The decision marks the end of an era for Volkswagen enthusiasts, who have long associated models such as the Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, and Golf R with driver-focused manual gearboxes. Beginning with the 2027 model year, no Volkswagen-branded vehicle sold in the U.S. will be available with a manual transmission.
The change comes as manual-equipped vehicles continue to disappear from the American market. While a dedicated group of buyers remains attached to three-pedal driving, Volkswagen says demand has fallen to a level that no longer supports offering the transmission.
Jetta Gli Becomes The Final Volkswagen To Lose Its Manual Option
The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta GLI remains available with a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. That choice will disappear for the 2027 model year, when the sedan will be sold exclusively with the automatic transmission.
According to Car and Driver, Volkswagen confirmed the decision through a company representative. The representative acknowledged the importance of manual transmissions to enthusiasts, stating: “As drivers and car enthusiasts, we appreciate manuals too! That’s why our region worked very hard to keep them around—we know it matters to a small but passionate group of drivers who love being fully engaged and rowing their own gears.”
With the GLI’s transition to automatic-only availability, Volkswagen’s manual-transmission offerings in the United States will come to an end.
Volkswagen Cites Shrinking Demand For Manual Gearboxes
Volkswagen said the decision was driven by declining global demand for manual transmissions.
“Even so, global demand continued to narrow to a point where the market can no longer sustain it,” the company explained. “As much as it hurts, that reality meant making some tough choices.”
The automaker had already removed manual transmissions from the refreshed Golf GTI and Golf R when those models entered the 2025 model year. The Jetta GLI remained the last Volkswagen model in the U.S. market to offer a stick shift.
Enthusiast Models Move Forward With Automatic Transmissions Only
The Jetta GLI is powered by a 228-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four engine. Until the end of the 2026 model year, buyers can still choose between the six-speed manual and the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Volkswagen noted that the Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, and Golf R remain engaging vehicles with their automatic gearboxes, though the manual transmission has long been one of their defining enthusiast features.
Recent sales figures for Volkswagen’s performance hatchbacks show that 7,235 Golf GTIs were sold in 2025, while 3,319 Golf Rs found buyers. Those totals represented declines of 35 percent and 21 percent, respectively, compared with the previous year.
For buyers interested in purchasing a manual-transmission Volkswagen, the remaining opportunity is limited to the final production years of the Jetta GLI before the 2027 model-year change takes effect.
