Save gas and money with a stick shift.(Cars)

In your quest for better fuel economy and more value, don't overlook the benefits of a manual transmission. In recent tests, we've found that a stick shift can improve gas mileage by a notable 2 to 5 mpg, compared with an automatic transmission, and can cut a car's price by $800 to $1,200.

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Manuals also improve acceleration, sometimes significantly. That can be a welcome benefit with a smaller engine. And many drivers find driving with a stick more engaging and fun, although that can depend on the car.

We bought several manual-equipped vehicles of different types and ran them through our fuel economy and acceleration tests. Then we compared them with similar automatic-equipped versions that we'd previously tested. (An exception: We compared the Mini Cooper manual with the automatic Clubman version, which is a bit longer and heavier, though it has the same engine.)

 
Manual vs. automatic transmissions 
 
Model             Price (as tested)     Fuel economy 
                                       (overall mpg) 
 
                  Manual  Automatic  Manual  Automatic 
 
Ford Focus SES   $17,440    $18,490      29         26 
 
Honda Accord      21,995     22,795      26         23 
LX-P (4-cyl.) 
 
Honda Civic EX    18,810     19,610      31         28 
 
Mazda 3 I         17,290     18,190      30         27 
 
Mini              21,700     24,700      33         29 
Cooper/Clubman 
 
Scion xD          15,820     16,620      34         29 
 
Subaru Forester   20,972     22,040      24         22 
2.5X 
 
                Acceleration, sec. 
                    (0-60 mph) 
 
                Manual   Automatic 
 
Ford Focus SES     9.0        10.1 
 
Honda Accord       8.4         9.8 
LX-P (4-cyl.) 
 
Honda Civic EX     8.6        10.1 
 
Mazda 3 I          8.6         9.6 
 
Mini               9.1        10.5  ...