The Last Car In America With A 5-Speed Manual Transmission

Manual transmissions are a rare thing these days. Not too long ago, most cars came with a manual transmission as standard, from commuters like the Honda Accord to super cars like the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, but now, the market is far more restrictive. In terms of the five-speed manual, specifically, the segment is even smaller. This once-popular transmission configuration has been ever-shrinking thanks to the pursuit of tightening fuel economy regulations and improved highway manners. However, there is still one manufacturer that offers a five-speed manual gearbox from the factory in 2025, and the model might surprise you.

It is no performance car, nor a super-niche lightweight roadster made by an exotic company, but a car you see every day and don’t even realize it, and can be had at an affordable price to boot.

The Nissan Versa S Is The Last Car With A 5-Speed Manual

Yes, you have read that correctly; the last car with a five-speed manual transmission really is a budget Nissan sedan. The Versa has been out since 2006 and is currently in its third generation, which started in 2019. It stands as a bastion of basic transportation in a world of bloated and bland crossovers and SUVs, being one of the only subcompact saloons still available on the U.S. market. Even Nissan doesn’t seem to believe it makes this transmission, with there being very little mention of it on the company website and few new press photos show off the three pedals or five-speed stick.

1:03

Video: 2025 Nissan Versa Remains Unbeatable On Price

These days, an affordable car doesn’t need to be ugly or totally bland.

Nissan Versa S Specifications

The Versa, which is supposed to be a shortening “versatile space”, comes in three trim levels. The base S is the only trim you can get the five-speed box in, with all the other trim levels getting a standard CVT. It makes 122-hp from a 1.6-liter DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine and gets 27/35/30 mpg city/highway/combined. It shares a lot of its underpinnings and interior with the now discontinued K14 Nissan Micra that was sold in Europe, with which it shared the RS5F91R 5-speed transmission.

Stepping up a trim to the SV gets you things like alloy wheels and smartphone screen mirroring. This means that, indeed, the base Versa is still sold with steel hubcaps. The SR is where things go from plain to a garlic mayo level of spice, offering a sporty appearance package, remote start, and heated front seats as standard.

Here’s What The Cheapest Car In America Costs Fully Loaded

This car is well worth the price at under 20k. Is it still worth it when we add all the frills?

The Versa S Is Also The Cheapest New Car In America

Remember what we said about it being affordable? Since the discontinuation of the Mitsubishi Mirage, the Versa has been crowned the cheapest new car currently on sale in the USA. For $17,190, you can drive away in a five-speed manual S trim. There are really no close rivals that can compare, with the next cheapest way to get a manual saloon coming in the form of the Honda Civic Si at $31,000 and the Volkswagen Jetta GLI at $33,940, respectively. The closest rival to the Versa was the Mirage G4, the sedan version of the Mitsubishi Mirage, but as mentioned previously, it has been canceled. This leaves the Versa alone at the sub-$20,000 new car price point.

Upper trim levels of the Versa have more direct rivals, with the more expensive SV and SR trims coming into the firing line of the base Hyundai Venue, starting at $20,200. A key difference from the Venue is it cannot be had with a manual transmission of any type.

The Demise Of The Mitsubishi Mirage Leaves Only One Car Left Under $20K

The Mitsubishi Mirage is officially discontinued for the 2025 model year leaving only one car standing under $20,000.

How Many Cars Still Have A Manual In 2025?

The current crop of cars offered with manual transmissions is so small, we can list them.

There is a clear theme as you look through the list of these manual transmission cars. They are almost all enthusiast models or an enthusiast trim level for car models. The market has spoken, and the regular buyer who is buying a commuter, luxury car or SUV wants an automatic. In this way, the Versa is among a small group, with the Mazda 3 as the only regular car with a manual, and doubly so for one with a five-speed.

2024 Honda Civic Type R, gearstick closeup

Every Car Still Available With A Manual Gearbox In 2025

This might be your last chance to purchase a new vehicle with a manual transmission.

6-Speed Manuals Dominate, But One Automaker Sells A 7-Speed Manual

All the cars featured in that list have a six-speed transmission, bar one model. The Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S can still be optioned with a seven-speed manual transmission. Porsche was actually phasing out the manual transmission in the 2000s and 2010s, but with the huge demand for the 911 R in 2016, a new era of Porsches with manual transmissions was born. Now more than ever, this is true with a report in 2021 showing that over 70% of 911 GT3’s are being ordered with a manual transmission, instead of Porsches dual clutch PDK.