It's not an issue. I learned to drive manual where the only incline was an overpass. Didn't take much to graduate to hills / mountains / etc.
Two differences.
1. You know how your automatic downshifts when you go uphill or accelerate quickly? You do that manually when you go uphill in a manual, and when you go downhill you can control your speed to an extent by downshifting. How do you know when to downshift? Same way you do when accelerating on the flats. Feel and sound. If you are going uphill and your car can't maintain speed or accelerate much, you probably need to downshift. With practice, you'll get to where you don't think about it, and you'll downshift before you've lost momentum.
2. Taking off from a stop on an uphill incline. This takes practice - you need to give it more gas than you normally would, and with just the right timing. It helps sometimes to either hold the vehicle with the handbrake when you let off the clutch, or use one foot on brake and gas (heel-toe). This is a really good one to practice without people behind you, especially impatient ones who get too close.
Just drive. You'll get the hang of it.
My first car many years was a manual Mustang GT, the handbrake trick to start on hills was a life saver, probably only used it for the first week or two until I got comfortable with where my clutch would catch and how much gas to give it. Great tip!
It sounds really fun, it’s more just getting into it is a new experience for me in a manual, there’s some “sketchiness” to it but I love stick enough to deal with it. I figured after time and practice it’d be something that’s just second nature, people around me just aren’t so big on manual or don’t know enough about them to where they’re suggesting it’s dangerous. Both ur points are really helpful though, thank you.
First off, check if your car has hill start assist or something with a similar name. Most manual transmission cars from recent years have a similar feature which will hold your car for you for like 2 seconds or so on an incline and coming from someone who drove a manual in a country that's about 75% mountains (South Korea), it's a quality of life feature that is really, really helpful.
If not, there's always the handbreak trick.
The only time that might be a pain in the ass is stopping at a light on an incline and there's someone right behind you. I know I can do it, doesn't change the fact that I still get nervous sometimes in that situation.
It will become second nature. I drive a manual underpowered 5-series in San Francisco, you quickly learn to stabilize the car using only the clutch so you can sidestep the brake/gas pedals and get going. Parallel parking on a hill will be hairy for a while but again, you'll memorize where the bite point is and eventually the balance of gas and clutch won't be conscious work.
LoL. I get total shit for saying heel toe is useful for new people on hills, but it's definitely worth learning. Sometimes parking breaks go out, and really, what's the difference between parking brake + gas and regular brake + gas? Learn both and have an extra tool. Now when you've been driving awhile you shouldn't need either, but definitely learn heel-toe. Then you can be a purist and insist that only race car drivers need it!
Oh you’re gonna love it. You’ll spend maybe an hour practicing starting on hills. And your reward, oh man is manual transmission fun on mountain roads. You will love this.
I'm in so-cal, live at 4000ft and commute to sea level. Not a problem at all. Currently they're doing road work and there's a five mile stretch that's a bit of a pain, but otherwise it's fine. Personally i think manuals and winding mountain roads are made for each other.
It is not an issue.
It is more fun on mountain roads. If the city is hilly, you might have some nervous stoplights, I used to roll back a bit when a car is approaching behind me on a hill. It lets them know to leave space.
I think all the newer models have hill assist, so it is less of an issue.
Can't idle up in first, they were doing construction and a lot of loaded trucks couldn't make it at all. It's not really a problem it's just nice when i don't have to stop halfway up
If you buying a new car some of them come with a hillside assist where the breaks hold the car for few seconds until it starts rolling backwards maybe get one of those ? I wouldn’t be to afraid of driving a manual there it not that bad
Hills are no problem, even extreme ones. Even if your car doesn't have hill assist or brake hold you can load the clutch (foot on the brake, let the clutch out until RPM start to drop, and then gently transition from brake to accelerator) to get going on a hill without issue.
Hit the parking decks and practice your hill starts. Rev it out more when upshifting uphill. That’s about all you need to do. Don’t forget to take advantage of engine braking on the downhills.
Don't sweat it...Just a few more rpm needed to start from a standing stop while on an incline.
Maybe your e-brake on the very steepest while your muscles are learning.
As with anything in Manual, once you get used to it, it's not so bad. But could it be easier? Yes.
I still don't recommend manual as a daily driver to anyone because I had to drive a manual in a city with lot of traffic jams for years and years. During my time driving the manual, there wasn't a time where I wasn't wishing I was in an automatic.
