Stick or automatic?

[Bill B]

Yes. 2011 was the last year for the Element.

They discontinued the stick on the Elements in 2010...

Didn't they discontinue the entire Element shortly after that?

[ClutchFork]

Yes. 2011 was the last year for the Element.

They discontinued the stick on the Elements in 2010...

Didn't they discontinue the entire Element shortly after that?

No stick? Then discontinued the vehicle? Good riddance.

[AHTOXA]

That's too bad. The Element was a really great car for someone like me. Perfectly suited for dogs and outdoor activities without the SUV penalties all while offering the same if not more room inside as midsize SUV.

[Bill B]

The Element is perfect for taking our 3 dogs out for a ride. It also make a nice bike hauler. I usually hit the bike trail once or twice a week during the warm weather. Makes a nice vehicle for my once or twice a year camping trip. It makes a bed if you take off the front headrests and fold down the seats. See attached photo of my last camping trip. The campsite had a couple of electrical outlets, so that I how I was powering the fan attached to the grab bar. I bought it in March of 2010 and by that time they had discontinued the stick shift, so had to go with the used one to get the one with the 3rd pedal.

That's too bad. The Element was a really great car for someone like me. Perfectly suited for dogs and outdoor activities without the SUV penalties all while offering the same if not more room inside as midsize SUV.

[Shadow]

So my buddy picked up his CX-5 over the weekend and he went on and on about how it drives like a sports car. He said it is known as the MX-5 Miata of SUVs. I laughed a bit to myself when he said that, but then he offered to let me drive it. I have to admit that it feels much more like a car than I had expected. I'd say the driving dynamics are much closer to my Audi than to my 4Runner (and my 4Runner is the "sports car" version of 4Runners, with cross-linked hydraulics in the shocks that are made to greatly reduce body lean around corners).

So yeah, I was actually impressed with the way the CX-5 zipped around. But here's the really impressive part, and something totally unexpected. I actually LOVE the automatic transmission. It has a 6-speed automatic that has manual control (via the shift lever, no paddles), and the transmission appears to rev-match its downshifts, just like a dual clutch does. Very cool.

And the best part yet--- the gas pedal is equipped with something Mazda calls a "kickdown" switch. The idea here is that you can give the engine quite a bit of throttle without the transmission downshifting automatically like most other cars. I think the idea is to help increase fuel economy by avoiding constant shifting of the transmission. If you increase the pressure on the throttle, you eventually hit the kickdown switch, which will allow the transmission to downshift. I don't have a lot of seat time behind the wheel, so I don't know exactly how it works, but I will say that I was very much impressed. Finally an automatic transmission behind a small engine that doesn't automatically downshift every time the gas pedal is pushed down. My first thought was that something was wrong with the transmission. I wasn't sure why it seemed to want to hold the gear when I was giving it more and more throttle. But then my buddy told me about the kickdown switch and everything seemed to make perfect sense after that. Mazda did a really great job with the automatic. It's a fun car to drive for sure.

[ClutchDisc]

Most of the time I would rather have the smaller engine and I don't want AWD. But even if I did, there is no way I would chose either over having a manual transmission.

[ClutchFork]

I'd rather drive a Yugo with a stick than a Porsche with an automatic--well, that is, so long as the Yugo keeps running.

[zenfiz6]

I'd rather drive a Yugo with a stick than a Porsche with an automatic--well, that is, so long as the Yugo keeps running.

That's not so far off the mark, for me.

So, in the two months that I've had my A4, Audi has taken the car for almost two weeks (nothing wrong, just in for some warranted check-it-out work, but damn they're being slow about it). In that time they've given me newer automatic A4s to drive as loaners.

Yes, I can mash the pedal down and the car will go; yes, I can take turns quicker... but... something's missing. And, eventually, to get the thrill of driving, I'd go back to getting pissed off at traffic that won't let me push the car into the regime where it excels.

Driving my manual A4 lets me enjoy driving regardless of speed or traffic.

I'm hoping there's another manual to replace this car with in 2024.

[Squint]

I'd rather drive a Yugo with a stick than a Porsche with an automatic--well, that is, so long as the Yugo keeps running.

As long as you aren't going more than 2000 miles...

[ClutchFork]

I'd rather drive a Yugo with a stick than a Porsche with an automatic--well, that is, so long as the Yugo keeps running.

As long as you aren't going more than 2000 miles...

And as long as I don't get in an accident!

[Squint]

And as long as I don't get in an accident!

Accident? I think you mean opportunity-to-purchase-another-Yugo, not accident.

[ClutchFork]

And as long as I don't get in an accident!

Accident? I think you mean opportunity-to-purchase-another-Yugo, not accident.

Yugos are addictive. Once a Yugo driver, always a Yugo driver. They are classic cars now.