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A great deal has been said about the impending death of the manual transmission, and it seems that the projection is proving to be accurate. Nowhere is this more evident than in the pickup truck segment, where nearly all automakers now offer only automatic gearboxes across their ranges. Just last year, you could order a new Jeep Gladiator with a standard six-speed manual. But that’s sadly no longer the case, after Stellantis ditched the stick shift as part of its updates for 2025, leaving the previously optional eight-speed automatic as the lone gearbox.
Due to this, the Toyota Tacoma is now the only new pickup truck with a manual transmission. That’s thanks to its available six-speed manual, which features the second-gen version of Toyota’s intelligent manual transmission (iMT2) automatic rev-matching and anti-stall technology to smoothen things out. Note, though, that the manual doesn’t come standard and is only available on select trims. Rather, what you get by default is an eight-speed automatic. The death of the manual isn’t just a truck problem, According to our findings, there are only 34 new cars available with a manual transmission in 2025.
That doesn’t really fit the dying breed image, but when you consider how things were back in the day, the picture becomes clearer. Per the EPA, about 65% of all light-duty vehicles produced in 1980 had an automatic gearbox, meaning manual-equipped vehicles held onto a reasonable 35% of market share. But by 2022, the percentage of manual-equipped light-duty vehicles had dropped to less than 1%. According to the EPA, automatic transmissions have grown in popularity due to their ability to “provide greater efficiency by optimizing engine operation and reducing energy losses when transmitting power to the wheels.”
Read more: Consumer Reports’ 10 Best Used Cars Under $20,000 Are A Great Way To Dodge Republican Tariffs
Of the 2025 Toyota trims, only the Tacoma SR, TRD Sport, and TRD Off-Road are available with a manual transmission. But even these models require specific engines and configurations to grant access. But first, the engines. The Tacoma comes with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder, offered as either the i-FORCE 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four engine or the i-FORCE MAX 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four hybrid powertrain introduced for 2024. The entry-level SR trim is the only model that offers the base turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder, which produces 228 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. The higher output variant of the i-Force engine offers two power levels: 270 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque or 278 hp and 317 pound-feet of torque.
The mightier i-FORCE MAX 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four hybrid powertrain, meanwhile, pairs the turbo four-cylinder with a 48-hp electric motor for a combined 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. Now, if you want the six-speed manual, you’ll have to go with the i-FORCE 2.4-liter turbocharged and make do with slightly less power at 270 hp and 310 pound-feet. The base-spec i-FORCE inline-four and the 326-hp i-FORCE MAX engines are automatic-only.
From there, you’ll have to choose the double cab configuration, which seats up to five occupants, to gain access to the manual. This applies to the base SR trim, while the TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road trims are only available in double cab configurations. Surprisingly, Tacoma models with the manual transmission get the worst fuel economy and are estimated to get 20 mpg in combined city-highway driving, according to the EPA. Tacoma Hybrid models with the automatic gearbox top the range with an average 23 combined mpg.
Deciding whether or not to buy the Toyota Tacoma ultimately comes down to what you value most in a truck. If you’re looking for a workhorse, it would be wise to opt for a full-size pickup, as they’re designed to handle heavier loads. That’s opposed to the Tacoma, which only boasts decent towing and payload capacities, with its max towing capacity rated at 6,500 pounds. The 2025 Tacoma can also carry up to 1,705 pounds of payload in its bed.
If you’re happy with those numbers and prioritize the manual transmission, then the Tacoma is a no-brainer. Historically, it’s been one of the best pickup trucks to buy, whether new or used. It is rated highly for its reliability and currently ranks as the truck with the best resale value after five years, according to KBB, which projects the midsize truck will retain up to 64.1% of its original value in that time. iSeeCars rates the Tacoma’s value retention even higher, at 74%, putting it just behind the venerable Porsche 911 and Porsche 718 Cayman in its ranking of vehicles with the lowest amount of depreciation.
There’s also the fact that the current Tacoma features rear coil springs, which help smooth out the ride on the road. As a matter of fact, there’s very little wrong with the Taco, and if you want a new truck with a manual transmission, the time-tested Tacoma is your best (and only) option.
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