Cars With Manual Transmission Has Fallen By 57 Percent In The Past Decade

Manual transmissions are becoming increasingly rare, and a new study highlights how drastic the change is.  According to new research from Car Gurus, the number of vehicles with manual transmissions has fallen by 57 percent in the past decade.

The study was conducted in the UK and focused on the 30 best-selling brands. It found that in 2015, 192 models were available with a manual transmission. However, that number has been steadily declining, to 109 models in 2023, 89 in 2024 and just 82 this year.

Given this, it’s no surprise that the number of brands that don’t have manual transmissions is growing. Mini and Land Rover will only offer automatic transmissions from 2025, joining Lexus, Mercedes, Tesla, and Volvo

By comparison, in 2025, there were 196 models available exclusively with automatic transmissions among the top 30 manufacturers. Models available with manual transmissions made up just 29 percent of the models of the top-selling car manufacturers in the United Kingdom.

Seven models dropped manual transmissions last year, and if the trend continues, the manual transmission could be extinct by 2037, the study found. The shift to electric vehicles won’t help the manual transmission one bit, but some automakers are exploring ways to keep the option alive in such cars.

Volkswagen offers seven manual transmission models in the UK. It is followed by Citroen and Ford, each with six manual transmission models. Dacia, Hyundai, Mazda, and Skoda each have five manual transmission models.

“Given the increasing number of new all-electric cars and the general market demand for larger and more premium vehicles, it is not a big surprise to see the decline in manual transmissions continuing in the 12 months since we last conducted this study. Increasingly, automatic transmissions are no longer a luxury that customers have to pay extra for but an expected standard feature,” said Chris Knapman of Car Gurus.

• Also See: The Manual Transmission Could Make A Comeback In Ferrari’s Lineup