Long Live the Stick Shift! The 12 Best Cars You Can Still Buy With a Manual Transmission in 2025
It’s a sad fact that the manual transmission, while unlikely to go fully extinct anytime soon, is becoming increasingly rare. Driving culture is changing and so are driving habits; cars are also going electric, so finding a new three-pedal car can be tough, if still not impossible.
In the American market, the list of automakers that have abandoned stick shift for good is a lot longer than those that haven’t and includes Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Lexus, Jaguar, Maserati, and Aston Martin, to name several. Those that are still hanging on are some of the diehards: Porsche and BMW, of course, though also Cadillac.
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All-encompassing luxury among the remaining manual upmarket cars tends not to be the highest priority, and instead driving dynamics and power, for the hardcore buyers who still want to row their own in a modern car. It’s hard to imagine Porsche or BMW, to take two examples, ever fully abandoning manual transmissions, though it’s also inevitable, in the same way, that old technologies in car manufacturing have always given way to new ones. That’s progress but also a function of sales, with fewer and fewer stick shift buyers long term. Those still left will have to enjoy what offerings they have while they can.
Best Overall: BMW M2
Most Comfortable: Acura Integra
Best Daily Driver: BMW M3 and M4
Best Convertible: BMW Z4
Best Convenient: Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
Best American-Made Option: Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
Best Compact Pick: Lotus Emira
Best Retro Style: Nissan Z
Best Two-Seater: Porsche 718
Most Iconic: Porsche 911
Best For Enthusiasts: Toyota GR Supra
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BMW M2
BMW is one of the biggest remaining manual transmission holdouts, and of the three current models available with three pedals, we love the M2 (and its 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six) best. The most recent styling update is only slightly less hostile-looking than its bigger M3/M4 siblings, but it’s hard to argue with how well the M2 drives.
Like most BMW manuals since the dawn of time, the gearshift in the M2 is accurate, and well-weighted but lacks some of the precision of manuals from Honda or Porsche. Still, the fact that you can still row your own in a BMW M product is pretty sweet and we genuinely hope that this is a trend that the folks in Munich plan to continue.
In production since: 2016
Top powertrain option: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder
Power: 473 hp and 406 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 4.1 seconds
Top speed: 177 mph
Starting price: $64,900
Acura Integra
Acura’s reborn Integra may lack the iconic styling and two-door coupe variant of its much-loved ’90s predecessor, but it’s still an incredible driver’s car, including the super quick and super sharp Type S variant. The standard car and its 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine remains uber-engaging thanks to its typically Honda-precise six-speed manual transmission.
The Integra Type S, meanwhile, takes everything that’s great about the Civic Type R — its 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, brilliant suspension, and surgically precise gearbox — and puts it into a slightly more refined, comfortable, and grown-up package. It’s the only way to get heated seats with that drivetrain.
The Type S also adds fender flares and more aggressive front and rear fascias. Inside, you get much more supportive seats, a great dash, nice materials, and that epic ELS sound system. And the optional manual transmission of course, all at a price that won’t break the bank.
In production since: 1985
Top powertrain option: 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (Type S)
Power: 320 hp and 310 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 5.1 seconds
Top speed: 135 mph
Starting price: $34,195
BMW M3 and M4
Everything about BMW’s G8x-generation M3/M4 is angry. From the furious front-end styling to the barely restrained 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six drivetrain and even those hateful M Carbon bucket seats, everything is aggressive. But we love how this M3/M4 drives and we love the fact that you can still get them with a manual transmission.
Unfortunately, the only way to get an M3 or M4 with three pedals is to go for the base version, rather than a Competition or xDrive model, but even in their tamest form with a mere 473 horsepower, the M3 and M4 are mighty machines that will let you dissect any road with the utmost precision, and being BMWs, you’ll do it in comfort. Neither feels like a penalty box and as long as you stay away from the M carbon buckets with their very aggressive crotch-busting bump, you’ll be happy to drive them daily, too.
In production since: 1986 (2014 for the M4)
Top powertrain option: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder
Power: 473 hp and 306 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 155 mph
Starting price: $77,175 (M3)/$80,275 (M4)
BMW Z4
Want a sporty roadster that offers row-it-yourself driving with a premium cockpit? Look no further than the BMW Z4. Not only is this generation of Z roadster one of the best ever, but from a technology and driving dynamics perspective, it makes the previous version look like it came from another age.
While we lament the lack of a true M variant of the Z4 these days, the six-cylinder M40i version, which is available with a stick shift, makes 382 horsepower and is plenty quick. Sure, the Z4 isn’t as competent a sports car as, say, Porsche’s 718 models, but it’s not miles off either, and having the option of a manual transmission helps cement that.
In production since: 1989
Top powertrain option: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder (M40i Handschalter)
Power: 382 hp and 369 ft lbs torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 155 mph
Starting price: $71,125
Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing
The CT4-V Blackwing often gets overshadowed by its bigger, V8-powered sibling, but it’s a wicked competent, super quick sports sedan in its own right and shouldn’t be ignored. The 3.6-liter turbocharged V6 with its 472 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque never feels like a slouch and pairs well with the six-speed.
As a bonus, Cadillac gave the CT4-V Blackwing both automatic rev-matching and shift-without-lift technology. Both of these are super fun and the former is mega convenient on the street, especially in non-performance driving situations.
