No longer the most efficient or sportiest transmission available, precious few manufacturers remain faithful to the manual
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Are you one of those drivers that thinks manual transmissions are outdated and archaic? You’re probably right—and this article will prove it to you. After all, compared to new, high-tech automatic transmissions, manual gearboxes are inferior both in terms of reducing fuel consumption and accelerating from zero to 100 km/h. Hence why they’re on their way out, right?
On the other hand, maybe you’re the nostalgic type. Are you wistful for the good old days when driving a car meant artfully changing gears, maximizing the adrenaline rush of an internal-combustion engine in the peak of its powerband? Are you well-versed in the age-old art of matching revs while downshifting? Well, if so, this article is for you.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve systematically contacted every automaker in Canada to obtain a list of the vehicles still available in this country with a manual transmission, whether it be standard or optional. In so doing, we’ve come across a few surprises. Did you know only one modern pickup truck can be fitted with a stick-shift? And what’s more, it’s Japanese! You might think, too, that General Motors had canned the stick completely after the Chevrolet Corvette bid farewell to its manual in 2020 when the C8 generation launched. And yet, if you play around on the Cadillac build-and-price configurator website — yes, Cadillac! — you’d actually find two GM stickshift offerings.
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Surprises aside, the number of vehicles still available with a manual is dwindling year after year. For the ’26 model year, only 24 models are being sold with this “mécanique” transmission, or roughly 7% of all vehicle nameplates on the Canadian market. That’s a tremendous drop from MY2011 when, according to Edmunds, 37% of the new vehicles sold in North America (more than one-third) had a stick-shift option.
The concept of an affordable base model with a manual transmission is becoming less and less appealing to consumers, most of whom would rather pay extra for automatic transmissions and other luxury features. The new 2026 Nissan Sentra is no longer available with a manual box, for example—in fact there are no longer any compact family-oriented sedans that offer three-pedal driving.
The road to this extinction is paved with the incredible refinement of the modern automatic transmission, some of which now have up to 10 gears; dual clutches; or even an infinite number of ratios (those dreaded CVTs, or continuously variable transmissions). Since all such technologies keep their engines in their optimum rev ranges longer, they typically consume a little less fuel than manuals and, as a consequence, emit fewer pollutants.
Another reason the “standard” transmission is dying is that enthusiasts who prioritize zero-to-100-km/h sprints above all performance criteria have figured out that modern automatics are simply quicker off the mark. Toyota’s GR Supra uses an eight-speed auto to helps its 382-hp straight-six to scream to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, three-tenths of a second quicker than its six-speed manual sibling.
What’s more, the majority of these modern transmissions are equipped with a manual mode, so drivers can use the gear lever or paddles mounted on the steering wheel if they still wish to “row their own gears”. In fact, shifting gears yourself has now become something of a luxury. According to our exhaustive research, the entry-level point for a stick in Canada is now $32,495; those who prefer to row very expensive gears can dole out up to $3.5 million dollars.
The answer is a tie: BMW and Toyota. Both brands have four vehicles in their 2026 lineups that can be delivered with a stick-shift. The German manufacturer offers the BMW M2 Coupe ($81,900); the BMW Z4 Roadster (well, for now, and only in the M40i trim, for $85,900); the BMW M3 sedan ($95,900); and the BMW M4 Coupe ($97,900). In the first two cases, the six-speed manual transmission is a no-cost option. For the two larger cars, the manual transmission is standard on the base model, although not available on the Competition variant.
Four 2026 Toyota vehicles can also be equipped with a manual transmission. This list includes the GR86 ($32,695) as well as the new(ish) GR Corolla Hatchback ($50,045) and the Toyota GR Supra, which retails for $69,685 in its Final Edition. The six-speed manual transmission is standard for all three sports cars.
Then there’s the Toyota Tacoma, the only pickup truck on offer in North American market to offer this option. It’s not available on all trims, however, being offered only in two of its TRD variants: the TRD Off-Road ($50,470); and TRD Sport ($54,269), both a double cab and five-foot bed.
