The manual transmission used to be known as the “standard” transmission. Times have changed; the stick shift is not extinct yet, but every year it becomes more endangered. The manual transmission, sadly, serves little purpose anymore. Our electric cars of the future won’t use them. Even today, improved automatics are outperforming manuals on both the race track and on the EPA fuel economy test cycle. Take rates for sticks are too low to justify the R&D costs to offer them, even for former manual stalwarts like BMW and Subaru.
What the stick shift does still offer is a more engaging driving experience. For certain vehicles, it’s that driving experience that remains paramount. Those cars’ robust and loyal fan bases scoff at “flappy paddles,” instead demanding ungoverned three-pedal amusement. And manufacturers are catering to them for now. There are some new options on the market like the Acura Integra and the Toyota GR Corolla. The Subaru WRX got a revamp as well. Cutting down this list was even harder than it was in years past.
Here are the best 2023 model-year cars you can buy with a manual transmission.
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2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Jeep
Jeep kept the manual transmission alive for the JL generation of the Wrangler. It’s still the enthusiast-preferred option unless you do an extraordinary amount of slow-speed rock climbing. But even in Wrangler world, there’s a steady drift toward the automatic. The four-cylinder engine does not have a manual option. Neither do the diesel engine, the Wrangler 4xe hybrid or the V8 Wrangler 392.
Ford revived the Bronco lineage to great fanfare. And the new SUV lived up to the hype. Ford included a 7-speed manual transmission with a crawler gear as an option on Broncos with the smaller 2.3-liter inline-four engine.
For other truck manufacturers, a manual transmission is a budget option on a work truck, if it’s offered at all. Toyota, however, will let you do the shifting yourself on a Tacoma with the bigger V6 and the premium TRD Pro trim. Given the unresponsiveness of the Tacoma’s sluggish and outdated six-speed automatic, the stick shift is what you want.
You can find cars with 668 or more horsepower that can hit 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds. Good luck finding another one like the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing with an available 6-speed manual, a practical four-door body style and a price tag that starts under $100,000.
The CT4-V Blackwing is the smaller and less powerful of the two Cadillac Blackwing sedans. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's the lesser option. Its 3.6-liter V6 pumps out a more usable 472 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, and it can still hit 60 mph in less than four seconds.
The Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster may be the perfect sports cars. And the new GTS 4.0 model may be the perfect versions of them. Don't like that Porsche switched the 718 to a four-pot? Here's a naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter boxer six for you. And it shares a six-speed manual with a dual-mass flywheel with the 911 GT3.
VW launched a new edition of its top-of-the-line Golf R for 2022, which we'd give a slight edge to over the GTI. It gets about a 10 percent bump in horsepower over the previous generation. And its combination of an available manual and all-wheel drive make it fun to drive in all conditions — winter storm aftermath included.
The BMW M3 is the brand's quintessential performance sedan. And the new base model remains one of the few vehicles in the lineup to retain its manual transmission as an option. However, the racier M3 Competition with more torque is automatic transmission only.
The Honda Civic Type R is all-new for 2023. Its looks are toned down from the previous generation, which one could interpret as elevated or boring. But incremental upgrades and incredibly sophisticated tuning still make it probably the world's fastest FWD production car. And it only comes with a six-speed manual.
