This Is The Cheapest Manual 4x4 You Can Buy New In 2025

For decades, if you were looking for a simple, rugged 4x4 pickup truck or SUV on the new car market, there was a strong chance that it would come standard with a manual transmission — and there was no shortage of options out there. But these vehicles weren't romanticizing the manual transmission or trying to court enthusiast buyers, though; it was often just the cheapest and most effective option, and many mainstream buyers were fine rowing their own gears.

But times have changed, and today, few modern vehicles offer manual transmissions. The 4x4 and pickup truck segments in particular have been hit hard by the decline of the stick-shift, with the majority of today's manual transmission options coming in sports cars or other street-oriented performance cars. There does, however, remain exactly three new 4x4s in America that you can currently buy with a manual transmission. 

The base prices for these vehicles all fall between the mid-$30,000s and low-$40,000s, but the cheapest one you can buy is the venerable Jeep Wrangler, with the most basic version having a base MSRP of just over $34,000 after fees. In all three vehicles, choosing the manual will mean limiting yourself in terms of engine options and other high-grade equipment, though, and if you're committed to a new 4x4 with a manual gearbox, it's probably worth giving all three options a look before making a decision.

The current Jeep Wrangler is one of the most configurable vehicles on sale, with an endless list of accessories and options and engines spanning from a basic V6 to a roaring Hemi V8. But if you want to row your own gears in a Wrangler, your only engine choice will be the base, 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine. 

The Wrangler is also known for getting very expensive very quickly once you start moving up trim levels and adding options. But if you exercise restraint, you can own a two-door, soft-top Wrangler Sport with a V6, six-speed manual, and standard four-wheel-drive for $34,090 (including $1,995 destination), before any incentives or discounts. Sure, that Wrangler may be sparsely equipped, but that's a pretty reasonable price by 2025 standards.

In a funny twist, Jeep initially planned to offer the 3.6-liter V6 engine with only the manual transmission for 2025. However, after fans pushed back on the idea, Jeep brought back the tried-and-true automatic transmission and V6 combo. Jeep formerly offered its Wrangler-based Gladiator pickup with a manual transmission as well, but that option was dropped for the 2025 model year.

While the Wrangler wins out in terms of price, the other two manual 4x4 options are also worth a look. Next up in terms of starting price is the Toyota Tacoma. Amazingly, despite pickup trucks being massively popular in the American market, the Tacoma is currently the only pickup truck of any size or drivetrain layout to offer a stick shift. All manual 2025 Tacomas come with Toyota's non-hybrid 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder, and the least expensive manual 4x4 Tacoma is the SR model, coming in at $38,585 (including $1,595 destination).

We should note that we tested the manual 2024 Tacoma and found it pretty easy to see why most buyers choose the automatic, though we applauded Toyota for offering the stick. Sadly, the Tacoma's 4x4 SUV cousin, the 4Runner, dropped its manual transmission option more than 25 years ago. Though the 4Runner shares its powertrain with the Tacoma, Toyota has persisted in only offering an automatic in the 4Runner due to low demand.

Finally, there's the third and final manual 4x4 option: the Ford Bronco. The seven-speed manual is only available with the Bronco's 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, meaning manual buyers will miss out on the more powerful V6 and high-end trims like the Bronco Raptor. If you are cool with the four-cylinder, a base stick-shift, two-door 2025 Bronco currently starts at $41,990 (including $1,995 destination).