Attend a driving school.

 

this gotta be the dumbest answer i’ve seen in a min

 

To be honest man, I've owned 4 different vehicles and all of them have been manual transmission including my most recent vehicle my 03 WRX. Driving a WRX in manual is a bit different then most other manual vehicles in my opinion. Since it is a turbocharged 4 banger it takes a bit more throttle/ clutch finess then other manual transmission vehicles do when going from a complete stop to moving (especially if your on a hill). Long story short from my personal experience, I would not call a WRX the ideal vehicle to learn to drive stick in. I still stall my WRX sometimes, and every vehicle I've owned has been a manual transmission and my tacoma that i still own I can't even remember the last time I stalled it. Anyway not trying to turn you off of the subaru just saying it is different then most other manual vehicles and with that said don't get an automatic though you'll regret it.

 

The WRX seems like an acceptable car to learn to operate a manual transmission in. I bought my car before learning to operate a manual transmission- after purchasing it I drove a few laps (with my father in the passenger seat giving advice) around a parking lot and then drove the car 60 miles home on the freeway.

I don't think that I would advise buying an older car to learn stick on, though, unless it is a car you want to own. If you want to practice on an older car but that car is not your end goal, you should find someone who wants to teach you who also has an older car. Otherwise, you should plan to buy the car you want to own.

 

I just bought a WRX manual as my first manual car. Previously, I'd only driven a few hours on a Z4 manual. The learning process with my WRX was not ideal. Given hope touchy the gas is, and the fact that the clutch is fairly tricky, it can be tough. It took me a few hours of practice to be able to hit the roads reliably. I've only stalled it a handful of times since day one, mostly on hills.

 

I know where you're coming from. I wanted to learn to drive a manual (hoping to inherit a 69 El Camino) but I knew I wanted a Subaru. I bought a 2016 WRX in February and it honestly took me a good month of sitting in hour long rush hour traffic to really feel comfortable with it. I still stall about once a week.

Long story short: if you work at it, you'll get it. I can't speak to how different it is from other standards though.

 

Don't know about the previous years but the 15+ r not the easiest manual cars to drive. But they r not "hard" to learn either. My 17 yr old son learned just fine on mine.....

 

Pretty easy to learn manual in order to drive. (car has a strange catch with clutch engagement but you pick it up fairly quickly and it is very easy to shift for most people)

Pretty difficult to learn manual in order to race. (takes serious skill to launch an AWD manual vehicle and you need to understand how to keep it in the power-band correctly)

 

I agree with the gas being touchy and the clutch being a little bit more difficult to get just right when compared to other manuals I've driven...BUT...Here are two distinct advantages:

1. Even though the touchy gas and difficult clutch can make uphill starts a bit difficult, I've found that the AWD is helpful on uphill starts in the rain (I live in Seattle). I learned to drive manual in two different cars. One was FWD and the other was RWD. The RWD (a Miata) was hellish on slick hills. Both would usually end up in plenty of wheel spin and lots of anxiety until I got good at it (and learned the handbrake trick).

2. If you end up getting a newer WRX (I believe they started adding this feature in 2011) it will have hill assist. This feature gets on some people's nerves but I think for a new manual driver, it will help hill starts to be much less frightening.

But honestly, the WRX is the least smooth and most difficult manual I've ever driven and I've driven a lot of them (several 90's Civics, 2005 Kia Rio, 2001 Miata, 2003 PT Cruiser GT/non-GT, 2008 Sentra S-ER Spec V, 2011 WRX, 2015 Mustang base, newish Mustang GT California?, VW CC R-line, Mini Coooper S, 2014 Camaro V6 base, Several Civic Si's, Mazda RX8, Scion FR-S, 2008 BMW 135i, Scion TC [smoothest clutch I've ever felt], 2001 Ford Focus, Mazda 2, Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Focus ST, etc. I tested a lot of cars before I bought my current 2015 WRX)

 

Ive driven a lot of cars. I think that for a street car, my STi has been the most difficult to drive.

 

Yeah, I haven't driven any real race cars or super cars or anything like that. Sadly, the only better performing cars I've driven have been a Maserati that was auto, the 135i which had a smoother clutch, the Mustang GT which had a smoother clutch and maybe a couple others.

But I'd imagine that a real performance car would be even more difficult to drive than the WRX.

 

You can learn to drive in a WRX pretty easily once you figure out all of its quirks, which there are plenty of. Then when you drive another manual car it will be night and day from a WRX and quite a surprise since you've never tried any other manual before a WRX.

 

I don't see why not. I wouldn't recommend learning on a new car tho.

 

It's not about the car, it's about YOU.

The true approach to success when it comes to driving a vehicle with a manual transmission is doing the research and understanding exactly what is happening as you use this unfamiliar third pedal and shifter that also goes side to side rather than just forward and back. To start watch YouTube videos like these:

Animation - How a clutch works
How a clutch works (real images)

Understanding the principles behind the actual functionality of a clutch allows you to understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. If you're simply learning to push the pedal and move the stick but you don't know why, it will take you much longer to learn and you will make a lot more mistakes- something that can burn up a clutch or even damage the drivetrain on any car, especially an old car, and it could be very costly on a new car like a WRX.

