Manual transmissions are going extinct and we have new insight from Toyota on exactly why.
The simple answer, as you might expect, is that no one is buying them. Speaking with Carbuzz at the launch of the new Toyota Supra, a Toyota spokesperson revealed the manual take rate for every car the brand sells with a row-your own transmission, something the new Supra will not get.
In total, Toyota still offers a manual on four different nameplates: Corolla sedan & hatchback, Tacoma, Yaris sedan and the 86.
ALSO SEE: Toyota Tacoma Sales Climb (Midsize Truck Sales Report)
For the Corolla, manual take rate is just 1%, which means about 2,800 manual-equipped Corollas were sold last year out of 280,000 total. It’s an interesting note that the hatchback alone does sell more manuals than the sedan, with about 15% of them going as manuals.
When it comes to the Tacoma, which offers a six-speed manual in 4×4 TRD models, we’re looking at a take rate of 5%. That’s the same when looking at the Yaris sedan, and Toyota no longer even offers a manual on the Yaris hatchback.
The Toyota 86 sports coupe certainly has a better take rate then its companions, but it’s still not great, sitting at 33%. That means that a full two-third of buyers are still leaving dealerships with automatic transmission in their 86s.
If you want one, go out to your local dealership and buy a manual as soon as possible. Your opportunity may not last much longer.
Here is a comparison between a Tacoma TRD Pro automatic vs manual transmission.