In production since: 2021
Top powertrain option: 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V-6
Power: 472 hp and 445 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 189 mph
Starting price: $62,195
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
The CT5-V Blackwing will likely go down as one of history’s greatest sports sedans. This is largely due to GM’s decision to put the nearly perfect supercharged LT4 V-8 from the C7 Corvette Z06 in it, though here it’s tuned to 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet. GM also made the undeniably excellent decision to offer it with a ten-speed automatic transmission, and, more excitingly, a six-speed manual.
The sensation of ripping through six forward gears with the LT4’s stentorian roar echoing off of a canyon wall is one of the best in motoring. Cadillac does not sell nearly as many of these as it might like, but the world is arguably better because Cadillac went through with it at all. And the fact that it continues to be underappreciated is better for buyers, too.
In production since: 2021
Top powertrain option: 6.2-liter supercharged V-8
Power: 668 hp and 659 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.4 seconds
Top speed: 200 mph
Starting price: $95,595
Lotus Emira
Lotus is normally associated with lightness, not luxury, but the Emira is a little special in this respect. The last internal combustion Lotus is not only exquisite to look at and almost unbelievably sharp and direct to drive, but it also has one of our favorite drivetrains: the 3.5-liter Toyota-sourced supercharged V-6 paired with a deeply involving and mechanically pleasing six-speed manual transmission. Sure, it’s carried over from the old Evora GT, but why make changes when nothing is broken? (The Emira is available with an AMG-sourced turbocharged four-cylinder outside of the U.S.)
That’s because the transmission really is special. It’s very notchy and accurate. The shifter is well-weighted, and it feels like it’s moving on a flat plane as you shift, rather than as an extension of a pivot point. It’s a little unusual at first, but with very little adjustment on the driver’s part, you’ll find yourself banging gears with speed and confidence. If this is the last manual transmission we’ll ever see from Lotus, at least it’s a great one.
In production since: 2022
Top powertrain option: 3.5-liter supercharged V-6
Power: 400 hp and 310 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 4.2 seconds
Top speed: 180 mph
Starting price: $99,900
Nissan Z
The (no longer so) new Nissan Z’s sleek retro-style design isn’t its only throwback feature. The Japanese marque’s latest sports car also comes with an optional manual transmission, which is a bit of a surprise since its sibling, the R35-generation GT-R, only comes with a dual-clutch.
A stick-shift is available on two of the three Z models currently on sale, the Sport and Performance. While it’s more than a little disappointing that the range-topping Nismo isn’t available with a manual, drivers are who like to change through the gears themselves will still have blast the lesser models’s mill, a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that produces 400 hp and 350 ft lbs of torque. That’s more than enough pep to push the car form zero to 60 in 4.5 seconds and to a top speed of 155 mph.
In production since: 1969
Top powertrain option: Twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6
Power: 400 hp and 350 ft lbs of torqueZero to 60 mph: 4.5 seconds
Top speed: 155 mph
Starting price: $42,970
Porsche 718
Porsche’s sports cars have long been the gold standard for manual transmissions in their classes. The witchcraft that the folks in Stuttgart have been able to perform that’s made cable-actuated shifters feel this good is almost scary. The current and more or less final iterations of the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman platforms are no exception to this rule.
The manual gearbox is a six-speed unit, rather than the seven-speed found in the 911, but distinct from the six-speed box found in the GT3. The ratios are typical of Porsche (read: longer than is ideal) but the shifter is sublime and the clutch is manageable. The whole setup pairs best with the 4.0-liter flat-six, but things aren’t bad in the four-cylinder versions either.
In production since: 1996
Top powertrain option: 4.0-liter six-cylinder (GTS 4.0)
Power: 394 hp and 309 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.8
Top speed: 179 mph
Starting price: $74,795
Porsche 911
Even in its more tame forms, the Porsche 911 is an unbelievable sports car that feels exquisitely built and carefully engineered. It’s available with a few different engine options ranging from the base turbocharged flat-six as found in the enthusiast-favorite Carrera T trim, which makes less than 400 horsepower, to the 500 horsepower naturally aspirated 9,000 rpm screamer found in the GT3, GT3 RS, and S/T models. Unfortunately, for 2025 at least, only the first of those is available with a good old-fashioned manual transmission.
The 992.2-generation Carrera T promises to be a blast to drive. Its six-speed manual gearbox sends the 388 hp and 331 ft lbs of torque produced by the engine to the rear wheels, allowing the vehicle to sprint from zero to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and to hit a top speed of 183 mph. Not bad for one of the iconic model’s “lesser” variants.
In production since: 1964
Top powertrain option: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder (Carrera T)
Power: 388 hp and 331 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 4.3 seconds
Top speed: 183 mph
Starting price: $134,000
Toyota GR Supra
In case the last five years haven’t made it abundantly clear: the Toyota GR Supra is for enthusiasts. Although the latest version of the legendary nameplate didn’t launch with a manual in 2019, it’s been available as an option for the last few model years. Every version of the coupe is available with a stick, the most powerful of which comes with a BMW-sourced turbo-charged 3.0-liter inline-six that generates 382 hp and 368 ft lbs of torque, can hit 60 mph in under four seconds, and tops out at 155 mph.
The manual has also been a hit, at least as the nameplate is concerned. Within the first year of it being available as an option 1,216, or roughly 47 percent, of Supra buyers opted for a stick-shift. At a time when manuals account for less than two percent of vehicles sold in the U.S., that’s really saying something.
In production since: 1978
Top powertrain option: 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder
Power: 382 hp and 368 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 155 mph
Starting price: $56,250
