I was going to trade it in...

[Captain Slow]

Even if there are a few automatics which are technically getting better mileage than 5spd manuals....compare that to a 6 or 7 speed manual and you will see once again that the manual is more efficient. There is more drivetrain power loss through a slushbox and it also weighs considerably more than a manual box.

Not to mention that manual gearboxes are cheap and easy to fix should anything go wrong. Couple that with the better control it provides for performance or economy driving and it's a no-brainer. Manual transmissions will always be the choice for gearheads and for good reason.

I remember in the 90s folks saying that the automatic-equipped Supra turbo was actually slightly faster in a drag race than the manual counterpart....yet everyone I knew lusted after the manual because it was more fun :)