These Are The Crossovers That Deserve Manual Gearboxes

Driving stick a deliriously fun way to go through life, but the opportunities to do so are disappearing quickly. Less than 2 percent of new cars even offer the option, and that’s a damn shame. Here at Jalopnik, we love to row our own gears, and so do you. We asked you last week what crossover lacks a manual option but absolutely deserves it. The most popular answer? All of them. Manual all the cars. 

Hard to argue with the logic of love. Some of you did get most specific however. Scroll through and see what cars your fellow Jalopniks wish they could drive with a manual. 

I think the most correct answer is, “Yes”. Every crossover deserves an MT option. Same with every pickup, sedan, SUV, and especially minivan. And every variation in between. I can’t think of a single non-commercial ICE passenger vehicle that shouldn’t have an option for a choose your own adventure transmission.

and

I came here to say this. Manual transmissions last longer, they’re much cheaper to repair, and they’re much cheaper to replace.

When a slush box needs to be replaced, it costs more than the value of the car. Your car becomes disposable. A manual transmission, whether new or rebuilt, will cost at least a grand less.

One last thing, my car, because it is a manual, will sell for about a grand more than the slush box version of it. And my car today costs $850 less than the slush box.

From Chase and cones

Mazda CX-30. AWD and 227-250HP. Would almost be a “hot hatch” if it had one.

and

I just had a non-turbo CX-30. Even that model would be a blast with a stick.

From Keith Schwerin and Jeremy Hamm

Bronco Sport 2-liter: Surprisingly fast and reasonably light (3700 lbs with auto, manual would be lighter) to work both for on-road sporty driving as well as offroad driving. It would also be affordable.

Mazda CX-30 2.5T: Zoom zoom. Would weigh less than 3500 lbs with a manual. Also affordable.

BMW X1/X2 M35i: since they’d be sport compacts.

From fabey

Subaru should absolutely bring back the manual transmission option in a turbocharged Forester XT. I had a 2006 Forester XT 5MT PP for ten years, and it was basically a WRX wagon in an even more practical body shape. Plenty of room inside, remarkably fun to throw around (especially in snow!), surprisingly quick with the blown 2.5L motor, and no one was ever the wiser.

From angryasian

On the other end of the spectrum, put manuals in the boring crossovers (RAV4, Rogue, Kicks, Corolla Cross) and give us an actual base model.

From Scoobie2

Volkswagen Tiguan-A GTI version with a six speed manual.

From Merrill Frank

All of them is the correct answer… but I will vote 2nd gen Enclave with the 310hp V6. It is a very strong engine and would be an absolute blast.

From cintocrunch1

Toyota Highlander. Since its debut 25 year ago, it was and is popular for its versatility. And having a manual transmission option would be a great add-on to said versatility.

From Giantsgiants