I drive a manual transmission car and I find my mileage to be comparable if not lower to an automatic transmission car. While activating cruise control, my mileage rises by a few kms because of this I have always wondered which transmission for my next car would be the best, considering mileage to be an important factor.
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Automatic transmissions use a torque converter, and there is a small loss in efficiency there, as compared to a manual gearbox which has a mechanical clutch. However, modern automatic transmissions use a lockup plus have had many technological advances and are very efficient compared to the old days.
For the typical driver, there’s very little difference in fuel consumption between the two. And for someone who loves revving the engine, an automatic might actually give slightly better fuel consumption because it will shift to a higher gear earlier.
With a good driver, manual transmission will give you slightly better fuel consumption because the driver is selecting the right gear for the speed/load/grade and also shifting efficiently.
I would personally recommend an automatic (assuming its a modern car brand/model), especially if you drive in a city with a lot of traffic because the overall difference is minimal, as compared to the hassle of shifting constantly imo.
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