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.
REVIEW: THE 2024 ACURA INTEGRA TYPE S AIN’T FOR EVERYONE
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.
MORE NEWS ON AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATIONS FROM AMERICAN CARS AND RACING
“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.”
Read This Next
