Could it be that the days of the manual gearbox are numbered? Data analysed by our experts here at CarGurus UK certainly seems to indicate that could be the case, with only 99 new cars now available with a manual gearbox, down from 218 a decade ago.
And so, while it was once the norm for most car makes and models to offer buyers a choice of both manual and automatic transmissions, there are now fewer and fewer model ranges that do so. And even those brands that do still offer a manual gearbox only have it available on a smaller number of engine derivatives. Some carmakers, including Volvo and Jaguar, have purged manual gearboxes from their model ranges entirely.
There are several reasons for this decline, not least consumer preference for automatic gearboxes. This is perhaps demonstrated most vividly by the significant increase in the number of UK drivers taking automatic-only driving tests. According to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), during the 2012/2013 period, 87,844 automatic-only driving tests were held. A decade later, during the 2022/2023 period, this had risen by 269% to 324,064. The demise of cheap small cars in favour of larger crossovers and SUVs also plays to the strengths of automatic gearboxes, as does the increasing number of electric vehicles on sale. Not only that, but advances in technology mean that the automatic gearboxes of today are much more responsive and fuel efficent than their predecessors.
All that said, there are plenty of drivers who still prefer to change gear themselves, whether it's to avoid paying a premium to have a car with an automatic gearbox, or simply because of the tactile enjoyment that comes from the sensation of swapping cogs for themselves. So, for those folk, we’ve produced a round-up of some of the best new cars that are still available with a manual ’box, spread over a wide variety of different types of car. We hope all you self-shifters out there find something that suits you.
Best Manual Cars 2024:
- City Car - Kia Picanto
- Small Hatch - Seat Ibiza
- Small SUV - Ford Puma
- Medium Family Hatch - Honda Civic Type R
- Medium Family SUV - Skoda Karoq
- Large Family Car - Skoda Octavia Estate
- Large Family SUV - Dacia Jogger
- Sports Car - Mazda MX-5
- Pickup Truck - Ford Ranger
City Car - Kia Picanto
Part of the appeal of teeny cars like the Kia Picanto is that they’re supposed to be as cheap as possible, and that in turn means that both manual and automatic gearboxes are usually offered.
It should also be noted, however, that small, cheap cars like the Picanto are much more difficult for their makers to turn a profit on, so many manufacturers have withdrawn their city car offerings from sale over the last few years.
Of those that are left, the Kia Picanto is one of our favourites just due to its sheer breadth of ability. The cabin is roomy enough for four adults, the boot is decent, the interior feels posher than you might expect and the driving experience is both cheerful and comfortable. Importantly, purchase prices and running costs are both very low, and it’s all backed up by a generous seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty that makes buying a brand new Picanto a serious no-brainer.
Kia Picanto Review
Search for a Kia Picanto on CarGurus
Small Hatchback - Seat Ibiza
The supermini market offers plenty of choice for those who insist on a stir-your-own transmission, although the rise of electrification in the sector - in the form of both fully electric cars and hybrids - means that there are fewer manual gearbox offerings knocking around than ever before. Of the manual-equipped cars that remain, we’ve gone for the brilliant Seat Ibiza, because it provides a really appealing blend of abilities.
Ok, so the cabin isn’t quite as roomy or as practical as the Skoda Fabia’s (with which it shares a platform and running gear), but it isn’t far behind. And sure, it’s not as cheap to buy as a Dacia Sandero, and it’s not as enjoyable to drive as the now-defunct Ford Fiesta, but again, it’s really not far behind on either score. The result is a car that, while not a class-leader in any one area, is among the class-leaders in every single area. And that makes it a better all-rounder than pretty much anything else in the class.
