"Remco" <whybcuz@yahoo.com> wrote
> jim beam wrote:
> > A. Smith wrote:
> > > Honda's web site says the 2006 Civic gets EPA
> > > 38 mpg with the manual transmission and 40 mpg
> > > with the automatic.
> > >
> > > What's "wrong" here?
> >
> > nothing. the system's been programmed to shift for economy - after all,
> > the ecu /does/ know how much gas is being injected. pretty simple.
>
> Right! I think you'll have a hard time getting lower mileage/gallon
> with a stick than an automatic on any of the new cars.

One more voice: In fact, this trend has been going on for several years.
Many automatics have been trumping manual transmission cars for fuel
economy, back to the mid/late 1990s or so, IIRC. "Variable Valve Timing and
Lift Electronic Control" (VTEC) has been a big factor in this, IIRC.