When paired with the six-speed manual transmission, their turbocharged 2.4L four-cylinder engine develops a max of 270 horsepower and 310 pound-foot of torque, a loss of eight hp and seven lb-ft compared to the same Tacoma equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission.
Unsurprisingly, the 2026 Ford Mustang continues to rev its V8 engine with a six-speed manual transmission, in this case aided by a rev-matching system for smooth downshifts. It is standard on the GT and GT Premium trim (starting at $52,930); and optional on the Dark Horse variant ($79,650).
The second model in the Ford stable to offer a stick-shift is an SUV: the 2026 Ford Bronco takes nostalgia to the max with not six, but seven gears that you can swap manually. It comes standard not only on the entry-level trim ($51,515) but also on the Big Bend, Badlands, and Heritage versions (however, it’s available only with the 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder).
Even though the Chevrolet Corvette has abandoned manual, GM is not quite done with the stick just yet. While German competitors Audi and Mercedes-Benz no longer offer any stick-shift models, GM’s Cadillac division offers two sedans so equipped: the 2026 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, with its 472-horsepower twin-turbo V6 ($72,899); and the 2026 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, with its 668-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8 ($110,799).
That said, you’ll have to act fast, as production of these models will cease after the 2026 model year. According to the latest information, only the Cadillac CT5 will be replaced by a next-gen sedan that “will retain gasoline engines,” but it is not yet known whether the Blackwing version – if there is a Blackwing version – will still let you row your own gears.
At Mazda, there is no doubt the MX-5 will continue to offer a manual. The roadster offers it with all its trims, and buyers love it: three out of four in Canada opt for the stick-shift, whether they choose the soft-top ($35,100) or the hard-top RF ($42,100) configuration. We understand why; Mazda’s is one of the most enjoyable manuals in the industry.
However, the Hiroshima-based manufacturer may well reconsider offering a manual trans for the GT variant of its Mazda3 Sport ($34,500). Last year, only 5.6% of the compact hatchback’s Canadian sales were of three-pedal models.
Of the models built in its own factories, Subaru relies on the 271-hp Subaru WRX (starting at $37,995) to satisfy stick-shift enthusiasts. But via its partnership with Toyota, Subaru also offers the least expensive manual-transmission model in the Canadian market: the $32,495 two-door Subaru BRZ, with its 228-hp 2.4-liter boxer engine, which undercuts its Toyota GR86 twin by $200.
At Acura, only the Integra keeps your right leg doublement busy. While the Acura Integra Elite A-Spec ($50,310) offers a choice between manual and automatic transmission, the Acura Integra Type S comes exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission ($62,035).
As for Honda, the Civic does not offer automatic transmissions in its Si ($39,576) or its Type R ($53,199 [MY2025 MSRP]) trims. Both rely exclusively on a six-speed manual to make the most of their turbocharged four-cylinders, a 1.5L with 200 hp in the sedan; and a 2.0L with 315 hp in the hatchback. Notably, the Honda Civic Si is the only car with a manual transmission built in Canada, in Honda’s Alliston plant in Ontario.
Of the vehicles in Hyundai’s 2026 lineup, only the 2026 Hyundai Elantra N ($40,949) and its track-oriented variant, the 2026 Hyundai Elantra N TCR Edition ($47,599), offer a choice between two- or three-pedal driving. However, if you opt for the six-speed, you’ll miss out on Hyundai’s N Grin Shift feature, which offers a 20-second extra-10-hp boost on top of the 276 ponies the 2.0L turbo boasts stock. That mode’s reserved for the Elantra turbo’s eight-speed dual-clutch automatic.
The Jeep Wrangler remains true to its origins, offering the only manual transmission in the Stellantis (Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Ram) portfolio. The six-speed manual is standard with almost all versions powered by the long-serving Pentastar 3.6L V6 engine (285 hp, 260 lb-ft), no matter if you choose a two-door ($40,700) or a four-door ($54,395) Wrangler. On the other hand, its Jeep Gladiator pickup truck sibling abandoned the old-school gearbox last year.
