We’re in the Midst of a Stick Shift Renaissance and Here Are the Numbers to Prove It
Stick shift sales are up! Manual transmissions are trending! Rowing your own is back in style! Drivers are swapping out autos for cog-swappers!
What ever you call a traditional, stick shift car, know that we are in the middle of a three-pedal renaissance. As recently as 2021, manual transmission vehicles accounted for less than 1% of all car sales. The 2023 car sales numbers are finally in and manual transmissions were in 1.7% of them.
I know, that’s just a sliver of total vehicle sales. And it will probably stay that way. But hey, it’s still over a 50% increase in just two years. So let us manual lovers enjoy the moment here!
What is going on? Some might argue that enthusiast always loved manuals, but automakers are finally offering exciting stick shifts. Examples include the bone-rattling Cadillac Blackbird and the reincarnated Toyota Supra that finally added a manual configuration for 2023. But that doesn’t tell the entire story.
Let’s look at the Mazda Miata, a beloved sports car since 1989. For years, it only came as a stick shift. Though it is now available with an automatic, 60% of Miata buyers opt for the old cog-swapper. You might even call it the quintessential manual transmission car. Well, the 2023 Miata sales numbers are through the roof, up about 40% over 2022. That’s wild for a car that’s going on 35 years old.
It appears that we’re not just in a stick shift renaissance, but we’re in a proper sports car renaissance.
Motor1 reached out to every automaker to ask for their 2023 manual transmission “take rate.” Here are the manufacturers that offered numbers.
| Make/Model | Manual Take Rate |
|---|---|
| Acura Integra | 22% |
| BMW M2 | 50% |
| BMW M3 / M4 | 20% |
| Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing | 50% |
| Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing | 50% |
| Honda Civic | 7% |
| Hyundai Elantra N | 25% |
| Kia Forte | 2% |
| Mazda Miata | 60% |
| Mini Cooper S | 22% |
| Mini John Cooper Works | 51% |
| All other Mini Cooper models | 22% |
| Porsche 718/911 models with manuals | 40% |
| Subaru BRZ | 79% |
| Subaru WRX | 74% |
| Subaru Impreza and Crosstrek | 1.6% |
| Toyota GR86 | 48% |
| Toyota GR Supra | 43% |
| Toyota Tacoma | 1.4% |
| VW Golf GTI | 50% |
| VW Golf R | 40% |
| VW Jetta GLI | 40% |
| VW Jetta S/Sport | 5% |
I am very curious what the take rate was for Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator manual transmissions. But considering how low Tacoma manual sales are, I don’t expect the Jeep numbers to be near sports car levels. Also, I wouldn’t be shocked if the Japanese car and German car crowd are more into manuals than the Detroit die hards. But without a response from Ford, Chevrolet, or Dodge, we don’t know.
Next, read about when a manual transmission proved an effective theft prevention device, or see every car available with a manual transmission in 2024 in the video below:
