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Help Me Decide Between a 2016 WRX Limited MT and CVT?

29K views 152 replies 47 participants last post by  Germz to Japz 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello everyone! I am a two-time Subaru owner. I've owned a 1995 Subaru Legacy and a 1998 Subaru Legacy Outback. The time has come for me to get something nicer. I've always wanted a WRX, but figured I would make an informed decision by examining all of Subaru's options. After test driving the 2015 Legacy (both Limited and 3.6R Limited) and 2016 WRX (both MT and CVT), my interest has been confirmed and I have decided on going with a WRX Limited as the 3.6R's acceleration didn't compare and it felt too heavy/large for my liking.

Now I have the hard decision on whether I should go manual or CVT. This is my situation if anyone is interested in giving me their opinion:

First off, I do not currently know how to drive stick. I've always wanted to learn however I have never had the opportunity. From what I have heard, learning to drive stick is relatively easy, just requiring practice. I'm just worried that if I buy a Manual transmission, I might hate it since I have not been exposed to driving one before.

About 30 weeks out of the year I am a college student. During this time, I am driving about 30mins a day, at least, with 95% of it being in campus traffic resulting from an excess of stop signs and pedestrians crossing the street. The other half of my year consists of a mixture of driving, with the summer consisting majority of highway driving. This summer I have been driving about 300 miles a week. I am a little concerned that since, almost 8 months out of the year, I will be confined to this type of traffic, a manual might not be a good idea. Is driving a WRX MT in traffic really that bad?

From my test drive of the CVT, I was very pleased, especially with the smoothness of gear shifts (because there technically isn't any gear shifts). Since, I can't drive stick, I rode passenger while the dealer test drove the WRX Limited MT. While he was driving, the car felt extremely jerky (especially compared to the CVT). Normally I would guess that the dealer just wasn't used to the car, however his daily driver was the same model. Is the ride being jerky a common occurrence among 2015-16 WRXs?

Reasons I'd go CVT:
-Easier in traffic
-I wouldn't need to concentrate on shifting gears
-Better gas mileage, with people reporting on average between 26-32mpg on intelligent drive.
-Anyone can drive it: Being in college, it's nice to have the option for an unplanned DD if I drink too much. With an automatic, I won't need to teach my girlfriend (or anyone else) before they can DD for me
-Don't have to learn to drive it
-I know that I don't mind driving automatic
-I've physically driven this model (rather than just passengering in it)
-Smoother "shifting"?
-Extra safety features (ie. Eyesight; see my next post)

Reasons I'd go MT:
-Better performance/control of the vehicle (ie. more user-control of the vehicle and its engine, putting aside environmental factors)
-The prestige of driving a manual sports car
-Cheaper: for the same price, I can throw in a short-throw clutch AND an STI exhaust (or other options)
-More availability
-Requires me to learn stick which is a useful skill to know
-Few people can drive stick: meaning less people will ask to borrow my car or ask to test drive it (which I'm assuming will happen a lot in the first couple of months owning it)
-More engaging
-More fun on open road

I do not plan to implement any performance mods/tunes on the car; I just plan to use it as my daily driver. I plan to put a deposit on one this weekend so any suggestions on which I should choose would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to update this list as we go. Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
The CVT version is worth getting if you want the eyesight system. It has adaptive cruise control with automatic braking and it will steer the car for you on highways. Speaking for myself, the CVT with eyesight package is a must-have feature, it's something that I will use a lot.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Thanks for the opinions so far. As for the eyesight system, I'm not overly crazy over paying extra for it. To me, it isn't really a necessary feature. I was talking with the dealer and he agreed and said in his opinion it's only really necessary for older people since they have slower reaction times. I'm not saying that your choice of getting it is wrong, just that personally I don't think it is worth it for myself.

EDIT: I think it is worth mentioning, however, that the only reason I can afford a new WRX is because of an insurance settlement from an accident. The other driver drove in to my lane, hit me head-on in the front left wheel wheel, leaving me on crutches for a few months and my first car (the 1995 Legacy) totaled. Looking at the photos of the accident (will attach later for anyone interested), that Subaru saved my life, therefore maybe it would be worth it to invest in Eyesight and the CVT?