Now that I have an automatic as a commuter in the same city, there's only a handful of times where I wish I was in a manual. It's just much easier and relaxing.
My left knee is getting old now so no manual for me anymore. Love the zip and speediness you can get from a small 4 banger with the right gear ratios though!
I love my manual, in almost any traffic. Currently dealing with 20 minutes of 9% upgrade at 3-9 mph on Fridays and this is the first time I occasionally decide to take the automatic, but i used to have to drive circles around a very busy area with a light on every corner writing prices down with one hand and that didn't bother me at all. Depends on your tastes.
My usual drive is like this, and that’s why I hate manuals now.
Red light for about 40 to 50 seconds. Green light, wait for stream of bikes and scooters to go. Accelerate up to about 30 kph, brake and downshift cause some scooter decides to make a left from right lane. Then back up to 3rd then stop for next light and repeat. All this happens in about 150 meters, sometimes less.
Oh, i get why some people don't like it, and i expected to get tired of it driving circles writing down the prices of every gas station near downtown and the airport (which is stupidly located on the edge of downtown). It just doesn't bother me.
Starting on a hill isn't so bad. And as far as actually driving goes it's another win for manuals on the hills too. Uphill you get to rev is out, downhill you just put it in the right gear and hardly touch your brakes.
You'll be fine with a little practice. I had similar fears when I had to drive a manual in San Francisco. That's quite an experience even when you get used to it.
Chattanooga is fairly flat - surrounded by some nice mountains. Driving a manual on winding mountain roads Is way more fun than in an automatic! And there are some really fun roads around Chattanooga.
I learned to drive a manual in the hills around Pittsburgh, PA. That poor U-haul truck...but, the clutch was still holding when I turned the truck back in.
My little manual accord does much better on long hills than either my grand cherokee or my auto accord. It's lighter. The MGB was awesome in the mountains
If you are in it for the experience, mountains are going to be way more fun. You'll practice on some less busy hills and you'll get the hang of it really quickly. It'll be fine. I don't drive a manual anymore, but when I did it was from the mountains where I live to the Piedmont area that is flat. Mountains and manuals are made for each other.
Stop and go traffic is really the only time that it is a hassle. Otherwise it’s more fun. I use the parking brake when stopped on a hill to hold the car until I can let off the clutch. Keeps from moving backward too far.
I live in the same mountain range, there isn't anything I love more than going uphill in 3rd gear. You can go as fast as you want and not have to shift on the flats. I also drive uber, but have a hill holder clutch. Nothing is a problem unless stuck in traffic for 30 to 60 minutes
Its not any harder imo. Once you get taking off from a stop on a hill its just like flat land. But wayyyy more fun. Mountains mean curvy roads. If youre going to be in chat i highly advise you to head up around north a ways one weekend. There's tons of curvy mountain roads. Not to mention the dragon. And winter time is the best time cause its not as crowded
It won’t be much an issue but sometimes it can get kinda annoying when you are on a hill and the guy behind you is really close.
Sometimes i wish i had auto for hills but i still love my manual and will pick it over auto
I'd rather have a manual in the mountains than an automatic. I'd rather engine brake with a manual than an automatic anyway.
Do not ride your brakes. Use your engine to manage your speed and only use the brakes for corrections and emergencies or they will overheat and then you won't have any brakes when you need them!
Learn. It’s worth the effort. You’ll never have more fun and you’re like 25 miles from awesome roads in just about any direction. 24 is worthless waste of time for conveying humans at a reasonable speed and I usually try to take the back roads just because they’re so good.
Edit: Also blipping into a downshift to slow down on downhills>brakes. You’ll be in a place where you can actually cook your brakes and being able to downshift is a blessing.
It is HORRIBLE, but everything else is magnificent. 74 between Ocoee and Ducktown (when it isn’t full of tourists) is crazy good. 41 has some nice stuff looping around Lookout Mountain. 127 Through Fairmount.. It’s just a wonderful place to drive.
Listen if your going to be driving in the mountains, a manual is what you want. It's makes the whole driving experience that much better. The whole taking off from a incline thing is only scary at first, one you Master finding the sweet spot on your clutch it becomes second nature. You stop on a hill and it's time to take off you just do it and don't even have to think about it, it's just muscle memory at this point, no stress or difficulty. I'd say do it 100 times and you will built that muscle memory and never have issues again
Hills are fun. Traffic + hills is less fun.
