Re: advice and opinion
"Aggressive" is one way of saying there is a ginormous gap between first and second in a sixspeed. I consinder mine to be a 5 speed with a granny low for mall crawling or going up the side of a wall (same trans was used in a Jeep Wrangler).
Second gear is lower than most first gears so I usually start in second unless in dense stop & go traffic.
Just as a hint, 4th is fine for cruising at 25 mph and 6th is the only overdrive and not enough of an OD. IMNSHO the trans is best suited to about a 2.67:1 axle.
That said, I prefer the manual to the automagic even if it is the same one as in my Grand Cherokee.