Why buy a manual transmission sports car? Why do they even make these anymore? Most sports cars, including Ferrari and Lambo, no longer offer a stick shift, preferring the super-fast shift of the dual clutch transmission. You even get sports cars with normal automatic or CVT — with or without simulated gear shifts — and those are fine too. A stick shift sports car gives you something those other transmissions cannot: real driver engagement.
It is that visceral sensation of controlling the whole of the car through instinctive gear shifting, feeling the revs just right for that curve coming up, even controlling the noise the engine makes. Manual transmissions are not as quick or fuel-efficient as a DCT, and because they are increasingly rare, not always cheaper to buy. The quest for self-driving cars demonstrates how uninvolved most drivers are with the act of driving. But for those who grew up with a stick shift, it is still the only way to go, especially in a sports car. So here is a list of manual transmission sports cars, ascending from lowest to highest horsepower.
This list is compiled in ascending order of horsepower, using the maximum horsepower available in each model in the manual transmission option.
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Maximum Horsepower: 181
The Mazda Miata is the quintessential driver’s car. Everything in this small two-seater is geared toward luring the driver to go too fast over a mountain pass. The Miata was created in 1990 to fill the void after the demise of the popular British two-seaters. This it did, and more, creating its own legend over the past 35 years, and with four generations. The Mazda MX5 Miata is part of the fourth ND generation launched in 2016. The ND took the Miata back to its roots, after the bigger, more spacious, less nimble NC generation.
The 2025 Mazda Miata is available as a soft-top and a power-retractable targa top. The engine is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 181 horsepower, and you have a choice of the excellent six-speed manual or a quite decent six-speed automatic transmission.
Top 3 Rivals
- Toyota GR 86
- Subaru BRZ
- Porsche Boxster
Subaru BRZ
Maximum Horsepower: 228
The Subaru BRZ is on this list, although it is very similar to the delightful Toyota GR86; both cars are actually built in a Subaru factory. The BRZ and GR86 both mean a return of the affordable sports coupe, competing directly with the Mazda Miata. The BRZ is a two-door, four-seat (ha ha), front-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe. Power is not massive, but neither is the weight, and the tight suspension, clean lines, sporty power, and manual box, costing about the same as a RAV4, make it a compelling choice.
The 2025 Subaru BRZ has a 2.4-liter flat-four engine that makes 228 horsepower and sends that power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, or the optional six-speed automatic. This Subaru and its GR86 sibling both bring back the pure joy of motoring that was the signature of the early British two-seaters.
Top 3 Rivals
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Dodge Challenger
- Toyota GR86
Toyota GR Corolla
Maximum Horsepower: 300
As mentioned, Gazoo Racing brings out the beast in ordinary Toyota cars. We know the Corolla as the foundation of affordable, sensible, everyday motoring, so how can it be on this list? Well, the GR Corolla took one look at the Honda Civic Type R, and said: “Hold my beer!” The 2025 Toyota GR Corolla is a real hot hatch drawing inspiration from rally and drifting. But it’s not quite the same as the Honda Type R or the Golf GTi. For one, it has a three-cylinder engine and brings all-wheel drive to the party. The chassis is suitably stiff, the suspension is super-tuned, and the manual transmission comes to the performance party big time. To get a GR Corolla, you will have to pay double or more the starting price of the current Corolla on half the driveways in your neighborhood.
The Toyota GR Corolla has a 1.6-liter three-cylinder turbo that makes 300 horsepower, which is a lot per liter. The transmission is a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. The all-wheel drive is called the GR-Four, and you can choose the power distribution. A 60/40 front/rear split is great for normal driving, 30/70 takes you into drifting territory, while a balance of 50/50 is ideal for track driving.
Top 3 Rivals
- Honda Civic Type R
- Hyundai Elantra N
- Golf R
Honda Civic Type R
Maximum Horsepower: 315
John Cena is a famous motorhead, among other things, and his favorite drive for anything over ten miles is the Honda Civic Type R. The Type R has long been the outlaw in performance hot hatches, and only became available in the US in 2017. The current version is slightly less extreme in looks, but it is still in the top three of somewhat affordable pocket rockets. The Type R is far more than a straight line beast, offering superb grip around corners, and with the manual transmission giving the driver perfect control around tight tracks. And yet, the Type R can be driven on the daily commute like any other car.
The 2025 Honda Civic Type R uses the same powerful front-engine, front-wheel drive format pioneered by the Golf GTI 50 years ago. The current model has a six-speed manual transmission, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo making 315 horsepower and 310 foot-pounds of torque.
