Manual transmissions are fun, right up to the point you fry the clutch, drive in stop&go traffic, or want both hands free.
The SST transmission is an amazing piece of technology.
If you have not driven one, or ridden in one, I would suggest trying that first before you discount it.
With a few simple mods, the RA is a great car, throw it into Sport Mode and drive around a bit, you might be impressed.