Editing Manual transmission (section)

===Console-mounted shifter===
Some smaller cars in the 1950s and 1960s, such as [[Citroën 2CV]], [[Renault 4]] and early [[Renault 5]] feature a shifter in the dash panel. This was cheaper to manufacture than a column shifter and more practical, as the gearbox was mounted in front of the engine. The linkage for the shifter could then be positioned on top of the engine. The disadvantage is that shifting is less comfortable and usually slower to operate.

Newer small cars and [[minivan|MPV]]s, like the [[Suzuki MR Wagon]], the [[Fiat Multipla]], the [[Toyota Matrix]], the [[Pontiac Vibe]], the [[Chrysler RT platform]] cars, the [[Honda Element]], the [[Honda Civic]], the [[Daihatsu Sigra]], and the [[Honda Avancier]], may feature a manual or [[automatic transmission]] gear shifter located on the vehicle's instrument panel, similar to the mid-1950s [[PowerFlite|Chryslers]] and [[Powerglide]] [[Chevrolet Corvair|Corvair]]s. Console-mounted shifters are similar to floor-mounted gear shifters in that most of the ones used in modern vehicles operate on a horizontal plane and can be mounted to the vehicle's transmission in much the same way a floor-mounted shifter can. However, because of the location of the gear shifter in comparison to the locations of the column shifter and the floor shifter, as well as the positioning of the shifter to the rest of the controls on the panel often require that the gearshift be mounted in a space that does not feature a lot of controls integral to the vehicle's operation, or frequently used controls, such as those for the [[car stereo|stereo system]] or [[car air conditioning|HVAC system]], to help prevent accidental activation or driver confusion.

More and more small cars and vans from manufacturers such as [[Suzuki]], [[Honda]], and [[Volkswagen]] are featuring console shifters in that they free up space on the floor for other features such as storage compartments without requiring that the gear shift be mounted on the steering column. Also, the basic location of the gear shift in comparison to the column shifter makes console shifters easier to operate than column shifters.
{{clear left}}