Sad, but not surprising. Even though they've offered manual transmissions, I have never been able to configure a vehicle with all of the other options I wanted, plus a manual transmission (At least not since you could configure your own vehicle on the internet). It was almost as if they made sure you either wanted a manual transmission.....or other options.....not both.

 

A majority of the new cars I've purchased have had manuals (17?) including the one I have now. But yeah, the days of the manual trans are over. Eh, don't really care that much anymore.

 

I was able to configure my 2008 Saturn Astra with a Manual and any other options from stripped down XE to fully loaded XR, but that's a rarity now. I miss my manual a little bit, but I drive a Volt now and it doesn't shift at all, and I honestly like that even more. I can't blame GM for deleting the option. With regulations requiring costly testing, as well as a very low take rate, it probably doesn't make financial sense. I think the regulations need to change in order to "save the manual."

 

What regulations? Please elaborate.

From what I can tell it's purely customer preference, period and the car makers are not going to offer something that the customer won't buy. When many sporty/performance cars have low-take rates on manuals, it's obvious the market is saying customers don't care to shift gears when even the gearheads who exclaim "save the manuals!!" don't care to put their money where their mouth is. To paraphrase what one poster here on GMI said (apologies for not remember who it was or the exact quote): thousands want them but only dozens buy them.

In my own situation, I had manuals in my cars from when I first started driving in 1978. I dumped my last car with a manual in 2000 since it got to be a pain in the creeping traffic that I call my commute. I don't miss it much; oh there's the occasional time I do miss shifting gears but then when I'm stuck at yet another traffic snarl that feeling goes away immediately.

 

What regulations? Please elaborate.

Electronically controlled automatic transmissions do make it easier to meet all the government mandated 'nannies'.
When the vehicles computers can control the transmission along with the engine it makes it a more programmer friendly situation.
If the driver is able to shift whenever they want it adds an uncontrolled variable.

 

Toyota has to an extent taken up the "torch" for manual transmissions even adding rev match to the Corolla and offering stick + v6 on the TACO TRD sport - a MID trim model

 

You can still get stick Civics and Accords...if there are no GM manual sedans/hatches, with a heavy heart my next car will probably be a Honda. But I’ll wait until the Order Guide is officially out before giving up hope entirely.

 

Rumor is c8 corvette will be dct only..no manual for 2020 with introduction in 2019..

I don't believe the rumor but you never know...

 

It's getting tougher for me, since every new car I've ever bought, (for myself), has been a stick.

 

Ive never cared for standard shifters..wont miss it at all..
Automatics have many advantages over standard and many people finaly realizing it..
Eventualy there will be no trannys at all anyway,,when cars have electric motors you dont need to shift at all,,
Heck even buses had Allison automatics since like forever,,I dont get why bother shifting,and why big rigs still have those obsolete trannys..
If you guys miss it so much go and become truck driver,,I tried but got tired of those multi gear boxes real quick,where you must double clutch every gear,shifting up and down 12 or more gears and if you miss a gear going downhill with heavy load and your brakes overheat youre seriously fkd

 

even the "big rig" market is almost all automated transmissions EX fleet side is 99% 2 pedal affairs and is climbing as more and more licensing jouristitions do not require manual trucks for road test anymore

 

It's amazing how our choices are being slowly whittled away each year. How long before our only choice for a vehicle is an electric CUV cube thing that is controlled by the government tracking your every move be our only choice for a vehicle?

Meanwhile Toyota, the originator of boring, is promoting their rev matched stick on the new Corolla and even offers a stick on the Taco. Have yet to see one on the lots however but at least they offer it.

 

.....How long before our only choice for a vehicle is an electric CUV cube thing that is controlled by the government tracking your every move be our only choice for a vehicle?.......

Oh please. Why would they care about tracking your car, while you carry that phone around with you everywhere you go?

 

According to TTAC, Canadians will still be able to get manual Cruzes next year...I wonder how hard it is to buy a stick shift Cruze in Canada and bring it back to the US??

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/20...ars.com/2018/04/get-stick-shift-chevrolet-cruze-can-2019s-wont-em/#more-1620162

 

Most of the cars I've owned had manual transmissions, including my current one as well. I would have considered an automatic at this point only if it was accompanied by adaptive, full range cruise control. Unfortunately, that is not as common as it could be.

I'd add that Chevrolet has offered no exciting reasons to buy a Cruze with a manual transmission. There is nothing to answer a Focus ST or RS, or a GTI.