The list of manual transmission cars is getting shorter by the year in the United States, especially when it comes to affordable vehicles. And things aren’t looking much better in the much higher price brackets of specialty cars either.
Automakers most often blame the decline of the manual transmission on plunging customer demand and the superiority of automatic transmissions in terms of efficiency and performance.
EPA Regulations Are Blamed In The Leaked Internal Email
It’s a sad state of things for driving enthusiasts and it looks as though two more reasonably priced cars are going to lose their manual transmission option soon. We’re talking about Honda’s Civic Si and Acura Integra A-Spec Tech, whose manual transmission variants are apparently on the chopping block.
According to a post on reddit that includes the screenshot of an alleged leaked internal email from Honda to its employees at the Alliston, Ontario plant, the automaker will be pausing production of both the Civic Si and manual Integra A-Spec models at the end of the 2026 model year.
The company blames this on “evolving business conditions surrounding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations required to certify 2027 MY and beyond.” That’s a bit strange given that the current administration has rolled back and eased multiple emissions regulations in recent months.
As a result, the automaker will pause the production of the trims that feature the 1.5-liter turbocharged engine paired to the 6-speed manual transmission (6MT), namely the Civic Si and Acura Integra A-Spec with the Technology Package. Basically, this means the manual-only Civic Si will go away.
According to the document dated July 22, the decision won’t impact Honda Canada Manufacturing production volume as the “Civic Si trim will be replaced with other Civic MTOC types.” The email also notes that Honda will assess how best to proceed with the impacted trims as EPA regulations become clear.
Honda Has Not Confirmed the Leaked Internal Email Yet
Acura
We’ve obviously reached out to American Honda Motor Co. to learn if the alleged leaked email is real and if the production pause is temporary or permanent; we’ll update this story when they reply.
As a reminder, the Honda Civic Si is one of the most affordable manual transmission cars sold in the U.S. market, with a starting MSRP of $32,690 (including a $1,195 destination fee). The only manual transmission car on sale in the U.S. that is more affordable than the Civic Si is the 2026 Mazda MX-5 Miata, which starts at $31,665 (including $1,235 shipping).
Kristen Brown
The Civic Si features a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine rated at 200 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 192 pound-feet of torque at 1,800-5,000 rpm. It comes equipped exclusively with a close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox that drives the front wheels and works with a helical limited-slip differential. Performance-wise, the 2026 Honda Civic Si does 0-60 in 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 135 mph.
As for the Acura Integra A-Spec with the Technology Package, it starts at $40,495 (including $1,295 destination) and it features the same engine and gearbox as the Civic Si.
