[yesthatsteve]

If your commute is mostly city, you're probably better off with the manual. A month ago, I bought a '13 Buick LaCrosse with the mild hybrid system and the 6T40 6-speed automatic. My average fuel economy is WAY better when I take the mostly-highway route to work instead of suburban boulevards (about 29 miles each way). That car is an absolute gem on the highway when the electric motor kicks in to keep you in top gear and torque converter lockup under mild acceleration.

My previous car was a '05 Scion xB with a manual, and it was the exact opposite. It was at its best under 50 mph. Aero drag had something to do with that, I'm sure, but the MT helped most at lower speeds, as well.

eta: And I'm in absolute agreement about paying a little extra for comfort (why I bought the Buick instead of something else). The xB was loud, buzzy, and unrefined, but I was able to average over 37 mpg in it (revised EPA 27/31, 28 combined) over the roughly 95,000 miles I drove it.