Rowing your own gears is gradually becoming a lost art as more and more automakers eliminate the third pedal. The convenience of an automatic is undeniable, but there are other reasons why stick shifts are disappearing. Increasingly complex driver assistance systems are geared (get it?) toward automatic transmissions. Engineering a car with both types of gearboxes increases costs, which are difficult to recoup as manual take rates continue to decline. Emissions regulations also play a role, as modern automatic transmissions tend to be more efficient than manual ones.
At the core of the manual’s downfall, however, is weakening demand. Automakers might be more willing to overcome those obstacles if more people were buying three-pedal cars. But they aren’t, and things will likely get worse, given the shrinking number of performance models and the rise of EVs. In an interview with Car Magazine, Hyundai’s Managing Director of the Europe Technical Centre in Germany went so far as to say that “nobody wants manual gearboxes anymore.”
While that statement may sound like an exaggeration, the truth is that manuals are a dying breed, with only some enthusiasts still clinging to the do-it-yourself gearbox. Take, for example, the Elantra N’s manual take rate of just 30% in the U.S. last year. The rest of the buyers opted for the dual-clutch, eight-speed automatic instead.
It’s not just the stick shift falling out of favor. Johnson also believes buyers no longer want manual handbrakes or analog dials. That’s probably true for most customers under 40, while only older drivers still want to pull a handbrake lever and look at an instrument cluster with real gauges and needles.
Of course, there are exceptions, but the trend is clear. Then again, it’s not like automakers are giving us much choice. A new car is likely to come with an electronic handbrake, a fully digital instrument cluster, and an automatic gearbox. Cost is also a factor, as simplifying the list of options makes cars cheaper to develop and manufacture.
Johnson also said we shouldn’t mourn the decline of combustion-engine sports cars. Older ones, he claimed, were “miles away—a disappointment” compared to the Ioniq 5 N. He argued that EVs have evolved in 10 years as much as gas-powered cars have in a century. Fake engine sounds pumped through the speakers are a good substitute for the roar of an internal combustion engine, he added.
“I don’t understand the idea that performance cars are dying. If you want to go fast, there’s nothing better than an EV. I don’t understand the nostalgia.”
It’s perfectly understandable if you disagree with most of these statements, but we need to consider the broader perspective. If you’re reading Motor1, you’re probably an enthusiast, but most people aren’t car fanatics. Automakers don’t want to invest in features that only a few people would buy. It’s not financially sustainable. In an increasingly digital and cost-conscious industry, manuals have become relics appreciated by too few to justify their continued existence.
To quote Ferrari, if you want a manual, buy a used car.