There are those who love the thrill of taking charge of a high performance car with a manual transmission of spot change. And, there are those who do not care less about the performance of a vehicle, happily selecting the "drive" of the gearshift and bring it on its way.
In the recent past, the options for broadcasts have expanded dramatically. Some are attractive if you share your vehicle with someone who can not operate a manual gearbox, while some do not have gears to change at all.
More cars are being offered with "Manual Mode", "Sport Mode" or even "Paddle-Shift" transmissions, and you may see one or more of these systems in the brochure for your next vehicle. Will you choose a manual? An automatic? Or will it be somewhere in between? Will it have up to 8 gears? Or as little as any?
Automatic transmissions from manual mode in its most basic form allow the driver to switch between automatic or manual changes at will. In manual mode, the shift lever is swung forward to shift to the next gear, or pulled back to shift down. This has its advantages on the secondary roads or to pass the slower traffic on the road. Put the changer on the drive if you are holding a coffee on the way to work and allow the car computer to run the transmission as economically as possible. It's like having a manual when you need it and an automatic when you do not. These systems add a sense of control to the driving experience, and are fun to use. Most can be a happy medium if a real manual transmission is not available with the vehicle they are set to.
The Hyundai Sonata is offered with a manual and a Sport-Shift automatic transmission. Jeremy Mannella, a Hyundai sales representative, says that "gentlemen often buy automatic cars for their wives, but in this case, they can have a little more fun and a little more control if they were to drive the car."
Hand-held transmissions also have benefits in driving conditions in winter. Acceleration on a slippery surface can be aided by having more precise control over the gear that uses the transmission and when it moves. The downshift can be used more easily to help keep the car in check while slowing down on snowy roads without using the brakes.