Fewer New Cars Are Offering A Manual Transmission
Photo: Mitsubishi Motors
If you want to feel in control behind the wheel, it’s worth pairing your engine with a manual transmission and shifting gears yourself. Unfortunately, if you’re a fan of the stick shift, you’re going to have a more difficult time finding your next car since fewer new cars today are available with a manual transmission.
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Why manual transmissions are on the decline
In the United States, only 41 out of 327 new car models being sold during 2020 are offering a manual transmission, according to data released by Edmunds. This represents roughly 13 percent of new cars, which is a drastic drop from the 37 percent of new cars that offered manual transmissions in 2011.
Automakers are reportedly producing fewer new cars that have a manual transmission available since fewer drivers are demanding these vehicles. As such, most cars come with automatic transmissions to make for smoother and relatively easier drives.
When vehicles were first equipped with automatics, many complained that they didn’t shift as precisely as manuals. However, automatics have come a long way and are much more precise nowadays.
Today, most of the vehicles with manuals are either more affordable cars or performance vehicles. Some vehicles also feature great systems that let you transition between manual and automotive transmissions, depending on your preferences. Offering a vastly different driving experience, electric vehicles don’t have any multi-gear transmissions. Accordingly, as electric vehicles gain popularity, transmissions, in general, could become less common.
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It’s likely the manuals will continue to be available in the near future, though there may be fewer and fewer stick shift options each year. We at The News Wheel will let you know of any further developments on this trend.
Amanda Drago lives in West Chester, Ohio with her wonderful family, which includes her adorable dog, Coco. Amanda recently graduated from Miami University with degrees in both marketing and creative writing. However, if she was ever forced to change career paths, she imagines that she would train dogs for movies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, and watching Netflix. She also has a special place in her heart for theatre and purchases tickets to as many shows as she can. See more articles by Amanda.