Automatic vs manual: a different twist

[MyBlueYar]

Hello guys & gals: I'm the current owner of an '09 Yaris 3 dr hatchback, and have enjoyed it a lot during my one year of ownership. It's a 5 sp. manual, and in the near future, I'm considering buying an A/T for my gf.

Here are a few observations from my experience:

- The spacing on the first 3 gears is a bit short in town. I drive 75-25 (Hwy/City), so it's not too big a deal.
- The tiny Yaris is a surprisingly better highway car than I first expected. Given that the final drive ratio is 3.7, I can cruise at between 75-80 without any problems.
- Sound insulation: compared to my last car, an '06 Scion xB, the Yaris is noticeably more quiet, and while I wouldn't call it refined, it is a nice change.


So onto the A/T. The Care Care Nut on YT gives the U340e high marks for reliability, and that's the topic of discussion I'd like to delve into. In my brief research, the A/T revs at roughly the same rpm as the manual at highway speeds, and while it might be a tad less economical, and of course, a touch slower getting up to speed, both of the above aren't big factors in choosing my next Yaris.

My interest is in hearing from current owners of the automatic and their experience with it, esp. from those who have driven or owned a manual Yaris previously.

I'd love to hear your feedback and insight as to what you've found living with the A/T from day to day, both in city and highway driving. I didn't buy this car to win any 0-60 sprints, and certainly don't care about any bragging rights for highest HP extracted from the 1NZ-FE. I'm just curious how the car has performed for you in light of expectations you might have had before owning the wonderful car that our Yaris is.

Let me know your thoughts: thanks in advance to all who can share.