I learned to drive in a 1978 VW bus with a 4-speed.
But I took my test in my instructor's little import of some kind(A/T) My instructor said the test clerk might not be able to "judge" my abilities very well in my VW!
I drove that sucker everywhere, as gutless as it was. try going up Gough st in SF in a 4-speed VW bus in traffic. If you can master that, you can drive anything.
I feel bad for those that are learning to drive in a Prius....they must be very difficult to drive based on the way most of them are driven. Broken speedometers must be to blame. or there is a frontal lobotomy device in the driver's sun visor location.