10 Awesome Performance Cars That Still Offer A Manual In 2023

Driving a car with a manual transmission brings unexplainable satisfaction to the core of auto enthusiasts, the purists if we need to be more specific. Pressing the clutch, shifting gear with a stick, hearing the engine grunt, feeling pushed against the seat. You are one with the machine as it goes 1-2-3-4-5-6, and you go quick, go vroom, and reach the car’s top speed—pure joy. But manual cars are a dying breed.

Today, only one percent of vehicles made come with manual transmissions. In the United States, at least 35 car models that hit the market in 2023 are stick shifts. Car owners who love manual gearboxes list affordability, the feeling of being in total control of the vehicle, or lesser maintenance needed as top reasons to buy a car with a stick.

For fans of automatics, the real reason why car companies are retiring the manual transmission goes beyond the dwindling demand. They cite changing car culture, better-engineered automatic gearboxes, safety, comfort, and convenience as reasons why cars with third pedals are on borrowed time. On the flip side, there’s still that niche amid the market dominance of more sophisticated automatic transmissions. We list some of the best cars in the market now that have kept the manual transmission alive.

RELATED: The Real Reason Why Car Companies are Retiring the Manual Transmission

10 2023 Chevrolet Camaro

MSRP Starts At $27,795

The 2023 Chevrolet Camaro is an all-American muscle car that stays faithful to fans of stick shifts. You can get a six-speed manual transmission in all trims. That means you have the six-speed manual transmission paired with the entry-level inline-four powerplant with 275 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque to the top-tier 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 that cranks out 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.

Performance

With eight trim levels to choose from, it’s hard to decide. But if you need to pick and take the purist direction, one can go for the V-8 equipped 1SS trim that starts at $40,545 and the standard six-speed gearbox. This combo embodies the real sense of driving an American muscle with solid underpinnings, precise handling, and a responsive engine. It’s hard to ask for more at a tag price so much lower than other muscle cars from other stables that cost so much more.

9 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata

MSRP starts at $28,050

The 2023 Mazda MX-5 Miata is another fun car with a proven driving pleasure heritage. The two-seater is a tiny package that comes with modest speed but makes up for its precise steering, smooth handling, and decent fuel efficiency of 29 MPG combined city and highway. It’s a fun ride with its near-perfect weight distribution. The 2023 MX-5 Miata comes in three trims–Sport, Miata Club, and Grand Touring– that are all powered by a two-liter four-cylinder Skyactive-G engine with 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque.

Performance

The Sport and Club Miata MX-5 models have a six-speed manual transmission with a short shifter, while the Grand Touring comes with a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. MX-5 Miata reviews reveal that the Japanese roadster is at its best when equipped with the crisp six-speed manual gearbox.

RELATED: Top 10 Cars You Didn’t Know Came with a Manual Transmission

8 2023 Subaru BRZ

MSRP starts at $28,595

The 2023 Subaru BRZ is another performance car that comes with a manual transmission, and a satisfying performance at a reasonable price. The Subaru BRZ specs sheet reveals that this rear-wheel drive wonder is powered by a 228-horsepower Boxer engine coupled with a six-speed manual transmission as standard. The bigger flat-four engine is punchier compared to the predecessor’s. A sprint from 0 to 60 MPH can be achieved in 6.1 seconds with no issues in stopping the car too.

Performance

Aside from the manual gearbox, everything else about the BRZ is designed for performance driving. The 2023 BRZ boasts quick ratio steering, heavily bolstered front seats, a driver-centric cockpit design, and a chassis that can handle more than the available muscle.

7 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI

MSRP starts at $30,180

German carmaker Volkswagen offers the 2023 Golf GTI in four trims: S, SE, Autobahn, and the 40th Edition. All iterations of the GTI come with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The two-liter block sends the power to the front wheels through either a six-speed manual transmission that comes standard or a seven-speed automatic as an option. You can easily bring the car from 0 to 60 MPH in 6.2 seconds when the package comes with the manual transmission or 5.9 seconds with the automatic (but of course, be ready to pay the surcharge).

Performance

Living to its reputation, the 2023 Golf GTI is a fun compact ride with enough space for passengers and your cargo. You may find many alternatives in the market today, but the Volkswagen Golf GTI remains to be the gold standard for hot hatches.

6 2023 Toyota GR Corolla

MSRP starts at $35,900

Don’t let the compact footprint and small engine of this hatch fool you. The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla may sport a 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbocharged engine but it roars 300 horsepower and produces torque of up to 295 pound-feet. The powerplant is matched exclusively with a six-speed intelligent Manual Transmission with rev-matching. The Japanese car manufacturer estimates 0 to 60 mph time at 4.99 seconds for the CORE Grade and Circuit Edition and a blink quicker 4.92 seconds for the Morizo Edition. Electronically controlled speed is pegged at 142.9 MPH.

