Now that Spring is here, my 6speed has gotten alot smoother. Plus 800 miles on the Odometer may have helped.

I had heard so much good about the X-fire's automatic and some bad about the stick that I was pretty sure I was going for the auto. THEN I drove both several times. I could never get the auto to do exactly what I wanted. I didn't find the touchshift to be intuitive at all. At any speed besides sedate I found the power-on to be lurchy.

Then driving the stick I found it to be better than I expected. Sold.

Driven by someone good with a manual, it's faster than the auto BUT the auto is always the same 0-60....just mash the gas. Against a slower manual driver I'd bet things are about even.

Honestly tho, the X-fire isn't even about 0-60 so transmission choice is just a matter of preference.

Dallas