Bumping to see if anyone can confirm the "jerky-ness" for the MT
 
#3 ·
I cant say for the WRX it self, but I had the same issue when i got my 09 dodge challenger. I wanted the 6 speed and ended up getting it. I had a friend teach me the day before i got it on his mazda 3 and didn't have much of a problem with the challenger. The clutch was very different and the heavy car made it a little harder to get used to, but it didn't take long.

As for the traffic, I spend about 45 minutes of my hour drive to work in bumper to bumper traffic. There were many times when it crossed my mind about how much easier having the automatic would have been, especially since I wear heavy combat boots to work, but having the stick shift for my drive anywhere else made it all worth it. The only real drawback to think of is that your clutch wear will be much higer in traffic situations.

Hope this helps.
 
#5 ·
I'm not sure I agree with the "better performance and control" statement. CVT employs more sophisticated and high-performance AWD system.
 
#6 ·
If you don't mind driving an automatic and you don't plan on doing any performance upgrades (at least beyond stage 1) then the CVT is a nice choice.
However, if you WANT to learn to drive a stick, then why not get one and force yourself to learn?

I'm ordering a CVT myself simply because I don't really care about driving stick and I sit in traffic more often than not and a manual won't add any element of fun to that scenario.

As stated previously...there are some nice extra safety features you can opt for with the CVT as well if that's important to you at all...or will be in the near future.
 
#8 ·
Think about the question
Do you want to learn to drive stick?.... full stop.


irregardless of what you buy today, whether it be WRX, STi, corvette, mustang etc.

if the answer is "i don't know" get the CVT.

I feel that its not the particular car, but more the idea/action. If you don't have a burning desire to drive stick, it will be a pain in the butt.

When i was learning to drive, I knew I wanted a stick shift. there have been times I've been tired of it, and opted for an automatic, but keep returning to getting a stick shift. It was also slightly more popular when i learned to drive 20 years ago.

I'm the exact wrong person to buy the CVT. I know what I'm missing, and although there will be times its convenient, I definitely will feel that I'm missing out on the engagement factor. You may be the person who is completely happy with the CVT.
 
#9 ·
Fair point. This might be the best advice that I have seen from this debate over various threads. I'm going to think about this for a while before I make my decision.

Regardless if I do have that strong desire to learn stick, if the manual transmission is as jerky as when the dealer drove, I'm not sure that I would want to go that route. Maybe it was because he was accelerating so quick from each stop to hit a high enough RPM to up shift (and decelerating quick to engine stop faster)? I just felt like my upper body was swaying forward and back very noticeably (and unnecessarily) every time he changed gears.

Maybe my course of action should be to delay the car buying for a week, take a manual driving course (I know they have one near my parent's house), and try to find a place where I can test drive both a CVT and a MT myself (once I have at least a little manual driving experience under my belt)?
 
#10 ·
Get the MT. Much better control over the car.

I purchased my last car in automatic for the reasons you stated above. Was the biggest mistake I ever made. I loved the car, but hated driving it auto and couldn't wait to get rid of it.

Got my '16 WRX in 6MT and couldn't be happier. Such a better driving experience, and SO much more fun to drive.

Don't get an auto for traffic or any of those reasons, I guarantee you will regret it. Gas milage will not be any better. Its the same car, same engine. Shifting at low RPMs and carefully will yield identical results.
 
#11 ·
I'll throw my experience in here, I was in you shoes about 2 years ago when I bought my 13 WRX.

I had never learned how to drive a stick before I picked my car up from the dealer. But I forced myself to learn on my WRX (which isnt exactly the most friendly clutch to learn on) 2015's might be different?

The manual will never be as smooth as an automatic/CVT but you can get pretty darn close after you practice. It sounds like the sales guy wasn't used to the 2015 clutch (just because you can drive clutch on one car, doesn't mean you can hop into another car and immediately drive perfect) It takes some re-calibration. Side note: I found that the clutch travel on the 15 was VERY long compared to mine, so maybe that explains the jerkyness with the sales guy?

Anyways, I think if you have a desire to learn a new skill you will find driving much more rewarding/engaging. When I drive my GF's legacy I get bored. It's just not fun, even with the flappy paddles.

To each their own. But no matter what choice you make, nothing is permanent. You can always sell the car and buy the other transmission. (after you owe less than its worth of course!)

Whatever you decide, be sure to come back on here and post pics!
 
