The base Kia Forte FE is powered by a 147-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox. The sporty GT trim features a 201-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder. It's the only trim aside from the base that offers a stick shift, but you'll have to pay an extra $600 to swap out the GT's standard automatic transmission. Every year the list of cars equipped with 3-pedals and a stick shift becomes ever more sparse. While 2022 manual transmission cars might be the driving enthusiast's choice, new more modern automatic transmissions can offer better performance, fuel economy, and can shift faster than any human can.
But for some, driving a car with a manual gearbox offers the feeling of more control and a more direct connection with the vehicle. Hyundai offers one of the most diverse model ranges of manual-equipped vehicles on the market, and the G70 from its luxe Genesis line is no exception. A sleeper of a sport sedan if there ever was one, the G70 has earned no shortage of accolades for its all-around performance and class-disrupting price point. Unfortunately, a stick-shift is only available with the 252hp turbo 2.0L four-cylinder engine; the 365hp V6 is exclusive to an automatic gearbox. It's worth noting that while the manual is still available for 2021 models, it looks to be on its way out for 2022.
The Mini—in two-door and four-door Hardtop, as well as drop-top Convertible, forms—is an involving little driver's car, especially with its standard six-speed manual. The gearbox mates with either the Cooper trim's 134-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine or the Cooper S model's 189-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four. Those in search of more oomph can opt for the 228-hp John Cooper Works trim, which offers a stick shift in two-door Hardtop form. The next car on our list of best manual transmission cars in India is another small car from the house of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. In its third generation now, the WagonR is now being sold with 1.0 and 1.2 petrol engine options. Both the motors are available with manual and automated manual transmissions.
The former offers well-timed and smooth gearshifts, while the latter, as explained in the case of the S-Presso, is a manual unit that offers automated gearshifts through an actuator. In both cases, the car offers well-thought-of gear ratios that lead to a peppy performance across the rev range. Underpinned by the HEARTECT platform, the WagonR is a highly practical tallboy hatchback. The base Volkswagen Jetta S comes standard with a 147-horsepower turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine and a 6-speed manual transmission.
The GLI features a 228-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. The Cadillac CT4-V is a compact luxury sedan with the soul of a muscle car. In a rare twist, a six-speed manual transmission is also available. Customers can also get an automatic with alloy paddle shifters. The CT4-V is no less a luxury car, with leatherette seating, advanced driver safety features, and wireless device charging. The Cadillac CT4-V is a 5-seater vehicle that comes in 1 trim levels.
The most popular style is the V-Series Blackwing Manual, which starts at $59,990 and comes with a 3.6L V6 Twin-Turbo engine and Rear Wheel Drive. This CT4-V is estimated to deliver 15 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway. What would the iconic pony car be without a shifter on the console? There's a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine in the base model capable of 310 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission. Hyundai's unconventional hatch wears its manual transmission with pride, coming standard with a six-speed stick-shift across the line.
So whether you spring for the 147hp base model with its 2.0L four or the range-topping Veloster N with its 257hp turbocharged 2.0L four, there's nothing stopping you from getting a row-your-own gearbox. And while Hyundai offers automatics for both its entry and mid-range Veloster models, it forgoes the option entirely for the hot hatch. A case in point that a manual is a right of passage for performance driving. Well, you better like the front-wheel-drive hatchback with the high-end Premium package, or else you're SOL. That's right, Mazda's all but abandoned the stick shift in the 3, and both the sedan body style and new 250-hp 2.5T powertrain forgo the row-it-yourself gearbox. Fortunately, the hatch's 186-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine offers just enough grunt to make its available six-speed manual transmission a worthwhile addition.
With EPA ratings of 29 mpg city, 39 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined, the stick-shift Accent is down 4 mpg in the city, 2 mpg on the highway, and 3 mpg combined to its CVT-equipped counterpart. That said, the base Accent is surprisingly quick for its class, and its shifter is satisfying to use. A six-speed stick is standard, while a dual clutch automatic is also available. This includes the hotter John Cooper Works versions of the Hardtop, however, the new 301-hp JCW GP is automatic only. The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing debuted on the market for 2022 as the most powerful and fastest production car the American automaker has ever made.
The midsize luxury sedan takes performance seriously with a hand-built supercharged V8 producing 668 hp and a standard six-speed manual transmission. Inside, the cabin is all Cadillac, with plenty of space, technology, and comfort. The Cadillac CT5-V is a 5-seater vehicle that comes in 1 trim levels. The most popular style is the V-Series Blackwing Manual, which starts at $84,990 and comes with a 6.2L V8 S/C engine and Rear Wheel Drive. This CT5-V is estimated to deliver 13 MPG in the city and 21 MPG on the highway. With rally racing DNA, Subaru's WRX sports sedans offers a gusty turbocharged engine and tuned suspension system for outstanding performance.