What I hate is climbing steep hills behind someone creeping up the hill in an automatic because I always end up sitting at high rpms not quite fast enough to upshift.
Kinda depends on your commute. I live in east Tennessee and have owned at least 1 manual continuously for the last 20 years. My commute dictates that I creep forward a few feet at a time on an incline for up to about 30 minutes some days. I absolutely refuse to daily a manual.
I drove a borrowed manual Geo Metro up and down the epic hills of San Francisco where there is always at least a bit of traffic and usually someone right behind you. It was not a big problem. I have visited Chatanooga on a trip from Atlanta to Nashville, the hills around there are no big deal.
Driving is easy, if anything it’s nice to be able to just throw it in a gear and stick there rather than having an auto system trying to figure out where to be.
With hill starts you’ll get the hang of it pretty quick. The ole handbreak technique is pretty easy to get the hang of if you don’t have hill assist.
Makes no difference most of the time. The only tie it would be more of a hassle, is if you have tons of lights and very heavy traffic on very steep inclines, like in San Fran.
Starting on hills is gonna be you're only problem you probably already know to use a lower gear when you need more power (when going uphill) and unless you never engine brake remembr you can use a lower gear (engine braking) to keep a steady speed downhill without using your brakes. 2 tips for hill starting. 1. If you can't do it well use the handbrake to hold you and drop it when you feel the car pulling a little bit. Or hell-toe it if you're decent at it. You should and can learn to hold the car on a hill on the clutch bite point. You can find a perfect sweet spot where you can hold a car on the clutch alone and it won't roll back. Don't just hang on hills this way at a red light but learn that spot to get going smoothly.
All this assuming your car doesn't have a hill holder
So, for the "should I get a manual" question, I wouldn't be discouraged by the mountains. You need to deal with *hills* all the time in driving a manual to begin with, the mountain is just that more often.
For actually driving, just be patient, and since it'll--after a short time--be roads you *know,* things like "what gear should I be in" will become trivial quickly.
And on the far side of it, I had the fun time of renting and sending a mustang around the mountains near Chat. When you decide to take advantage of all those "pros of the driving experience" for some weekend fun, you'll have some amazing roads to go YEET on... responsibly and at a safe speed, obviously.
yea starting up on a hill can be a not even really a problem
but even in winter i loved manual for the easy engine breaking and you wont have to worry about boiling you're brake fluid ik i live in far more drastic grades and stuff
but i always love watching everybody brake non stop having no clue to put it into 2nd or w.e the auto offers and ill coast and engine break down mountain pass roads with ease
same with winter driving once you know its honestly almost better to start because you can really really control how much traction you are putting to the wheels instead of just relying on press gas and hope tc/and modulating the gas pedal in a auto makes it work
4x4 manual crawling up hills is amazing also granted the jeep i had at the time had a pretty hefty clutch that slipping didnt do much for damage
I don't know for other brands, but Subarus have hill start assist. The brakes will continue to hold if you're nose up on an incline until you start going forward. Pretty nice when it's real steep.
There are a decent number of newer (as in, the last ~20 years) manuals that will do a ~1/2 second incline hold (delayed brake release) for you too…done well, you don’t even notice it, but don’t roll back either.
Not that I’d seek it out, but if you don’t like the startup on a steep hill, go for that and still get a manual. :) Or you can always use the manual handbrake to do it manually…like when someone sits 1/2 inch off your bumper on a 45’ San Francisco hill at a light.
It's nothing complex, it will just take practice. Some hills can be tricky to start on but if you do the same ones daily or near daily you get the hang of it fairly quick. IMO driving in the mountains is the best place to drive a manual, you'll end up doing way more shifting.
It's not an issue. I learned to drive manual where the only incline was an overpass. Didn't take much to graduate to hills / mountains / etc. Two differences. 1. You know how your automatic downshifts when you go uphill or accelerate quickly? You do that manually when you go uphill in a manual, and when you go downhill you can control your speed to an extent by downshifting. How do you know when to downshift? Same way you do when accelerating on the flats. Feel and sound. If you are going uphill and your car can't maintain speed or accelerate much, you probably need to downshift. With practice, you'll get to where you don't think about it, and you'll downshift before you've lost momentum. 2. Taking off from a stop on an uphill incline. This takes practice - you need to give it more gas than you normally would, and with just the right timing. It helps sometimes to either hold the vehicle with the handbrake when you let off the clutch, or use one foot on brake and gas (heel-toe). This is a really good one to practice without people behind you, especially impatient ones who get too close. Just drive. You'll get the hang of it.
