10 Great Hatchbacks with a Manual Transmission

2018 Honda Civic Type R front three quarter ・ Photo by Honda

While some might rightly say the manual transmission is going away, the 2018 model year offers a bounty of fine hatchbacks that let drivers choose their shift points and take control of their destiny. Manual-equipped cars encourage engaged driving and tend to be less expensive to purchase and maintain than their automatic-equipped counterparts.

It was tough to whittle the list to just 10 vehicles. Other hatchbacks with stick shifts include the MINI Cooper, Mitsubishi Mirage, Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, and Chevrolet Spark and Sonic. All of them are either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

2018 Hyundai Elantra GT

The redesigned 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback has an upscale feel. It's offered in two trim levels: base ($19,350) and Sport ($23,250). The base model includes a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 161 horsepower and is EPA rated at 23 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. The Elantra GT Sport comes with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 201 hp and an EPA rating of 22 mpg city / 29 mpg highway with the six-speed manual.

All Elantra GTs are equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There’s 24.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and a generous total of 55.1 cubic feet overall.

Photo by Hyundai

2018 Mazda3 5-Door

The 2018 Mazda3 is stunning, sporty and efficient. It’s offered in three trim levels: Sport ($20,395), Touring ($21,890) and Grand Touring ($24,945). The Sport is equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder Skyactiv engine that produces 155 horsepower and delivers 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway, while the Touring and Grand Touring have a 184-hp 2.5-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder that returns 25 mpg city/33 mpg highway with the six-speed manual transmission.

The 7-inch infotainment system can be controlled via the touchscreen or a jog wheel, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not offered. A full complement of safety technology is available. There’s 20.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and 47.1 cubic feet overall.

Photo by Mazda

2018 Honda Civic Type R

With a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that cranks out 306 horsepower, the high-performance Civic Type R ($34,100) is the most powerful manual-equipped front-wheel-drive hatchback on our list.

The Type R rides on rails and its six-speed manual transmission includes rev-match control to ensure precise shifts. The powertrain delivers respectable fuel economy, with EPAs rating of 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway, while the standard 7-inch infotainment system includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There are 25.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the rear seat and 46.2 cubic feet overall. Don't need maximum performance? Check out Honda's manual-equipped Fit ($16,190) and Civic ($20,050) hatchbacks.

Photo by Honda

2018 Kia Soul

The Kia Soul is remarkably roomy and versatile. While it’s offered in three trim levels for 2018, only the Base model is available with a six-speed manual transmission. Costing $16,200, this Soul is equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with 130 horsepower and EPA ratings of 24 mpg city/30 mpg highway. (The boxy exterior design’s aerodynamics are a primary culprit for the lackluster highway numbers.)

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the upper trim levels, but not on the base model. Cargo capacity is one of the Soul’s strong suits: There are 24.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the 60/40 split-folding rear seat and a whopping 61.3 cubic feet overall.

Photo by Kia

2018 Chevrolet Cruze Turbodiesel

The six-speed manual Chevrolet Cruze hatchback is a joy to drive and the most fuel-efficient entry on our list when equipped with the optional 1.6-liter turbodiesel engine. This engine delivers EPA ratings of 29 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway.

While it’s also one of the pricier offerings, with an MSRP of $26,395, the turbodiesel Cruze is equipped with premium content, including leather upholstery, heated front bucket seats, and an eight-way power driver’s seat. The Cruze hatchback provides 22.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the rear seat and 47.0 cubic feet overall. Chevrolet offers three less-expensive (and less efficient) manual hatchbacks than the diesel Cruze, topping out with the gasoline-powered Cruze hatch at $22,195.

Photo by Chevrolet

2018 Toyota Corolla iM

The manual-equipped Toyota Corolla iM ($19,590) is packed with style and standard features, with few extra-cost options. Most notably, the Toyota Safety Sense C technology package is standard, bringing automatic high beams, a lane-departure alert and a pre-collision system. The iM’s 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine produces 137 horsepower and delivers an EPA rating of 28 mpg city / 36 mpg highway.

A 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system is standard, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not offered. There's 20.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the rear seat. Toyota's five-speed manual Yaris hatchback offers a more affordable alternative across the showroom floor, with a suggested retail price of $15,635 and EPA ratings of 30 mpg city / 36 mpg highway.

Photo by Toyota

2018 Subaru Impreza

The Subaru Impreza is the least expensive manual-equipped hatchback with all-wheel drive, with a remarkably low starting price of $18,495 for the base model. The Impreza’s 152-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The EPA rates the manual Impreza at 24 mpg city / 31 mpg highway, which is considerably less than the automatic's at 28 mpg city / 37 mpg highway.

Subaru’s EyeSight safety suite is optional in all trim levels but the base. The Impreza five-door allows 20.8 cubic feet of cargo capacity behind the 60/40 split-folding rear seat and a generous 55.3 cubic feet overall. Sadly, the more powerful Impreza-based WRX isn't offered as a hatchback model.

Photo by Subaru

2018 Ford Focus RS

The manual-equipped all-wheel drive Focus RS ($41,995) is the hottest hatch in the Ford lineup. The Focus RS features a high-performance 350-horsepower 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, Dynamic Torque Vectoring keeps the car glued to the road, and highly-bolstered leather-upholstered Recaro bucket seats with Mico-Dinamica inserts hold you in place.

While the subcompact (and highly affordable) Ford Fiesta is also available with a manual transmission, the spunky Fiesta ST will be discontinued from the U.S. market. Rumor has it that the Focus RS will also disappear from our shores after this model year, but hopefully, the front-wheel-drive ST will remain.

Photo by Ford

2018 Volkswagen Golf R

The all-wheel drive 2018 Golf R ($39,375) goes wheel-to-wheel with the Ford Focus RS for top dog hot hatch status. The Golf R’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder delivers 292 horsepower and rated for 22 mpg city / 31 mpg highway. It’s notably less powerful and a few ticks slower to 60 mph than the Focus RS.

The infotainment system features Fender premium audio, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. The Golf R’s full range of safety technology includes adaptive cruise control, lane assist and blind spot mirrors. Love manual VWs, but can’t spare the change for the R or GTI? The base Golf S is offered with a 1.8-liter turbo and a five-speed manual transmission at a starting MSRP of $20,715.

Photo by Volkswagen

2018 Fiat 500X

The FIAT 500X ($19,995) rides on the same platform at the popular Jeep Renegade crossover, which outsells it by a huge margin. Although the 500X is available with all-wheel drive, all manual-equipped models are front-wheel drive. The FWD 500X’s 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder MultiAir engine produces 160 horsepower and is EPA rated at 25 mpg city / 33 mpg highway. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety judged the 2017 500X a Top Safety Pick when equipped with front-crash prevention.

Fiat also offers the tiny 500 hatchback with a manual transmission. While the base 500 is one of the least expensive hatchbacks at a starting price of just $14,995, the top-of-the-line 500 Abarth ($19,995) is one of the most fun to drive.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles