Honda Will Keep Building Manuals, But Don't Expect More Of Them

Honda says it will keep offering manual transmissions on enthusiast models in the U.S., even as demand keeps shrinking. Speaking at the IndyCar Freedom 250 in Washington, DC, Lance Woelfer, Honda’s American Vice President of Auto Sales, said the share of buyers excited by manuals is “a smaller and smaller portion of the market” and will likely keep declining. Honda’s promise is focused: it intends to continue building a stick shift for cars such as the Honda Civic Si, Civic Type R, and Acura Integra Type S. But the policy is already being tested. Honda recently paused production of the current, sixth-generation Civic Si, with an all-new version expected later. Pricing also signals the limits: the 2026 Civic Si starts at $32,690 including destination, while the Civic Type R starts at $47,395, and the Integra A-Spec is expected to lose its manual.