The WRX has a 2.0L 4-cylinder making 268 hp and is available with 6-speed manual transmissions. If you go with the WRX, you'll get a fast, fun 4-door sedan offering great performance in a variety of road conditions. There are few automatic transmissions better than Porsche's PDK dual-clutch automatic , but we're grateful that the automaker's pair of mid-engine sports cars still offer a manual gearbox.
A six-speed manual is available on all 718 Boxster and Cayman models, including the718 Cayman GT4and718 Spyder. The Porsche 911 only has a manual transmission as an option in three trim levels. The Carrera S and Carrera 4S both feature a 443-horsepower 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine and an optional no-cost 7-speed manual gearbox. This setup also adds the Sport Chrono package, which includes launch control, an automatic rev-matching system, and exclusive sport settings for the powertrain and suspension.
The Toyota Corolla Hatchback is a practical and sporty choice for young drivers and commuters. A suite of safety features come standard, and an available manual transmission makes it decently fun to drive. Still, it's no sports car, and the hatchback relies on its Corolla platform to provide sensible daily transportation with a welcome dash of style.
The Toyota Corolla Hatchback is a 5-seater vehicle that comes in 3 trim levels. The most popular style is the XSE Manual, which starts at $24,790 and comes with a 2.0L I4 engine and Front Wheel Drive. This Corolla Hatchback is estimated to deliver 28 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway. Say what you will about the front kidney grills on the 2022 M3, there's no denying that the standard 6-speed manual transmission is made for driving enthusiasts. You're only option to row your own gears is the 473 hp sedan as the M3 Competition now comes standard with an automatic. The rear-wheel-drive sedan boasts a 3.0L twin-turbo inline 6-cylinder engine.
Every version of the Versa has a 122-horsepower four-cylinder engine, and a five-speed manual transmission is the default on base models, according to Car and Driver. Oddly, it gets better gas mileage with the optional automatic transmission. The Mirage is "one of the cheapest new cars sold in the United States," according to Kelly Blue Book. The days of super sluggish acceleration with automatic transmission are mostly gone.
Up until the middle of the 20th century, driving an automatic car was not a widely available option, nor an affordable one. But as early as the 1960s, when the "all-synchro" transmission that synched the low gear came out, large automatic cars were common in the US. That technology wasn't as widely available in Europe after WWII. The car industry was less competitive and those high gas prices also kept people driving manual transmission cars. Fast forward to the late 1980s, and technological advances made for an even smoother and affordable driving experience in an automatic. All of this, coupled with the extensive Interstate road system where people could drive at high speeds on wide roads with cruise control, cemented the popularity of automatic transmission cars in the US.
The next model on our list of best manual transmission cars in India is the Baleno, a premium hatchback that is being sold with the same 1.2-litre petrol unit that is on offer on the Swift. However, the Baleno also gets a more potent VVT-equipped version that offers a higher power output. Both the engine options are available with a smooth-shifting manual transmission along with a light clutch. Also, the Baleno offers a fantastic ride quality, spacious cabin, and modern looks.
Porsche is one of the few high-performance automakers that still offers manual transmissions. But for the first time in years, Porsche has expanded the manual 911 variants to include the high-performance GT3. That's big news for Porsche fans because the GT3 is one of the most potent and perhaps the purest models it sells. The GT3 packs a 4.0-liter flat six-cylinder in its tail that makes an even 500 hp way up at 8,350 rpm. The GT3 doesn't have the same seven-speed manual as the rest of the 911 line.
Instead it uses a stronger six-speed unit borrowed from the hyper-limited 911 R model with a shorter gear lever. For many manual transmission enthusiasts, this is the car they'd most like to park in the garage. It also might be one of the last manual 911s, if the new 2020 models are any indication. The new Carrera and Carrera S launched with an eight-speed dual-clutch as the only transmission.
In previous years, BMW offered more options for manual transmissions in their 4-Series line-up. Unfortunately for 2022, they have reduced offerings with a stick shift. Fortunately, one model retaining the manual option is the 2022 M4 couple which can be ordered with a 6-speed manual. Similar to the M3, you'll enjoy the 3-pedal experience driving this powerful twin-turbo inline-six. Porsche has long been known for producing cars that put the driver's experience first. Key to that equation has been the ongoing availability of a manual transmission.
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Both models in the 718 range — the Cayman coupe and the Boxster convertible — come with the option of a six-speed stick-shift in all trims starting at the 300hp base model. What's more, the performance-drive Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder are exclusively offered in row-your-own variety. The seven-speed manual of the limited-edition Aston Martin Vantage AMR finds its way to the standard Vantage coupe for 2021.
Like its automatic counterpart, the stick shift mates a 503-hp twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine. Torque, however, falls from the automatic car's 505 lb-ft to a mere 460 on Vantages equipped with the manual gearbox. The last model on our list of best manual transmission cars in India is the Polo. The Polo is a well-built car that comes with a 1.0-litre petrol unit mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. It offers world-class gearshift quality and light clutch action.
