Best brands for manual transmission

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Boston Fit
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Best brands for manual transmission

Post by Boston Fit »

Which car brands are best at keeping manual transmission alive in the U.S. market? This is a highly unscientific survey, so use whatever metrics you like.

Here are my nominations: BMW/MINI, Honda/Acura, Mazda, Subaru, VW/Audi. Reasons: All of these brands offer stick across much of their lineups, and not just on base models. In addition, they each make a manual-only performance trim level (MINI JCW, Honda Civic Si, Mazdaspeed3, Subaru WRX/STI, VW Golf R). All but Honda/Acura offer stick on a crossover (MINI Countryman, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester, VW Tiguan), including two with AWD (Countryman, Forester). Subaru has the distinction of making all of their models except one (Tribeca) available with manual transmission, including three with AWD (Forester, Impreza, Outback).

Honorable mention goes to Hyundai and Toyota/Scion for making several models available with stick, including performance models like the Genesis Coupe and Scion FR-S; and to Porsche and Corvette for offering the only 7-speed manuals in the industry.
Last edited by Boston Fit on Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by six »

I think you've pretty much hit the nail on the head. :)
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by theholycow »

One other way to look at it might be raw numbers...who is putting the most sticks out on the road? I don't know but maybe someone here is good at digging up that kind of data.
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by Shadow »

Without a doubt, the top three are:

BMW/Mini (a lot of Minis are manual trans)
Subaru
VW/Audi

Toyota doesn't have crap for manuals anymore, unless you count Scion. But even then, the only car that they offer that sells with a high percentage of manuals is the FR-S. And the same is true of Mazda, with the MX-5 Miata being their one car that sells in a high percentage of manuals. For that reason, I wouldn't even put them on this list of manufacturers.
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by bk7794 »

Shadow wrote:Without a doubt, the top three are:

BMW/Mini (a lot of Minis are manual trans)
Subaru
VW/Audi

Toyota doesn't have crap for manuals anymore, unless you count Scion. But even then, the only car that they offer that sells with a high percentage of manuals is the FR-S. And the same is true of Mazda, with the MX-5 Miata being their one car that sells in a high percentage of manuals. For that reason, I wouldn't even put them on this list of manufacturers.
I hear a ton of praise for the Civic SI/ILX transmissions. Some say it's better than the FR-S.
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by Boston Fit »

holycow: I'd love to see that data as well. If I had to venture a guess, I'd play the odds and say Toyota or Honda must lead in raw numbers in the U.S. Globally, perhaps VW based on the popularity of their models in Europe, where manuals predominate.

Shadow: In my mind, Honda deserves a nod for the quality of its manual transmissions, and for stubbornly making their midsize family sedans (Accord, TSX, TL) available with three pedals, including one AWD model (TL SH). Their Civic is equipped with both 5- and 6-speed manual, and I believe Honda makes the only manual hybrid on the market (CR-Z). Other models (Fit, ILX) continue to offer stick as well. As for Mazda, they equip a big portion of their lineup with manual transmissions, from the roadster Miata to the subcompact 2, the compact 3, and midsize 6, along with their small crossover and - most notably - their 6-passenger minivan.

bk7794: I can vouch for the excellent Civic Si transmission. By reputation it seems to be among the best in the business, although I can't compare it to the FR-S/BRZ.
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by Shadow »

bk7794 wrote:
Shadow wrote:Without a doubt, the top three are:

BMW/Mini (a lot of Minis are manual trans)
Subaru
VW/Audi

Toyota doesn't have crap for manuals anymore, unless you count Scion. But even then, the only car that they offer that sells with a high percentage of manuals is the FR-S. And the same is true of Mazda, with the MX-5 Miata being their one car that sells in a high percentage of manuals. For that reason, I wouldn't even put them on this list of manufacturers.
I hear a ton of praise for the Civic SI/ILX transmissions. Some say it's better than the FR-S.

