Subaru Asks Owners If They'd Buy a Manual Transmission SUV Again
Subaru seems keen on reintroducing a manual transmission SUV. The automaker recently sent out a survey to owners asking a few questions to gauge interest in a reintroduction. The last manual Subaru SUV left the brand's lineup three years ago, but the survey specifically asks whether owners would consider buying a stick-shift SUV in the future.
Subaru gauges interest in stick shifts
Chase Bierenkoven
A screenshot shared to Reddit shows the survey, which asks if owners would "consider purchasing a manual transmission SUV in the future." Options cover the usual brand survey spread, from a hard yes to a hard no. Unfortunately, the survey was only sent to owners, and we have no way of knowing what other questions were asked, save for one.
It's possible some feedback questions were tailored to specific owners' vehicles. One asked: "If a manual transmission was available, how interested would you be in having this feature on your Outback Wilderness?"
It's been a while since manuals were featured in Subaru SUVs. The last stick left the brand's lineup when the manual Crosstrek was discontinued in 2023. At the time, it indicated a move away from stick shifts, with this and the introduction of an automatic-focused WRX and the BRZ's optional automatic coming not too far ahead of the end of the stick Crosstrek. Larger SUVs lost their stick shifts much longer ago: the Forester dropped its manual in 2018, and the Outback lost its manual around 2014.
Subaru frequently uses owners to implement feedback
Chase Bierenkoven
One of Subaru's biggest talking points for the launch of the new Outback was exactly how driven by owner feedback the brand was. Features like the Outback's larger, fit-any-cup cupholders were a direct response to owner requests. The same can be said of the charging cable clip integrated into the dash. The brand told us that product engineers pored over thousands of owners' surveys just like this one to sort out what improvements to make and where. Even the Outback's wealth of physical controls and their locations were determined (or at least influenced) by owner feedback.
The brand isn't by any means guaranteed to be seriously considering the alleged stick shift SUV. If it is, it'll likely be limited to a few trims. Though Subaru traditionally fares well with manual buyers (WRX stick take rates exceed 70% in some years), it's still a niche offering often hindered by emissions regulations and the demands of the wider market.