It’s that time of year when I start looking at a new car to replace my aging Elantra.
This year my choices are very, very limited because I insist on a manual transmission. It seems like the stick shift is going extinct like the dodo bird! New figures show that electric cars are now the second best selling vehicles in North America behind automatic transmissions and ahead of manual transmission cars.
I’m not in the market for a luxury car nor a sports car or muscle car. That’s where the bulk of the manual transmissions are available. God bless Honda for keeping the stick as an option on the Fit, Civic and Accord if you order their sport models. Hyundai is similar in that very specific sport models of the Genesis and the N-line Elantra GT can be bought with manual, as well as the base model Accent. Chevy has the Spark. Kia offers manual in only the top trim Forte sedan and the GT. And if you pick up the Mazda 3 hatchback premium package only, a stick is available. Toyota and VW also offer manual but again, only on specific body styles.
It’s not the automotive maker’s fault. The newer drivers coming up don’t know or aren’t interested in learning to drive a standard so it seems to be a dying art. Can you drive a stick?