The Lotus Emira is available in an “entry-level” trim that features a 400-hp 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Lotus says it’s the world’s fastest four-cylinder sports car, with a max speed of 291 km/h. If you want to drive this made-in-the-U.K. mini-supercar with a stick, you’ll have to upgrade to the supercharged 3.5L V6 version ($142,900). It will cost you an extra $8,000.
Despite boasting exactly the same 400 hp, the Lotus Emira V6 with six-speed manual (and limited-slip differential) is three-tenths of a second slower (at 4.3 seconds) than the dual-clutch four-banger. Swap out the four-cylinder’s dual-clutch for a traditional automatic, though, and it’s actually slower than the V6 manual (at 4.8s) to 100 clicks. Finally! We’ve found one car with a stick that’s quicker than its automatic-trans equivalent.
As mentioned in the introduction, the new-generation Nissan Sentra gradually making its way to Canadian dealerships no longer offers a manual, not even for its SR sport trim. This leaves only one car in the Nissan lineup with three pedals: the Nissan Z ($50,998). Note that the Nismo performance version of the Z, that bumps the twin-turbo V6 from 400 to 420 hp, is available only with a nine-speed auto.
With the gas-powered Porsche Boxster and Cayman being discontinued for 2026, only the venerable 911 remains in the Porsche stable of manual offerings. On one hand, you have to shift the six speeds in the 2026 Porsche 911 Carrera T ($154,500) and Carrera T Cabriolet ($170,500) yourself—the manual gearbox is the only option on both. On the other, the Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 Touring offer a choice between a manual and the double-clutch Porsche DoppelKupplungsgetriebe or “PDK” ($245,300 for each trim, no matter the transmission).
In the Volkswagen family, only the GLI sport version of the VW Jetta ($35,395) can be delivered with three pedals; the other trims of the German sedan have come only with automatics since MY2025. That same year also marked the end of production for two other cars with manual gearbox, the 2026 VW Golf GTi; and the 2026 VW Golf R, now available only with a seven-speed DSG automatic. To think that at some point, these pocket-rockets could be delivered only with a manual!
It’s partly our fault. The undeniable rise in popularity of SUVs means traditional cars have lost a lot of ground, starting with the small, affordable models. Not so long ago, inexpensive sedans or subcompact hatchbacks abounded with manual transmissions. However, that’s no longer the case; Kia discontinued its Forte in 2022, and thus its stick-shift offerings; and Mitsubishi stopped producing its Mirage last year. Exit, then, the most affordable car on the market, and its stickshift.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you’re in the market for a luxury car, you’ve probably noticed most brands there no longer offer manual transmissions either. Shopping at Audi? Don’t bother looking: manuals disappeared with MY2019, replaced by dual-clutch automatics. The same year saw Jaguar-Land Rover lose its stick-shift, too, when the Canadian market said good-bye to the Jag F-Type.
At Mercedes-Benz, its last manual dates back even further, to the 2015 SLK 250 roadster. And you have to go back to 2013 (and the small C30) to find a stick-shift in a Volvo. Mini did all it could to #SaveTheManual, but to no avail. MY2024 marked the end of manual transmissions in the lineup, even for the spicy John Cooper Works configurations.
It goes without saying that supercars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, and other Italian brands now rely solely on high-tech, no-clutch transmissions. But there is one exception. Pagani’s delivered three-quarters of its 852-hp Pagani Utopias with a seven-speed manual—with its rev-matching system, of course.
As our own Motor Mouth so aptly put it after test driving that supercar, “who cares that it would be slower, make the car more difficult to drive, and that the mating of clutch, gear selectors, and a V12 engine twice turbocharged is as difficult a pairing as there is in automotive powertrain engineering?”
Who cares? Not anyone who splashed out CDN$3.5 million for Pagani’s latest, apparently.
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