Best SUVs with a Manual Transmission for 2025

Driving a stick shift isn’t popular in the US, so finding an SUV with a manual transmission is likely to be tricky. Manual gearboxes are generally reserved for muscle cars and vehicles aimed at providing an engaging experience for the driver, and since various types of automatic transmission options exist, the most efficient ones are generally made standard. The SUV segment, in particular, is almost devoid of manual transmissions – but if you know where to look, you can still find a couple of options. Fortunately, Ford and Jeep still have us covered. Here is a list of SUVs with a manual transmission available in the USA for the 2025 model year.

1 Ford Bronco

While the SUV segment generally lacks manual transmission options, two still remain for the 2025 model year. One of those options for a manual transmission SUV is the 2025 Ford Bronco. Despite being one of the last of its kind, the Bronco is still engaging and fun to drive on and off-road. Since it was brought back from the dead, the Bronco has been enjoyed by off-road enthusiasts for its capabilities, driver engagement (due in part to the manual transmission), and aftermarket support for modification. It’s not as crazy as a Jeep in the aftermarket world of modifications and wild rock-crawling abilities, but it’s still plenty of fun.

The base 2025 Ford Bronco starts at $37,995 and comes with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine that makes either 275 horsepower on regular fuel, or 300 horsepower on premium fuel. It gets a seven-speed manual as standard. Even though the ten-speed automatic is available ($1,495) for those who prefer to use it as a daily driver, or just want an easier ride, the seven-speed manual transmission makes a mark. And of course, the 2025 Ford Bronco still comes standard with four-wheel-drive.

Related

Ford Bronco Gets Even Better For 2025

The Bronco gets more tech, extra cosmetic options, and additional air-conditioning.

2 Jeep Wrangler

The other manual transmission SUV is the Jeep Wrangler. The Wrangler has been a staple in the off-road community ever since its inception, and continues to enthrall enthusiasts to this day. It’s still well-known and fun to drive, partly due to it having a six-speed manual transmission. The aftermarket parts manufacturers are keeping this legend alive by continuing to produce wild modifications that allow the Wrangler to reach the most remote trails, mountaintops, and deserts.

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Expert Opinion

If you’re on a budget and want a new manual SUV, the Wrangler is more appealing than the Bronco, as it starts at nearly $6,000 less.

Powering the base model Jeep Wrangler Sport is a 3.6-liter V6 with 285 horsepower that it puts to the ground through a standard six-speed manual transmission and four-wheel drive. Jeep decided to offer an automatic transmission option for the Wrangler as well, but you have to spend an extra $2,500 to get it, making the manual transmission your best bet on a budget.

The Status Of The Manual Gearbox In Other Segments

Not all is lost, for manual transmissions live on in other segments as well. SUVs might only have a couple options left, but the rest of the modern car market has a handful of options. In the pickup truck segment, one 2025 model still keeps its manual option—the Toyota Tacoma. The Jeep Gladiator retained its six-speed manual through 2024, but dropped it from the lineup for 2025. That leaves us with one truck. Luckily for us, though, you can grab a manual transmission in even the lowest trim level of the Tacoma.

Manual transmissions really thrive in the sports car segment. Since enthusiasts tend to prefer sports cars and other engaging driving experiences, SUVs don’t get all the fun “enthusiast” options like manual transmissions, but sports cars like the Nissan Z, BMW M cars, and even some sedans like the Hyundai Elantra N still have manual transmissions. They aren’t always faster or more reliable than automatic transmissions, but that’s not the point. Manual transmissions in these cars are for fun, and not much else. Whether you have the budget for a Mazda or a Lotus, you can still find manuals out there in 2025.

Characteristics Of SUVs With A Manual Transmission

Manual SUVs are few and far between in the US, and there’s more to them than meets the eye:

• They are limited in number and variety.
• They are generally rugged with off-road capabilities.
• They get poorer gas mileage than their automatic counterparts.
• They are typically cheaper than models with automatic gearboxes.

Related

Discussion: What’s the best manual transmission you’ve ever experienced?

There are many cars that have had brilliant manuals through the years. Honda alone has several, including the S2000’s short-throw shifter and the current Civic Type R’s pleasingly mechanical stick. The precise feel of the first-gen Mazda MX-5 Miata’s gearbox is up there with the best, and a big part of the Golf 6 GTI’s appeal was its manual gearbox. The 718 Cayman and GR Supra also deserve a mention… I could go on and on.What manual gearbox impressed you most in your driving life?

What To Consider When Buying An SUV With A Manual Transmission

If you’re unsure whether to opt for an SUV with a manual transmission or not, here is what you need to keep in mind before signing up:

Pros

• Cheaper to buy than automatic versions
• Hands-on feeling of driving with more driver control
• Maintenance and repair on manual transmission SUVs are typically cheaper

Cons

• Poorer fuel economy figures than auto ‘boxes
• Less convenient in bumper-to-bumper traffic than an automatic
• There are very few SUVs with a manual transmission in the United States

What are the best SUVs with a manual transmission?

The choice is very limited in the USA, with only two examples of manual SUVs available at the time of writing. The Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco are both available with a manual transmission or an automatic gearbox. The latter is more expensive by some margin, so the best manual SUV is in the eye of the beholder.

Is an SUV with a manual transmission more reliable than one with an automatic?

Manual SUVs are not necessarily more reliable than those with automatic transmissions. Experts suggest that the complexity of automatic transmissions makes them more expensive to maintain, repair, and replace, but with the improvement in technology, there’s no reason one should be less reliable than the other. The overall quality of the specific model and its manufacturer is a more accurate representation of reliability.

What does a manual SUV cost?

With so few options, the price of a new SUV with manual transmission isn’t very broad. A manual Ford Bronco starts at $37,995, while a Jeep Wrangler with a manual gearbox will cost you $32,095 in base form.

Sources: Ford, Jeep