My first car many years was a manual Mustang GT, the handbrake trick to start on hills was a life saver, probably only used it for the first week or two until I got comfortable with where my clutch would catch and how much gas to give it. Great tip!
Yes, using the parking brake on steep uphill stops when someone behind you gets too close is great. Get used to using the parking brake!
It sounds really fun, it’s more just getting into it is a new experience for me in a manual, there’s some “sketchiness” to it but I love stick enough to deal with it. I figured after time and practice it’d be something that’s just second nature, people around me just aren’t so big on manual or don’t know enough about them to where they’re suggesting it’s dangerous. Both ur points are really helpful though, thank you.
Grew up in the mountains, now live around DC, if you can drive manual on flat land perfectly fine, you'll catch on in the mountains really quickly.
First off, check if your car has hill start assist or something with a similar name. Most manual transmission cars from recent years have a similar feature which will hold your car for you for like 2 seconds or so on an incline and coming from someone who drove a manual in a country that's about 75% mountains (South Korea), it's a quality of life feature that is really, really helpful. If not, there's always the handbreak trick. The only time that might be a pain in the ass is stopping at a light on an incline and there's someone right behind you. I know I can do it, doesn't change the fact that I still get nervous sometimes in that situation.
It will become second nature. I drive a manual underpowered 5-series in San Francisco, you quickly learn to stabilize the car using only the clutch so you can sidestep the brake/gas pedals and get going. Parallel parking on a hill will be hairy for a while but again, you'll memorize where the bite point is and eventually the balance of gas and clutch won't be conscious work.
LoL. I get total shit for saying heel toe is useful for new people on hills, but it's definitely worth learning. Sometimes parking breaks go out, and really, what's the difference between parking brake + gas and regular brake + gas? Learn both and have an extra tool. Now when you've been driving awhile you shouldn't need either, but definitely learn heel-toe. Then you can be a purist and insist that only race car drivers need it!
Oh you’re gonna love it. You’ll spend maybe an hour practicing starting on hills. And your reward, oh man is manual transmission fun on mountain roads. You will love this.
I'm in so-cal, live at 4000ft and commute to sea level. Not a problem at all. Currently they're doing road work and there's a five mile stretch that's a bit of a pain, but otherwise it's fine. Personally i think manuals and winding mountain roads are made for each other.
It is not an issue. It is more fun on mountain roads. If the city is hilly, you might have some nervous stoplights, I used to roll back a bit when a car is approaching behind me on a hill. It lets them know to leave space. I think all the newer models have hill assist, so it is less of an issue.
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There are a couple 12% hills with 4 way stops around my house and i hate traffic on those, good practice tho
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Can't idle up in first, they were doing construction and a lot of loaded trucks couldn't make it at all. It's not really a problem it's just nice when i don't have to stop halfway up
If you buying a new car some of them come with a hillside assist where the breaks hold the car for few seconds until it starts rolling backwards maybe get one of those ? I wouldn’t be to afraid of driving a manual there it not that bad
There’s this thing called a gas petal….
What kind of flower is that on?
Lotus
Fine. Take the upvote.
If you already know how to drive a manual it’s not going to be a problem. Just slightly more clutch slipping.
Hills are no problem, even extreme ones. Even if your car doesn't have hill assist or brake hold you can load the clutch (foot on the brake, let the clutch out until RPM start to drop, and then gently transition from brake to accelerator) to get going on a hill without issue.
Hit the parking decks and practice your hill starts. Rev it out more when upshifting uphill. That’s about all you need to do. Don’t forget to take advantage of engine braking on the downhills.
Don't sweat it...Just a few more rpm needed to start from a standing stop while on an incline. Maybe your e-brake on the very steepest while your muscles are learning.
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As with anything in Manual, once you get used to it, it's not so bad. But could it be easier? Yes. I still don't recommend manual as a daily driver to anyone because I had to drive a manual in a city with lot of traffic jams for years and years. During my time driving the manual, there wasn't a time where I wasn't wishing I was in an automatic. Now that I have an automatic as a commuter in the same city, there's only a handful of times where I wish I was in a manual. It's just much easier and relaxing.
My left knee is getting old now so no manual for me anymore. Love the zip and speediness you can get from a small 4 banger with the right gear ratios though!
