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The 20 Best Cars That Still Offer a Manual Transmission in the US

25 points by t23 10y ago

dmoy 10y ago
I mean riding a horse also requires more skill, and so does braking on slippery surfaces without ABS. Personally I'd rather not do the latter, and not rely on the former for transportation... But to each their own. Maybe I'd me more inclined to drive manual if I wasn't living on a hill... surrounded by hills.
- badosu 10y ago
  > Maybe I'd me more inclined to drive manual if I wasn't living on a hill... surrounded by hills. That's actually a reason to for me to prefer manual transmission, to be able to switch gears predictably.
  - helthanatos 10y ago
    Or possibly have to stop on a hill and accidently hit someone behind you or in front. Some hills are just too nasty. My speed control looses and gains 5 miles on my hills not really a big deal on the transmission though.
    - madengr 10y ago
      I got really fast at shifting my little, manual Toyota. There was this steep hill with a light at the top, and cars would pull up right behind the bumper.
    - badosu 10y ago
      That's a fair point, but after you learn how to stop it properly it's pure muscle memory, it's very difficult to make such an error.
    - zzalpha 10y ago
      Or possibly have to stop on a hill and accidently hit someone behind you or in front. I take it no one taught you how to start on a hill in a manual using the handbrake?
- t23 10y ago
  On a hill you'd simply use the handbrake when launching the car to avoid rolling back...and many modern cars with manual transmissions offer hill-start control/hill-start assist features...
  - alvern 10y ago
    Oh the headaches those hill assist solenoids cause on Subaru's. Especially when they start to wear out or get electrical issues.
    - gtvwill 10y ago
      Never heard of this, is it common? (Old gf is a subi mechanic but she has never mentioned this but i usually hear about what common problems exist in subi's)
coleifer 10y ago
Motorcycles are keeping the faith.
- kevin_thibedeau 10y ago
  They have DCTs now too.
  - Neeek 10y ago
    I mean, they have also had mechanical automatic transmissions since the 70's at least.
zzalpha 10y ago
There's far more than just these 20. Honda, for example, has plenty of manual models available (we happen to own a manual Fit). They may be dying but they're far from endangered.
- dawnerd 10y ago
  To be fair, the article says "20 best cars" not necessarily those are the only 20 cars.
  - Infernal 10y ago
    I just assumed the Fit would be on this list without even clicking. Truly a diamond in the rough.
inanutshellus 10y ago
It's just SO MUCH MORE FUN to drive a stick-shift. Even if all you're doing is getting on the interstate you can make it feel like you're really kickin' ass and zooming along simply by how you shift. Forcing your car to rev up a little more than need be may be inefficient compared to what a computer can do, but where's the fun in that? Getting perfect 0-60 times is for drag racing (which no one does). Having fun on your daily commute? Yeah, that!
- otoburb 10y ago
  >>Having fun on your daily commute? Prolonged periods of bumper-to-bumper traffic inching along during daily commutes will take the fun out of stick pretty quickly. Hopefully this doesn't happen to many people, but for those that have a choice, automatic is the preferred option.
  - bassman9000 10y ago
    It is no fun, auto or manual. IMHO, if you truly enjoy driving to choose a stick, you don't get yourself in the situation of 2h daily jam commute.
  - inanutshellus 9y ago
    That's the common refrain, but I don't even mind it in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I think it's pretty magical to just barely lift my foot off the clutch and control the car's acceleration. Is it tedious? Needless effort? Nope, it's racing in ultra-slow-mo!
Rapzid 10y ago
No Fiesta ST?
- mrchucklepants 10y ago
  I love my ST.
madengr 10y ago
I like manual, but even better is my EV with no transmission.
jessaustin 10y ago
Americans just don't want to be bothered with the chore of working a clutch with their left foot and shifting with their right. It's my impression that more American drivers use their right hand to shift, rather than their right foot.
justin66 10y ago
Because the newest computer-controlled automatics can shift more quickly than any human can, engineers see the manual transmission as outdated. We disagree. Shifting a manual transmission is not only more engaging and fun than flicking some dainty little paddles, it also requires more skill and makes the driver a better one. "It's an unimportant skill but as you practice it you will get better at it." Well, yeah. My fun weekend car has a stick, and that's not such a bad thing, but there's no denying stick shift on passenger cars exists solely for entertainment value or vanity at this point.
