Living With An Auto Made Me Love Manual Gearboxes More Than Ever

I like to think that I can keep an open mind when it comes to the ever-raging gearbox debate. Unlike many, I think it’s utter nonsense that you’re ‘not a proper petrolhead’ if you drive a car with an automatic transmission. In fact, there are some automatic-only cars I just can’t imagine working with a manual ‘box, and other motors with such disappointing shifts that I’d understand if you’d want to buy one as an auto.

But, what would happen if I lived with an automatic for a good chunk of the year, in the sort of car I’d really rather have with a stick? Like a hot hatchback? I did exactly that with a DSG-equipped Skoda Octavia vRS, and after driving it for the best part of four months, I was actually starting to like having the shifting done for me. Trundling through traffic - something we all have to do more than we’d like - is far more pleasant, and when you’re not pressing on, you do have to ask yourself: do I really want to be changing gear myself right now?

However, not so long ago, the DSG hatch went back to Skoda, swapped for a manual estate. And everything I thought I’d learned went straight out of the window. The manual just adds an extra dimension of involvement that makes the whole car. I always felt the auto was missing something; it was only ever 80 or 90 per cent there when driving hard, and having a stick shifter damn near plugs that gap.

Even under normal driving circumstances, I’ve been really appreciating having proper gearbox control back. It helps that the Octavia actually has a pretty sweet shift, with a reasonably short and accurate throw, plus a nice amount of weight to it.

The self-imposed manual drought I’ve experienced this year made me fall in love with stick shift all over again. Having the option of that additional connection to the machine is so important when cars are feeling more and more remote, and it doesn’t seem to be something that’s dying out just yet.

We’re receiving good news from the world of manuals all the time. Jaguar has given the F-Type a manual ‘box, creating its first non-auto sports car in decades, while Honda’s new Civic Type R is very deliberately manual only, because Honda understands that’s what serious drivers want. You can’t forget Porsche’s decision to shirk even the option of an auto in the Cayman GT4 and even at the lower end of the scale, the previously auto-only Seat Ibiza Cupra has gone completely the other way.

Despite the doom and gloom people preach, now is a good time to be a manual lover. And I’m more smitten than ever.