In what is now an annual tradition at Motor1, we’re kicking off 2025 by sending lots of emails to automakers to see what manual transmission sales were like the previous year. This gives us a look at the state of the manual in America, where it is certainly not the dominant transmission choice, but continues to hold steady among enthusiasts.
We lost some manual cars for 2024, perhaps most notably the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. Others were discontinued throughout the year amid the changeover to the 2025 model year. But there was a new car added to the list, and plenty of manual-transmission models that sold respectably.
Enough throat-clearing, here’s what we learned:
Acura
Acura is the only automaker that sells a luxury compact with a manual transmission, and sales of the three-pedal Integra are respectable. This year’s take rate of 19.8 percent is down from 22 percent last year, and Integra sales were down across the board. But it still accounts for nearly 5,000 cars. The manual is available on the A-Spec Technology package and is the only transmission offered for the Type S.
BMW
- M2: 50%
- M3: 20%
- M4: 15%
- Z4: 65%
BMW was one of the rare automakers to add a manual model for 2024, the Z4 M40i Edition Handschalter Package. It shares its six-speed manual with its Toyota GR Supra twin, and it proved popular. BMW tells us that 65 percent of customers opted for the Handschalter Package. That actually helped Z4 sales tick up last year.
Meanwhile, BMW M manual sales are holding steady. The six-speed take rate on the M2 is around 50 percent, while the M3’s is 20 percent and the M4’s is 15 percent. That’s about the same as last year.
Cadillac
- CT4-V Blackwing: Around 50%
- CT5-V Blackwing: Around 50%
With the Chevrolet Camaro gone, Cadillac is the only GM brand that still offers manual-transmission cars in America. As has been the case since the launch of the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing in 2022, manual take rates remain strong. A spokesperson tells us around 50 percent, unchanged from last year.
The CT5-V Blackwing also got a big update for 2025 with a facelift and an optional Precision Package, which is aimed at shaving lap times. Thankfully, you can still get it with a manual, too.
Ford
- Bronco: Not Provided
- Mustang: Not Provided
Same as last year, Ford declined to provide take-rate figures, instead simply telling us “Ford is proud to give customers the choice of a manual transmission on two great vehicles.” A manual is available for the four-cylinder Bronco, the Mustang GT, and the Dark Horse. The Mustang is unique in being the only car available with a naturally aspirated V-8 and a clutch pedal, now that the Camaro has gone and the Challenger has been replaced with the new two-door Charger, which doesn’t offer a manual.
Honda
Photo by: Motor1.com
For decades, Honda has set the standard for manual-transmission cars, though 2024 saw it pare back some of its manual offerings. With the 2025 Civic facelift that arrived mid-way through the year, Honda dropped the manual on all but its sportiest Civic models, the Si and Type R. Still, the manual take rate was strong at 7.2 percent, about the same as last year.
Given Honda sold over 240,000 Civics in total last year, it’s one of the most popular manual-transmission cars out there, despite a single-digit take rate percentage. We’re curious to see if that changes for 2025, with fewer manual Civic offerings.
Hyundai
Hyundai’s only manual car is a great one. The recently facelifted Elantra N comes standard with a six-speed manual, and while it isn’t quite the sweetest manual out there, it’s still the transmission we’d pick over the optional seven-speed dual-clutch. We’re in the minority, apparently, but manual Elantra N sales are on the rise. Hyundai tells us that the take rate ticked up from 25 to 30 percent compared with last year.
Jeep
Photo by: Jeep
- Gladiator: Not Provided
- Wrangler: Not Provided
As was the case last year, Jeep declined to provide specific figures for manual take rates. Instead, a spokesperson told us in a statement “[t]he majority of our customers prefer the eight-speed automatic transmission. Despite low demand, the Jeep brand will continue to offer the six-speed manual for those Wrangler enthusiasts who enjoy its engagement and control.”
Last year marked the end of the manual-transmission Gladiator, though, leaving Toyota as the only automaker selling a stick-shift pickup in the US.
Kia
Last year marked the end for the Forte, with the new K4 taking its place. A lot of enthusiasts probably didn’t realize you could get a manual Forte, but a six-speed was available for the top-trim Forte GT. As was the case last year, a spokesperson tells us it only made up less than 2 percent of Forte sales.
Lotus
Photo by: DW Burnett / Motor1
After years of waiting, Lotus finally began US Emira deliveries early in 2024. The six-speed manual is only available on the Emira V-6—the Emira Turbo pairs its AMG-built four-cylinder with an eight-speed dual-clutch. Lotus tells us 86 percent of Emira V-6 customers went for the manual. That’s one of the highest take rates we’ve seen out of any car, but we suspect that in the future, the overall Emira manual take rate will be lower as Lotus delivers more four-cylinder cars.
Mazda
- Mazda3: Not Provided
- Miata: Around 70%
Mazda continues to offer two manual models, the Mazda3 hatchback and the Miata. The automaker declined to provide a take-rate figure for the 3, but Miata manual take rate went up from around 60 percent in 2023 to 70 percent in 2024. Perhaps that’s because the automatic is now only available on the Grand Touring trim, effectively raising the two-pedal Miata’s cost by around $5,000.
