Modern automatic transmissions are quieter, shift faster, feature more gears (up to 10) for quicker acceleration, help reduce tailpipe emissions and get better fuel mileage than manual transmissions.

Having a manual transmission comes with extra maintenance, and if yours has a stiff gear shift, it's a cause for concern.

In our tests, we've found that in some cars a manual transmission can improve gas mileage by a significant 2 to 5 mpg, compared with an automatic ... acceleration. But shift quality and fuel ...