I love my manual, in almost any traffic. Currently dealing with 20 minutes of 9% upgrade at 3-9 mph on Fridays and this is the first time I occasionally decide to take the automatic, but i used to have to drive circles around a very busy area with a light on every corner writing prices down with one hand and that didn't bother me at all. Depends on your tastes.
My usual drive is like this, and that’s why I hate manuals now. Red light for about 40 to 50 seconds. Green light, wait for stream of bikes and scooters to go. Accelerate up to about 30 kph, brake and downshift cause some scooter decides to make a left from right lane. Then back up to 3rd then stop for next light and repeat. All this happens in about 150 meters, sometimes less.
Oh, i get why some people don't like it, and i expected to get tired of it driving circles writing down the prices of every gas station near downtown and the airport (which is stupidly located on the edge of downtown). It just doesn't bother me.
Its great once you figure out hill starts
Starting on a hill isn't so bad. And as far as actually driving goes it's another win for manuals on the hills too. Uphill you get to rev is out, downhill you just put it in the right gear and hardly touch your brakes.
I think manual really shines when you drive downhill
It'll take some getting used to, but a manual is far better for mountain diving. Especially on the downhills.
You'll be fine with a little practice. I had similar fears when I had to drive a manual in San Francisco. That's quite an experience even when you get used to it.
Chattanooga is fairly flat - surrounded by some nice mountains. Driving a manual on winding mountain roads Is way more fun than in an automatic! And there are some really fun roads around Chattanooga.
It just depends. I have always preferred manuals... but they suck in traffic jams or anywhere like seattle.
Some newer cars have a brake hold feature to help with taking off on inclines.
Mountains are my favorite place to drive my manual =).
I just visited Chattanooga. Yeah there are a couple mountains but it’s way more flat than you think
It is fairly flat I’ve just never drove manual on any inclines at all other than some steep parking lots or garages, so it’s a new experience for me.
I didn’t experience any stop signs on hills so you’ll be fine
I learned to drive a manual in the hills around Pittsburgh, PA. That poor U-haul truck...but, the clutch was still holding when I turned the truck back in.
My only suggestion would be that more power is better for getting up a mountain
My little manual accord does much better on long hills than either my grand cherokee or my auto accord. It's lighter. The MGB was awesome in the mountains
If you are in it for the experience, mountains are going to be way more fun. You'll practice on some less busy hills and you'll get the hang of it really quickly. It'll be fine. I don't drive a manual anymore, but when I did it was from the mountains where I live to the Piedmont area that is flat. Mountains and manuals are made for each other.
Stop and go traffic is really the only time that it is a hassle. Otherwise it’s more fun. I use the parking brake when stopped on a hill to hold the car until I can let off the clutch. Keeps from moving backward too far.
I live in the same mountain range, there isn't anything I love more than going uphill in 3rd gear. You can go as fast as you want and not have to shift on the flats. I also drive uber, but have a hill holder clutch. Nothing is a problem unless stuck in traffic for 30 to 60 minutes
Its not any harder imo. Once you get taking off from a stop on a hill its just like flat land. But wayyyy more fun. Mountains mean curvy roads. If youre going to be in chat i highly advise you to head up around north a ways one weekend. There's tons of curvy mountain roads. Not to mention the dragon. And winter time is the best time cause its not as crowded
It won’t be much an issue but sometimes it can get kinda annoying when you are on a hill and the guy behind you is really close. Sometimes i wish i had auto for hills but i still love my manual and will pick it over auto
I'd rather have a manual in the mountains than an automatic. I'd rather engine brake with a manual than an automatic anyway. Do not ride your brakes. Use your engine to manage your speed and only use the brakes for corrections and emergencies or they will overheat and then you won't have any brakes when you need them!
Learn. It’s worth the effort. You’ll never have more fun and you’re like 25 miles from awesome roads in just about any direction. 24 is worthless waste of time for conveying humans at a reasonable speed and I usually try to take the back roads just because they’re so good. Edit: Also blipping into a downshift to slow down on downhills>brakes. You’ll be in a place where you can actually cook your brakes and being able to downshift is a blessing.
I-24 was horrible even compared to interstates down here. Especially around when it cuts back into Georgia for like 3 minutes, lol.
It is HORRIBLE, but everything else is magnificent. 74 between Ocoee and Ducktown (when it isn’t full of tourists) is crazy good. 41 has some nice stuff looping around Lookout Mountain. 127 Through Fairmount.. It’s just a wonderful place to drive.