#12 ·
It would be my opinion that if you are not familiar with the manual and don't really know what you are getting into, I would suggest the CVT. In the traffic / commute that you are describing, there is the distinct probability that you will find the manual too much work on a day to day drive. I think the chance for a shelled clutch may be part of your learning curve.

I learned to drive on a manual (45 years ago) and wanted a manual in my toy. I knew what a manual in traffic was like. If the WRX is a car that you have wanted for an extended period of time, the 6MT choice could distort your whole experience with the car.
 
#13 ·
I learned stick and auto at the same time, 18 years ago when I was 15. I VASTLY prefer stick over auto for the control and pure unadulterated fun of driving a stick. I am currently in my fifth MT car, and I have also owned one auto and one CVT (a Prius). Stick is FUN, man! Learn on a beater and enjoy the heck out of your WRX with 6MT. As for eyesight, I'm not sure eyesight would save you from the kind of collision that totaled your car.

The shifting in gears 1 and 2 on the WRX can be jerky, especially if you're new to MT and/or not focusing. A tune can improve this vastly, as can just getting an STI instead.

Also, my STI is my daily and I live in a very urban and very hilly environment. The Bay Area has some of the worst traffic in the country. I STILL love driving stick.
 
#17 ·
All these are well grounded points from self experience and not much I could add but wish I could. Throwing my background in hopes you can take something out of it.

I first started driving automatics when I was 15 but always felt afraid of manuals because I did not know how they worked at all. When I hit 19, I got this job for a moving company. One of our jobs required us to tow a fully loaded trailer by a manual truck that had to be jump started every time it died and guess who had to drive it? *Thumbs in my chest* I told them I had no experience driving a manual but we really had no choice. From whatever knowledge I got from watching my parents drive as a kid, I gave it a shot and got about 100 yards before stalling it out on the road... with a lot of traffic. Wow so embarrassing! So I sat outside the truck with the hood popped while someone ran down the street to the company to get their car to jump start the car. An older man who was with us had to take over driving and would have done so in the first place but he had is license taken away for drinking and driving. Anyway, some time later I got a 12' VW Jetta TDI and really taught myself how to drive then. I had a better conception on how it worked but it really helped me out in learning how to drive and shifting well enough to were you or your passenger(s) would not get jerked around.

My thoughts:
After learning how to drive manual, I love it. Whether it is in heavy traffic or cruising around, I love it. Yea, it gets a little annoying shifting up and down a lot in a short period of time but I just enjoy it so much when my whole body is in tuned with the car. I also find it as a good anti-theft device :)

You have thought this through really well. If you are looking for that final push, get what you think will be more practical for you. I know that is not much of an answer but sometimes I ask myself questions if I should go one route or another because I like the ideal of one but know it would hinder me in X and I would hope someone would talk me out of it or come up with a very good reason why I should get it lol.

Even if you decide not to get the 6MT, at least learn how to drive manual because if you ever decide to get one in the future, you will know what it is like. Best thing about all this is that Subaru's have a great resale value, so you can trade up at almost no lost of cause to you :) Maybe taxes and title though... but it wont be horrible!

Good luck and really hoped I could give some insight (although I may have made it worse) :)
 
#18 ·
If you get the manual, and a few days or weeks into learning to drive it, here's a scenario that will happen.

You'll be on a steep incline sitting at a red light. Some doofus will pull up behind you and leave barely enough room for a Kleenex to pass between bumpers. Light turns green and you roll back and tap his bumper. He screams that you've destroyed his car and he has whiplash and will need a lifetime of medical care on your dime.

Buy the CVT. I love mine.

BTW, I drove an '06 GTO with a stick and don't miss a clutch even a litte. But I really miss 400 HP and 400 lb/ft of torque

Good luck!
 
#21 ·
If you get the manual, and a few days or weeks into learning to drive it, here's a scenario that will happen.

You'll be on a steep incline sitting at a red light. Some doofus will pull up behind you and leave barely enough room for a Kleenex to pass between bumpers. Light turns green and you roll back and tap his bumper.
Don't listen to this guy because a) the current gen has hill assist and b) even if you disable it, you still have your e-brake for steep hill starts.


