Manual cars in Australia - The best new cars with a manual gearbox

Cars with a manual gearbox are becoming a rare breed on our roads as vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions now dominate the market. But, fear not my gearbox-loving friend, for there are still new cars with manual transmissions for sale in Australia.

What is a manual car?

Here's a super-simplified explanation. A manual car is a vehicle that has a manual gearbox, not an automatic transmission.

A manual car has three pedals - from the driver’s point of view, left to right, a clutch, brake and accelerator.

The clutch must be physically engaged/depressed by the driver (that is, left foot flat to the floor on the clutch pedal) before the gear stick can be moved in order to change gears and then the clutch must be disengaged/released in order for the car to then move forwards, via first, second, third gear etc, or backwards in reverse.

A vehicle with an automatic transmission has two pedals. From the driver’s point of view, brake on the left, accelerator on the right.

There is no clutch in a car with an automatic transmission because the auto does all of that aforementioned engaging/disengaging for the driver. However, the auto shifter needs to be moved to the ‘D’ (Drive), ’N’ (Neutral), ’R’ (Reverse), or ‘P’ (Park) position.

Are they still popular in Australia?

Yes, there are still new manual cars in Australia but they’re much less popular than in years gone by when manual cars dominated the roads, way back in those sweet pre-internet days…

Are manual gearbox cars still being made?

Yes, but there are fewer of them being made and cars with manual gearboxes are generally small, cheap cars or workhorse vans or high-performance sports cars.

What has changed in the trends of manual car sales in recent years?

When it comes time to decide manual or auto, people have increasingly favoured auto transmissions because these tech-advanced transmissions are generally smarter at selecting the correct gear ratios than the drivers themselves.

What should you look for when buying a new manual car?

Apart from any usual signs of misuse, damage or lack of maintenance of the vehicle itself, take the car for a test-drive and note any clunking or grinding noises emanating from the gearbox or if it slips out of gear, or if there are strong burning smells (transmission is overheating, low fluid level), obvious leaks (worn-out seals or gaskets) and/or the ‘check engine’ light comes on.

Here are the top five manual cars available in Australia as new or, in the case of one particular vehicle listed here, near new.

Read on.

1. 2025 Subaru WRX AWD tS Spec B

This all-wheel drive Rexxy has a 2.4-litre turbocharged, horizontally-opposed direct-injection 'boxer' four-cylinder, petrol engine (202kW at 5600rpm and 350Nm at 2000-5200rpm) and a six-speed manual gearbox.

Punchy off the mark and gutsy on the move, this is a driver’s car, through and through, with the added bonus of Recaro front seats, Brembo brakes (with ventilated and drilled brake discs) and 19-inch matt-grey alloy wheels.

The WRX made this list because what’s not to like about this Subie?

Price: From $67,540 (MSRP)

2. 2025 Hyundai i30 N hatchback

Small manual cars are still popular as they’re at the cheaper end of the market and so more budget-friendly than their automatic stablemates or rivals.

This Hyundai has a punchy 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine (206kW and 392Nm) and six-speed manual. This neat all-rounder offers plenty of driver enjoyment in a modest package.

This compact car made the list because of its bang-for-buck appeal.

Price: From $50,000 (MSRP)

3. 2025 Toyota HiLux SR5

This range of traditional workhorses retain its appeal – and its manual gearbox options across WorkMate, SR and SR5 variants.

Manual utes are still popular in Australia, as is a manual 4x4 or manual 4WD or manual SUV. An SR5 with a six-speed manual gearbox and a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine (150kW and 420Nm) is a solid mid-range choice in the HiLux line-up.

This ute made the list because it’s a manual labour legend.

Price: From $60,670 (MSRP)

4. Suzuki Swift Hybrid

Manual hybrid cars offer a great compromise between driving an EV and driving an internal combustion engine vehicle; you get the self-satisfied smugness of knowing you’re helping to prevent the world from turning into even more of a natural disaster-riddled hothouse than it already is, and you can drive around without any EV-related range anxiety.

The cheapest Suzuki Swift Hybrid variant is this one, with a 1.2-litre naturally aspirated three-cylinder petrol engine (with 12-volt mild-hybrid assistance; 60kW and 110Nm) and a five-speed manual gearbox.

This Zook made the list because it’s an impressive little all-rounder in a hybrid package.

Price: From $24,490, drive-away

5. 2025 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Sure, it was technically released last year, but how could we not include the Ford Mustang Dark Horse?

This wild beast of a car is a driver’s dream; it’s like driving a go-kart which has ingested a heavy dose of some kind of illicit substance.

With a 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine (345kW and 550Nm) and a super-slick six-speed manual gearbox, the Mustang in Dark Horse is a barrel of laughs to steer around.

The Mustang made this list because it’s a shedload of fun.

Price: $98,017 (MSRP)