- THE_PUN_STOPS 10y ago
  Well, that and cost and simplicity. A manual transmission will always be cheaper to manufacture and repair, and can actually be worked on by mere mortals. I have rebuilt one manual transmission and one automatic transmission, and I have recurring nightmares about only one of those two. (fuck you, E40D...)
  - justin66 10y ago
    > A manual transmission will always be cheaper to manufacture and repair, and can actually be worked on by mere mortals. On the other hand, in these modern times an automatic transmission might very well last the (long) life of the car with nothing but ATF added. A manual is guaranteed to need some work, since the clutch is a wear item. That said, some of these newer transmissions haven't really proven their longevity yet, and they're attached to some really overpowered engines in some cases nowadays... interesting times.
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]
- mistermann 10y ago
  Ever tried to get an automatic transmission car out of being stuck in the snow? ;)
  - 10y ago
Fuzzwah 10y ago
> Outside of Germany, the SS is the only old-school V8 performance sedan you can get with a manual. Except of course for the Australian car that is the original version of the SS. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VF) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VF)
csydas 10y ago
Is the price listed on these vehicles starting at $35000 USD because of the stick shift or is that just the starting price for cars now? I haven't seriously looked at cars for well over 8 years since I moved abroad, and before that it was just buying beaters from people on craigslist.
- bfuller 10y ago
  I bought a toyota yaris with manual transmission for 12k new
dbg31415 10y ago
This is just depressing. I had an S2000, but sold it when I had the opportunity to travel overseas for work one year... Been back a few years now and I still haven't found anything to replace it. Given the very short list of cars that still offer manual transmissions, it's unlikely I'll ever in my life have another car I will love to drive as much as my old Honda. I just can't see driving a convertible without a manual transmission... where's the fun in that?
- t23 10y ago
  There's still plenty of M/T cars available in the US. The article just highlights a small sample of those cars...
spike021 10y ago
I just bought and learned to drive a manual transmission BRZ about a month ago. The beginning was tough but was very worth the effort and time. Sure, the transmission isn't as efficient and in some cases your mileage probably winds up going down, but the fun factor is very enjoyable.
- maxxxxx 10y ago
  Actually if you know what you are doing your mileage will improve with manual.
  - justin66 10y ago
    He's talking about about a car that's just setup differently with the manual transmission. It doesn't matter if you're the sort of person who reads car magazines and says stuff like "double clutching," if the gear ratios and final drive are different, you won't realize the same efficiency.
  - maxerickson 10y ago
    This has gotten less true as automatics have added more and more gears.
    - maxxxxx 10y ago
      Less true maybe, but I think you still can do better.
  - dingo_bat 10y ago
    Not against a CVT.
    - justin66 10y ago
      The newer eight and ten speed automatics are pretty insanely efficient as well.
gtvwill 10y ago
You not get manual Land Cruisers in the states? I haven't bought an auto car ever, will only buy manual. Have always driven manual and find it quite humerous that people consider them difficult or more effort. I prefer manual as i find auto's suck for going up/coming down steep hills and are also a pain in the arse in bumper to bumper traffic as they always creep forward unless you have a foot on the brake.Not to mention they cost an arm and a leg to fix. Gimme manual any day, from a 5 speed synchro to an 18 speed crash gearbox. Love driving manuals,my fuel efficiency is up there with if not better than auto's too (you can't coast in an auto). Edit: i got >400,000km out off my last land cruiser clutch....You won't see a auto gearbox in a work vehicle that will do that(e.g vehicle used off road and towing heavy loads).
- paulsutter 10y ago
