Stick Shift Car Sales Are Getting Into Gear Again
DIY driving is having a day.
The sale of vehicles with manual transmissions is on the rise in the United States.
According to a report from Wards Auto, sales of stick shift cars at CarMax were up from 2.4% in 2020 to 2.9% last year. J.D. Power data also shows a steep increase nationwide from .9% in 2021 to 1.7% this year.
It’s not just economy cars that are pushing the revival, however, as many aren’t even offered with a manual transmission anymore. That includes the Mitsubishi Mirage, which is the second-cheapest new vehicle available today at a starting price of $17,790, while the $17,050 Nissan Versa still comes with a five-speed stick.
Cars with modern automatics are typically more fuel efficient than those with manuals these days. They often don’t always carry much of a price premium, either, which has lessened the appeal of manuals from an economy perspective, while the driving engagement they provide has become a novelty that outweighs their downsides for some buyers.
The Honda Civic, Ford Mustang and Subaru WRX, are the top-selling vehicles equipped with manuals at CarMax, followed by the Jeep Wrangler, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Focus and VW Jetta.
Ford made a big deal about the 2024 Mustang being offered with a six-speed manual across the lineup, while the Bronco can be ordered with a seven-speed stick. The $93,390 CT5-V Blackwing has an optional six-speed to to with its 668 hp supercharged V8 making it the most luxurious American car with a manual.
The Honda Civic Si and Civic Type R, along with the Ohio-built Acura Integra Type S, are stand-outs in the market as they are only available with six-speed manuals. If you want one, you’ll need to learn how to drive it.
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At least one model will be leaving the list of stick-shift equipped vehicles next year, as production of the Dodge Challenger ends and it is replaced by the all-electric Charger Daytona SRT.
But while electric cars don’t require clutches and gears, Dodge has developed a system it calls the eRupt that simulates the effect of hard shifts to enhance the muscle car experience.
It has also designed a Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, which uses speakers, sound channels and force generators to create the effect of a rumbling internal combustion engine and a roaring exhaust sound.
Toyota may take things to an even more extreme level with an electric car that has an actual manual transmission.
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“You hear the engine noise inside the car and you have a manual transmission with a clutch,” Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda recentlly told Automotive News. “You truly do not notice you are driving an electric car — the only thing missing is the smell of gasoline.”
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