What does a six-speed manual mean?
1 Answers
Six-speed manual refers to six forward gears and one reverse gear. Most older cars had five-speed manual transmissions, commonly known as 5MT. A six-speed manual has one more gear than a five-speed, making it more fuel-efficient because the additional gear allows for smaller gear ratios, resulting in less noticeable gear shifts—a selling point. However, more gears aren't always better. In manual mode, too many gears can make operation cumbersome, increase costs, and introduce more complexity to the internal structure, raising the likelihood of malfunctions and making repairs more difficult. Additional Information: 1. Manual transmissions are also called MT, a term used to distinguish them from automatic transmissions (AT). A six-speed manual transmission system has one more gear than a five-speed, making it more fuel-efficient at highway speeds. More gears mean smaller transmission gears inside the gearbox and a larger gear ratio, leading to better speed performance. 2. More gears also reduce the jerky feeling during sudden acceleration or deceleration, giving the six-speed manual transmission clear advantages over the five-speed. However, there are drawbacks: the six-speed's more complex internal structure leads to higher repair costs compared to the five-speed if issues arise.