Nissan Jukes Further Away From Manuals

The Nissan Juke is quietly distancing itself from offering a third pedal for the 2015 model year.

While the Nismo and Nismo RS performance models are still available with a six-speed manual when configured with front-wheel drive, Nissan is ushering out the manual for its more pedestrian packages.

Until the 2015 model year, which marks a mid-cycle refresh for the sub-compact crossover, customers could choose a manual in the SV model. Moving forward, non-performance oriented versions of the Juke are only available with Nissan’s “Xtronic” continuously variable transmission.

SEE ALSO: Five Point Inspection: 2015 Nissan Juke

The Juke is only one part of a longstanding trend in the American automobile market toward automatic transmissions. Lexus cancelled the manual version of its IS compact sport sedan when it introduced the current generation, saying standard transmissions only accounted for a tiny fraction of sales in the previous generation.

More recently, Acura abandoned the manual transmission altogether by cutting the six-speed stick from its ILX as part of a deep refresh. The new car uses the same 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and eight-speed dual-clutch automatic powertrain as the larger TLX, lending it improved fuel efficiency and more power.

But manual transmissions aren’t entirely out to pasture just yet.

Honda is about to introduce its new HR-V, a newcomer within the Juke’s segment. When it arrives this spring, customers will be able to choose between an automatic and a manual.

Discuss this story at our Nissan Juke forum