I would really like to know why Honda is so tight lipped about the production and availability of the EX AWD 5 speed manual ?

Obviously there are people who REALLY want them and have put down hard earned $$$$$$ to obtain one. ( Such as myself )

I think many people like the idea of a 5 speed in a 4 cylinder engine ( be it V-Tech or not ). With an AWD vehicle even BETTER.

What are your thoughts on this........why the secrecy? Even on the Honda build it yourself website a manual trans. is not even listed. One would not even know what to expect to pay for one since only the automatics are listed with prices.

LittleDogBox
Arlington, Virginia

I personally believe that Hinda is still working on the Element to get it right. I think that manual transmission vehicles represent a smaller and smaller portion of sales each year, as fewer and fewer new drivers know how to drive a stick.

I feel that Honda is going to try to kill two birds with one stone and put the side airbags in the 5 speed manual AWD, and this is probably delaying things more than the 5 speed. Remember that the manual AWD is right out of the CRV, so except for a few linkage changes, it should not be an engineering horror. The side air bags, however, are a little more complicated.