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Hyundai Elantra, Veloster Turbo set to lose manual transmissions for 2020 model year

It appears buyers don't give a shift about the six-speed.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
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Andrew Krok
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2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo
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2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

The cloth seats in the non-Ultimate trim of Veloster Turbo are still mighty comfortable. I don't think you'll be missing out on much if you want to stick with stick.

 Nick Miotke/Roadshow

This week, announced all the changes it'll be making for the 2020 model year. While there are the usual shuffles -- some new paint colors here, some now-standard options there -- what caught our attention was Hyundai's decision to continue phasing out manual transmissions in its lineup.

Hyundai this week announced that its six-speed manual transmission will no longer be offered on and Turbo models. We'd learned about the Elantra's lack of a manual earlier this year when Hyundai announced 2020 Elantra pricing. The base SE and Sport trims used to be available with a manual, but now, the SE gets a continuously variable transmission and the Sport uses the same dual-clutch setup as the Eco trim.

That doesn't mean you can't find an Elantra with a stick -- you just have to look at another Elantra variant. The 2020 Hyundai Elantra GT five-door hatchback still offers a six-speed manual on the zippier N-Line trim, and it likely will until the hatch receives a redesign along the same lines as the sedan.

While the stick has been wiped clear from the entire Elantra sedan lineup, it's still available on the base trim of Veloster Turbo, with only the Turbo Ultimate trim losing its manual. This means Veloster Turbo buyers aiming for a manual transmission will lose out on some additional features, like leather seats, embedded navigation, HD Radio compatibility and a head-up display. Both trims still provide for an excellent drive, but clearly buyers weren't too interested in ramping up the options while retaining the manual transmission.

Thankfully, there's an even better way to slap a stick into the Veloster. The Hyundai Veloster N is one hell of a hot hatch, providing the same kind of smile-goading performance as its competitors, but with a serious price advantage. So while there may be fewer ways to enjoy a Hyundai with a manual transmission, the cars that still pack it are well worth your time.

(Hat tip to The Car Connection!)

The 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo is entertaining yet affordable

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Watch this: 2019 Hyundai Veloster Turbo: A true hot-hatch contender