These New Cars Still Come With Manual Transmission For Auto Purists
The manual transmission is dying in the United States. According to Car and Driver, sales of electric cars outpaced sales of vehicles with manual transmissions during the final quarter of 2019. As more American consumers shift away from three-pedal driving, more automakers are refusing to offer it on all their models. For auto-purists, this is a real-life horror movie happening. Thankfully, there are still several models you can buy with manual transmissions, so you better buy them while you can! Read on to find out which new models offer manual transmission as a purchase option.
The Aston Martin Vantage Is Unconventionally Perfect
There are a few ways you can make your manual transmission dreams come true with the Aston Martin Vantage. You can drive it off the lot with a seven-speed manual transmission, or upgrade to something a little more unconventional.
If you want to spice up your drive, you can get the AMR performance variant. Still a manual transmission, it uses an unconventional dog-leg-pattern shifter. The vantage also comes standard with a twin-turbo 4.0 liter V-8 engine.
The BMW 4 Series Refuses To Change
Unlike the 3 Series, which has dropped the manual option, the BMW 4 Series is refusing to change. The 430i, 440i, and 440i xDrive coupes are all available with six-speed manual transmissions.
The M4 convertible and 430i Gran Coupe can also be driven off the lot the purist way. If the 4 Series is too big for you, the 2 Series also still offers manual transmissions. As BMW looks towards the future, the 4 Series will eventually transition to automatic-only, so get these beauties with manual transmissions while they last!
The Chevy Camaro Is The Manual Car Of Your Dreams
When you walk into a Chevy dealership dead set on buying a brand new Camaro with a manual transmission, you don't need to fear. Whatever package you are looking to purchase, they all come with a manual as an option.
Whether you want the base package with just a turbo 2.0-liter engine or the awe-inducing ZL1 with a 6.2-liter V-8, you don't have to worry about being forced to drive away in an automatic.
Get The C7 Corvette Before It's Off The Market
A car like the Corvette should always be available with a manual transmission option. Tragically, Chevy has decided that the mid-engine car in the coming years will be offered exclusively with a dual-clutch transmission.
Thankfully, the C7 is still on the market and should be for a few years. The Stingray, Z06, and ZR1 all come standard with a seven-speed manual transmission, which is music to our clutch loving ears.
The Fiat 124 Spider Wouldn't Be Complete Without A Manual Transmission
In recent years, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has limited the number of vehicles with manual transmissions. The Charger remains one of the most popular models, and for our money, the Fiat 124 Spider is one of the most underrated.
A car as sporty and sleek as the pint-sized roadster is meant to be driven along the coast on a nice summer day with the top down. If you ask us, that scenario sounds more fun with a manual transmission compared to the "do everything for you" automatic option.
Step Up Your Manual Game With The Dodge Charger
When you think of a car like the Dodge Charger, you don't think of shifting into "drive" and slamming your foot on the pedal. This is a vehicle that screams to be manual, and let's hope that never changes.
Several versions of the Charger comes standard with a manual transmission. If you are buying one on a budget, though, you will be disappointed to know that the entry-level GT and SXT models are automatic only.
The Mustang Will Never Change
A classic since the first year it was introduced, the Ford Mustang is just as popular as ever, and it still available to own with a manual transmission. Nearly every version of the Mustang comes with manual as an option, which is great news for muscle car enthusiasts.
The only version of the classic vehicle that cannot be driven with a manual transmission is the Shelby GT500, which comes exclusively with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. If that's a wallet closer, move your attention to the Shelby GT 350 for all your manual dreams to come true.
The Hyundai Genesis 670 Is Luxury With Manual Cherry On Top
Hyundai offers a wide variety of vehicles with manual transmissions, and one of our favorites is the luxurious Genesis 670. The upscale auto comes with a six-speed stick shift and turbo 2.0-liter inline-four and rear-wheel-drive.
If you do want to change those specifications, you won't be happy. Once you upgrade to all-wheel-drive or V-6 models you're forced to accept the automatic revolution. There's nothing wrong with the turbo 2.0-liter engine when you get to drive the way you prefer, though.
The Honda Accord Doesn't Force You To Sacrifice Fun For Convenience
It would have been easy for Honda to allow manual transmissions to go the way of the dodo. Instead, the Asian automaker continues to offer several cars, including the Accord, with a stick-shift option.
Not every Accord is available manually, however. To get the transmission you dream of you will want to get the midrange Sport trim with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine, which is currently listed as a "no-cost option."
