Manual transmission vehicles are on the verge of extinction
As the market share of manual transmission vehicles in the automotive world rapidly declines, the revolution in automatic transmissions and electric cars, particularly in the US and Europe, is wiping manual transmission vehicles from the market.
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In the US automotive market, only 0.6 percent of new vehicles for the 2025 model year will hit the roads with a manual transmission. Once widely used, the manual transmission has seen a sharp decline from a high of 34.6 percent in 1980 to today's levels, reaching its lowest point.
Today, high technology developed for automatic transmissions enables fast and efficient gear shifts. While seven-speed automatic transmissions have become standard in vehicles on average, the increasing demand for SUV models, in particular, is accelerating the withdrawal of manual transmission models from the market. With the spread of electric cars and driverless technology, interest in manual transmissions is gradually decreasing.
In the US market, the number of brands and models offering new vehicles with manual transmissions is rapidly decreasing; while manual options are available in nearly two dozen models, many manufacturers plan to phase out these options entirely. Volkswagen will discontinue its last manual transmission model in the US, the Jetta GLI, this year. Toyota will offer its last manual transmission vehicle for sale with the 2025 model of the GR Supra. Honda ended the manual option for the Accord in 2021 and currently only includes this option in two Civic models. The Mini brand, meanwhile, switched entirely to automatic transmissions last year. Aside from BMW, which is limited to four models, Ford highlights the importance of offering manual transmissions in the Mustang. Ford CEO Jim Farley stated that they will continue to remain committed to the manual transmission in the Mustang model.
MAJOR SHIFT IN THE EUROPEAN MARKET
A similar picture prevails in Europe. While 91 percent of cars were sold with manual transmissions in 2001, this rate dropped to 29 percent in major automotive markets in 2024. Automotive brands are rapidly reducing the number of vehicles with manual transmission options and are prioritizing automatic and electric models on factory assembly lines.
One of the significant reasons for this trend is the decline in the proficiency of today's consumers regarding manual transmissions. According to a survey of approximately 1,000 people conducted in the US, while 60 percent of drivers stated they know how to drive a manual transmission, this rate is rapidly decreasing among new generations. The ability to drive a manual transmission, which is 83 percent among the Baby Boomer generation, was measured at only 39 percent among Gen Z.
Rising car prices and high vehicle ownership costs have also changed consumer priorities. While buying a new car in the US costs approximately 50 thousand dollars, the monthly vehicle expense exceeds an average of 1,000 dollars. According to industry experts, manual transmission cars will now be preferred by a niche group of drivers and will be wiped out from the mass market.