Top Cars for Mastering Manual Transmission
Learning to drive a manual transmission car can be a rewarding experience. It provides a greater sense of control and connection with the vehicle. While some carmakers are moving away from manual transmissions, many still offer them, recognizing the appeal for driving enthusiasts. Choosing the right car can make the learning process smoother and more enjoyable. Here's a look at some of the best cars for learning manual transmission.
Why Learn Manual?
Driving a stick shift empowers you to feel truly in control of the machine. In a sports car, you feel one with the machine and in control of the road. Mastering this art isn’t just for gearheads; it’s a way to understand how your car works and gain more control in various driving conditions. Remember the basics: the left foot operates the clutch (and only the clutch), while the right foot is for braking and accelerating.
Cars Ideal for Learning Manual Transmission
Mazda MX-5 Miata
The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata remains resolutely faithful to the rear-wheel-drive sports car's original format, which includes a manual transmission. Mazda doesn't limit the gearbox to one bodystyle of the MX-5 Miata, either. The stick is available in both cloth-top MX-5 Miata and power-folding targa-top MX-5 Miata RF forms. In our opinion the six-speed manual is the only legitimate choice for this lightweight, fun-to-drive sports car. It pairs beautifully with the free-revving 2.0-liter inline-four and highlights the heightened sense of driver engagement that the MX-5 is all about. Plus, the desirable Club trim level with the Brembo/BBS Recaro package is available only with the manual. It’s incredibly affordable.
Honda Civic Si
Not only does Honda offer the sporty Civic Si in a six-speed manual, but the brand also only offers it in a manual. The 200-hp, 1.5-liter turbo-four is attached to an extra-buttery six-speed manual that we love. Like with the Type R, the stick-shift is the only transmission choice for the Civic Si. Rated for 36 mpg on the highway and starting at $35,000, the Civic Si includes Honda’s Sensing Suite, which is its up-to-date safety and driver-assist package.
Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ
Codeveloped with Subaru, the Toyota GR86 is a mechanical twin to the BRZ. The GR86, a lightweight rear-wheel-drive sports car, is one of the best-driving new cars at any price. Part of that brilliance comes from the wonderful six-speed manual transmission that helps the driver make the most out of the 228-horsepower 2.4-liter flat-four engine and balanced chassis. The Subaru BRZ holds the fun drive dynamics of the 86, including its 228 HP output.
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Jeep Wrangler
The iconic Jeep Wrangler is ideal for getting off the grid or finding a treasure beach that no one else can access. Lots of torque, positive shifter feel and a long clutch throw make it pretty easy to get it moving, and it's just a lot of fun to drive a Jeep. The Jeep Wrangler is in its natural state in a stick shift.
Toyota Corolla Hatchback
While often car brands delegate manual transmission models to the bottom rung of the lineup, Toyota reserved the manual for the upper-end SE model. Priced at $23,000, it’s pretty nicely loaded with features like Apple CarPlay, premium JBL sound system, sport seats and exterior details like a spoiler and LED accent lighting. But best of all, this model, as with all Toyotas, has Toyota Safety Sense driver assist and safety features standard, including adaptive cruise control, lane trace assist and more.
Nissan Z
The Nissan Z deserves a place on your vision board. When it was redesigned, Nissan went back to the classic heritage designs of the old 270Z and 280Z models, bringing its simple lines, distinct shape and front and rear proportions into the modern era. And it’s a show-stopper. Nissan's retro-styled Z comes with a six-speed manual in all but the top-line NISMO trim (though this changes for 2027). Regardless of gearbox, the Z comes standard with a 400-hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, with the hotter NISMO netting a total of 420 horses (nice).
Subaru WRX
The Subaru WRX might be the perfect cross between Subaru’s reputation for fun-to-drive cars and cars that are so practical they make their owners fall in love. With standard all-wheel drive and a heady 271 horsepower from its turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four engine, the sub-$35,000 WRX is among the better values in the sports sedan segment. The WRX, with its powertrain that delivers 271 HP, is one of the most powerful in the Subie family and frequently outfitted for off-road rally driving thanks to its manual transmission and AWD, sort of a rare combo.
Ford Mustang
Thankfully Ford has elected to keep the six-speed manual around as an option for the latest Mustang, though it's no longer available on the base EcoBoost trim. If you want three pedals, you'll have to opt for the versions with a 5.0-liter V-8 model, which include the GT and the Dark Horse. A Ford Mustang in the driveway will make everyone in your family jockey for time with it; adding a stick shift means you’ll get more one-on-one time with your Mustang.
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Acura Integra and Integra Type S
As our 2024 Performance Car of the Year under $100,000, the Acura Integra Type S blends track performance, everyday livability, and a huge amount of driving enjoyment. With the same mechanicals as the Civic Type R, this 320-hp hatchback with a standard six-speed manual is toned down a bit compared with the raucous Honda without compromising engagement. The base Integra is also offered with a manual transmission if you opt for the A-Spec trim level. Acura sells two different versions of its Integra fastback with a manual gearbox: the standard car with a 200-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder and the raucous Integra Type S, which employs a 320-hp turbo 2.0-liter four. In fact, Acura offers the latter model exclusively with a stick.