Mazda facelifted the Miata for the 2024 model year, with subtle mechanical improvements that made one of the best sports cars out there even better. And it’s all the better with a stick.
Mini
- Cooper: About 15% (Through February 29, 2024)
- Cooper S: About 15% (Through February 29, 2024)
- Cooper JCW: About 45% (Through February 29, 2024)
While Mini traditionally sold a lot of manual cars in the States, their production ended in February. Even still, the manual take rate was pretty high while cars were still available. Fifteen percent for the Cooper and Cooper S (including two- and four-door body styles, and convertibles) and 45 percent for the Cooper JCW. Mini tells us it saw a spike in manual orders when it announced the manual’s eventual departure back in 2023.
Obviously, this only represents a small fraction of Mini Cooper models built across 2024, as the fourth-generation model began production in 2024.
Nissan
- Versa: Not Provided
- Z: Not Provided
Nissan declined to provide manual take rate figures for the past year. But for 2025, you can still get two manual models from the company, the base Versa sedan—which comes standard with what is surely the last five-speed manual on the market—and the Z sports car. We imagine that Nissan doesn’t build many manual Versas, but Z sales finally ticked up in 2024, and we’re hoping that a decent few have manuals. Maybe Nissan will listen to enthusiasts and put a six-speed in the Z Nismo, too.
Pagani
Photo by: Sevian Daupi / Motor1
Last year, Pagani told us that globally, 70% of Utopia customers chose the optional seven-speed manual. A spokesperson confirmed to us that it’s the same case with US customers. Pagani began US deliveries of its third-ever model last April. Quite obviously, we’re only talking about a very small handful of cars here—Pagani only builds about 50 cars a year for the globe, and it only plans to make 99 Utopia Coupes and 130 Roadsters.
Porsche
Photo by: Porsche
- 718 Boxster / Cayman: 43%
- 911: 37%
(Note: Only models where there’s a choice between manual and automatic. Not for those that are manual- or auto-only.)
Porsche has a very robust business selling manual cars—just look at what people are willing to pay for the manual-only 911 S/T. Porsche provided us with take-rate figures for 718 and 911 models where there is a choice of transmission. In other words, not necessarily 43 percent of all 718s and 37 percent of all 911s sold here last year have three pedals. There are automatic-only variants of both, and manual-only versions of the 911, the S/T, and the recently introduced Carrera T.
The take rates were about the same as last year. And we know Porsche is committed to manual sports cars, and the new Carrera T—complete with shift-pattern decals in the quarter windows and an M/T badge by the shifter—is proof.
Subaru
Photo by: Brian Silvestro / Motor1
Subaru continues to be one of the top sellers of manual cars in the US, even if the base Impreza/Crosstrek are now CVT-only. As was the case last year, the BRZ’s manual take rate is holding strong at a little under 80 percent, while the WRX’s increased from 74 percent to 86.7 percent we see right now. With 18,587 sold in total across 2024 and thus 16,115 manuals, the ‘Rex is one of the most popular manual cars in the country.
Toyota
Photo by: Toyota
- GR86: 53%
- GR Corolla: 97%
- GR Supra: 65%
- Tacoma: 2%
Toyota manual take rates actually went up in 2024, with the GR86 rising from 48 percent to 53 percent, Supras going from 43 percent to 65 percent, and the Tacoma going from 1.4 percent to 2.0 percent. Note with the Supra that the automatic-only four-cylinder base model died around halfway through the year, so that will have swung the take rate further towards manual. Still, it’s a very impressive showing for the sports car.
And before you dismiss the 2.0 percent for the Tacoma, consider that Toyota sold 192,813 Tacomas total in 2024, making the manual pickup a decently strong seller by volume. The GR Corolla only just recently added a new automatic model, with production starting late last year, hence the extremely high take rate for the manual.
Volkswagen
Photo by: Anthony Alaniz / Motor1
- Jetta: 6% (GLI 38%)
- Golf GTI: 41%
- Golf R: 52%
Unfortunately, 2024 was the last year for the manual Golf GTI and Golf R. That helped drive manual sales for both models, with take rates for the GTI and Golf R ticking up from 45 percent and 38 percent, respectively. Both hatchbacks saw big sales increases last year, so clearly people wanted to grab manual versions while they still could.
The Jetta saw a huge sales increase of 51.5 percent year-over-year, but the manual take rate went down 3 percent to 6 percent overall. A facelift introduced partway through the year saw the discontinuation of the manual option for the base Jetta and Jetta Sport, which could explain the dip. However, GLI manual sales went up from 33 percent in 2023 to 38 percent in 2024. Perhaps the take rate could tick up further in 2025, now that it’s VW’s only manual offering in the US.
In the grand scheme of things, manual-transmission cars make up a fraction of the cars sold in America. And we’re losing a handful of models represented on this list for 2025. Yet, take rate figures seem to be generally holding strong across the board, with numbers actually ticking up in the case of cars like the Mazda Miata and Toyota Supra. We’re also seeing cases where manual sales increase for models that will soon lose their clutch pedals—like the Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Golf—and for when there’s a new manual offering, like the BMW Z4.
In spite of everything, there continues to be a market for manual cars. Let’s hope it stays that way.
