The best form of anti-theft in a vehicle in the US is a manual transmission. Most people don’t know how to drive one and don’t need that knowledge. If you’re driving a vehicle made in recent years, it’s unlikely to have a manual transmission at all. Pickup trucks in the past offered manual options for those who liked driving their truck. While most of them are gone, a few 2022 pickup trucks still have a manual transmission.

What pickup trucks still come in manual?

There aren’t many vehicles left on the market that come with a manual transmission. There are even fewer pickup trucks that don’t automatically shift gears. Firstly, the 2022 Toyota Tacoma still has an optional manual transmission. Opting for it gets you the more powerful 278 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine, which is a positive. If you want a six-speed manual Tacoma, you’ll need the four-wheel-drive TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, or TRD Pro.

The other 2022 pickup truck with a manual transmission is the Jeep Gladiator. You’ll find a 285 horsepower 3.6-liter V6 engine under the hood, which uses a six-speed manual transmission. This transmission is standard for most Jeep Gladiator trim levels, but the eight-speed automatic comes with the diesel variant.

What’s the difference between a manual transmission and an automatic transmission?

If you’re shopping for a pickup truck or anything else and keep seeing what type of transmission it has, you might be wondering what it all means. Firstly, a manual transmission, or stick shift, is a gearbox in which the driver must choose between gear ratios. People who love driving manuals are usually gearheads to the core and find driving fun with a manual transmission.

Next, the most popular option, the automatic transmission. If you’ve driven a car in the US, it’s probably an automatic. It’s the same as a manual, but the vehicle does the gear ratio choosing for the driver. These are much better for people who live in highly populated, high traffic areas. It’s much more difficult to constantly stop and start with a manual than just rolling along in an automatic.

Finally, the continuously variable transmission (CVT) doesn’t use gears at all. Instead, it “relies on a neverending belt and pulley system instead,” according to MotorBiscuit. The transmission doesn’t shift with a CVT; it just works.

Why are there no manual trucks?

Like with many things, the main reason most pickup trucks are automatic is because of demand. So few people still want a manual truck that automakers don’t make. It isn’t worth making a bunch to sit on dealer lots and sell a few per year. Instead, the automatic transmission across the board allows anyone and everyone to drive a pickup. It costs manufacturers too much money to produce and maintain manual trucks to be worth it.

Do any SUVs offer a manual transmission?

If you’re moving down from the pickup truck segment and into SUVs, you’ll still have a difficult time finding a new manual option. Only a few SUVs come with a manual option, the first being the Ford Bronco. Good luck finding one to buy, but the Ford Bronco comes with a stick-shift as its standard in four trims. Additionally, its closest rival, the Jeep Wrangler, is available with a six-speed manual transmission paired with the 285 horsepower V6 engine.

According to MotorTrend, those are all the 2022 pickup trucks and SUVs that come with a manual transmission. There aren’t many choices, as manual enthusiasts tend to lean toward cars. If you want a manual sedan or coupe, plenty of 2022 models are available. However, those are all the 2022 pickup trucks that still have a manual transmission.