The past few months have been tough for new car buyers who like to shift their own gears. Some of the machines we could always depend on to offer three pedals, like the Mini Cooper and VW Golf GTI and R, can no longer be ordered with a stick.
But the good news is there are plenty of cars on sale in America in 2025 that can still be ordered with a manual transmission. In some cases they can only be ordered with a manual. The even better news is that more than half of them cost less that $40k, so let’s dive into our list of 22, starting with the most affordable.
Mazda MX-5 Miata – from $30,515
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The least expensive manual car on our list (we skipped the Nissan Versa, whose only appeal is its $20k price) arguably has the best shift feel of all, and with a modest 181 hp (184 PS) under the hood of the MX-5, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to enjoy it.
Honda Civic Si and Type R – from $31,045
Honda dropped the manual option for the regular Civic for ’25, but it’s compulsory on both the fun 200 hp (203 PS) Si and Porsche-chasing 315hp (318 PS) Type R.
Toyota GR86 – from $31,085
The 86 and its fractionally pricier Subaru BRZ twin are great Miata alternatives for folks who want a touch more space. The GR86 can be had with an auto, but it’s hard to justify that choice when it’s less engaging and 0.5 seconds slower to 60 mph (96 km/h).
Mazda3 – from $31,835
You can’t get a manual trans on the base Mazda3 or the 250 hp (254 PS) Turbo – in fact the 191 hp (194 PS) S Premium is the only trim that gets a clutch pedal. The 3’s a fun steer, but for $32k we’d take a Civic Si or pick one of the entries coming up further down our list.
Subaru WRX – from $36,920
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At $33,855 last year’s base WRX was a real bargain, and got you the same 271 hp (275 PS) boxer engine and manual transmission that featured on the high-spec $42,775 TR. But Subaru has killed the base car for ’25, meaning the bottom rung of the WRX ladder is the $3k more expensive Premium and the TR’s replacement, the tS, is a steep $46,875.
Hyundai Elantra N – from $33,950
A 286 hp (290 PS) 2.0-liter turbo four and fine chassis gives the Elantra N serious bang for buck credibility, and skipping the available eight-speed auto for the six-speed manual alternative saves you $1,500 and a couple of mpg.
VW Jetta GLI – from $34,395
Euro emissions rules forced VW to make the German-built Golf GTI and R auto-only for ’25, but the party’s not completely over for manual-loving American VW fans. The sporty Jetta GLI is made in Mexico and offers a 228 hp (231 PS) with a choice of manual or DSG transmissions, though VW did remove manual availability from lesser Jetta trims.
Jeep Wrangler – from $34,585
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It seems only right that a vehicle as agricultural as a Wrangler should be available with a manual shift, and at one stage Jeep wanted to make a stick the only transmission for models equipped with the 285 hp (290 PS) 3.6-liter V6 in 2025, only to change its mind a few months later. The 270 (274 PS) 2.0 four, 375 hp (380) 4xe hybrid and 470 hp (482 PS) 6.4 V8 are auto-only.
Toyota Tacoma – from $38,495
Unless we’re mistaken (we’re sure you’ll let us know) Jeep’s decision to drop the manual option on the Gladiator makes the Toyota Tacoma the only DIY-shift pickup on sale in the US. Choosing the stick does require selecting the four-door double-cab body and accepting an 8 hp (8 PS) drop to 270 hp (274 PS) from the 2.4-liter turbo four.
Acura Integra – from $39,195
Like its Honda Accord cousin, the Acura Integra is available as a manual, but not on the most affordable trims. You’ll need to pick the $39k A-spec Technology or go all-in on Acura’s equivalent to the Civic Type R, the $54k Type S, to give your left leg something to do.
Toyota GR Corolla – from $39,995
Toyota added an eight-speed auto option to the previously manual-only GR Corolla for 2025, but the stick version enjoys the same 22 lb-ft (30 Nm) torque bump to 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) on its 300 hp (304 PS) 1.6-liter turbocharged, three-cylinder engine.
