.but that eventually stopped working. I have never been disappointed at the performance of any vehicle because it was an Automatic or Automated Manual or CVT. Probably because it is Horses for Course. @FilipSljeme I have no idea what country you are in or what you drive or if you fit appropriate tyres, but as far as Automatics and winter roads or even offroaders then all mine have been used in some of the most serious conditions and traction has never been an issue. Automatics are used in Winch Challenge, events, tyro,s, comp safaris etc. Correct tyres and the vehicle driven to conditions is what matters, for road use many Autos had a Snow Button, or maybe just a on / off overdrive button which is perfect for reducing speed, as is the S with a DSG. As to climbing, the issues can be 'Driver Error'. TC / ASR off might be necessary, or selecting modes or what ever. As to a Manual on the same tyres as a 2 pedal vehicle being more capable in extreme conditions i would like to know how steep this is supposed to be that having a clutch pedal and manual selection better and have more traction.

Edited 30 March30 Mar by Evolution13

It's kind of odd how this developed.

OK so it started with me having a bit of a moan about lack of choice and how there is no Skoda that meets my needs, or more accurately wants, as well as what was available 10 years ago. One day I might end up driving a DSG equipped car - more likely through lack of choice than as an active choice, but you can never tell. Many of the folk that contributed to prove the superiority of DSG / backwardness and general misguidedness of wanting a manual, first worked out the thought process behind why folk might want to stick with the older technology, before destroying the logic behind that thought, the thing is they got that first step wrong. Beyond saying 'still trusted to change gear myself' I didn't fully explain why I would want a manual or put forward any argument for manual superiority over DSG as a car or a driver, and I'm not going to, much as it could be fun to pick fault in pro DSG arguments - what would be the point, the end of the manual box is probably only a matter of when rather than if. I'd just like a bit more choice in the meantime, that's it, that's all, nothing else, no hating on DSGs or DSG drivers. ..... OK just one more thing, I'm genuinely assuming that the people on here driving a DSG are doing this as a result of a considered choice, I don't think that is the case for the majority of drivers. Even 10 years ago, the car salesman who didn't even bother trying to upsell me into an SEL or VRS still took the time to try and persuade me of the merits of DSG, now DSG is for most the default and soon to be only choice.

Head down and preparing for incoming fire.

For a 'Keeper' or buying a used car it is 1.5 TSI ACT,s i would avoid.

7 minutes ago, Evolution13 said:

For a 'Keeper' or buying a used car it is 1.5 TSI ACT,s i would avoid.

OK, I remember when Skippy the 1.5 TSI ACT first came out with its 'teething problems' I was very glad to have the slightly older 1.4 TSI (Not ACT). VAG's usual denial bore real parallels to its approach to the 1.9PD DMF problem. Still I, perhaps naively, thought they would have tamed Skippy by now - or is there another problem with them?

Edited 30 March30 Mar by Octy0GG
adding a ,

14 hours ago, Evolution13 said:

(...)

I think I might not have explained my point very well 🙂

I'm not trying to say manuals have more capability or traction — I completely agree with you that tyres, driver input and conditions matter far more there. And clearly you've got a lot more real-world experience with automatics in those conditions than I do.

What I was trying to get at is more about how the control is delivered, not the end result. A manual gives you very direct, mechanical control over gear selection, whereas an automatic always has some layer of interpretation — even if it's very good.

Modern systems do give you ways to influence that behaviour — driving modes, manual selection, paddles, etc. — but those are still indirect controls. You're essentially asking the system to behave a certain way, rather than directly commanding it.

Re-reading my last response, I think that point probably came across as a bigger issue than I intended. If those edge cases were a real, frequent limitation, automatics wouldn't be as widely used as they are.

My reasons for sticking to manual gearbox, despite (because of) having driven 500k+ miles in the past 25+ years:

1. More reliable and durable gearbox that will last without repairs for 14+ years and 200k+ miles

2. Far longer servicing interval, simple gearbox oil change every 6-7 years is enough in my experience, and can be easily DIYed

3. Lighter weight car and lower fuel consumption

4. Lower cost of the car

5. No annoying redundant gear choice override when selecting DSG top gear and gently accelerating 60mph-70mph on motorway ( this I experienced on a couple post-2018 diesel Skodas I have driven, earlier DSG boxes were OK in this respect)

6. In a diesel car, on motorway/autobahn, I really do not change gears all that often, and can recall quite a few overnight trips where I did under 100 gear changes in total over 1000+ miles / 14 hours.

In summary, I will sooner give up on driving a diesel than I will on using manual gearbox. Just my 2 pence.

(diesel vs petrol is another discussion, even with current price differential, cutting car fuel tank sizes over past 15 years did not help petrol range).

Edited 31 March31 Mar by dieselV6

There are VW Group diesels that kept big fuel tanks, 60 litres plus, do as good range with a DSG as a manual does. Lower Emissions under testing. False testing often.. The issue brought in was SCR/ Adblue. VW Group conspired with other German Car makers on Fuel Tanks, Adblue Tanks and components and then came up with the defeat device for Engine Management. Sadly elephant in the room, SCR and cost of failures & DQ381 DSG,s and poor reliability, MCU,s. Issues not addressed by VW Group. A pure lottery if thousands of quid in costs coming when they go wrong, sometimes even within 3 years & manufacturers warranty. PS Earlier DSG,s & 2 litre petrol or diesel, Pre WLTP & 6 speed DQ250,s. Then we have DQ381,s & 7 speeds. Quite simply 7 speeds are different ratios than 6 speed, gear changes are supposed to be to get best economy, not best performance. As it is on UK roads you might never use more than half the available speed the can do, and seldom the full BHP / Torque available.

Edited 31 March31 Mar by Evolution13

At present, large fuel tanks are only on cars too big for my purposes (don't fit in garages in places I can and prefer to have my car garaged). In the Skoda range, only the Superb and Kodiak are 58l+, everything else is at 50l or below, with new manual diesel Octavia 2.0 116bhp it is 45l only. Compare this to (admittedly vented) diesel fuel tank capacity of 64l for my wife's Roomster and Mk1 Octavia (55l base capacity + 9l extra fuel after venting). Bear in mind that for 80%+ motorway/autobahn driving I really do not need the extra fuel waste of an SUV, a hatchback/estate will do just fine for me, as it has for the last quarter century.

What I'd like to see are smaller, non-SUV, manual gearbox, diesel cars like the Scala (50l fuel tank), but they're all petrol at the moment. Still, I can dream 🙃

Good news today or Audi fans from VW. A 3.0 V6 Mild Hybrid Diesel engine that can do 50 mpg. Actually they were doing similar when the Diesel Scandal hit. All that Endurance Racing R&D. Pity it is not Smaller Lighter highly efficient diesels they build at lower prices. But then they need more Electrified vehicles first registered to be able to get these sold without penalties. Roomsters and Octavia without SCR are an issue not being Euro 6 if the driver is entering LEZ,s.

Edited 31 March31 Mar by Evolution13