National Stick Shift Day: Here Are 8 Used Cars With Many Manual Models Available
As part of our celebration of this year’s National Stick Shift Day, we thought we’d take a look at Cars.com inventory listings and help shoppers find which used cars have the most manual-equipped models available.
Related: It’s National Stick Shift Day! Celebrate With Some Manual-Happy Coverage
With automakers continuing to discontinue manual transmissions outside of more performance-oriented vehicles and a few budget-friendly models, it may not surprise you that most of the cars on this list are in the former category. Looking for a used stick-shift muscle car? You’re in (relative) luck, though even those have more used automatic-equipped listings. In fact, only the Subaru WRX has far more manual models available than automatics (among cars that offer a choice between the two, as opposed to a handful of manual-only cars left, like the WRX STI or Honda Civic Type R).
In any case, if you’re looking for a stick-shift used car, here are eight popular options on Cars.com, with listings reported as of June 30:
Muscle Cars
Ford Mustang, Mustang Shelby GT350
The manual Mustang dominates our listings; when broken down by model year, six of the top 10 and four of the top five cars are Mustangs, with 2019 models the most popular of the bunch. That also excludes the manual-only Mustang Shelby GT350, which offers significantly more performance than a non-Shelby Mustang. Cars.com had 1,568 manual-equipped 2019 model-year Mustangs listed for sale nationwide, with 1,384 model-year 2017s and 1,130 model-year 2018s. That’s just over 4,000 manual Mustangs from the previous three model years, giving shoppers a wealth of choices, from four-cylinder to V-8 engines as well as coupes or convertibles. Add in the high-performance GT350 and GT350R from those years, and the number climbs to almost 4,500 (Ford sold many fewer GT350s, and owners might be likelier to hang onto theirs, but you can still find examples if you look hard enough).
Dodge Challenger
Another muscle car, the Challenger, leans more toward straight-line performance than some of its competitors, particularly with its 700-plus-horsepower Hellcat versions. Buyers looking for manual Challengers will have the best luck with the 2016 model year, which has just over 1,000 used listings nationwide with manual transmissions on Cars.com. That total includes all trim levels, however, so higher-performance versions might be harder to find. Other popular model years for manual Challengers are 2018 (568 listings) and 2015 (475 listings).
Chevrolet Camaro
The Camaro has more total manual listings than the Challenger, but its most popular model year for manuals, 2018, has 965 stick-shift listings on Cars.com, which trails the 2016 Challenger for single-year volume. The 2017 Camaro (690 manual listings) and 2019 Camaros (672 listings) are the next most popular model years for manuals. Like the other muscle cars on this list, stick-shift buyers will have a good range of versions to choose from: base four-cylinder models, V-6-equipped versions and higher-performance V-8 variants. And, like the Mustang, the Camaro is available as a convertible for those who want to go roofless.
Fun, Slightly More Practical
Subaru WRX, WRX STi
As mentioned earlier, the WRX bucks the trend of other vehicles on this list by skewing heavily towards manual transmissions versus its optional automatic. Based on our used listings, for example, 89% of used 2020 model-year WRXs — 1,171 in total — are equipped with manuals (an understandable tilt, given the relatively poor performance of the WRX’s optional continuously variable automatic versus the stick shift). The availability of the WRX and WRX STI is also good news for stick-shift shoppers looking for something that’s a bit more capable in colder weather, as both models come standard with all-wheel drive. Both cars may also have summer performance tires, however, so be sure to pick up a set of winter tires if you’d like to have some traction in the snow. Model-year 2018 (779 stick-shift listings) and 2019 WRX models (652 listings) trail the 2020 model in terms of used listings with manuals, but that’s good news for buyers looking for a more lightly used WRX. Buyers looking for the more hardcore (and stick-shift-only) STi will have the best luck with the 2019 model year, which has 602 used-vehicle listings.
Honda Civic
Not looking for a sports car at all? Try the Honda Civic, which remains among a dwindling number of cars committed to offering a manual transmission in non-performance versions — though you can also get the sporty, Civic Si and hot-hatch-king Civic Type R, both of which are exclusively manual. The most popular model year for used manual Civics is 2018, with 1,358 listings on Cars.com including the Si and Type R. The next most available model years are the 2019 Civic, which has 1,106 stick-shift listings including the Si and Type R, and the 2020 Civic, which has 609. With coupe, sedan and hatchback body styles available depending on trim (the Si is a coupe or sedan, the Type R a hatchback and the regular Civic all three), there’s likely a manual Civic that meets your needs — practical or … less so.
Mini Hardtop
If you want to go a little more upscale than the Civic, there’s also the Mini Hardtop, available as a two- or four-door hatchback. The 2018 model has the most stick-shift listings, with 517 available on Cars.com. The 2016 Hardtop (327 manual listings) and 2017 Hardtop (225 listings) are the next most popular examples. Used examples of the Hardtop could be a little pricier than a comparable Civic given Mini’s premium positioning, and there aren’t any non-hatchback versions of the Hardtop. But it’s a slightly less vanilla choice than the Civic, too, and hot-hatch fans can look toward the John Cooper Works performance version.
Off the Beaten Path
Jeep Wrangler
Manual transmissions aren’t just for cars. A part of the off-road community is also committed to manuals, and Jeep has catered to such needs with the iconic Wrangler. Cars.com lists 858 manual-equipped 2018 Wrangler Unlimited models (that’s the four-door version) for sale nationwide, with four-door examples of the 2017 (625 listings) and 2016 (525 listings) models the next most available. Those listings include the well-equipped Rubicon off-roader, which can handle most obstacles straight from the factory. But with a wealth of factory and aftermarket accessories available, buyers can turn any Wrangler into a capable off-road rig. Looking for a two-door Wrangler with a manual transmission? The 2012 model is the most listed year among those we surveyed, with 431 available.
More From Cars.com:
- Why Manual Transmissions Are Dying … and What’ll End Them for Good
- How to Successfully Teach Your Teen To Drive a Stick Shift
- Save the Stick Shifts … to Sell Them Later? Future Manual ‘Classic’ Cars
- Which Cars Have Manual Transmissions for 2020?
The Answer Is Always Miata
Mazda MX-5 Miata
It’s a running gag among car enthusiasts that the answer to every car-purchasing dilemma is always Miata, but they do have a point. For a lightweight, manual-equipped sports car, the Mazda MX-5 Miata remains the gold standard for fun and accessibility. One of the least powerful vehicles on this list, it’s also one of the most fun to drive. It’s also the purest sports car on the list, with only two seats offered. There are 506 model-year 2016 MX-5 Miatas with manual transmissions listed for sale on Cars.com, with the 2020 model (259 listings) coming in as the next most popular. If you’d prefer a third-generation Miata instead of the current, fourth generation, Cars.com has 200 model-year 2013 Miatas to choose from. Looking for the powered-hardtop Miata RF? The 2020 model year has the widest three-pedal availability, with 197 stick-shift examples available.
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