Soon a majority of mainstream midsize sedans can have standard automatic transmissions and no manual transmission option.
It's been a while coming. The stick shift has stuck around longer on midsize sedans than on other body styles, probably because of the broad appeal of the segment; these cars still make up essentially the most vehicle sales within the U.S. The manual-transmission option also allowed marketing departments to promote the best fuel-efficiency figures and the bottom base prices, that have been usually found at the manual-equipped models.
But automatic transmissions are getting more efficient, and often they deliver better gas mileage than their manual-transmission cousins. The automated-equipped 2012 Subaru Legacy gets 26 mpg combined while the manual gets 22 mpg, as an example.
Although automatic-equipped cars usually cost about $1,000 greater than their manual-transmission counterparts, so few individuals are deciding on the shift thrower that carmakers are abandoning the choice. The most recent to take action was Hyundai. The 2013 Hyundai Sonata isn't any longer offered with a manual transmission. This has raised the auto's base price by $1,100 and docked 1 mpg from its fuel-economy rating in city driving, but few people were settling on the manual, in accordance with Hyundai. Of the 225,961 Sonatas sold last year, just 1,725 had a manual transmission, said Miles Johnson, Hyundai's product public relations manager.
Of the 13 mainstream midsize sedans available today, six may have a manual transmission. When the 2013 Ford Fusion comes out, the manual-transmission option could be dropped from the bottom model, but it surely may be kept it for its fuel-efficient 1.6-liter four-cylinder powertrain, in line with the carmaker.
Overall, the industry's average take rate for vehicles equipped with a manual transmission has hovered around 4% of total new-car sales for the past couple of years, in step with the Detroit Free Press. The figure was 8.5% only a decade ago.
| Current Models | Manual Transmission Option | Manual Transmission Last Available (MY) |
| Chevrolet Malibu | No | N/A |
| Chrysler 200 | No | 2004 (Sebring) |
| Dodge Avenger | No | 2004 (Stratus) |
| Ford Fusion | Yes | |
| Honda Accord sedan | Yes | |
| Hyundai Sonata sedan | No | 2012 |
| Kia Optima | Yes | |
| Mazda6 | Yes | |
| Mitsubishi Galant | No | 1998 |
| Nissan Altima sedan | No | 2008 |
| Subaru Legacy | Yes | |
| Toyota Camry | No | 2011 |
| Volkswagen Passat | Yes |
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From WhatNewsToday.net
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