What is the best first manual car?
Learning to drive a manual transmission offers control, enjoyment, and unique skills amid declining availability in new cars. Ideal starter cars include Mazda MX-5 Miata, Honda Civic Si, and Jeep Wrangler. Check clutch wear, maintenance history, and shifter feel before buying a used manual car. If you do a lot city driving, an automatic may be easier to maneuver through stop and go traffic than a standard transmission. However, if performance and the driving experience matters to you, you might want to consider a manual. Another factor to keep in mind is if there’ll be other people driving the vehicle.
Do manual cars have a future?
Data shows that only around 22% of new cars sold in 2024 featured manual transmissions. The decline is expected to continue as driving instructors, manufacturers, and car buyers lean toward automatic vehicles, further solidifying their place in the future of driving. In 2026, there are still more than 25 cars you can buy with a manual transmission in the US. They range from off-road SUVs to sports cars, sedans, and yes, even a pickup truck.