All of us at CarBuzz love the manual transmission, and odds are that if you’re reading this, you probably do, too. Why? It’s just fun! We like being more involved in operating the car and having an extra level of control over the driving experience. Plus, when we do really nail a rev-matched downshift, we feel especially satisfied. Apparently, though, driving stick isn’t just fun, it can even be good for you, and that’s coming from a famous doctor and professor in Japan.
Mazda Miata PS Edition JapanMazda
You Actually Probably Know This Professor
The source of this story is Japan’s Best Car. The author appears to have spoken with Dr. Ryuta Kawashima. You might not be particularly familiar with his name, but his face is a different story. In the Nintendo video game series Brain Age and Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training, you’ll find yourself face-to-low-polygon-face with the doctor. Of course, his more relevant credentials are that he has a doctorate, and he teaches at Tohoku University, where he focuses on aging and cancer and even has his own lab.
BMW
Kawashima told Best Car that using a manual transmission, whether in a car or on a motorcycle, “activates the prefrontal cortex of the brain.” He also cited some of his research that regular use can have a “significant effect on maintaining mental health and cognitive function.” It all has to do with the same reasons we find using a manual to be enjoyable: you’re more involved in the driving experience and executing somewhat complex physical actions and making decisions about when to change gears.
2026 Toyota GR86 front 3/4Toyota
Unfortunately, Best Car did not highlight any specific studies from Kawashima, nor have we been able to find them ourselves. We don’t doubt the doctor, but we would love to see more detailed information, such as just how much of a difference driving stick makes. We also have other questions such as whether manually shifting automatic-transmission cars has any of the same effect.
2026 Acura Integra Type S transmission gearbox manualAcura
The News May Be Coming A Bit Late
As nice as this report is to hear, it feels as though it comes late to save the manual transmission. In mainstream cars, buyers have made it clear that they don’t want to be bothered to use a clutch. However, it’s even becoming more rare in enthusiast cars. Volkswagen recently dropped the manual option for both the GTI and the Jetta GLI. Chevy dropped the manual for the C8 Corvette. Even Jeep switched the Gladiator pickup to auto-only, despite still having a manual available in the Wrangler. Electrification is becoming more common, too, and most full EVs and some hybrids don’t have any actual gears to shift.
Related
The Manual Golf GTI Era Comes To A Depressing End
A dedicated VW enthusiast tracked down and drove 2,300 miles to buy the very last manual Golf GTI ever built. Sadly, it’s nothing special.
Then again, not all hope is lost. Hyundai Motor Group has implemented programming in its performance EVs such as the Ioniq 5 N, GV60 Magma, and EV6 GT to simulate an 8-speed automatic transmission. While not quite the same as a manual transmission, that programming allows drivers to select “gears” manually as a way to provide some extra engagement (also part of why we’d like to ask Kawashima about paddle shifting). Other automakers have or are going to implement similar features in their cars such as Honda with the Prelude and Porsche with the Taycan. Toyota has even experimented with simulating a full manual transmission with a clutch pedal in EVs, and Subaru filed a patent for a similar feature. So, the manual and its health and enjoyment benefits might not go away completely, even if they won’t be as common.
Related
Subaru Has A Simulated Manual Transmission In The Pipeline
It goes beyond a set of paddles.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
As we said, we love driving stick, so we’re always happy to hear more good news about one of our favorite activities. We like it, not just for ourselves, but because it gives us yet another reason to suggest to other people to try learning how to use a manual transmission. And, even if we can’t convince anyone else to try it, we can eventually be smug in our retirement homes knowing that we’re just a little sharper than those folks who decided to leave shifting to the car their whole lives.
Source: Best Car, Tohoku University
