# Automatic transmission or manual **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** impreza, subaru\ **Created:** [October 3, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899 "2010-10-03T16:39:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cforke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@cforke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cforke)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/1 "2010-10-03T16:39:57Z")
I anticipate buying a Subaru Impreza Outback Sport and will be driving in the mountains a lot. Should I get the automatic or manual transmission? ---
**Author:** ![Scrabbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Scrabbler](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrabbler)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 5:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/2 "2010-10-03T17:01:14Z")
I think if you search this website for prior posts on the subject of automatic versus manual, you will get as many different opinions as you want. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/3 "2010-10-03T17:06:21Z")
Which ever one you like. ---
**Author:** ![twotone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@twotone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/twotone)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/4 "2010-10-03T18:41:41Z")
Manual ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/5 "2010-10-03T18:56:38Z")
You should test drive each one of the possibilities and decide which one you like better. Personally, I think a stick shift is sportier, but you should only consider one if you are adept at shifting and using a manual clutch and you have practiced starting on hills using he hand (parking) brake. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/6 "2010-10-03T20:21:11Z")
Will this also be a commuting car? Clutching in heavy traffic is a pain. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/7 "2010-10-03T20:30:43Z")
What do you prefer to drive ? I think it’s a personal choice with frequent heavy traffic driving being one of the few uses that may make an auto a no brainer. IMO, I would always have at least one automatic in the family for safety reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/8 "2010-10-03T21:26:31Z")
We had a family friend that bought a new Chevrolet station wagon in 1961. This person went to Colorado every summer. The dealer recommended that he order the wagon with a manual transmission. The dealer here in the flat midwest didn’t think that the 2 speed PowerGlide was suitable for mountain driving. Much as I hate to admit it, cars have improved in 50 years and the multipseed automatic transmissions today work well in mountain driving. I think it is a matter of which you prefer. ---
**Author:** ![Wha-Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9f8e36/32.png) [@Wha-Who](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Wha-Who)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/9 "2010-10-03T23:09:27Z")
This like the taste of food, is a personal judgement. Two of our three cars have manual transmissions. I like a taste of each. Neither mountains nor city traffic matter. Modern manual transmissions and clutches are easy to live with. ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/10 "2010-10-04T23:10:20Z")
I think the powergilde wasn’t really suited for stop and go traffic. On my Mazda, I think it’d be neat if it coulda came with a stick shift. Sadly though, only the European market got the manual. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/automatic-transmission-or-manual/55899/11 "2010-10-07T22:31:51Z")
Either. Both will work well with Subie’s AWD system and good technique. And a good set of winter tires. Nothing will work well without a good set of winter tires. Not a manual, not an automatic, not even AWD.