2007 Honda Fit Sport -- The Most Forgiving Manual

I actually learned years ago in a 2.3L Ford Ranger...not a pleasant experience.
 
All my Honda/Acura cars have been manuals with the exception of 1, our current 05 Odyssey Touring. I have to say that Ive always enjoyed Honda manuals and they are pretty precise usually although the clutch uptake in my Acura CL-S 6MT is a bit too light sometimes. The throws are precise though.
 
Shift quality has always been amazing and effortless in most Honda products with the exception of some 3rd gear snags with the now dead Acura RSX-S and current Civic Si. Ive heard Honda has made some running changes with the gearboxes BTW.
 
The best shifter Ive had the pleasure of shifting is in my 2002 S2000. The throws are short, precise, and engauge with ease its almost 2nd nature. As everyone knows this car isnt a torque monster so you have to keep it "on the cam" to have serious fun but that IS what makes this car a blast. The shifter actually encourages you to shift as much as possible as its just enjoyable.

Welcome to the wonderful world of selecting your own gears, Joanne.
 
I've been enjoying it for 20 - 25 years now and hope to continue to find good manual shift vehicle options into the future.

Honda has always made one of the worlds best manuals. It's so good and so much fun that I never understood why anyone would buy a Honda with an automatic (which have generally been merely average).

I learned to drive with a manual. I'm so glad I did, too. There has always been a manual vehicle in my garage ever since.
 
I actually had difficulty with my S2000 a couple weeks ago. I could not shift into reverse and I had one helluva time trying to downshift at highway speeds. I figured I chewed up a shift linkage or even a synchro. But I instantly understood the problem when I disengaged the clutch (coasting) and the engine suddenly began reving. I had lost pneudraulic pressure. About a quarter-pint of fluid and I was good to go.

I own a Honda Fit that is exactly like Edmunds' and I'm teaching my 17 year old to drive it. He's having a very low stall rate as he learns. I actually look forward to driving this car and love the way the shifter glides between gears.

I love the shifter in my Fit! The shift action is so precise I just love how it clicks into each gear. I have a short throw kit and a weighted Skunk2 shift knob and it makes it even more enjoyable to use,. The heavier shift knob makes an especially noticeable difference. I remember having a really hard time driving a Mini Cooper S with I was first learning to drive stick. The Fit, in comparison, was incredibly intuitive.

Chris and Josh might want to check their mirrors for you, Joanne! j/k
 
From my own personal experience, Honda/Acura clutches seem to have easier "take-up"/engagement than many other vehicles. Or at least it seemed easy on my college buddy's Acura Integra. Shift action is also usually light and smooth.
 
My 2004 WRX's clutch pedal requires quite a bit more effort and the "take-up zone" isn't as broad as that of my friend's Integra. Shifts are also notchier (which I don't mind) in my car thanks to the OEM STI short-throw shifter.

SubyTrojan - couldn't agree more. My dad has a WRX and the shifting is definitely notchier, although when he switched to synthetic gear oil it made a huge difference. I think he used Redline. Not much you can do about the clutch though.

i always found VW clutches to be pretty easy

I'm constantly amazed at the difference in shifters among the different manufacturers. It seems like you should be able to always produce a "satisfying shifter", whether or not it's top notch.
 
I consider my 06 Civic SI shifter to be an 8/10 or 9/10. It's very balky and tends to crunch one gear everytime it's cold (and cold out). But once it's warm, it's a pleasure. Unfortunately, the clutch take-up in this car is exacerbated by the terrible drive-by-wire system. Hence my rating.
 
I've consistently found that the easiest cars to drive, right off the bat, are 4-cyl honda/acuras. Somehow, they combine friendly shifters with clutches that just do the job.
 
Joe
 
P.s. My 97 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4.0 5-speed was also easy to drive...lots of low-end torque, a shifter that didn't like to be rushed, and an easygoing clutch.
 
My 05 Saab 9-2x Aero (WRX Wagon) ... not so much. Unfriendly stock shifter, poor gear ratio spacing, and an agricultural clutch/trans. Don't put a newbie on that thing.

Congratulations on joining the gearcrunchers club! I, unfortunately, had to learn to drive manuals on a three on the tree 57' Dodge Powerwagon! My experience is that Volvos have very forgiving and easy to use clutches for first timers. But you can't beat a Honda for a combination of smooth clutch action and buttery shifting transmissions.

"i always found VW clutches to be pretty easy"
 
I agree with you langjie. The couple of VW's I've driven with manuals have had very forgiving clutches.

I had a '95 Jetta and '98 Passat - both had excellent clutches and manual transmissions. My '03 Mazda 6 is pretty good too, although at times I have to coax it into reverse.

I've always found VW/Audi to have the longest throw clutches with the most vague engagement points. Perhaps easy to learn on, as it feels damn near impossible to stall if you are giving it ANY gas....but really hard to drive semi-aggressively.
 
That being said, a good friend has a 99 A4 2.8 w/ 130-140k miles on it...when he had his clutch replaced I got a chance to drive it before and after. That new clutch had a delicious engagement point; not vague, but not a razor thin margin either. Combined with a satisfying shifter, awesome sightlines, and a rich germanic feel, it was a tremendously satisfying car to drive.
 
Joe

yeah, buddy of mine got an '07 Rabbit, and he had alot of trouble with the clutch for a few weeks despite being a life-long stick shifter. i stalled it a few times when i test drove it - not a very nice engagement. shifter was fine though.

Huh. I wouldn't have expected such widespread agreement that the Honda's manual trannies are some of the best (in feel). Then again, my only experience with a Honda manual was the '94 Accord sedan my parents had- supper touchy clutch, with extremely precise engagement point (just 1/4" lower on the pedal, completely disengaged, 1/4" higher, fully engaged).
 
By the time I drove the car I'd had plenty of experience with standard manual transmissions (starting with a 1985 Ford Escort), so it wasn't hard for me to adjust. But it was interesting watching the occasional jerky takeoffs my mother would do with that car. Even my father complained about having to live with that all the time.
 
On the other hand, the clutch on that Escort (5 speed, vs. the 4 speed on the '84 I had later) was great by comparison. The '87 Escort my folks bought (initially meant to be my brother's first car, I suspect) suffered from hanging-rpms between shifts though, and annoyed me even more than the clutch in the Honda.

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I'm hoping that my limited experience will translate well to other cars. But since I live in the city and commute in the brutal L.A. rush hour traffic, I won't be buying a manual to replace my automatic any time soon. I will, however, look for a auto/manual, where I have the option of doing some shifting for myself when (if) the road opens up.

Where are the haters?
 
Shift it yourself is the best. Period.

"Where are the haters?"
 
No one can argue that a Fit would be better with an automatic.

it really depends on your wants needs.
 
for some people the auto may be a better choice. its all about preference...not what is 'better' because its different to different people.
 
personally i wouldn't mind if my fit had been a manual, since it would have allowed more mods to be done to the car.
 
but paddle shifting has its fun...even if its a vanity! ;)