It used to be easy to find a manual transmission pickup truck. Many drivers enjoyed the engagement of driving stick, but fewer people have the skill today. It also used to be possible to find a new Chevrolet Colorado with a manual transmission, but those days are gone. Read on to find which Colorado model years did have a manual transmission available.

History of the Chevrolet Colorado

The Chevrolet Colorado and its equivalent, the GMC Canyon, were introduced in 2003. Its first generation was available for model years 2004 through 2012, and the second generation was introduced in the U.S. for the 2015 model year and includes the current model year. The first-generation Colorado had a five-speed manual transmission option. Autotrader noted that this was a surprise to offer this transmission at the time given the decreasing popularity of manual transmission vehicles.

The second generation initially had a six-speed manual transmission as an option for the Base and WT work truck trim levels. The choice came with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive and other engine options were not available with the manual transmission. The choice of a manual transmission remained available through the 2018 model year. With continuing reduced demand, GM ended its availability for both the Colorado and the GMC Canyon for 2019.

The 2020 Chevrolet Colorado

While the 2020 Colorado doesn’t come with a manual transmission option, it does have a number of other choices. It has five trim levels: Base, Work Truck, LT, Z71, and ZR2. The ZR2 is designed for off-road use. It has two cab size options (Extended Cab and Crew Cab), two cargo-bed lengths (long box and short box), and three engine choices. It’s available in two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive.

Car and Driver calls its infotainment system “outstanding” but says the interior feels cheap and that there isn’t a lot of driver-assistance technology. The truck comes standard with the Infotainment 3 Plus system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power-adjustable mirrors, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Adding the Luxury package introduces power-adjustable, heated front seats plus a heated steering wheel. The 2020 Chevrolet Colorado starts at $22,395.

Powertrain options for the 2020 Colorado

The 2020 Colorado has three engine options, all of which come with automatic transmissions. The standard engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a six-speed automatic transmission, which Car and Driver calls “weak and grumpy.” It has 200 horsepower, 191 lb.-ft. of torque, and 3,500-lb. towing capability. It gets 20 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway.

The second option is the 308-horsepower V-6 with an eight-speed automatic transmission, which Car and Driver describes as “peppy.” It has 275 lb.-ft. of torque and has towing capabilities up to 7,000 pounds. It gets 18 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway.

The third choice is the 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel engine, which has 369 lb.-ft. of torque. With this engine, the Colorado is able to tow 7,700 pounds, which is best in class. The diesel engine also makes the Colorado the most fuel-efficient midsize pickup truck, with 30 MPG on the highway.

The 2020 Chevrolet Colorado does not have a manual transmission option, but used trucks from model years 2004 through 2018 do. Manual transmissions remain more common in small cars and sports cars, so if you’re a fan of Chevy, both the 2020 Camaro and the 2020 Spark have manual transmission options. If you’re looking for a truck, then there are only three pickup trucks with manual transmissions to pick from for 2020: Jeep Gladiator, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma.