![]() The gates are always clear and coherent to shift through the clutch is easy on the left leg but still full of feel, and they're normally never powerful or torquey enough to get you into any trouble. Road Test Editor Zac Palmer: I will always argue that the best car to learn on is a Honda. There are plenty to choose from for less than $18,000, so take your pick. This one is a 2016 model for less than $14,000, and I chose it mostly because I like the color. The turbocharged three-cylinder engine has the right amount of power, and all the controls - importantly including the gearbox - feel nice and direct. While early Minis earned a reputation as unreliable, more recent vintages are holding up pretty well. Instead, I'd choose something small and easy to drive, with a light clutch, well-designed transmission and with a reasonable amount of power. no, I would not specifically choose an old Bug as someone's first manual unless I knew they were really going to get into the experience. Not only did I learn to row my own gears and use a clutch pedal, I also learned a lot about how cars work - old air-cooled VeeDubs are quite simple and straightforward devices when compared to modern cars, and keeping them running well takes some easy but necessary upkeep from time to time. It had a manual transmission, and I think it was an awfully good experience. Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski: I learned to drive in an old Volkswagen Beetle. And if we're talking "first manual transmission" because it's also a teen's first car, the excellent fuel economy and cargo versatility should come in handy at college and beyond. And this one is a wagon! Asking price is $16,997 and it has 59,232 miles on it. Now, to be perfectly honest, I originally thought about finding a previous-generation Honda Civic, but the Golf selection had fewer miles and were newer. All of this is consistent with cars that hail from a place where people still opt for manual transmissions in cars that have zero performance potential (or, you know, at all). That's what you want from a manual when you're learning. The gearbox may feature longer throws than a driving enthusiast would prefer, but they're precise and the general rubberyness makes it, again, forgiving. Torquey, turbocharged engines generally make for an easier row-your-own experience (there's a reason recent Honda Civics have become even better), while VW's clutch takeup and engagement point are incredibly forgiving. Senior Editor James Riswick: Volkswagen manuals are very easy to drive. You may spend less than $18,000, however no points are awarded for frugality.No sequential or automated units, period. It's of no consequence where the latter is mounted so long as it exists. The gearbox has to actually be a traditional manual transmission with three pedals (or any reasonable equivalent) and a gear lever.This is not necessarily the beneficiary's first car, just the first one they've owned with a manual transmission.There's really no middle ground, so tread carefully. If you pick a Mazda RX-8, for example, you're either saying you trust this person to pick up the process quickly, or that you hate their guts and hope they stall on an onramp and die. Keep this in mind before we get to the formal rules: This week's challenge is as much about the car you choose as the person you choose it for, and your selection will say a lot about the relationship you have with that person. Well, now it's time to pass that down to the next generation (whatever age they may be) of car people. And whether you begged, borrowed, stole or sneaked away, we all had to learn to drive a manual transmission on something. But with new manual-equipped cars disappearing left and right, it's getting a lot tougher to snag seat time in a stickshift, let alone purchase one to drive long-term. The art of driving a manual is not dead - at least not yet. Buy somebody their first manual transmission What's the 'right' car to learn stick on?
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