The days are numbered. Manual transmissions simply don’t serve much of a purpose, other than to satisfy the needs of a very niche consumer group these days. Long ago, a manual transmission guaranteed better fuel economy, and cheaper prices. Now, manual gearboxes sit as no-cost options or, in the case of some vehicles, actually cost more.
Car Talk has compiled a list of every single vehicle sold in the United States offering a manual transmission and, guess who offers the most vehicles equipped with a stick? General Motors.
That’s right, of the 85 vehicles listed, GM has the highest proportion of cars offered with manual transmissions. From the bread-and-butter Chevrolet bottom of the company’s lineup, all the way to to Cadillac-crested tippy top, there’s a manual gearbox to be found, even in two Buicks.
We’ve skimmed the list and provided each GM branded vehicle with a manual transmission for you in the list below:
- 2016Â Chevrolet Spark
- 2016 Chevrolet Sonic
- 2016 Chevrolet Cruze
- 2015 Chevrolet Colorado
- 2016Â Chevrolet Camaro
- 2015Â Chevrolet SS
- 2015 Corvette Stingray and Z06
- 2016 Buick Verano
- 2016 Buick Regal GS
- 2015 GMC Canyon
- 2016 Cadillac ATS and ATS-V
Granted, there are some catches to get behind the wheel and row your own in some of these cars. Where some vehicles, like the Chevrolet SS and Buick Regal GS, offer a manual as a no-cost option, others like the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon can only be had with a stick if you choose the cheapo, bargain-bin base model with two-wheel drive, and the four-cylinder. The Colorado and Canyon in particular also get worse fuel economy than their automatic, V6 powered brethren.
So there you have it, every GM vehicle offered with a stick shift. Is there a particular model or trim variant you feel deserves a manual option? Talk to us down below.
Comments
Read this one again:
“Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon can only be had with a stick if you choose the cheapo, bargain-bin base model with front-wheel drive, and the four-cylinder.”
Andrew,
Thanks for catching that. I intended for “two-wheel drive.”
Cheers,
Sean
Stick shift or die. Also no manual tranny option costs extra.
Be grateful for what you have as so many offer so few anymore.
Even a Gated shifter is no longer available in a Ferrari anymore.
Tell this to GM’s dealers. A year and a half ago I walked into a Chevy dealer and asked to drive a Sonic with a manual. The salesman looked at me like I’d just announced I was from Mars and eventually said he didn’t have one. I called around 3 other dealers. Only one said they had a stick, so I made an appointment for a test drive. When I got there they only had automatics. For the record, I had the same experience with Ford dealers. I bought a Honda and am quite happy.
My 2011 Corvette Grand Sport has a 6 speed manual transmission and I wouldn’t have it any other way !!!
I currently drive a 2004 Dodge Dakota 4×4 SLT trim level truck with a manual transmission. It is approaching 300 000 kms with the original clutch and that truck has served me well. It is underpowered because you could not get the manual transmission on the V8 and had to settle for the 3.7L V6. I am looking to buy a new truck in the next year and wanted to buy a diesel. I will not drive an automatic and right now my only option is the 2500 Ram. That is too big a truck for my needs as the mileage on those trucks is terrible. The 2016 Colorado has really caught my eye for the 2.8L Turbo Diesel Duramax that will be made available in North America. I was just over to the Chevy site in Thailand and you can purchase a 2015 2.5L Duramax Colorado with the manual transmission. Anyone know the fuel economy numbes on that truck? Accoriding to the site its 31.28 mpg! Why can’t I get that truck here? Finally I have heard rumors that VW may bring the Amarok to North America. That is my last hope for a manual 4X4 turbo diesel truck. I can’t believe that I am the only person that wants a nicely laid out small four wheel drive diesel powered truck with a manual transmission. Millions of people all around the world drive such trucks. Why can’t I get one here?
I have been asking the same question for a very long time.
The biggest problem is manual transmissions is that most driving schools teach their students a vehicle equipped with an automatic; thus, it’s just a matter of time before the number of drivers who know how to drive a manual transmission will shrink to a point where car makers will stop offering them (Cadillac stopped offering the manual for their CTS because of the low number of buyers who opted for the stick).
Driver education only teaches basics of operation for transportation purposes. Plenty of vehicles used to be designed for working purposes. Vehicle designers are leaving out a big number of people who need versatility. Would you pay big money for an electronic automatic transmission and put it through mud or water? I won’t ever do it again. I haven’t found any that will hold up only manual transmissions. I do a lot of work with my truck. I have to access crops throughout farming season and I have to get equipment in and product out of the timber when I’m logging. A lot of this requires crossing creeks and a lot of deep mud. This alone gives them a lot of trouble in my experience not to mention how much extra the cost. Most of the time also having to take it to a transmission shop verses replacing a clutch or adjusting a linkage myself. Chevy and dodge have been my choice for years. This is my life, this is how I make my living. What does Chevy have to offer me that I can use. Just trying to be honest. Ty
The manual transmission was dropped for 2016 on the Regal GS. 2015 was the final year.
From what I estimated based on used listings, the 2014-2015 GS with a manual was only about 5% of the GS sales for those years. I had a hell of a time finding my manual 2014.
I the Gm Cars had Manual I would be Much Better.