Seat Ibiza Review
Search for a Seat Ibiza on CarGurus
Small SUV - Ford Puma
Despite its upright stance, the Ford Puma still manages to ride and handle with the sort of alacrity that both excites keen drivers, and reassures less confident ones. And it’s not just about the strong grip and tight body control, either: the steering is wonderfully sharp and direct, while also delivering detailed information to the fingertips of the driver. And perhaps more importantly for the purposes of this particular guide, examples fitted with a manual gearbox have a satisfyingly smooth and slick shift action. The pedals also respond very swiftly, so all the controls - the bits you interact with as the driver - feel engaging and satisfying.
The extra bulk of the bodywork means more space inside than you get in a supermini, and the boot is also large and very cleverly designed for extra versatility. The cabin is smart, there’s plenty of standard equipment and prices are reasonable compared with rivals. Chuck in the comfortable ride, competitive running costs and impressive refinement, and you have the best small manual SUV there is, hands down.
Ford Puma Review
Search for a Ford Puma on CarGurus
Medium Family Hatchback - Honda Civic Type R
We hold our hands up here: we realise that there’s no shortage of midsize family hatchbacks out there on the new car market, many of which are offered with a manual gearbox (the regular Civic isn’t, interestingly, because it’s hybrid-only), and pretty much all of which are more sensible - not to mention considerably cheaper - than the Civic Type R. However, we’ve gone for Honda’s maniacal mirth-maker nonetheless, and our reasoning is thus: we figure that if you’re taking the trouble to read an article about the best cars available with a manual gearbox, then it’s probably because there’s something you enjoy about the process of swapping cogs for yourself. And in the pantheon of motoring’s finest ever manual gearshifts, the FL5-generation Type R’s is right up there.
The short-throw action of the six-speed ‘box delivers that oh-so-rare combination of oily slickness, deft precision and mechanical interaction that makes it an utter joy to operate, so much so that you might even find yourself switching gears when you have absolutely no need to. And that’s just one layer of the Type R’s thrill-a-minute driving experience. You also have searing acceleration, staggering grip and traction, rock-solid body control, fast and communicative steering, strong and progressive brakes, fabulous balance and adjustability, and a firm-but-fair ride to throw into the mix. On top of all that dynamic polish, you also get a well-equipped and plushly-trimmed cabin with plenty of passenger space and one of the biggest boots in the class. Who said the Type R can’t do sensible?
Honda Civic Type R Review
Search for a Honda Civic Type R on CarGurus
Medium Family SUV - Skoda Karoq
With the Civic Type R being our manual car of choice in the Medium Family Hatch category, you could accuse us of taking off our metaphorical ‘sensible hat’, and burying it six feet underground with a wooden stake through it. When making our pick in the Medium Family SUV category, however, we’ve gone back for said sensible hat, dug it up, dusted it off, and stapled it to our scalp. And that’s because Medium Family SUVs with a manual gearbox don’t come any more sensible than the Skoda Karoq.
Most of that comes down to the fact that it’s a really clever piece of design. Despite having a relatively modest footprint, the amount of interior space the Skoda manages to deliver is truly astonishing. The way that space is used is really clever, too, with many versions featuring rear seats that can be individually slid, reclined, folded, or even removed completely, making the car incredibly versatile. Chuck in Skoda’s trademark ‘Simply Clever’ features that make daily life easier (such as umbrellas concealed in doors and an ice scraper under the fuel filler flap), and a well-equipped cabin with a hard-wearing yet pleasant finish, and the Karoq is a great family car.
It’s a really pleasant SUV to drive, too, with a hugely comfortable ride, controlled handling and punchy engines. And even better, both the entry-level 114bhp 1.0-litre petrol TSI engine, and the more powerful 148bhp 1.5-litre option, can be had with a slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox.
Skoda Karoq Review
Search for a Skoda Karoq on CarGurus
Large Family Car - Skoda Octavia Estate
The bigger a car is, the more likely it is that potential buyers are going to want it to be an automatic, and so the less likely the manufacturer is to offer a manual option that’s going to cost money to develop, but not sell nearly as well. And the fact is that, these days, manufacturers of larger cars simply don’t bother.