I don't doubt that...but the question here wasn't really about who makes a good gearbox. I haven't driven an ILX, but I know a guy who says it's the best gearbox you can get in a car. He swears it!
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by bk7794 »

Here's to me skimming over the first post and not reading the first sentence completely. :oops:
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Every Viper has been Amish, but they aren't high-volume cars.

Dodge Ram 2500 & up the only Amish full-size pick-em-ups left on the market.

Wrangler can still be had Amish - prolly 35,000 a year ARE MEMBERS OF THE FAITH.

Dart, Challenger, Compass and Patriot can be Amish as well.

Fiat 500 & Abarth too (Non-Amish Abarths are coming, sadly)

That's prolly 75,000 or so Amish from the Chrysler Group each year, not counting what they sell outside of North America.

75,000 - That's gotta count for sumpin, right?
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by Boston Fit »

Rope-Pusher wrote:That's prolly 75,000 or so Amish from the Chrysler Group each year, not counting what they sell outside of North America.
Kudos to Chrysler as well. If 75,000 is a 2012 figure, then it seems to translate into a roughly 3.8% manual take rate for Chrysler Group in terms of 2012 North American sales (with Wrangler being responsible for almost half of those manual sales). That's good insight into a big 3 domestic automaker. Do you happen to know how that compares to other brands, both domestic and foreign?
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Boston Fit wrote:
Rope-Pusher wrote:That's prolly 75,000 or so Amish from the Chrysler Group each year, not counting what they sell outside of North America.
Kudos to Chrysler as well. If 75,000 is a 2012 figure, then it seems to translate into a roughly 3.8% manual take rate for Chrysler Group in terms of 2012 North American sales (with Wrangler being responsible for almost half of those manual sales). That's good insight into a big 3 domestic automaker. Do you happen to know how that compares to other brands, both domestic and foreign?
No I don't. IMHO they are vanishing every day. I remember a time where every Chrysler FWD car except the New Yorker and Imperial was available Amish, all the pick-em-ups, the rwd vans, & minivans. I think it's about the same with most other automakers. I went to a local VW dealer and they had only 3 Amish, counting 1 that was on their used car lot. I was shamed for them.
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by Boston Fit »

If you can find an excuse to visit Fiat operations in Italy, you will be happy to see that manuals are alive and kicking over there, even in larger vehicles (utility vans and the like). In fact, vintage Fiat 500's and original Mini (not MINI) Coopers are still a common sight.
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by ashowofhands »

Performance models (WRX and BRZ) aside, Subaru does basically limit the manual to the base trims now. You can't even get a Legacy Premium (step up from base model) with a manual any more (despite still being able to get an Outback Premium with one...not sure I understand that logic). And of course no H6 engines with manuals, but that's always been the case.

Audi is slipping too. The TT will be automatic-only once they discontinue the TT RS. The A3 is automatic-only except for the base-trim FWD model. The A5/S5/RS5 convertible is automatic only (coupe still has a manual option). That leaves just the A4/S4/RS4 and the A5/S5/RS5 coupe (and the R8 but that's a different ballgame entirely).
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by ashowofhands »

Shadow wrote: And the same is true of Mazda, with the MX-5 Miata being their one car that sells in a high percentage of manuals. For that reason, I wouldn't even put them on this list of manufacturers.
The Mazdaspeed3 has a relatively high manual take rate too :wink:

I see quite a few regular Mazda3's and older 6's with manuals around too.
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Re: Best brands for manual transmission

Post by zenfiz6 »

ashowofhands wrote:
Shadow wrote: And the same is true of Mazda, with the MX-5 Miata being their one car that sells in a high percentage of manuals. For that reason, I wouldn't even put them on this list of manufacturers.
The Mazdaspeed3 has a relatively high manual take rate too :wink:

I see quite a few regular Mazda3's and older 6's with manuals around too.
One of my top choices for my next car (before I found the A4) was a manual Mazda 6. I would have seriously considered it but I couldn't find one to test drive anywhere around Norfolk. One was "on its way in" for over three weeks. Didn't get here before I tested the A4.

Manual 3s are still fairly plentiful.
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