TDI are different. You'll find that most drivers, men or women, who are interested in a TDI don't mind manual. I've definitely seen way more manual TDI vs. the average car.
My wife insisted on a manual. Otherwise, she'd be driving a 2010 A3 TDI instead of the 2010 GTI we "settled" for after coming to terms with the abysmal TDI Golf availability.Wherever I turn on this forum or others I find that females loathe stick shifts with a passion. Go to Craigslist and I bet you find a guy selling his beloved manual because he met a gal (or is married to one) who demands he sell it and get an automatic.
Don't these women realize that the sooner they learn to master the stick they will be in a position to one day take control of the TV remote!
You probably have more interesting stories involving that...:eekMy greatest manual transmission driving feat was probably driving a minibus (my first diesel!) full of rowdy college kids around Ireland (so driving on the "wrong side" ) for a summer gig about 10 years ago. Wouldn't have even had the opportunity for that if I couldn't drive stick.