Code of Ethics
At Stick Shifting, we believe cars are more than transportation—they’re expressions of mechanical art, cultural statements, and vessels for pure driving joy. Our mission is to guide you to authentic automotive experiences that preserve the soul of driving. Here’s how we keep it real:
Truth & Trust
We’re an open book. We make money through affiliate partnerships and ads, but that never clouds our judgment. Every recommendation comes from actual seat time and genuine expertise. We’re here to champion cars that deliver real driver engagement, not push whatever the industry is marketing this month.
Authentic Experience
Our reviews come from real human research, driving the cars, feeling the mechanical feedback, and pushing the limits. We test on real roads, not just manufacturer-selected proving grounds. We pay our own way whenever possible and never let manufacturer hospitality influence our verdict. That perfect driving road or underappreciated driver’s car? We found it the same way you would—through passion and persistence.
Mechanical Integrity
We celebrate the engineering, craftsmanship, and people behind every great driver’s car. Our coverage aims to honor automotive purity, not compromise it. We’re advocates for the manual transmission and mechanical engagement in an increasingly automated world, and we never forget that.
Independent Voice
Nobody owns our opinions. Not luxury manufacturers, not PR departments, not marketing teams. We work for enthusiasts like you. That means telling you when the “exciting new sports car” feels numb and disconnected, or when the best driving experience comes from a car without all the latest tech.
Community First
We believe automotive media should benefit true enthusiasts. Our recommendations support the preservation of driving culture, mechanical engagement, and the human connection to machines over industry trends toward automation and convenience.
What we promise to avoid:
No Surface-Level Content
We dig deeper than 0-60 times and horsepower figures. Every piece we publish aims to reveal the character of a car or the essence of the driving experience.
No Compromised Reviews
We don’t alter our opinions based on advertising relationships or manufacturer pressure. Ever. It keeps our perspective real and our recommendations honest.
No Technical Superficiality
We won’t reduce complex engineering achievements to marketing buzzwords. Every analysis we provide aims to honor the depth and complexity of automotive design and performance.
No Hidden Agendas
If we’re working with a manufacturer or industry partner, you’ll know it. But our honest opinion still stands, and our commitment to the driving experience never wavers.
We exist to help you find those magical moments that make driving transcendent—whether it’s the perfect heel-toe downshift, the ideal balance through a corner, or a car that changes how you see the relationship between human and machine. Every recommendation we make is rooted in our unwavering belief that how you drive matters just as much as what you drive.