Subaru Is Asking Customers If They Want A Manual SUV
A survey sent out to Subaru customers asks if they might be interested in a new manual SUV.
the breakdown
- Subaru sent out an internal survey asking customers if they'd want a manual SUV.
- A second survey asks if customers would want a manual Outback Wilderness specifically.
- The last manual-transmission SUV left Subaru's lineup in 2023.
Even with so many manuals disappearing over the past few years, some companies endeavour to keep the manual transmission alive. Subaru is one of them. The company still offers manual options on its BRZ and WRX, and now it may be gauging interest for an entirely different manual-transmission vehicle.
As originally reported by Gear Patrol, Reddit user u/Macgyver452 posted an internal survey in the r/Subaru subreddit asking a very interesting question: "Would you consider purchasing a manual transmission SUV in the future?"
That’s definitely not something we expected to hear from an automaker in the year of our Lord 2026. The answer options range from "Definitely" to "Definitely Not"—though we can’t imagine many casual Subaru owners would choose the former.
According to u/Macgyver452, the survey isn’t publicly available, so it’s impossible to know what some of the other questions might have looked like. As the user notes, "surveys are private invitations via email directly from Subaru."
A second user shared a similar—if not more intriguing—survey that they also received. Reddit user u/VodkaChugger420 (nice) posted a screenshot of a survey asking: "If a manual transmission was available, how interested would you be in having this feature on your Outback Wilderness?" In this case, the survey options range from "Very Interested" to "Not Interested."
If any Subaru SUV deserved a manual transmission, it would be the Outback Wilderness. Currently, the only two SUVs offering a manual transmission in the US are two of Subaru’s key rivals in the space: the Ford Bronco and the Jeep Wrangler.
Here’s the thing, though: automakers send out random surveys like this all the time. The unfortunate reality is that it probably won’t lead to any real, actual products. That said, if any group of enthusiasts would even consider a manual SUV, it’s Subaru fans.
The last manual SUV in the Subaru lineup wasn’t even that long ago. Subaru discontinued the manual Crosstrek in 2023. Before that, the Forester dropped its manual in 2018, and the Outback lost its manual around 2014.
We’ll never know if this survey was gauging customer interest in real products… that is, until Subaru actually builds a manual Outback Wilderness.
Motor1's Take: These surveys could mean absolutely nothing—but we're intrigued. A manual Outback Wilderness would certainly be an interesting option alongside the Bronco and Wrangler.
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Source: Reddit via Gear Patrol
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