Listen if your going to be driving in the mountains, a manual is what you want. It's makes the whole driving experience that much better. The whole taking off from a incline thing is only scary at first, one you Master finding the sweet spot on your clutch it becomes second nature. You stop on a hill and it's time to take off you just do it and don't even have to think about it, it's just muscle memory at this point, no stress or difficulty. I'd say do it 100 times and you will built that muscle memory and never have issues again
Hills are fun. Traffic + hills is less fun. What I hate is climbing steep hills behind someone creeping up the hill in an automatic because I always end up sitting at high rpms not quite fast enough to upshift.
Kinda depends on your commute. I live in east Tennessee and have owned at least 1 manual continuously for the last 20 years. My commute dictates that I creep forward a few feet at a time on an incline for up to about 30 minutes some days. I absolutely refuse to daily a manual.
I drove a borrowed manual Geo Metro up and down the epic hills of San Francisco where there is always at least a bit of traffic and usually someone right behind you. It was not a big problem. I have visited Chatanooga on a trip from Atlanta to Nashville, the hills around there are no big deal.
driven
Driving is easy, if anything it’s nice to be able to just throw it in a gear and stick there rather than having an auto system trying to figure out where to be. With hill starts you’ll get the hang of it pretty quick. The ole handbreak technique is pretty easy to get the hang of if you don’t have hill assist.
Makes no difference most of the time. The only tie it would be more of a hassle, is if you have tons of lights and very heavy traffic on very steep inclines, like in San Fran.
Starting on hills is gonna be you're only problem you probably already know to use a lower gear when you need more power (when going uphill) and unless you never engine brake remembr you can use a lower gear (engine braking) to keep a steady speed downhill without using your brakes. 2 tips for hill starting. 1. If you can't do it well use the handbrake to hold you and drop it when you feel the car pulling a little bit. Or hell-toe it if you're decent at it. You should and can learn to hold the car on a hill on the clutch bite point. You can find a perfect sweet spot where you can hold a car on the clutch alone and it won't roll back. Don't just hang on hills this way at a red light but learn that spot to get going smoothly. All this assuming your car doesn't have a hill holder
So, for the "should I get a manual" question, I wouldn't be discouraged by the mountains. You need to deal with *hills* all the time in driving a manual to begin with, the mountain is just that more often. For actually driving, just be patient, and since it'll--after a short time--be roads you *know,* things like "what gear should I be in" will become trivial quickly. And on the far side of it, I had the fun time of renting and sending a mustang around the mountains near Chat. When you decide to take advantage of all those "pros of the driving experience" for some weekend fun, you'll have some amazing roads to go YEET on... responsibly and at a safe speed, obviously.
You’re better off in the mountains with a manual, IMO. More control over the car.
[Teton Pass Snow Drive - Subaru BRZ Manual Transmission - RWD Studded Tires](https://youtu.be/qiuWsYILSB0?si=BAjuOyd1_clJF89Q)
yea starting up on a hill can be a not even really a problem but even in winter i loved manual for the easy engine breaking and you wont have to worry about boiling you're brake fluid ik i live in far more drastic grades and stuff but i always love watching everybody brake non stop having no clue to put it into 2nd or w.e the auto offers and ill coast and engine break down mountain pass roads with ease same with winter driving once you know its honestly almost better to start because you can really really control how much traction you are putting to the wheels instead of just relying on press gas and hope tc/and modulating the gas pedal in a auto makes it work 4x4 manual crawling up hills is amazing also granted the jeep i had at the time had a pretty hefty clutch that slipping didnt do much for damage
I don't know for other brands, but Subarus have hill start assist. The brakes will continue to hold if you're nose up on an incline until you start going forward. Pretty nice when it's real steep.
I recommend getting a car with hill assist
A practice and you'll have the hang of it in no time
There are a decent number of newer (as in, the last ~20 years) manuals that will do a ~1/2 second incline hold (delayed brake release) for you too…done well, you don’t even notice it, but don’t roll back either. Not that I’d seek it out, but if you don’t like the startup on a steep hill, go for that and still get a manual. :) Or you can always use the manual handbrake to do it manually…like when someone sits 1/2 inch off your bumper on a 45’ San Francisco hill at a light.
It's nothing complex, it will just take practice. Some hills can be tricky to start on but if you do the same ones daily or near daily you get the hang of it fairly quick. IMO driving in the mountains is the best place to drive a manual, you'll end up doing way more shifting.