I have taught many people to drive stick in the 6 years that I have been driving one daily and I've rode dirtbikes and quads with a hand clutch since I was old enough to walk, I know clutches. The best way to learn (after doing the research) is to start on a completely level surface and while using zero throttle input, let the clutch out slow in order to feel the range of engagement. If you do this slow enough you can get the car to start rolling and will be able to completely let off of the clutch pedal without stalling the car. Because you are not applying throttle, this will not damage the clutch/slave/pressure plates/etc. no matter how slow you go. (For anyone who disagrees, my car is still running strong on the original clutch at 200k miles and I've taught 10+ people, many of them females, how to drive stick using this method) Once you understand the feeling of the engagment, get comfortable with the weight of the clutch pedal, and teach your leg to work with your ankle to make a smooth, steady movement then you can add the throttle to the mix. It's just as important to feel out the throttle and the amount of pressure required to rev the engine. You should practice revving the car while stationary and holding it at 1200/1500/2000 RPMs for a few seconds each. This will teach throttle control.

You should feel more comfortable with the car at this point and you atleast know what to expect. When the clutch pedal is let out from the floor it applies the weight of the car against the flywheel of the engine causing the motor to slow its RPMs. Counteract this with a gentle and consistent input of throttle until the clutch pedal is all the way out. If you follow this method with patience and detail it does not matter what car you are driving.

I daily a 2002 Chevy Cavalier 5-speed and it has a hydraulic clutch. Since the car is such a light-duty application, the hydraulic clutch makes the pedal very touchy. The throttle is cable, yet IMO it's also very touchy. However, it is more than possible to drive the car buttery smooth despite it's touchiness. I took my time, learned the car, and adapted. Perfect practice makes perfect. Good luck dude. I'd say get the car you really want (don't settle for auto or a slower car because of not knowing how to drive a manual) and apply this methodology and you will be fine. PM me if you need any more info, I could talk about this stuff all day.

 

I'm familiar with driving manual but never had a manual car and used the method above to practice 1st gear. I'm still not comfortable in traffic but hey I've had the car 2 days. When I get out the car if I stick my head to the hood scoop I can smell slight burn, but I never smell it in the car as I'm driving, or as soon as If I just walk by. I have to literally be smelling the hood. I'm a little concerned but hopefully it gets better.

 

you have a new car. Plenty of new things breaking in under that hood. Don't smell your hood scoop to judge your driving, haha.

 

I just bought a 2017 WRX premium and it is my first manual car; haven't driven stick in years. Needless to say, the first day was a little rough. The clutch is very tight so it takes a little getting used to. Shifting into first is a challenge at times but if you take it slow and don't worry about the person behind you, the rest of the gears basically shift themselves. When on a hill, you have a few seconds after letting off the break to shift into first, which is nice. If you do decide to go the manual route, I would take it out to an unpopulated area and just practice for a while.

 

I learned manual on my 2017. It took me about a week to get actually comfortable in daily driving it to work, but now it feels great. I've got nothing to compare it to, I just wanted to chime in that I thought it was fairly easy to learn on this car. My wife... isn't having as much luck.

 

3 days in and I'm fine... Once you REALLY find the engagement point on the clutch you are fine.

 

My 2016 limited I got back in April was my first manual. It was very easy to pick it up since this was my first manual and I did not have any other manual transmissions to relate it to, therefore, I didn't develop any habits from other vehicles.

I agree once you find that engagement point it becomes very easy so I would really practice the initial get up and go and backing up. Practice going very slow in a parking lot too.

 

I am in the same boat man. I picked up my Subaru Impreza WRX 2011 which is a manual transmission and I was able to pickup learning how to drive it within the first 2-3 days of owning it. You will do just fine mate

 

Late reply to an earlier comment but; the Hill Assist in the 2016 WRX is by far not nearly as much trouble as has been reported in earlier WRX/Subaru models.

If anything it seems like it's a little too functional as it triggers even on very mild inclines.

 

Just do what everyone should do in their first manual car... Go into a parking lot drive it for an hour or 2 and really get used to stopping and going. Shifting when you're already going is pretty simple assuming you don't lift your foot too fast or too slow. I learned how to drive stick on a 500 hp wrx and it was definitely a learning experience back in the day. Give it time, I felt uneasy when I first started but now I can't see driving anything other than a manual.

 

When my wife totaled her automatic '07 Mercury Milan, She learned to drive stick in my old '11 MazdaSpeed 3 in a few hours and the clutch/transmission feel are kinda similar but the WRX ('15) is a bit less clunky IMO. As long as you try not to ride the clutch a lot you should be alright. Plus, the newer Subaru models come with a hill takeoff assist feature that keeps the brakes engaged if you're on an incline and have the clutch pressed in so it makes it WAY easier to get started on a hill, which is where most people have problems when they're first starting out. The only "quirk" to the new Scooby is that first gear has some serious inertia when you try to shift into second gear...all that means is that until you get it broken in the engine will tend to stay at a higher RPM when you shift between first and second...mine either isn't doing it anymore or I've just unconsciously adjusted my shifting to compensate for it. Best of luck with whatever you decide on!

 

No, I have a 16 wrx and it has been the most difficult one ive driven.

 

Especially when driving with A/C on

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I'm glad I'm not the only one that finds the latest WRX's harder than usual to drive. I am coming from a Civic Si. I just bought by 2017 wrx about 4 weeks ago and I'm still trying to get used to the car as well as the driving position. I find myself constantly adjusting the driving position to find the most comfortable and effective position. My old Civic Si (2013) was a blast to shift and so much fun to drive because of that. I hope I will become as comfortable on my new wrx soon. It's definitely a learning experience. Btw I have owned various manual cars for the past 11 years and I can easily say that the wrx is the trickiest to drive.

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I still can't fathom the folks saying these are hard to drive. My 2012 is probably the best manual transmission I've ever driven.

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It might also be related to the stock tune on the 2015+ wrx.


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People had the same complaints about the older ones

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