  > I haven't bought an auto car ever, will only buy manual. A manual-shift self-driving car may be hard to find. It's interesting how the word "auto" (self) has evolved with respect to cars. An "automobile" is self-propelled, an automatic transmisson of course shifts itself, and we went right back to "self" for self-driving cars.
  - gtvwill 10y ago
    Ever bandied the concept about that some folk may not ever buy a self driving car? GPS/maps struggle to find most of the places I go, i doubt anybody will release a self driving 4x4 anytime soon with the ability to map and navigate fire trails/off road/national parks/river crossings). Like eventually they might but it's not going to happen anytime in the next decade. Hell I've seen people put vehicles in places and situations that manufacturers would have a heard time believing so good luck getting software coded in a way that would let you do it (maybe if we could get a "she'll be right mate" sudo command overide for the navigation/control systems it could happen?).
- tsomctl 10y ago
  The only Land Cruiser sold now is based on the 4Runner, and is meant as a luxury vehicle. The 80 series was the last rugged Land Cruiser (with a solid front axle) sold here, and even that only had an automatic.
boomboomsubban 10y ago
I don't understand what people find fun about shifting, but it is not worth the pure agony of traffic jams. Let off the brake, pray the person isn't too close behind you, accelerate a bit, decide if traffic is moving enough to accelerate more, brake. Repeat twice a minute. Add in hills and snow for more "fun."
- bassman9000 10y ago
  It offers a degree of control unparalleled by any auto system, for those who just don't want from A to B. Sensations from the gearbox and the engine are more direct (albeit gas pedal nowadays is no longer...). > it is not worth the pure agony of traffic jams You just don't notice if you don't want to. It's second nature. > pray the person isn't too close behind you true, but never had an issue with this > Add in hills and snow for more "fun." This is a non-issue for anyone that likes it, and has been driving more than a month.
  - revscat 10y ago
    You are correct about not noticing... at least until you get an automatic or an EV. Then you realize what you didn't notice you suddenly appreciate being gone.
  - an_account 10y ago
    I love my manual tramsission but traffic is hellish on long drives. If my daily commute was in traffic (like many parts of LA and other major cities), then I definitely wouldn't want an manual for that. But yeah, I do love my stick shift. Now that I know how to, I especially love driving on hills. Nothing like shifting through the gears on a windy mountain road. And for traffic on hills you quickly learn to use the handbrake so that you don't roll back at all.
  - boomboomsubban 9y ago
    I don't understand not noticing traffic jams. The sequence you need to do isn't hard, but you need to do it so often with a mistake chance every time. And no amount of driving makes snow and hills a non-issue. Winter roads are inherently more dangerous, adding just more pressure to an already annoying situation.
d-sc 10y ago
Coming from a farm, I've driven both manual and automatic transmission cars, trucks, tractors, heavy machinery, semi-trucks, etc. At some point the type of transmission used is only one part of the car that is going to affect its performance. I have not done anything in an automatic that I cannot do in a manual transmission car. Sure, my automatic pickup will accelerate faster than the manual one I had before it. But that is more due to the engine horsepower to vehicle weight ratio than the transmission. (2013 f150 w/ 350 hp vs 2004 f350 with 250 hp) My guess is the reason that it is becoming harder to buy new manual transmission vehicles is declining demand and the cost associated with extra development to create two versions of the same car.
- cheepin 10y ago
  "An estimated 95% of all cars sold in the U.S. have automatic drive, versus less than 20% in Europe and Japan, where stick-shift is the overwhelming transmission of choice." Still a good market globally, if not in the US. I'm more worried about EVs taking over than automatic transmissions. http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/americans-driving-stick-shift-article-1.1072784 http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/americans-driving-stick-shi...
Upvoter33 9y ago
This list is terrible. How, for example, could you ever exclude the Subaru WRX? One of the most fun to drive -- and affordable -- cars with a stick out there today.
- MrMember 9y ago
  I may be biased as I live in an area where the AWD in the WRX is especially useful in the winter but I would take the WRX over the BRZ in the article any day.