Performance

The feisty Corolla GR also comes standard with an all-wheel drive system with three settings that can vary the distribution of torque. With its potent performance, it can easily match a more powerful Honda Civic Type R on the drag strip.

5 2023 Honda Civic Type R

MSRP starts at $42,895

With 315 horses under its hood, the 2023 Honda Civic Type R is the most powerful production vehicle from the Japanese carmaker ever sold in the United States. The hot hatch only comes with a six-speed manual transmission— something so pleasing to hardcore enthusiasts. The quick-shifting gearbox is equipped with an auto rev-matching system, so downshifts even feel more visceral for drivers who seek connection with their speed monsters.

Performance

You shift gears using a solid aluminum knob, and from there, the car crisply shifts with very low friction and smooth synchronizers. The engineers gave the gearbox a colling fin case architecture and an oil cooler to ensure things don’t get too hot. Likewise, the Type R transmission is housed in a more rigid casing with higher capacity and strength compared with its other Honda Civic siblings. The 2023 Civic Type R is an immensely capable performance car that’s more refined than the previous generation.

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4 2023 Toyota GR Supra

MSRP starts at $54,695

When Toyota revived its much-loved two-seat coupe in 2020, fans were disappointed that the Toyota GR Supra only came with an eight-speed automatic transmission. For the 2023 model year, the Japanese carmaker listened to the feedback of enthusiasts and equipped the Toyota GR Supra with a six-speed manual that perfectly pairs with its high-output, high-torque engine. Manual transmission is available in the 3.0, 3.0 Premium, and A91-MT trims.

Performance

Toyota Gazoo Racing worked with their European counterparts and transmission experts ZF to build the manual transmission linked with the three-liter 382 horsepower straight-six powerplant. The manual-equipped Toyota Supra hits the scales lighter at 3,389 pounds and comes with a large diameter clutch and tough diaphragm spring. Aside from the newly-engineered hardware, the manual gearbox also came with iMT or Intelligent Manual Transmission, ensuring the system is tuned for sporty performance.

3 2023 BMW M3

MSRP Starts at $72,800

The 2023 BMW M3 comes in two trims. If you want a manual transmission, opt for the base variant with a sticker price of $72,800 exclusive of destination fees. The base BMW M3 specs put the spotlight on a three-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six engine that cranks out 473 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque.

Performance

The BWM M3 sends its power to the rear wheels with features such as the Adaptive M Suspension and M Differential keeping the rubber on the asphalt. The M Division keeps the same recipe that has given the BMW M3 an iconic status in the automotive world since it was unwrapped in the 1980s. Aside from the manual gearbox, your senses will be pleased with the steering wheel that’s hugged by leather. While the M3 demonstrates impressive agility, it retains that civilized characteristic that still makes it a good daily drive.

2 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing

MSRP Starts at $84,990

Want brute power and luxury combined? You can never go wrong with the 2023 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing. The power of this sports sedan comes from a hand-built supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 that produces 668 horsepower and 659 pound-feet of torque. Its powerful engine sends all power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission that comes standard. The setup helps the sports sedan reach the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds, blazing at 125 MPH.

Performance

The manual gearbox comes with gear cut changes that boost durability while enhancing quietness. Aside from the transmission, drivers will also appreciate the car’s track-tailored chassis that contributes to the well-balanced ride of the most powerful sedan in the history of Cadillac. If the impressive performance is still not enough for you, there are experts who can squeeze more power out of this ride. For example, experts at Hennessey produced a 1,000-horsepower Hercules in a tuxedo version of the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing.

RELATED: Here’s Why The Manual Transmission Will Not Die Anytime Soon

1 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera T

MSRP $116,600

The Porsche 911 is considered by many as the ultimate, must-have sports car. Every iteration of the 911 delights the senses. They sport an iconic design and provide an exhilarating driving experience. The 2023 Porsche 911 range lives up to the expectations and retains stick shift as standard for the Porsche 911 Sport Classic, GT3, Targa 4S, Carrera S, and Carrera T. The Carrera S and GTS sport seven-speed manual transmission, while the 911 GT3 has a six-speed manual gearbox.

Performance

We put the spotlight on the 911 Carrera T. Porsche touts this two-seater is driver-centric and performance-focused with measures taken to shave off some weight, sports seats plus, 20/21-inch wheels, sports suspension, and sport exhaust system to ensure a resonating vroom. It relies on its powerplant with 379 horsepower and 331 pounds-feet of torque mated to a seven-speed manual transmission that’s engineered to have short distances between gears. This combo brings the Porsche 911 Carrera T from 0 to 60 MPH in 4.3 seconds and a top track speed of 181 MPH.