Yeah, everytime I look at the the guts of those 8 speeds vs a 3 speed... I almost pee myself by the sheer in your face level of complication that is evident.
I drive a Geo Prizm at the moment, (Corolla rebadge) and the 3 speed transmission is simple and I kind of like that its mechanical and could be freely swapped (with the right level of physical labor) with a 5 speed if it ever dies. It seemed pretty much all around from GM, to Chrysler to Toyota, that all the 3 speeds were pretty well respected for their longevity. Its not my favorite transmission, but if it lasts to 300k (already at 160k with no negative signs) I'll be more than impressed with older simple tech to keep costs down. Its not bad on gas, so I'd take the poorer mileage if it survives longer without expensive work.