Manual transmission take rates in 2025 prove the stick shift still has a pulse: ArticleSubmission.news

automobile

Motor1 did something we wish more outlets had done: They went straight to the source and asked automakers how many buyers actually chose the manual transmission in 2025 on models where a manual transmission is still offered. The results are really interesting and, frankly, pretty hopeful for anyone who wants to work to save the manual transmission and keep the enthusiastic sport of driving alive.

We all know the story by now. Manuals are “dying out,” everything is becoming a device, and electric vehicles are rewriting the rules. But when you look at the take rates of brands that still bother to offer a third pedal, many buyers find that they’re still putting their money where their left foot is. In some cases, the stick shift not only survives, it becomes more important every year.

Let’s start with a few bright spots that stand out on the page. Acura’s Integra posted a manual takeover rate of 22%, up from 19.8% last year, which is impressive for a car that sits in a premium corner of the compact world. Cadillac remains the only manual holdout within GM, and the numbers are impressive: 61% of CT4-V Blackwing buyers and 48% of CT5-V Blackwing buyers chose the manual. Subaru fans continued to do Subaru fan things, with the BRZ hitting a massive 90% manual take rate and the WRX hitting an 85% rate.

Some of the “Of Course It Was” results are still worth celebrating. Mazda says the MX-5 Miata is still predominantly a stick-shift car at around 70%, and Toyota’s GR range remains wonderfully analogous at 71%, GR Corolla at 56%, GR Supra at 56% and GR86 at 52%. Even the manual Tacoma will be around in 2025, but at just over 1% of sales it’s a purely niche model, which still counts as a small win in a world where midsize trucks are essentially rolling technology packages.

The luxury and performance crowd also caused a lot of excitement. BMW’s manual story is complicated by all the automatic-only variants, but when you focus on models that actually offer three pedals, adoption rates are high: about 40% for the M2, about 50% for the Z4 manual package, about 50% for the rear-wheel-drive M3 models available with a manual transmission, and about 33% for the comparable M4. Volkswagen, which now only offers a single manual transmission, achieved a solid manual adoption rate of 44.9% with the Jetta GLI, a reminder that the “everyday fun” segment is still very popular.

Then there are the sports cars and exotic runaways that make you smile. Nissan’s Z recorded a manual takeover rate of 46.1%, essentially an even split, which is exactly what should be the case for a driver-focused coupe. Lotus buyers are vocal in favor of commitment, with the Emira at 88%. Pagani Utopia customers chose the manual transmission 75% of the time, which is both ridiculous and somehow completely logical when you’re buying a hand-built hypercar that’s supposed to deliver a special feel at any speed.

Porsche is perhaps the most meaningful brand of all because it shows what happens when manuals are positioned as a real choice for enthusiasts. For the 718 Boxster and Cayman models where a manual is available, the adoption rate is 46%. In the case of the 911, the value rises to 83% in the versions where you can still get it. And at the top, the 911 GT3 tops out at 53% manual operation, while the GT3 Touring hits a stunning 83%, consistent with the Touring buyer’s whole “understated looks, serious driving” vibe.

Not every brand took part. Ford and Jeep didn’t provide sales figures, and Mazda didn’t provide exact percentages for the Mazda3, only noting that most buyers opt for the automatic. Honda’s total appears low at 6%, but that’s also because the manual transmission is no longer offered on the base Civic hatchback for 2025, leaving the Civic Si and Type R as the remaining three-pedal options.

The bigger takeaway here is simple: people will still buy manuals if they’re offered in the right cars, with the right positioning, and without making buyers feel like they’re settling for the “cheap” configuration. Certainly the overall market for manual models is smaller than it used to be, and some of them are high-performance niche models. But the take rates prove that the demand is real, and in some cases it is stronger than many of us would have thought by 2025.

If you are an enthusiast, this kind of data should make you optimistic. Automakers respond to numbers, and numbers like 61%, 90%, 83% and even a consistent 22% in a mainstream premium compact car tell a story that’s hard to ignore. Here’s hoping more brands take the hint, keep the three-pedal option alive, and give us at least a few more chances to run our own gears in 2026 and beyond.

The tariffs for manual transmissions apply to vehicles from the 2025 model year

• Acura Integra (including Integra and Integra Type S): 22%

• BMW M2: ~40%

• BMW M3 (RWD models with manual transmission available): ~50%

• BMW M4 (RWD models with manual transmission available): ~33%

• BMW Z4 M40i Edition manual switch package: ~50%

• Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing: 61%

• Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing: 48%

• Honda Civic Si / Civic Type R (Civic manual overall rating given): 6%

• Hyundai Elantra N: ~25%

• Lotus Emira: 88%

• Mazda MX-5 Miata: ~70%

• Nissan Z: 46.1%

• Pagani utopia: 75%

• Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman (models where a manual is available): 46%

• Porsche 911 (models where a manual is available): 83%

• Porsche 911 GT3: 53%

• Porsche 911 GT3 Touring: 83%

• Subaru BRZ: 90%

• Subaru WRX: 85%

• Toyota GR86: 52%

• Toyota GR Corolla: 71%

• Toyota GR Supra: 56%

• Toyota Tacoma: ~1%

• Volkswagen Jetta GLI: 44.9%

Not provided:

• Ford Bronco: not provided

• Ford Mustang: not provided

• Jeep Wrangler: not provided

• Mazda3: not provided

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