Manual cars you can still buy in Singapore today

To the typical car enthusiast, he or she will claim that only a real driver drives with three pedals. It isn't necessarily true, of course, since there are wonderful cars like the Volkswagen Golf GTI and the Porsche 911 that mainly come with an automatic transmission in Singapore.

But I can also understand the appeal of driving a manual transmission car. It's fun, and engaging and makes driving a very pure experience. For those of you who aren't into vintage cars, but still want to look for those that come with a manual transmission, we've compiled a list of modern cars that come with three lovely pedals as standard - curated specially for you.

1. Honda Civic Type R

Regardless of which generation Civic Type R you decide to go for (also depending on how deep your pockets are), this car comes with a manual transmission as standard. The 2.0-litre powerplant is mated to a smooth and slick six-speed manual shifter that feels mechanical and pure, which is why the Type R is so commonly revered in the world of automotive.

In case you're confused as to which generations are the better ones to choose, you can always consider the FD2 sports sedan or the FK8 hot hatch.

2. Hyundai i30 N

This is one car you don't get to see very often on our roads here in Singapore, which is a waste. The Hyundai i30 N is a joy to pilot, indeed. Mated to a smooth six-speeder manual that's connected to a meaty clutch, this hot hatch combines comfort with sportiness very effortlessly. Best of all, there's an option to rev-match your shifts, which means lesser power loss and a smoother transition whenever a downshift is required.

With the i30 N, century sprint is despatched in just 6.4 seconds, thanks to the 250bhp and 353Nm of torque from the 2.0-litre lump - accompanied by an addictively rorty exhaust note that makes every drive a dramatic one.

3. Mazda MX-5

While not as fast and loud as the first two cars, the Mazda MX-5 has always been better known as the more affordable drop-top two-seater sports car that prioritises wind-in-your-hair, sun-in-your-face driving experience. In that sense, this car is more of a comfort cruiser rather than an outright bruiser, which is no bad thing.

158bhp and 200Nm of torque are sent to the rear wheels via a 2.0-litre four-pot powerplant that's mated to a mechanical six-speed manual box. No guesswork is required here, since the clutch of the car is easy to handle, which makes getting to the biting point a fuss-free affair.

4. Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

With rising car prices and the JDM craze, the ninth iteration of the Evolution is peaking at insane prices in the used car market right now. Hence, it's a better choice to go with the Evo X if you're keen on the car since it does come with three pedals as standard.

Launched back in 2007, the all-wheel driven Evo X came with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine that was mated to a five-speed manual box, making it one of the most dramatic road cars of its time. Power was rated at 280bhp and had 422Nm of torque from the word go. Of course, these are stock figures. While the 10th generation model isn't quite as desirable as the ninth, it's nonetheless a car worth owning.

5. Subaru WRX

How could we leave out the WRX or the STI for that matter when talking about manual transmission cars? The Subaru WRX of old came with three pedals as standard, which is why it's on this list. The new WRX, on the other hand, comes with a CVT gearbox as standard. Getting a manual one with the Evo eye look is still possible, but only on an indented basis. Thankfully, there are a couple of manual WRX in Evo eye guise going around in the used car market now.

Whatever the case, whichever generation (or eye) you decide to go for (we hope you choose the bug eye since it's our favourite), it's going to be a fun and speedy drive.

6. Subaru WRX STI

The more powerful Subaru, of course, is the WRX STI. Multiple generations of this car are readily available on our used car listing, so you can take your time to scroll through them whenever you're ready to pull the trigger.

It'll also be good to know that the Japanese carmaker has pulled all plugs regarding the STI model, which means Subaru fans will just have to make do with the WRX at best. That's because the carmaker has decided to focus on electrification and low emissions vehicles moving forward to prep for the future of motoring. So if you see a really nice and clean one, do not hesitate.

7. Suzuki Swift Sport

One of our all-time favourites is the Suzuki Swift Sport. Well, to be really specific, My all-time favourite is the ZC32. Because the ZC31 only came with a five-speed manual, long-distance driving was a bit tiring, with the revs constantly roaring at over 3,000rpm. The ZC32, on the other hand, came with a super slick six-speeder, so it felt a lot more relaxed. Plus, the car is such a looker. The only setback is that the pocket rocket comes with really small boot space.

The latest ZC33 isn't such a bad car either, but it just didn't feel as slick as its predecessor when it came to meddling with the shifter. It does, however, sport a darn nice sheet metal. Regardless, you won't regret getting this car.

8. Toyota 86

When this car was first launched, it came with both an auto and manual transmission as standard, which is precisely why it deserves a nice spot on this list of ours. The Subaru BRZ, however, only came with an automatic transmission, with the manual one available only on an indent basis.

Anyway, the Toyota 86 is Nintendo on wheels, exuding so much fun and cheekiness like no other in its class. As a matter of fact, we enjoyed the car so much that we actually drove all the different variants when it arrived to Singapore back in 2012. There are several of them on the used car market now. 

Toyota GR Yaris

This was the best car I've driven in 2019, right before Covid-19 hit us. This sizzling hot hatch has so much power and is so light on its feet that every prod of the accelerator just sends the car hurtling forward. And because there's so much torque on tap, it doesn't matter which gear you are in at which speeds because the car will still build up speeds steadily and quickly.

Anyway, this is probably one of the most expensive manual cars on the market right now but it's definitely worth every single cent. If you can afford to part with the cash, there are several of them going on sale now. I say why not?

ALSO READ: Reasons why car enthusiasts don't like CVTs (and why car makers do)

This article was first published in sgCarMart.