While the autothrust in the A320 family does an adequate job, i would never describe it as outstanding, nor the FBW with its noticeable few millisecond delay between external influence and correction. As someone who has flown the first 2000 hours or so on airbus (after 15 years of boeing) with autothrust off during approach, i certainly prefer it that way. Now that i work at an airline that likes us to use autothrust, i do that. But it is actually easier flying manually with manual thrust.
That said, fly-by-wire boeings have the same advise: keep autothrust active at all times, even during manual flight.