29.10.2026 22:31
Car habits in Turkey are changing fundamentally. Manual transmission cars, once an indispensable choice for drivers, have come to the point of almost disappearing in the new car market. The sales share of manual transmission, which was 42.7 percent in the first half of 2016, fell to 3.1 percent in the same period of 2026. Automatic transmission cars, on the other hand, dominated the market with a share of 96.9 percent.
An era is approaching its end in the automotive world. In Turkey, the share of manual transmission cars in new car sales, which for years had been one of drivers' first choices, has fallen to 3.1 percent. Automatic transmission is now by far ahead in the market.
MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS ARE BECOMING HISTORY
The transformation in the automotive sector in recent years has also changed the future of manual transmission vehicles. While at one time a significant portion of those buying cars in Turkey preferred manual transmission models, today the picture has completely reversed. In the first six months of 2026, approximately 97 out of every 100 new cars sold had automatic transmission. The share of manual transmission cars in sales fell to 3.1 percent. This change was not limited to Turkey. In different automotive markets around the world, manufacturers have also begun to reduce manual transmission options.
MAJOR CHANGE IN TURKEY OVER 10 YEARS
Car sales figures in Turkey revealed how great a decline manual transmission has experienced over the last 10 years. In the first six months of 2016, the market share of manual transmission cars was 42.7 percent. Over the 10 years that followed, this rate dropped to 3.1 percent. Thus, the share of manual transmission vehicles in total sales decreased by 39.6 points. Automatic transmission vehicles, meanwhile, captured almost the entire market in the same period.
426 THOUSAND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CARS SOLD
Sales data for the January-June period of 2026 clearly showed the difference between automatic and manual transmission. In Turkey, 426,740 automatic transmission cars were sold in the first half of the year. According to the news reported in Sözcü, manual transmission car sales in the same period were limited to 13,494 units.