Also, this Maruti Swift-rival has been available in the country for more than ten years now, which means you can easily get some good examples in the second-hand car market. The Maruti Ignis can be viewed as a more practical version of the Swift as it offers a more spacious cabin but comes at a lower price tag. It even provides the same engine options and comes with the same manual and automated manual transmissions. Powering the Ignis is a 1.2-litre petrol unit, which, combined with the well-tuned manual gearbox and the lightweight HEARTECT platform. It also offers an SUV-like driving experience with its increased ride height and a high-set driver's seat.
The Subaru BRZ and its twin, the Toyota 86, both start at about $26,000 and offer a truly engaging drive experience. They are also lightweight , rear-wheel drive, pack 205 hp four-cylinder engines that make that power up at 7,000 rpm, and come standard with a six-speed manual . The Toyota Tacoma only has a manual transmission option in select configurations of the performance-oriented TRD trims with 4-wheel drive. The TRD comes standard with a 278-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine and a 6-speed manual gearbox. To get a Toyota Corolla sedan with a manual gearbox, you'll have to choose a sporty SE model, either the base SE or SE Apex. Both feature a 169-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and a 6-speed stick shift.
The base Subaru WRX includes a 268-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, a 6-speed manual transmission, and all-wheel drive. The high-performance WRX STI, with its more-potent 310-horsepower 2.5-liter turbo-4, is only available with a manual. The Subaru Crosstrek is powered by a 152-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with a standard 6-speed manual transmission, and standard all-wheel drive. Subaru added a new, more-powerful engine option for 2021, but it's not available with the stick. All Chevrolet Camaro trims come standard with a 6-speed manual transmission. The base model has a 275-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine.
A 335-horsepower 3.6-liter V6, 455-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 , and a 650-horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter V8 are available. New for 2022, the CT4-V is a striking sports sedan that can be outfitted with a 6-speed manual. The rear-wheel-drive sedan is powered by a 3.6L turbocharged V6 that makes 472 hp. Cadillac, in an interesting appeal to manual enthusiasts, markets the CT4-V Blackwing as a sedan that is engineered to perform both on the track and as a daily driver—and look good doing it. It's a surprising choice, but it might be one of the best 2022 manual transmission cars on the market.
The base model of the midsize four-door coupe offers a five-speed manual transmission paired to a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 152 horsepower. Manufacturers offered at least 36 cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks in 2021 with manual transmissions either as standard equipment or optional. The models range from the brawny, all-new Ford Bronco SUV to the Hyundai Accent subcompact sedan.
Available in both two- and four-door hardtop forms, a stick-shift turns this car into quite the pint-size ripper on the road. When it comes to engine specs, you can opt for the base 134hp turbocharged 1.5L three-cylinder, the S model's 189hp turbocharged 2.0L inline-four, or the 228hp John Cooper Works. For those that were eyeing the super hot GP, don't hold out hope — it only comes with an eight-speed automatic.
Pour one out for the seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf, as 2021 marks its last year in the United States. The 2021 Golf GTI, meanwhile, also sports a standard six-speed manual. In this model, though, the gearbox mates to a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four that makes 228 hp. Both the Kia Forte's standard 2.0-liter and available turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines offer a six-speed manual transmission option. The gearbox is arguably the perfect complement to the small sedan's sporty exterior styling. Genesishas gotten a lot right with the G70—it's why we named the sports sedan our2019 Car of the Year.
One detail ever-so-right about the G70 is its available manual transmission. Unfortunately, it's only available with the 252-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine—the available 365-hp V-6 pairs exclusively with an automatic gearbox. And, while it seems the transmission is out for 2022, it is allegedly still available on 2021 models. This list was a good bit longerwhen we assembled itback in 2011. There was a time, though, when choosing a manual transmission meant performance and efficiency advantages over the optional slushbox. Modern automatics and continuously variable transmissions consistently return better fuel economy ratings than their clutch pedal-equipped counterparts—and they shift quicker, too.
It's part of the reason why a manual-equippedPorsche 911is slower to 60 mph than an identical car sportingPorsche's PDK dual-clutch automatic gearbox. All-new for the 2022 model year, Subaru's BRZ rear-drive 2+2 sports car still isn't turbocharged but it is more powerful and it's much better looking. Subaru has replaced the BRZ's current 205-hp 2.0-liter flat four with its 228-hp 2.4-liter of the same configuration. Both a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic will be offered. Meanwhile the current 370Z, which hasn't changed much since 2009, remains its most affordable and only rear-drive sports car. The roadster was discontinued last year, but the coupe lives on and comes with a six-speed manual transmission in most trim levels, including the NISMO version.