Hyundai Elantra N
The Elantra sedan is the only N car available with a manual transmission, though. The clutch action might not be ideal, but the shifter for the standard six-speed gearbox is fantastic. With its hot-hatchback Veloster N and SUV Kona N counterparts now discontinued, the Elantra N carries the mantle for Hyundai's performance brand along with the electric Ioniq 5 N. Nabbing a Hyundai Elantra with a stick shift requires jumping up to the high-performance N trim. The $36,345 four-door is a real riot too. Credit the neck-snapping straight-line speed provided by the car's 276-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
BMW M2
Thankfully, BMW still offers its smallest M car, the wonderful M2, with a six-speed manual. The latest generation of the M2 features a 473-hp turbocharged inline-six and rear-wheel drive, and the stick-shift helps it hew to the simplicity and joy of prior generations of M cars. Mercifully, BMW continues to offer a manual transmission in its small M2 sports coupe.
BMW M3
Every BMW M3 since the original E30 has offered a manual gearbox. Thankfully, BMW continues to keep that streak alive. Like its mechanical twin, the M4, the high-performance sedan is available with a six-speed manual, albeit only in the car's standard 473-hp guise. The BMW M3 sedan is essentially the same car as the M4 coupe, with the main difference being its four-door body.
BMW M4
The BMW M4 is undoubtedly faster with the available eight-speed automatic, but the six-speed-manual version is the one you want. The stick-shift M4 is the least powerful M4, as the six-speed only comes with the base 473-hp variant of the turbo inline-six. Like its M3 sedan sibling, the BMW M4 can be ordered with a row-your-own six-speed behind its 473-hp twin-turbo inline-six. That said, the gearbox is limited to the coupe body style, as the M4 convertible is an automatic-only affair.
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Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
Cadillac's CT4-V Blackwing is a monster of a machine that just so happens to offer a six-speed gearbox. With a starting price of just over $65,000, this 472-hp sports sedan is also a surprisingly stellar value. GM has perfected its chassis tuning and Magnetic Ride suspension to deliver an epic four-door sports car that drives way better than any new BMW M3. The 472-hp twin-turbo V-6 engine is a willing partner for the six-speed manual transmission, so we'd avoid paying extra for the optional automatic.
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
Cadillac's commitment to the stick shift goes beyond its entry-level CT4-V Blackwing, as the brand also equips its larger CT5-V Blackwing with an available six-speed manual gearbox. The transmission mates to a raucous 668-hp supercharged V-8 engine. The CT5-V Blackwing is the ultimate sendoff for GM's line of epic small-block V-8-powered cars. An excellent chassis pairs with a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 pumping out 668 horsepower. Combine that with rear-wheel drive and a six-speed stick and you get one of the best-driving sedans on the planet.
Lotus Emira
The mid-engine Lotus Emira pairs its low-slung looks with either a Mercedes-sourced 400-hp turbocharged inline-four or a Toyota-sourced 400-hp supercharged V-6. The former powertrain is strictly a two-pedal affair, whereas the latter offers buyers the chance to swap cogs themselves courtesy of an available six-speed manual transmission. Don't want to blend into the Porsche crowd? Lotus has the perfect alternative: the Emira. It's mid-engined, and it features a distinctive character all its own. The less-expensive turbo-four model is automatic-only, but go for the Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter supercharged V-6 and you get a lovely six-speed manual transmission.
Porsche 911
For its newest generation of 911, Porsche was kind enough to retain the stick-shift, but only for the Carrera T and GT3 models. A six-speed manual transmission is the only transmission choice for the Carrera T, and it pairs with the base 388-hp twin-turbo flat-six. The hard-core GT3 also offers a manual, and in that version the gearbox is hooked up to a screaming naturally aspirated 502-hp flat-six. While opting for the manual makes the car slower in a straight line compared with the versions equipped with an PDK dual-clutch automatic, the manual 911s are a whole lot more fun.
Toyota GR Corolla
A lot of our excitement stems from the standard six-speed manual that delivers the high-strung turbo three-cylinder engine's 300 horsepower to all four wheels. There is now an automatic-transmission version, but we'd still choose the manual in a heartbeat. Though it's not the GR Yaris we were all hoping for, the GR Corolla still delivers on the promise of excellent rally-inspired hot hatch.
Toyota GR Supra
When the revived Supra first hit dealerships, it was only available with an eight-speed automatic. For years, enthusiasts were up in arms, desperate for Toyota to add another pedal. The company finally relented in 2022, giving buyers a manual option for the 2023 model year. The Supra is now available only with the 3.0-liter inline-six, and it's reaching the end of the line after the 2026 model year. Thankfully the Final Edition version is available with a stick.
Volkswagen Jetta GLI
Volkswagen may no longer fit the Golf GTI (or the even more powerful Golf R) with a manual transmission, but it still offers a stick-shift option in the Jetta GLI. While the available seven-speed dual-clutch automated transmission brings even quicker straight-line acceleration to the model (cutting the run to 60 mph down to 5.6 seconds), the two-pedal gearbox can't quite compete with the driving engagement and thrill of the stick. Still, as far as automatic transmissions go, the GLI's is damn good.
BMW Z4
After a long hiatus, BMW brought the stick shift back to the Z4 for 2024. For better or worse, it's limited to the M40i guise that includes a 382-hp six-cylinder engine. BMW made the Z4 roadster a lot more appealing for 2025 thanks to the addition of a six-speed manual option for the more powerful M40i turbo inline-six powertrain. The stick-shift is part of the "Handschalter" package-that's German for "hand shifter"-that costs $3500 and also brings additional performance upgrades.
Tips for Learning
Learning how to drive a manual transmission car is similar to learning how to ride a bike. It starts with balance. As you navigate the pedals and the handlebars, you feel clunky, perhaps unsure, maybe a little uncomfortable. And then it clicks!
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