Drives the little Mazda2 GLX.

Here’s a relatively unusual car - a manual. Rob Maetzig

We’ve just been driving a car with manual transmission. Yep – manual transmission! Six on the Floor. For the uninitiated (and that includes all those young people with restricted drivers’ licences that do not allow them to drive cars with manual transmissions anyway), that means the transmission is a six-speeder, and you have to use a clutch and a floor-mounted gearstick to change gear.

At least the gearstick is on the floor. Older motorists will remember when gearsticks were mounted on the steering column – that’s when they were given neat descriptions such as Three on the Tree – and the really veteran drivers will remember gears with no synchromesh which meant double de-clutching had to be employed to move from one gear to another, especially when changing down.

That’s when you had to use the clutch once to move the transmission into neutral, then use the clutch again, and give the engine some revs, so the desired gear could mesh into place. All while the driver was also steering the vehicle. No cellphones, coffees or texting in those days, folks – there weren’t enough hands.

Modern-day manual transmissions are so much easier to use. All you need to do is push in the clutch and change gear to suit, and the gearstick is spring-loaded to help ensure the correct gear is selected.

But it has to be said that despite their ease of use, manuals are not as simple to use as automatic transmissions. At takeoff you have to get the revs right or you will stall, and with smaller-engined cars it is important you are in the right gear or performance will suffer. Meanwhile, with an automatic transmission all the driver has to do is select Drive and head off.

So why would anyone want to own a car with manual?

ROB MAETZIG/STUFF The facelifted Mazda2 GLX, which is available with a choice of six-speed manual and six-speed automatic.

Mazda2 is coming up four years old now, but the body design still looks fresh.

For the uninitiated, this is a manual transmission. You have to use it to shift gears yourself.

A view of the Mazda2 interior.