With the manual transmissions currently getting tuned more towards either the EPA test or the ricers' taste for higher-revving at the expense of fuel-efficiency, few options remain. Well, I honestly would like to get a decently-geared 4-speed manual instead of the 6-speed if I were on the market for a brand-new Corolla...
workaround ideas to discuss among friends: Is a 4-speed manual transmission really that bad?