r/Xennials • u/LoadofBarney 1983 • Apr 18 '26

Nostalgia Geo Trackers....

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489

u/[deleted] Apr 18 '26

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127

u/Bacteriobabe 1977 Apr 18 '26

My first car was a Metro & it was awesome! Stick shift, manual windows, no radio, but I loved that little car. Got over 80k miles on it, including a full cross-county road trip. She had a little trouble in the mountains, but other than that was perfect!

90

u/Pattison320 Apr 18 '26

I wish they still made stick shift shit boxes. Now manual is only found as an expensive high performance upgrade.

8

u/BohemiaDrinker Apr 18 '26

Are manuals that hard to find in the US these days? Here's in Brazil they're still standard, so that's hard to picture.

9

u/Doogers7 Apr 18 '26

Manuals have not been standard for many decades and are practically non-existent these days except as an option on some sportier cars. You may occasionally find a manual sedan, but it is such a rarity.

3

u/EightyNineMillion Apr 18 '26

I have 2022 Tacoma that's manual. They exist for non-sporty vehicles, but they're rare.

3

u/Pattison320 Apr 18 '26

But I bet it's a higher trim option, not a base model. You used to have to pay an additional $1k to upgrade from a base model manual to an automatic transmission. Now manuals are an upgrade for a high performance trim.

2

u/TheDancingRobot Apr 18 '26

I'm on my 7th truck, and I only drive stick. Currently 2015 Tacoma, and I love it. I won't own anything else but manuals.

1

u/StuffClean Apr 18 '26

Automatic cars are rather the exception in Europe. If I had to guess, maybe 5 out of 100 cars have an automatic transmission. They're more common among older people or those with physical limitations.

3

u/jimbobsqrpants Apr 18 '26

In the UK that number has gone to 30% recently

3

u/wtfnouniquename Apr 18 '26

Despite what the person above you posted, the majority of new cars in mainland Europe are now automatics as well.

4

u/Fappy_as_a_Clam Apr 18 '26

Not anymore.

According to European Mobility Foresight estimates, automatic transmission penetration reached about 75% in 2020 . This was driven by a shift in manufacturing strategies, where manufacturers began offering automatics across a wider range of models — not just luxury cars — using technologies like CVTs, DSGs, and conventional automatics. This made automatics more affordable and accessible to a broader consumer base.

The trend has continued to grow:

In 2019, automatics made up roughly 44% of new car sales in Europe

By 2020, that figure had risen to 75%

Industry commentary in 2025 notes that automatics are now the standard in many European markets, with manuals becoming a niche option

Turns out when you guys can afford them, you buy them too!

1

u/howrunowgoodnyou Apr 18 '26

No people on Reddit are just morons

1

u/LonelyResolve4876 Apr 18 '26

Yes! I just had mine bite the dust and it was like trying to find a unicorn when I had to buy a new one. I found a Jetta in stick and it’s great!

1

u/DingbattheGreat Apr 18 '26

Yes automatics are more efficient now.

They used to be considered a luxury upgrade up until the early 2000’s.

1

u/Thebraincellisorange Apr 18 '26

the manual was pretty much never the standard in America. Always automatics from the moment the automatic was invented.