Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.The Only Game in TownFor those in the market for a midsize pickup with a manual transmission, the only thing you can do is head on down to your nearest Toyota dealer and go for that Tacoma. It is, quite literally, the only model in its segment to offer such a transmission, and quite literally, the only pickup with a manual you can get in the U.S.Oh, how times have changed in the midsize pickup market. Back in the day, the manual was the standard transmission, but as customer demands and the market changed, far fewer people are going for the three-pedal option. Still, we laud Toyota for hanging in there, as it could've easily dropped that transmission when it redesigned the Tacoma a few years ago.ToyotaManual Frontier, Anyone?Motor1 asked Brent Hagan, senior product planner at Nissan USA, whether it was possible to add a manual transmission option to the Frontier. The last time the midsize pickup was offered with one, it was way back in 2020. Predictably, it was stopped due to a lack of demand.AdvertisementAdvertisementStill, it's worth asking if there's any chance, or even a sliver of consideration for a row-your-own Frontier. Hagan responded, "We are enthusiasts too, and we care about what customers care about. But we're also a business; we're not a charity." It's a realistic and straightforward answer, much like Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis' response to calls for a single-cab 1500 with a 6.4 Hemi. Admittedly, a little more blunt compared to Hagan's answer, but you get the picture.Chase BierenkovenNot Closing the DoorStill, Hagan isn't shutting down the idea of a manual Frontier. Sure, it's a nice product to have, but the issue here will be demand. For Nissan to reintroduce a manual for its midsize pickup, certain conditions have to be met before the company would give it greater consideration.Nissan's action (or inaction) will depend on the sales of manual-equipped cars in America. "The best thing that customers can do if they want to see manual vehicles come back is to go out and buy the manual vehicles that exist. There are a few vehicles out there that still have a manual—we've talked about some of our own—and so the more the customers can go out there and buy them, show us as a manufacturer that they want them, the more likely that everyone's going to be fully supportive of them," said Hagan.Hagan did say that manual Nissan models are coming, but it seems that the odds of a stick-shift Frontier happening are on the slim side. That said, if a business case can be proven for that, then Nissan will '1000%' get it done. Ironically, then, for the manual Frontier to happen, more people will have to buy a six-speed Tacoma.NissanThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Jun 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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