If you’re looking for a new Volkswagen with a manual transmission…you’re out of luck.
Cue one of the least surprising, but still depressing pieces of news you’ll see today if you’re a manual enthusiast. From Model Year 2027 forward, the new Volkswagen Jetta GLI will no longer have an option to row your own gears. Much like it’s GTI and Golf R hatchback siblings, the automaker decided to scrap the manual option moving forward, pointing to dwindling demand as the reason all versions of the Jetta will sport an automatic transmission.
As dealers prepare to put in their requests for 2027 models, the change came to light through VW’s latest order guide. The omission of a Jetta GLI manual was later confirmed by a company spokesperson, who provided the following statement to TFL:
“As drivers and car enthusiasts, we appreciate manuals too! That’s why our region worked very hard to keep them around—we know it matters to a small but passionate group of drivers who love being fully engaged and rowing their own gears. Even so, global demand continued to narrow to a point where the market can no longer sustain it. As much as it hurts, that reality meant making some tough choices.”
VW made similar reasoning with its decision to drop the manual transmission option from its hatches as it prepared 2025’s Mk8.5 updates. So again, the news is not terribly surprising. That said, if you do want a new car with a manual transmission, the 2026 Volkswagen Jetta GLI will be your last chance. After that, your only transmission will be the 7-speed DSG.
As ever, both the 2026 and 2027 Volkswagen Jetta GLI models will come in a single Autobahn trim. Unlike the Golf GTI, VW already pared the hottest Jetta GLI down to the top-end trim. More importantly, the manual and DSG pack the same $35,040 price tag for 2026, so it really does just come down to preference. The 2.0-liter EA888 turbocharged engine produces 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, as it didn’t get the same sort of power bump as the GTI (which manages 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft in the U.S. market).