The Honda Civic Can Fit More Places Than The Accord
Another great Honda offering you can drive off the lot with a stick-shift is the Civic, one of the most popular cars in the United States. For many years, the Civic felt like a smaller, more city-friendly version of the Accord, but in more recent years has taken on a life of its own.
A recent redesign turned the Civic into something that looked more like a small sports car than a commuter vehicle. Maybe that's why Honda has refused to eliminate the manual transmission as an option.
The Hyundai Accent Will Make You Bank Account Happy
The Hyundai Accent is another small car that surprisingly is still available with a manual option. Like the Spark, it's also one of the cheapest cars on the market, making it one of the most attractive options for any shoppers on a budget.
Oddly enough, if you upgrade the Accent at all, then you lose the manual option. Its base model or bust with this compact city car that is also the perfect commuter vehicle.
The Hyundai Veloster Is For The Stick-Shift Faithful
Any stick-shift loving enthusiast will tell you the best Hyundai to buy is the Veloster. The zippy sports vehicles a manual lover's dream ride, and it would considered blasphemous if the automaker ever changed that.
Hyundai knows its consumer base so well, in fact, that manual is the standard transmission that comes with the Veloster. Anything else must be requested because there is only one real way to drive one of the zippiest cars on the road.
The Chevy Spark Is An Affordable Manual Option
Leading the charge of an automatic transmission future are commuter cars. Several Chevy models that used to offer the fun to drive transmission, including the Sonic, don't anymore. The compact Spark still does and is a perfectly affordable option for the manual lover on a budget.
The Spark has a starting price of $14,000, making it one of the cheapest new cars on the market. The good news is the money you save buying one won't cost you any joy in your driving experience.
Lotus' Only American Offering Has A Manual Transmission
Would it even be possible to produce a supercar and not sell it as a manual transmission? Aside from newer, electric models, the answer is always "no." Lotus knows this fact, which means the only model they currently offer in the United States, the Evora GT, comes as stick-shift.
Eventually, Lotus plans to release an electric supercar in the states, but it will be sold alongside the Evora, not replace it.
There Is One Mazda3 That's A Manual
Few cars look as pretty coasting down the freeway as the Mazda3. The sleek automobile has been around for years and continues to fight the good fight for manual transmission enthusiasts today.
Sadly, only one Mazda3 package is available with a stick-shift, but it might be the best one. When buying your Mazda3, you'll want to upgrade to the premium package with front-wheel-drive and a hatchback. Trust us, you won't regret it.
The Mazda Miata Is Still Best When Driven Manually
The roadster that inspired the Fiat 124 Spider is still going strong with a manual transmission. The Mazda Miata, also known as the MX-5, is on its fourth generation and still offers the classic transmission option.
The Miata comes with a hardtop or as a convertible and has set the standard for what a roadster should be in today's world. And that standard includes offering a manual transmission for driving enthusiasts.
The Mitsubishi Mirage Comes Standard With A Stick
Another small car that is more affordable than most and comes standard with a manual transmission is the Mitsubishi Mirage. Because it's a more cost-friendly vehicle, the Mirage comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission.
Anyone looking to upgrade to six or even seven-speeds will have to look at other auto options. Upgraded Mirages comes with CVT options, not pure stick-shift options. Still, it's nice to see several affordable stick-shift options on this list.
The Nissan 370Z Has Been Manual For Over A Decade
The Nissan 370Z was first introduced in 2009. Since then it has been the automaker's standard sports car. It has also never shied away from offering consumers the option to drive off the lot with a manual transmission.
Almost every trim available with the 370Z today comes with a six-speed manual transmission. The only exception is the Sport Touring package that forces the consumer to have a seven-speed automatic transmission.
The Forte Is Kia's Only Manual Offering
Kia is not the vehicle maker to consider if you want manual options. The brand has moved so far away from what is now a niche market that it only offers one car with a stick-shift, the Forte.
Even the Forte has limited options as far as packages you can get with a manual transmission. A six-speed manual can be paired with the base FE trim as well as the turbocharged GT. All other models are either automatics or dual-clutch transmissions.
The Nissan Versa Offers Five Speeds Of Fun
The Nissan Versa feels brand new with its most recent model, and part of the excitement is the five-speed transmission that is offered with the car. The new Versa might be more expensive than its previous generation, but it's also a better-built car now and a more enjoyable ride.
Plus, even with the increase in the retail price, the Versa still falls on the more affordable spectrum of the auto industry!