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#19 ·
As I have read (car still on order) there is hill assist which means that you will not roll back after releasing your break for a few seconds. I found this INCREDIBLY useful in San Diego on my TDI with all the hills around there. I didn't even know I had it until it would not roll back right away but I was scared because I was still figuring out the clutch/pedal movement (for a lack of a better word) and I have not driven a single car 3 years prior to that from staying in Japan.
 
#23 ·
If you don't want a manual don't get it. I've seen how much of a pain in the ass it was for my friends who always drive manual so I'm going with the cvt. I have to be honest though I hope I don't get **** talked when going to meets and stuff. This community has been great so far.
 
#24 ·
No one here **** talks on CVT's because everyone has their own preferences :) I would honestly get a CVT for my wife if she cared about cars as much as I did because she cannot drive standard and does not care to learn. As far as car meets though, eh? Who really cares because you got what you wanted and did not settle for someone's opinion on a vehicle.
 
#25 ·
Buy what you want.

Many (especially self described enthusiasts) tend to usually prefer MT because they actually like the experience of rowing the gears and often feel more connected to the drive/car. If that is you or you want it to be you, then get the MT. If that's not you then get the CVT.
 
#27 ·
I don't understand why any of this is an issue. I'm not young, nor single, and have a job. I have no issues with owning an MT.

My wife was willing to learn how to drive manual and even owned a manual car for 3.5 years.
 
#28 ·
It's not that hard. If you have any friends with a beater, practice a bit for coordination. Once you get it down, it will become and extension of you. I would presume that most on this forum would agree that it's awesome to row through the gears and you're the one in control:)
 
#30 ·
This is a great idea too. I wish I had a beater to teach my wife (who I just spoke to and is all the sudden willing to learn manual...). A lot of other ideas too but may become a hassle...

so much info on these pages. Good luck bro lol
 
#31 ·
Maybe this exists in your areas, but you know those "Student Driver" cars out there? In some areas there are instructors with manual transmission cars that you can basically get a short course with. Check it out and see if there's any in your area and give it a shot. You'll 1) Learn the basics, and 2) get a feel if it's something you want to be doing.

Knowing how to drive a manual and an auto both comes in handy, even if you decide to stick with a CVT/auto.
 
#32 ·
I had the exact same debate with myself recently when buying my 16 WRX. Ended up going with the MT after coming from a 14 Crosstrek with CVT. There are a lot of differing opinions on this, and though I loved the Crosstrek at first, one of the main reasons I went with the manual (apart from fun) was that I wasn't impressed at all with Subaru's CVT. It was ok at first but the lack of shifting (it's basically one big gear controlled by the cpu) makes for significant lag in acceleration and it tends to just hang at high RPMs well after its stopped pulling. After a while it's just annoying, especially trying to settle in on the highway. I much preferred Subaru's older, quick-shifting automatics. On the other hand, my wife's 15 Forester has the CVT and it is much smoother and greatly improved. The WRX also has some handy drive modes that I'm told make the CVT much more tolerable.

Having said all that, I commute to and from Boston and sit in a fair amount of traffic, during which I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish for the auto occasionally. Then traffic opens up and I'm sooooo glad for the engagement and control of the manual. Bottom line, with the WRX, there really isn't a bad choice. I personally don't like CVT but if you drove it and liked it, get it. You'll probably be glad you did.

P.S. I've never had it before, but hill assist is VERY handy :)
 
#33 ·
I ordered a new 2016 WRX limited 2 weeks ago and I went with the MT. I based this decision on past experience driving a manual (I personally loved the experience). And that is the best advice. Find a way to get some experience learning and then driving with a stick. Thumbs up to the idea of finding a driving school that can teach you how to drive stick. Just see if you like the experience. Even reading the insightful comments posted here are no replacement for direct experience.
That said, I chose the MT for many reasons. One additional reason is that the WRX with a MT is 160 to 170 pounds lighter. When you shed that much weight, everything is improved - handling, accelerating, braking, etc.
 
#35 ·
Come on guys, let's not be sexist and make assumptions about people's wives and girlfriends not being able or willing to drive stick. There are plenty of women who can drive stick and enjoy it. Two of my four female coworkers (at a REIT - I don't work for some automotive performance shop) drive MT cars and one of them does drag racing on the weekends. She is also a wife and a mommy. I bet you she can drive better than a lot of the men on this forum.

/endrant


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