So, despite many hours of brain-wracking and internet trawling, all the while convinced that that, surely, there must be a bigger car than this that’s available with a stick-shifter, we eventually found that the Octavia is indeed pretty much the biggest car remaining on the brand new car market if you really do insist on a manual gearbox. At least we managed to make it a little bigger by going for the estate version.
And despite only taking the recommendation in this class on a technicality, the Octavia Estate is still a tremendous car, we can assure you of that. Both the passenger compartment and boot are absolutely massive, the cabin is sturdily built and has a classy finish, the car is comfortable and relaxing to drive, and you get bags of standard equipment for a very impressive price compared with rivals. We reckon you’ll want SE Technology trim for the best balance of kit and cost, and to get that all-important six-speed manual ‘box, you’ll need to specify either the 148bhp 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine or the 114bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel.
Skoda Octavia Review
Search for a Skoda Octavia on CarGurus
Large Family SUV - Dacia Jogger
The Dacia Jogger probably isn’t the first car you think of when you hear the phrase ‘Large Family SUV’. However, for SUV customers who insist on a manual transmission (in the Jogger’s case, available with the 109bhp 1.0-litre TCe turbo petrol engine), we’re afraid this is as big as it gets.
On the plus side, the Jogger does at least have seven seats as standard, although admittedly, some of them are rather snug. And granted, these seats aren’t as fiendishly clever or as versatile as those in the very best MPVs, but we challenge you to try finding one of those cars for anything like the same money as the Dacia, even when they’re a few years old. The fact is, this is a brand new seven-seat SUV, for supermini money.
Granted, there are sacrifices to be made as a result. Some bits of interior trim are a bit iffy, the car is rather noisy as it moves along the road, and Euro NCAP hasn’t been entirely complimentary about the Jogger from a safety point of view. However, go in with your eyes open, and there’s a lot to like.
Dacia Jogger Review
Search for a Dacia Jogger on CarGurus
Sports Car - Mazda MX-5
Remember earlier on when we were talking about the latest Honda Civic Type R, and we mentioned the pantheon of motoring’s greatest gearshifts? Well, Honda needed a blueprint to work to, and having been another exclusive member of that pantheon for generations, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Mazda MX-5’s shift action was used as a template. It has that exact same quality of slick precision and mechanical engagement that makes the MX-5’s manual gearbox feel full of snickety goodness.
Of course, the MX-5’s stellar driving experience is also helped in no small part by its microscopic weight, its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and its sharp steering. If you’re new to MX-5s, then there might be a bit more body roll than you expect, but you get used to it and it’s not unsettling or disruptive. And while neither engine - 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre units are available - provides show-stopping power, there’s more than enough to plaster a wide grin across your chops, and keep it there.
There’s also the fact that as two-seater sports cars go, the MX-5 is even pretty sensible. It’s well made, it’s reliable, there’s a half-decent boot and it doesn’t cost silly money.
Mazda MX-5 Review
Search for a Mazda MX-5 on CarGurus
Pickup Truck - Ford Ranger
The Ford Ranger has been the UK’s most popular pickup truck for several years now, and we can’t see that changing any time soon, because the latest version is a strong performer.
Underneath, it shares all the same mechanicals as the latest Volkswagen Amarok, and that’s because both vehicles are the result of a joint development project between Ford and Volkswagen. This means that both vehicles are similarly impressive for build quality, practicality, ergonomics, ride comfort, handling sharpness, off-roading ability, refinement and safety. However, the Ford gets the nod from us because it provides a little more kit for a little less cash, so it gives you more for your money. And with looks inspired by the Ford F-150 truck from the United States, we reckon it’s a good bit cooler, too.
Even better for manual fans everywhere is that, when specified with the 168bhp 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine, it also happens to come with a six-speed manual transmission.
Ford Ranger Review
Search for a Ford Ranger on CarGurus