Manual transmissions haven't quite gone extinct, but they're definitely an endangered species among today's new cars. A select few enthusiast-focused performance cars still offer them, and even fewer are available only with a manual. We've come up with a list of manual-only cars—including specific trim levels that come only with a stick. The idea is, if you're an eagle-eyed car enthusiast and you spot one of these in the wild, you can be sure that it has a third pedal.
Subaru WRX tS
Base price: $48,875
It's not quite a WRX STI, but the tS is the current top dog in the WRX lineup. Unlike the other WRX trims, which are offered with an optional CVT automatic (no thanks), it's only available with a six-speed stick. It has the same turbo-four engine as other WRXs, but benefits from numerous suspension and brake upgrades.
Subaru BRZ tS
Base price: $39,530
Subaru figures that anyone looking for the sharpest version of the BRZ rear-wheel-drive sports car doesn't want to bother with the optional six-speed automatic transmission. So that's why the tS variant, which comes with chassis upgrades, comes only with a stick. It has the same 228-hp 2.4-liter flat-four as the rest of the lineup.
Review: The BRZ tS Is One of the Greats
Honda Civic Si
Base price: $32,190
While the base Honda Civic is no longer available with a manual at all, the Civic's performance variants are both manual-only. The Si is the middle child of the lineup, and it comes with a 200-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four and a six-speed stick as standard.
Honda Civic Type R
Base price: $47,090
The Civic doesn't get much better than this, and the Type R hot hatch gets the manual transmission it deserves in the slick-shifting six-speed that pairs beautifully with the turbo 2.0-liter inline-four. This beast is one of the best front-wheel-drive performance cars out there, and we're glad that Honda agrees that an automatic would sully the experience.
Civic Type R vs. Acura Integra Type S
Acura Integra Type S
Base price: $54,095
The Integra Type S is like the Honda Civic Type R's more mature older sibling, but don't think that means it's gone soft. It's still available only with a six-speed stick, and it has a distinctive driving character all its own. It even won our Performance Car of the Year award in 2024.
The Integra Type S Feels Special Even Among Supercars
BMW M3 and M4 (Base)
Base price: $79,575
This one might seem like a bit of a stretch, as most versions of the M3 sedan and M4 coupe come with automatic transmissions. But if you opt for the base RWD model, with a 473-hp twin-turbo inline-six, a six-speed manual is the only transmission choice. The more powerful Competition variants are automatic-only, but if you spot a current-generation M3 or an M4 without the Competition or xDrive badges, you'll know it's a manual.
We Compare the Manual M3 with the Ioniq 5 N
Porsche 911 Carrera T
Base price: $140,950
Porsche offers manual transmissions across the 911 range, but the Carrera T is special in that you cannot opt for the PDK dual-clutch automatic in this model. This enthusiast's special comes with the 388-hp base version of the flat-six, rear-wheel drive, and a six-speed manual transmission—just as the 911 was intended to be.
Review: The 911 T Is a Minimalistic Masterpiece
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