25 points by t23 10y ago

dmoy 10y ago

I mean riding a horse also requires more skill, and so does braking on slippery surfaces without ABS. Personally I'd rather not do the latter, and not rely on the former for transportation... But to each their own. Maybe I'd me more inclined to drive manual if I wasn't living on a hill... surrounded by hills.

badosu 10y ago
> Maybe I'd me more inclined to drive manual if I wasn't living on a hill... surrounded by hills. That's actually a reason to for me to prefer manual transmission, to be able to switch gears predictably.
- helthanatos 10y ago
  Or possibly have to stop on a hill and accidently hit someone behind you or in front. Some hills are just too nasty. My speed control looses and gains 5 miles on my hills not really a big deal on the transmission though.
  - madengr 10y ago
    I got really fast at shifting my little, manual Toyota. There was this steep hill with a light at the top, and cars would pull up right behind the bumper.
  - badosu 10y ago
    That's a fair point, but after you learn how to stop it properly it's pure muscle memory, it's very difficult to make such an error.
  - zzalpha 10y ago
    Or possibly have to stop on a hill and accidently hit someone behind you or in front. I take it no one taught you how to start on a hill in a manual using the handbrake?
t23 10y ago
On a hill you'd simply use the handbrake when launching the car to avoid rolling back...and many modern cars with manual transmissions offer hill-start control/hill-start assist features...
- alvern 10y ago
  Oh the headaches those hill assist solenoids cause on Subaru's. Especially when they start to wear out or get electrical issues.
  - gtvwill 10y ago
    Never heard of this, is it common? (Old gf is a subi mechanic but she has never mentioned this but i usually hear about what common problems exist in subi's)

coleifer 10y ago

Motorcycles are keeping the faith.

kevin_thibedeau 10y ago
They have DCTs now too.
- Neeek 10y ago
  I mean, they have also had mechanical automatic transmissions since the 70's at least.

zzalpha 10y ago

There's far more than just these 20. Honda, for example, has plenty of manual models available (we happen to own a manual Fit). They may be dying but they're far from endangered.

dawnerd 10y ago
To be fair, the article says "20 best cars" not necessarily those are the only 20 cars.
- Infernal 10y ago
  I just assumed the Fit would be on this list without even clicking. Truly a diamond in the rough.

inanutshellus 10y ago

It's just SO MUCH MORE FUN to drive a stick-shift. Even if all you're doing is getting on the interstate you can make it feel like you're really kickin' ass and zooming along simply by how you shift. Forcing your car to rev up a little more than need be may be inefficient compared to what a computer can do, but where's the fun in that? Getting perfect 0-60 times is for drag racing (which no one does). Having fun on your daily commute? Yeah, that!

otoburb 10y ago
>>Having fun on your daily commute? Prolonged periods of bumper-to-bumper traffic inching along during daily commutes will take the fun out of stick pretty quickly. Hopefully this doesn't happen to many people, but for those that have a choice, automatic is the preferred option.
- bassman9000 10y ago
  It is no fun, auto or manual. IMHO, if you truly enjoy driving to choose a stick, you don't get yourself in the situation of 2h daily jam commute.
- inanutshellus 9y ago
  That's the common refrain, but I don't even mind it in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I think it's pretty magical to just barely lift my foot off the clutch and control the car's acceleration. Is it tedious? Needless effort? Nope, it's racing in ultra-slow-mo!

Rapzid 10y ago

No Fiesta ST?

mrchucklepants 10y ago
I love my ST.

madengr 10y ago

I like manual, but even better is my EV with no transmission.

jessaustin 10y ago

Americans just don't want to be bothered with the chore of working a clutch with their left foot and shifting with their right. It's my impression that more American drivers use their right hand to shift, rather than their right foot.

justin66 10y ago

Because the newest computer-controlled automatics can shift more quickly than any human can, engineers see the manual transmission as outdated. We disagree. Shifting a manual transmission is not only more engaging and fun than flicking some dainty little paddles, it also requires more skill and makes the driver a better one. "It's an unimportant skill but as you practice it you will get better at it." Well, yeah. My fun weekend car has a stick, and that's not such a bad thing, but there's no denying stick shift on passenger cars exists solely for entertainment value or vanity at this point.

