A driving skill that was once almost a given among American drivers is slowly disappearing, and Gen Z is leading the change. It is the ability to drive a car with a manual transmission.
Only 18% of Americans now know how to drive a stick shift, according to a recent survey by Extreme Terrain.The difference between generations is even bigger.
Around 91% of baby boomers surveyed learned how to drive a manual, compared with just 35% of Gen Z drivers.
For younger Americans, there is also little reason to learn.
Manual cars have become increasingly difficult to find in the US. Less than 2% of cars sold in the country in 2024 had manual transmissions, while federal data shows they made up only 0.6% of vehicles built for the US market for the 2025 model year.
Driving instructor Andy Nelson told the New York Post that most people simply do not want the extra work involved.
With a stick shift, the driver has to use the clutch, change gears and control the accelerator at the same time.
“It takes more brainpower,” Nelson said.
More than half of the manual drivers surveyed said they learned from a parent or another older relative. For baby boomers, necessity was also a major reason to learn, while only 22% of Gen Z drivers said the same.
There is another reason some driving instructors still like the skill.
Nelson said learning to drive a manual forces people to pay closer attention to what the car is doing. He also believes it can help reduce distractions, since using a phone while changing gears and operating the clutch is much harder.
Manual cars can also give drivers more control in some difficult conditions, including rain and slippery roads, he said.
But the rest of the world has not abandoned the stick shift in the same way.
Manual cars remain common across Europe, while they are also widely used in countries including China, India, Argentina and Brazil.
2026-09-04 23:30:00
