Pickup trucks with a manual transmission are nearly extinct. The only new pickup with a manual that you can buy right now is the 2026 Toyota Tacoma. Why is this and when did manual transmission leave the rest of the GM, Ford, Toyota, Ram, and Nissan truck? Let’s dig in!
It turns out that you can still find some interested older truck with a manual transmission. Kase scoured the internet in search of some of the most recent manual trucks and here’s what he found.
The last Ford F-150 with a manual transmission was the 2008 model. These were not highly desirable trucks back then or now. These were two-door regular cab trucks with a 4.2L V6. These made for affordable work trucks and runabout trucks, but they could not tow very much. These F-150s that were equipped with a 5-speed manual were rated to tow between 2,700 lbs – 3,700 lbs.
The last Ford Super Duty with a manual for the United States market was the 2009 model. These heavy-duty pickups are still hard working trucks. The manual transmission did not affect their tow ratings at all. The heavy-duty manual transmission could be had with a variety of Super Duty engines: gas V8, gas V10, or turbo-diesel V8. You can still find some desirable 2009 or 2008 Super Duty trucks with a manual transmission, but please watch for the 6.4L turbo-diesel V8 engines of this era. These diesels are known to be maintenance and reliability nightmares.
Ford discontinued the Ford Ranger in 2011 for the United States market. This was also the last year you could buy a Ranger with a manual. These Rangers were equipped with a 2.3L gas I4 engine. When the next generation of the Ford Ranger returned to the U.S. as a 2019 model, these were all equipped with a 10-speed automatic.
The last Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 with a manual transmission were the 2007 “Classic” model. These are also known as the continuation of the 2006 models. These were generally 2WD regular cab models with either a 4.3L V6 or a 4.8L V8 gas engines. It’s very difficult to find these now, especially with the V8 option.
Why Did Pickups Stop Using Manual Transmissions?
These are two main reasons for this.
Pickup trucks engines kept getting more and more powerful. Many older manual transmissions were not able to cope with the new higher torque numbers from the more modern V8 engines. Pickup trucks are generally designed to haul and tow heavy loads. Light duty pickups need to last 100,000 – 150,000 miles before a major engine or transmission replacement or overhaul. These manual transmissions were getting more expensive.
At the same time, the demand for manual transmissions continued to fall. The automatics are simply easier to operate in traffic, in the city, and over off-road obstacles. The lower demand and higher costs combined to kill off the manual transmission in most trucks.
We can also see that the 2007/2008 financial crisis played a big role in killing many manual transmissions in trucks.
The last General Motors HD trucks with a manual were also a 2007 “Classic” models. These are way more desirable manual trucks of the era because they were equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission that was mated to a 6.0L gas V8, a 8.1L gas V8, or the 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel V8. These are also very challenging to find.
The last Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks with a manual were 2019 and 2018 models, respectively. That is way more recent than you may have remembered. These were 2WD two-door work models with a 2.5L gas 4-cylinder engine.
The last Ram 1500 with a manual transmission was a 2008 model. This was around the same time as the transition when the Ram Truck brand separated from Dodge to become its own company in 2009. Naturally, the financial crisis played a role here. You may still be able to find a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 4.7L V8 and a 6-speed manual transmission and 4×4. That would be a cool find!
Special mention… Remember the 2004-2006 Dodge Ram SRT10 sport truck? These had a 500 horsepower V10 and a 6-speed manual transmission.
The last Dodge Ram Dakota with a manual was a 2007 model. These were available with a choice of 3.7L V6 or 4.7L V8 engines. The Ram Dakota was discontinued as a 2011 model. The Dakota midsize pickup truck is expected to return to the U.S. market in 2027 as a 2028 model, but we do not have exact timing yet. We do not expect a manual transmission to make a return.
The last Ram HD with a manual transmission is a highly desirable 2018 model with a Cummins turbo-diesel. These trucks have a specially detuned version of the 6.7L Cummins diesel. Many owners of these trucks have upgraded their diesel engines and transmission clutches to make for a very useful and fun combination.
The last Jeep Gladiator with a manual was a 2024 model. These were solely available with a 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine. This may be the ultimate off-road enthusiast pickup truck. Take off the doors and the top. Row your own gears as you travel.
The last Nissan Frontier with a manual transmission was a 2019 model. Actually, there were two manual transmissions available. The 5-speed manual was available with a 4-cylinder gas engine. The more desirable 6-speed manual was paired to a 4.0L gas V6.
The last Toyota Tundra with a manual transmission was a 2006 model. This was a pairing of a 6-speed manual transmission to Toyota’s reliable 4.0L gas V6 engine.
Please join Kase and I in the video below as we find some of these used pickup trucks in the “for sale” listings. Most of the trucks we find are fairly inexpensive.