THE_PUN_STOPS 10y ago
Well, that and cost and simplicity. A manual transmission will always be cheaper to manufacture and repair, and can actually be worked on by mere mortals. I have rebuilt one manual transmission and one automatic transmission, and I have recurring nightmares about only one of those two. (fuck you, E40D...)
- justin66 10y ago
  > A manual transmission will always be cheaper to manufacture and repair, and can actually be worked on by mere mortals. On the other hand, in these modern times an automatic transmission might very well last the (long) life of the car with nothing but ATF added. A manual is guaranteed to need some work, since the clutch is a wear item. That said, some of these newer transmissions haven't really proven their longevity yet, and they're attached to some really overpowered engines in some cases nowadays... interesting times.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
mistermann 10y ago
Ever tried to get an automatic transmission car out of being stuck in the snow? ;)
- 10y ago

Fuzzwah 10y ago

> Outside of Germany, the SS is the only old-school V8 performance sedan you can get with a manual. Except of course for the Australian car that is the original version of the SS. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VF) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holden_Commodore_(VF)

csydas 10y ago

Is the price listed on these vehicles starting at $35000 USD because of the stick shift or is that just the starting price for cars now? I haven't seriously looked at cars for well over 8 years since I moved abroad, and before that it was just buying beaters from people on craigslist.

bfuller 10y ago
I bought a toyota yaris with manual transmission for 12k new

dbg31415 10y ago

This is just depressing. I had an S2000, but sold it when I had the opportunity to travel overseas for work one year... Been back a few years now and I still haven't found anything to replace it. Given the very short list of cars that still offer manual transmissions, it's unlikely I'll ever in my life have another car I will love to drive as much as my old Honda. I just can't see driving a convertible without a manual transmission... where's the fun in that?

t23 10y ago
There's still plenty of M/T cars available in the US. The article just highlights a small sample of those cars...

spike021 10y ago

I just bought and learned to drive a manual transmission BRZ about a month ago. The beginning was tough but was very worth the effort and time. Sure, the transmission isn't as efficient and in some cases your mileage probably winds up going down, but the fun factor is very enjoyable.

maxxxxx 10y ago
Actually if you know what you are doing your mileage will improve with manual.
- justin66 10y ago
  He's talking about about a car that's just setup differently with the manual transmission. It doesn't matter if you're the sort of person who reads car magazines and says stuff like "double clutching," if the gear ratios and final drive are different, you won't realize the same efficiency.
- maxerickson 10y ago
  This has gotten less true as automatics have added more and more gears.
  - maxxxxx 10y ago
    Less true maybe, but I think you still can do better.
- dingo_bat 10y ago
  Not against a CVT.
  - justin66 10y ago
    The newer eight and ten speed automatics are pretty insanely efficient as well.

gtvwill 10y ago

You not get manual Land Cruisers in the states? I haven't bought an auto car ever, will only buy manual. Have always driven manual and find it quite humerous that people consider them difficult or more effort. I prefer manual as i find auto's suck for going up/coming down steep hills and are also a pain in the arse in bumper to bumper traffic as they always creep forward unless you have a foot on the brake.Not to mention they cost an arm and a leg to fix. Gimme manual any day, from a 5 speed synchro to an 18 speed crash gearbox. Love driving manuals,my fuel efficiency is up there with if not better than auto's too (you can't coast in an auto). Edit: i got >400,000km out off my last land cruiser clutch....You won't see a auto gearbox in a work vehicle that will do that(e.g vehicle used off road and towing heavy loads).