Top 3 Rivals
- Hyundai Elantra N
- VW Golf R
- Toyota GR Corolla
Toyota GR Supra
Maximum Horsepower: 382
The Toyota GR Supra is a no-holds-barred two-door sports coupe. Its primary aims are serious performance and the joys of driving too fast on tricky roads. The cabin is small and cramped, although most drivers can eventually fit into it. The Supra has GR baked into it, standing for Gazoo Racing, the official performance division of Toyota that competes in everything from supercar racing to rally, to endurance like Le Mans. The Supra shares more than a few bits with the BMW Z4, as they are made in the same factory.
Swimming against the tide, Toyota has dropped the four-cylinder option. Although a buyer can choose the slightly quicker eight-speed automatic, the six-speed manual transmission gives really excellent driver feedback and control. The 2025 Toyota GR Supra engine is a 3.0-liter inline-six turbo that makes 382 horsepower.
Top 3 Rivals
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Lotus Elmira
- Porsche 718 Cayman
Nissan Z
Maximum Horsepower: 400
The 2025 Nissan Z is a sports car icon as important as the Porsche 911 or Ford Mustang. Different strokes, but when the Z was introduced in 1969, it took Nissan and Japanese cars from cheap @$$ boxes to Wow-what-is-that? The Z has never been the fastest or greatest-handling sports car of any age, but it retains a wow-factor, and the current Z combines iconic cool with real driveability. The Nissan Z is a sports coupe: two doors, two seats, and a hard top. It mixes hard-core sports car vibes with a generous dollop of driver comfort.
The Nissan Z is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 400 horsepower and puts that through the rear wheels via a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission. The Z, for all its style, is not in the same league as the Porsche 718 or the Toyota GR Supra. It is in a league of its own, a great-looking car with a heritage longer than most. The Z will provide more power and handling than most drivers will know what to do with, and do so with style.
Top 3 Rivals
- Ford Mustang
- Chevrolet Camaro
- BMW Z4
Lotus Emira
Maximum Horsepower: 400
Lotus made its name with a philosophy of very light cars with superb handling, with enough power to enhance these traits and bring them into serious sports car territory. The Lotus Emira is offered in two engine options, and fittingly, only the old-school V6 has the manual transmission. This is supposed to be the last gas-powered Lotus, but we’ll see in the current car climate. The Emira is a classic mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupe. The cabin is not at all Spartan, offering some nice touches to complement this exquisitely beautiful car.
The V6 in question is via Toyota, a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 that makes 400 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, driving the rear wheels via a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The Lotus Emira falls in the same league as the Porsche Cayman, not quite as quick, but really much more beautiful.
Top 3 Rivals
- Porsche 718 Cayman
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Toyota GR Supra
BMW M2
Maximum Horsepower: 453
The 2025 BMW M2 is a sports coupe in the classic BMW mold, with a powerful engine in front and rear-wheel drive. It has two doors and four seats, although the back seats are really cramped. You can use this BMW for your daily drive, as long as you don’t need to bring more than one friend. You can scare most other cars in a straight-line drag race, but it is really made for powering through long curves and banked corners.
Although the BMW M2 comes standard with an eight-speed auto, you can get the six-speed manual transmission at the same price. The engine is a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline six with 24 valves that makes 453 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The chassis and suspension have been tuned to perfection at the factory, although the M2 owners have been known to add additional modifications.
Top 3 Rivals
- Acura Integra Type S
- Audi RS3
- Mercedes-AMG CLA
Ford Mustang
Maximum Horsepower: 486
The good news is the Ford Mustang is still available with a manual transmission, and the other good news is that you have to buy one of the big V8s to get this, as the fuel-efficient four-cylinder EcoBoost comes in automatic only. Fair enough, the V8 models are more expensive than the EcoBoost, but is the Mustang really a budget choice? The Mustang came from the early sixties, when it helped define the American muscle car. Today’s 2025 Ford Mustang GT models still channel that unique, rumbly, sports coupe, and the stick drive option gives it a real connection between the driver, the horses, and the road.
The GT models and up come with the 5.0-liter V8 that pushes 486 horsepower through the six-speed manual transmission. This is the way to enjoy the Mustang experience, whether in the traditional fastback coupe or soft-top options.
Top 3 Rivals
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Dodge Challenger
- Subaru BRZ
Porsche 718 Cayman And Boxster
Maximum Horsepower:493
The 2025 Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster are coupe and cabriolet versions of the same excellent two-seat, two-door, mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive classics. The 718 is renowned for its balance, handling, and driving responsiveness. The cabin is, as expected, sports car snug, giving the driver a greater connection with the car and the road. This Porsche does offer some cabin comforts, from comfortable heated leather seats to an infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, and well-laid-out instruments and controls.
The Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster are available in two four-cylinder turbos and two classic 4.0-liter flat sixes. Horsepower ranges from 300 to 493, and all 718s are available in the excellent six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Prices range from expensive to really expensive.
Top 3 Rivals
- Chevrolet Corvette
- Toyota Supra
- Lotus Emira
Sources: EPA, J.D. Power