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It’s not a big surprise that the manual-transmission SUV is next up on the chopping block for vehicles sending the manual the way of the dodo. The appeal of the manual gearbox largely has to do with driver engagement. The appeal of the sports utility vehicle is mostly down to convenience in the modern automotive landscape. These two qualities are, if not incompatible, at least difficult to counterbalance.

Then you add cost concerns into the mix, and it’s easy to see why SUV makers would rather avoid spending millions developing a new stick shift and passing the expenses on to the buyer in a segment that frequently competes on price alone.

Over the last few years, we’ve seen crossovers and SUVs drop the manual, and with recent departures from the segment, including the Subaru Crosstrek, there are now only two SUVs that you can get with a stick shift in the US: the Ford Bronco and the Jeep Wrangler.

2024 Ford Bronco: An Icon Reborn

7-Speed Manual – Limited To 2.3L EcoBoost

Good news if you want to drive a brand-new Ford with a manual transmission: the stick shift comes standard on the revised 2025 Ford Bronco. Better yet, the manual transmission and the automatic transmission get the same fuel economy in the base model, at 20/21/20 mpg, city/highway/combined. The biggest downside to driving a manual transmission Bronco is that you don’t get to pack it with a V6, with sole availability being limited to the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder. However, not all trims with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost let you equip the manual.

For those that can, it means the seven-speed stick shift can only be had with 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque, so you can’t combine your dreams of driving a Bronco Raptor with shifting gears yourself. And yes, you read that right. The manual Bronco has seven forward gears, with a dedicated crawler gear to maximize low-speed torque and control wheel speed – perfect for off-roading.

2024 Jeep Wrangler: The OG Off-Roader

6-Speed Manual – Limited To 3.6L V6

The day they retire the manual transmission in the Jeep Wrangler, they might as well retire the Jeep Wrangler altogether. Climbing rocks with the doors off and the stick shift in hand, giving you the feeling of total control over your vehicle, is about as close as most of us will ever get to knowing what life is like for a mountain goat. Wrangler fans are sticklers for tradition, and that’s one of the reasons why Jeep has maintained the availability of the stick shift in its iconic off-roader.

Just like the Bronco, the Wrangler comes standard with a manual transmission. This one is a six-speed, and its only limitation (outside of trim availability) is that it can only be paired with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. Opting for the 2.0-liter turbo-four, Hemi V8, or the plug-in hybrid 4xe model negates the manual option. The V8 was supposed to be discontinued for the 2024 model year, but Jeep kept it alive for one more year.

The Wrangler might be a poor choice for a daily commuter – it’s one of the thirstiest vehicles in its segment, the rugged suspension lacks refinement on-road, and there’s that pesky death wobble – but it’s one of the finest fresh-out-the-box off-roaders money can buy. But if you wanted convenience and practicality, you wouldn’t be shopping for an adventure vehicle with a manual transmission.

Where Have All The Manual SUVs Gone?

What’s killing the manual transmission off in pretty much all segments is a perfect storm of high development costs, low consumer demand, and increasing reliance on technology. Hybrids typically use automatics of some sort and EVs forgo traditional gearboxes in most scenarios, meaning they have no need for a manual transmission. It makes sense that the only two SUVs with a manual on sale are both hardcore off-roaders, as CarBuzz‘s own off-road expert, Gerhard Horn, explains:

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Expert Opinion

Old-school off-roaders prefer manual transmissions for three reasons. First, they have ultimate control over the vehicle, which means they don’t have to rely on systems like hill descent control. I’m part of this crowd, as I’ve seen these kinds of systems fail before, especially in muddy conditions. With a manual transmission, you can use compression braking to keep the vehicle at a set speed while keeping your right foot hovering over the throttle should things go sideways. The second reason ties in with the first. Off-roading with a manual transmission is trickier, and you get a greater sense of accomplishment if you complete an obstacle with the added complexity of clutch control. It feels particularly good when driving in the dunes, where you have to time and complete a shift absolutely perfectly to maintain momentum. Finally, old-school off-roaders simply don’t trust a computer being in control, no matter how smart it is. You can see your surroundings and, if properly trained, know which gear is the best for the situation. I’ve yet to come across an automatic gearbox that can do the same.

Sources: Ford, Jeep