paulsutter 10y ago
> I haven't bought an auto car ever, will only buy manual. A manual-shift self-driving car may be hard to find. It's interesting how the word "auto" (self) has evolved with respect to cars. An "automobile" is self-propelled, an automatic transmisson of course shifts itself, and we went right back to "self" for self-driving cars.
- gtvwill 10y ago
  Ever bandied the concept about that some folk may not ever buy a self driving car? GPS/maps struggle to find most of the places I go, i doubt anybody will release a self driving 4x4 anytime soon with the ability to map and navigate fire trails/off road/national parks/river crossings). Like eventually they might but it's not going to happen anytime in the next decade. Hell I've seen people put vehicles in places and situations that manufacturers would have a heard time believing so good luck getting software coded in a way that would let you do it (maybe if we could get a "she'll be right mate" sudo command overide for the navigation/control systems it could happen?).
tsomctl 10y ago
The only Land Cruiser sold now is based on the 4Runner, and is meant as a luxury vehicle. The 80 series was the last rugged Land Cruiser (with a solid front axle) sold here, and even that only had an automatic.

boomboomsubban 10y ago

I don't understand what people find fun about shifting, but it is not worth the pure agony of traffic jams. Let off the brake, pray the person isn't too close behind you, accelerate a bit, decide if traffic is moving enough to accelerate more, brake. Repeat twice a minute. Add in hills and snow for more "fun."

bassman9000 10y ago
It offers a degree of control unparalleled by any auto system, for those who just don't want from A to B. Sensations from the gearbox and the engine are more direct (albeit gas pedal nowadays is no longer...). > it is not worth the pure agony of traffic jams You just don't notice if you don't want to. It's second nature. > pray the person isn't too close behind you true, but never had an issue with this > Add in hills and snow for more "fun." This is a non-issue for anyone that likes it, and has been driving more than a month.
- revscat 10y ago
  You are correct about not noticing... at least until you get an automatic or an EV. Then you realize what you didn't notice you suddenly appreciate being gone.
- an_account 10y ago
  I love my manual tramsission but traffic is hellish on long drives. If my daily commute was in traffic (like many parts of LA and other major cities), then I definitely wouldn't want an manual for that. But yeah, I do love my stick shift. Now that I know how to, I especially love driving on hills. Nothing like shifting through the gears on a windy mountain road. And for traffic on hills you quickly learn to use the handbrake so that you don't roll back at all.
- boomboomsubban 9y ago
  I don't understand not noticing traffic jams. The sequence you need to do isn't hard, but you need to do it so often with a mistake chance every time. And no amount of driving makes snow and hills a non-issue. Winter roads are inherently more dangerous, adding just more pressure to an already annoying situation.

d-sc 10y ago

Coming from a farm, I've driven both manual and automatic transmission cars, trucks, tractors, heavy machinery, semi-trucks, etc. At some point the type of transmission used is only one part of the car that is going to affect its performance. I have not done anything in an automatic that I cannot do in a manual transmission car. Sure, my automatic pickup will accelerate faster than the manual one I had before it. But that is more due to the engine horsepower to vehicle weight ratio than the transmission. (2013 f150 w/ 350 hp vs 2004 f350 with 250 hp) My guess is the reason that it is becoming harder to buy new manual transmission vehicles is declining demand and the cost associated with extra development to create two versions of the same car.

cheepin 10y ago
"An estimated 95% of all cars sold in the U.S. have automatic drive, versus less than 20% in Europe and Japan, where stick-shift is the overwhelming transmission of choice." Still a good market globally, if not in the US. I'm more worried about EVs taking over than automatic transmissions. http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/americans-driving-stick-shift-article-1.1072784 http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/americans-driving-stick-shi...

Upvoter33 9y ago

This list is terrible. How, for example, could you ever exclude the Subaru WRX? One of the most fun to drive -- and affordable -- cars with a stick out there today.

MrMember 9y ago
I may be biased as I live in an area where the AWD in the WRX is especially useful in the winter but I would take the WRX over the BRZ in the article any day.