[gbronner]

From personal experience, the new automatics are better than manuals.

I found going from a 5 speed to a 6 speed annoying -- it added a lot more shifts. After 26 years of driving a manual, my car got totaled and I pretty much had to get one with an automatic.

The new car has hill descent mode, which is pretty similar to what a manual does, and it has some more sophisticated limited slip traction control modes, which eliminates the only other real advantage of a manual.

The only remaining advantage of a manual now is cost, which matters far more in developing countries than in the USA.

[OkayPhysicist]

I think I'd take an automatic if it gave me significantly more on-the-fly control over the behavior of the gearbox. Sure, day-to-day, I want to be driving at maximum fuel economy on city streets and relatively slow highways, but other times I'm taking my car out for a spin in the mountains where I want to maximize my power output by spinning up to 7500 revs, engine break to take hairpin turns at speed, and other irresponsible fun.

All the automatics I've driven in seem to at best have a "best fuel economy" mode, a "sport" mode that doesn't even get close to pushing the engine to red-line, and an up-down shifter that lags too much for a downhill-into-a-tight outside-turn-into-an-uphill type scenario.

[everdrive]

It's sad, but I agreed. Manuals may be more fun, but they are no longer the more practical option.