Ford Bronco – from $41,620
While plenty of automakers treat manual transmissions like luxury items, restricting them to upscale trims, Ford takes a more, well, retro approach when it comes to the Bronco. So a stick is standard on the 300 hp (304 PS) 2.3-liter, four-cylinder EcoBoost motor, but is removed from the menu if you upgrade to the 330 hp (335 PS) 2.7-liter V6.
Nissan Z – from $45,000 (est)
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Nissan sent our emotions on a roller coaster ride when it revealed the more focused Z Nismo we’d all been waiting for, then admitted the new hardcore model would only be available as an automatic. So save yourself up to $22k (2025 prices are still TBC) by choosing a Sport or Performance trim that both get a manual option and the same 400 hp (405 PS) 3.0-liter V6 as the Nismo car.
Ford Mustang – from $48,350
In a reverse of the Bronco situation, you can’t get a manual Mustang if the 2.3 EcoBoost is under the hood, Ford instead insisting you upgrade to the 480 hp (485 PS) V8-powered GT. The Dark Horse, which gets an extra 20 hp (20 PS) and different chassis tune, is also available with a choice of six-speed manual and 10-speed auto.
Toyota Supra – from $57,385
Toyota killed off the 2.0-liter Supra for 2025, dramatically increasing the sports car’s base price, though not for buyers dead-set on rowing their own gears because the manual was only ever offered on the 3.0-liter BMW six.
Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing – from $63,590
Reminding us that the Germans aren’t the only ones who can build a great sports sedan, the smaller of Cadillac’s Blackwings, the CT4-V, mates a 472 hp (479 PS) bi-turbo V6 to a six-speed manual transmission, though a 10-speed auto is available if you really must.
BMW M2 – from $66,675
BMW’s entry-level M car is also one of its purest. There’s no heavy hybrid equipment or all-wheel drive, just 473 hp (480 PS) of six-cylinder power that’s channeled to the rear wheels via a no-cost option six-speed manual. The four door con-Competition M3 sedan and M4 coupe run the same drivetrain.
BMW Z4 M40i – from $68,175
You can’t get a six-speed manual on BMW’s M240i, but you can on the Z4 M40i that features the exact same 382 hp (387 PS), 3.0-liter inline six. Picking the excellent eight-speed automatic won’t cost you any more money, but it’ll definitely cost you a few smiles.
Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman – from $74,795
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Sales of Porsche’s 718 Boxster and Cayman have been enjoying a second wind as buyers decide to grab one before they’re replaced by a pair of EVs. The four-cylinder base and S and the six-cylinder GTS are all available as manuals or autos, but the GT4 RS and its open-top Spyder RS counterpart are PDK-only.
Lotus Emira – from $79,000 (est)
America only gets the supercharged Toyota V6-powered Emira and not the AMG 2.0-liter model, but since the 395 hp (400 PS) V6 is the only one built with a choice of transmissions, that’s fine by us.
Cadillac CTV-5 Blackwing – from $99,090
BMW’s new PHEV M5 might have more power than Caddy’s CT5-V Blackwing, and Audi’s RS6 Avant more visual attitude, but neither of them is crazy enough to offer a 668 hp (677 PS) supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that drives just the rear wheels via a six-speed manual.
Porsche 911 Carrera T and GT3 – from $135,995
The glaring omission of a manual in the new 992.2 lineup has been resolved mid-year with the arrival of the 2025 911 Carrera T, which is only available with a six-speed stick (the old one had seven ratios), this one topped with a wooden knob, a bit like the one on the old Carrera GT hypercar. Want something even more driver-focused? The GT3 and its choice of PDK and six-speed manual is also back for 2025, and although emissions rules have sapped 15 lb-ft (20 Nm), Porsche retained the 503 hp (510 PS) output and shortened the final drive to make sure make sure the new car is no slower.