I have heard that the reason car manufacturers are discontinuing manual transmissions with four wheel drive vehicles is that a manual transmission is dangerous when driving a four wheel vehicle. I have been driving a RAV4 with both four wheel drive and manual transmission for almost 3 years. What am I missing? What kind of dangerous situation could I be getting myself into?
Secondary question: I really like my RAV4, but at some point I may have to buy a new car. Is there anything similar which I can buy with a manual transmission?
Try driving an automatic RAV. after 50 years with manual transmissions and driving manual RAV’s for 10 years I didn’t think I would like it…now have an '07 RAV auto and it’s “shiftable”…my wife still has the "05 with manual. I just think the demand for manual transm is not there, not a saftey issue…there is the FJ Cruiser but the visibility is limited.
I can’t think of any reason why a manual transmission and four-wheel drive would be dangerous. One 4wd-related explaination for why manuals aren’t always offered as much these days is that some AWD systems are integral with the transmission and it would be more trouble than it’s worth for the carmaker to offer two different transmissions.
Other than that, the disappearance of the manual has mostly to do with how much better the automatic transmissions are these days. Manual transmissions no longer have a clear edge over automatics in terms of gas mileage and reliablilty as they once did and so the only people who realy want them now are people who just enjoy driving them, which is a pretty small chunk of the market.
I would guess it has nothing to do with safety (What was the source of that rumor?) I suspect it is simply that fewer people are buying manuals (autos are getting very good, but I personally prefer manuals) and they just don’t have the volume to continue producing them.
Never heard that driving a 4wd with a manual could be dangerous. If it were then ALL 4wd’s would be automatic. 4wd with manual tranny have been around for many decades. If there was a problem it would have shown up LONG BEFORE now.
I think part of the reason is what Joseph said…Fewer people wanting to drive a manual. And with many soccer moms driving SUV’s who have no idea what a 4wd system is…they all want automatics…so far less demand for the manuals.
I didn’t think RAV4 were 4 wheel drive. I can believe AWD.
I just got a Rav 4 with auto/4 cyl and I am royally disappointed! Wish I had spent time looking for a manual 5 speed. Gas mileage is no where near good as the mileage on my 02 Civic. Thoughts?
Thoughts??? Yeah, it must be the automatic transmission causing the the decrease in gas mileage from your '02 Civic. I’m absolutely sure that a larger engine in a heavier vehicle with worse aerodynamics have NOTHING to do with it! Why don’t you read up a little bit on basic automotive technology or just use common sense before you make a statement like that?
Did you hear that from a car salesman?
Subaru Forester is getting upgraded and has manual or automatic transmission. All Subaru’s are AWD and offer manual transmissions in most of trim lines.
Manual transmissions simply don’t sell as well so they don’t offer. The sales people looked at my pregnant wife with three heads when she asked for a Subaru Legacy GT(turbo) wagon with manual transmission. They were able to locate one albeit with 270 miles delivered since it was driven over 200+miles from another dealer.
Your driving a much heavier brick in the wind with the drag/weight of AWD causing your MPG loss beyond the much larger engine.