Before we start, a moment of silence for the stick-shift-equipped models we’ve lost recently. Chances are the manual transmission won’t be with us much longer. It’s a dying breed. But don’t have your left foot removed just yet: there are still new cars available in the United States with a manual gearbox. (A handful of SUVs come with them too, but we covered those in a separate list.) If you’re after a row-it-yourself driving experience, one of these cars should do the job.
Acura Integra
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
Acura sells two different versions of its compact Integra fastback with a manual gearbox: the standard car with a 200-hp turbocharged 5-liter four-cylinder (albeit limited to the high-end A-Spec with theTechnology package) and the raucous 10Best-winning Integra Type S, which employs a 320-hp turbo 2.0-liter four. In fact, Acura offers the latter model exclusively with a stick.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ACURA INTEGRA
Aston Martin Valour
Aston Martin
Aston Martin plans to build a mere 110 Valours, and all sport a six-speed manual gearbox. That transmission mates to the brand’s twin-turbo 5.2-liter V-12 making 705 horses. Though we don’t know what sort of numbers this combo pulls, we bet the Valour would be quicker with a self-shifting gearbox. But that’s not the point of this retro-inspired rocket. If you want the quickest Aston, then look elsewhere. But if you want one of the most involved modern vehicles from the storied British brand, then you better hope you can snag one of Aston’s latest seven-figure sports cars.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ASTON MARTIN VALOUR
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BMW M2
BMW
Mercifully, BMW kept the manual transmission in the latest M2. This time around, it pairs with a 453-hp twin-turbocharged inline-six.
BMW M3
BMW
Every BMW M3 since the original E30 has offered a manual gearbox. Thankfully, BMW continues to keep that streak alive. Like its mechanical twin, the M4, the high-performance sedan is available with a six-speed manual, albeit only in the car’s standard 473-hp guise.
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BMW M4
BMW
Like its M3 sedan sibling, the BMW M4 can be ordered with a row-your-own six-speed behind its 473-hp twin-turbo inline-six. That said, the gearbox is limited to the coupe body style, as the M4 convertible is an automatic-only affair.
BMW Z4
Andi Hedrick|Car and Driver
BMW brings the stick shift back to the Z4 for 2024, marking the manual’s first appearance in the latest generation of the automaker’s entry-level roadster. It’s limited to the M40i guise that includes a 382-hp six-cylinder engine.
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Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
Andi Hedrick|Car and Driver
Cadillac’s CT4-V Blackwing is a monster of a machine that just so happens to offer a six-speed gearbox. With a starting price of just over $60,000, this 472-hp sports sedan is also a surprisingly stellar value. No wonder it’s a 10Best winner.
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Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
Car and Driver
Cadillac’s commitment to the stick shift goes beyond its entry-level CT4-V Blackwing, as the brand also equips its larger CT5-V Blackwing with an available six-speed manual gearbox. The transmission mates to a raucous 668-hp supercharged V-8 engine. Like the smaller CT4-V Blackwing, the CT5-V Blackwing also holds a spot on our 10Best list.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CADILLAC CT5-V BLACKWING
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Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet
Chevy will no longer sell you a Corvette with a manual gearbox, but it still lets you rip gears in the Camaro. In fact, a six-speed manual is available with every engine choice offered in this rear-wheel-drive muscle car, from the base 3.6-liter V-6 all the way up to the fire-breathing ZL1‘s supercharged 6.2-liter V-8.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHEVROLET CAMARO
Ford Mustang
Ford
The latest generation of Ford Mustang keeps the manual alive—albeit strictly in V-8 guise. That’s no bad thing, though, because let’s face it: Who really wants a stick-shift Mustang without a V-8? Plus, Ford lets you row your own gears in either the V-8 Mustang coupe or convertible.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FORD MUSTANG
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Honda Civic
Marc Urbano|Car and Driver
The 10Best-winning Honda Civic continues to save the manual, even if it limits the availability of the transmission to a select few trims. Notably, the Civic sedan offers the gearbox strictly in its sportiest form: the 200-hp turbocharged Civic Si.
That said, the Civic hatchback lets buyers row their own gears in the more run-of-the-mill Sport and Sport Touring guises. The former features a 158-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, while the latter includes a 180-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4. There’s also the powerful Civic Type R hot hatch, which is only sold with a manual.
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Hyundai Elantra N
Hyundai
Nabbing a Hyundai Elantra N with a stick shift requires jumping up to the high-performance N trim. The $34,850 four-door is a real riot too, with its 276-hp turbocharged four-cylinder providing seriously quick acceleration.
MORE ABOUT THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA N
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Kia Forte
Kia
Kia only offers the Forte sedan with a stick in its high-end GT form. The top-line trim is the most powerful Forte variant thanks to its 201-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE KIA FORTE
Lotus Emira
Greg Pajo|Car and Driver
Lotus’s successor to the Evora GT bears the name Emira, and like its predecessor, the latest Lotus sports car relies on a supercharged Toyota-sourced V-6 for motivation, which it pairs exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox—for now. An automatic gearbox and a Mercedes-sourced four-cylinder are due to join the Emira’s powertrain line in the coming years.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LOTUS EMIRA
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Mazda 3
Mazda
Mazda doesn’t offer its smallest sedan with a stick; however, the Mazda 3 hatchback is still available with one. A six-speed manual is standard in the hatch with the Premium trim level and front-wheel drive. It’s paired with a 191-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder. Cars ordered with all-wheel drive or the 250-hp turbocharged engine are automatic only.
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mazda
The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata remains resolutely faithful to the rear-wheel-drive sports car’s original format, which includes a manual transmission. Regardless of roof choice (cloth or power-folding hardtop), a six-speed manual is available across the board.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MAZDA MX-5 MIATA
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Mini Hardtop and Convertible
Mini
Mini still offers a three-pedal option in the Cooper and more powerful Cooper S versions of its two- and four-door Hardtop and two-door Convertible models. In the case of the Hardtop, this includes the hotter John Cooper Works trim too.
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Nissan Versa
The Nissan Versa sedan remains one of the most budget-friendly new cars you can buy, and you can get it with a five-speed manual. Unfortunately, it’s only available on the base S trim.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NISSAN VERSA
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Nissan Z
View PhotosMarc Urbano|Car and Driver
Nissan’s retro-styled Z comes with a six-speed manual in all but the top-line NISMO trim (what’s up with that, Nissan?). Regardless of gearbox, the Z comes standard with a 400-hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, with the hotter NISMO netting a total of 420 horses (nice).
Porsche 718
Michael Simari|Car and Driver
Except for the hard-core Cayman GT4 RS and Boxster Spyder RS, all variants of Porsche’s 718 line of mid-engine sports cars offer a stick-shift option. If you can afford the spend, we recommend nabbing one of the GTS 4.0 models with their six-cylinder engines. While the lesser four-cylinder 718s are enjoyable to push about, their significant turbo lag and ratty engine sound can get a bit tiring in day-to-day traffic.