If you’re a car enthusiast, chances are you’ve once wanted to own a vehicle with a manual transmission at whatever stage in your life. What was once the default transmission, manuals have now become a rarity—mostly relegated to base model duty or, in many cases today, reserved for enthusiast cars. Blame factors on an increased desire for ever-faster acceleration, increased electrification, emissions reductions, the preference for convenience, or a combination of all these.
Anyway, if you were to buy a manual vehicle today for cheap, you really don’t have a lot of options. In fact, at under $20,000, your only option is the 2025 Nissan Versa S, but that’s already being discontinued as we speak. But how about the most efficient manual car in 2025? Well, you’d be surprised that the most efficient manual car isn’t even one that’s built for efficiency, but performance.
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Civic Duty For The Manual
That model we’re referring to is the 2026 Honda Civic Si, one of the most fun cars you can buy for around $30,000, and, as it turns out, it is also the most efficient manual car in the United States.
37 MPG Of Highway Efficiency
Just how efficient is the Civic Si? Well, how does a combined efficiency rating of 31 MPG sound? Achieving 27 MPG in the city and 37 MPG on the highway, whilst having a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque, sounds like a recipe for both fun and reasonable frugality. This is a sporty sedan that lets you have your cake and eat it, too.
And by that, we mean that you’ll still have plenty of fun behind the wheel despite being relatively frugal. This 1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder is mated to a six-speed manual—and a great one at that. Honda makes some of the best manual transmissions on the market, and to have it here in the Civic Si makes the daily commute more involving. This is matched with, based on our experience, an easy-to-manage clutch, which means you’ll likely remain comfortable enough driving the Civic Si even in traffic. Oh, and with an as-tested 0-60 mph time of 6.8 seconds by our team, overtaking slower cars in the Civic Si will always be an occasion.
All For $30,995
And to further sweeten the deal, the Civic Si could be yours for $30,995. Though it’s far from affordable, since the cheapest Civic costs $24,595, the Civic Si is one of the most affordable performance-oriented cars in 2025. Your other choice for something fun yet reasonably affordable would be a Mazda MX-5 Miata, which starts at $29,830, but with two seats and a petite size, it’s far from practical for most people as a family car.
If you want another fun choice with a manual, you may want to consider the 2026 Mazda 3 Hatchback in 2.5 S Premium guise. It costs slightly more than the Civic Si at $31,450, and with its 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder, it isn’t as punchy as the smaller turbocharged 1.5-liter of the Civic Si. It also isn’t as efficient, achieving a combined 28 MPG versus the Civic Si’s 31 MPG. However, the Mazda 3 Hatchback feels more premium and upscale, and to some, also more stylish. Lastly, there’s also the 2026 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, which, while more expensive by about $4,000, has a similar orientation to the Civic Si.
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2026 Honda Civic Si |
2026 Mazda 3 Hatchback 2.5 S Premium |
2026 Volkswagen Jetta GLI |
|
|
Engine |
1.5-liter turbo four-cylinder |
2.5-liter four-cylinder |
2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder |
|
Horsepower |
200 hp |
191 hp |
228 hp |
|
Torque |
192 lb-ft |
186 lb-ft |
258 lb-ft |
|
Transmission |
6-speed M/T |
6-speed M/T |
6-speed M/T 7-speed DCT |
|
Drivetrain |
FWD |
FWD |
FWD |
|
Fuel Economy (Combined) |
31 MPG |
27 MPG |
30 MPG |
|
Base MSRP |
$30,995 |
$31,450 |
$34,440 |
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The Civic Si’s Sporty Driving Feel
The main motivator for anyone who’s aspiring to own a Civic Si is its Type R-lite nature. If the Civic Type R is too hardcore and too expensive for you at $45,895, the Civic Si still inherits half of that hot hatch’s fun at a relatively accessible price point.
All About The Feel
Based on our team’s review of the current Civic Si, this sports sedan showcases that it’s all about the feel and not necessarily the speed. Though, with a 0-60 mph time of 6.8 seconds, it isn’t slow by any means. Instead, its main focus is all about handling fun, from its sharp steering, precise six-speed manual, and an engine that delivers its power in a linear fashion, whilst still providing satisfying low-end grunt thanks to turbocharging.
For this mid-cycle facelift, the Civic Si also received improved chassis tuning. The changes are minor, so it’s difficult to pinpoint what’s changed without going through a bit of placebo effect. What’s guaranteed is that the Civic Si has always been a fun car to drive, and any incremental improvement is going to be welcome change, anyway. The chassis tuning feels accessible—easy to approach its limits thanks to how the Civic Si remains very planted and grippy. Ditto the helical limited-slip differential (LSD), which helps shuffle power to the wheel with the most grip. This is something you’ll not find in the Mazda 3 Hatchback 2.5 S Premium. Lastly, if you’re still working your way to learning heel-and-toe? The auto rev match of its six-speed manual now works from second to first gear.
Whilst Still Being Usable
Yet when treated as a commuter car, the 2026 Honda Civic Si is still what you’d expect a Civic to be. Comfortable with a well-tuned suspension, along with the light clutch that makes it tolerable in city traffic. The steering, while sharp, is still light enough for maneuvering in tight corners. That usability extends to the car’s combined 31 MPG, which, in the real world, we were able to achieve 29 MPG without even being too gingerly with how we drove the car. Lastly, that usability extends to its practical interior, because it is indeed extremely usable and comfortable, as you’ll see later.
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Let’s Talk Design
Lastly, let’s talk about design and features, because in a sports sedan, that’s going to be something you’ll also consider.
Nondescript Sportiness
Unfortunately, whether you like it or not, the 2026 Honda Civic Si’s looks are a bit nondescript. Not that it looks bad, mind you. In fact, we find the current Civic to be reasonably handsome. The problem lies with the Civic Si barely looking any different from the standard model. Your only hints are the black trim surrounding the mesh grille, the black 18-inch wheels, along the additional black lower lip replacing the body colored one. Actually, even the black 18-inch wheels look so-so. We’ve seen these wheels in silver for the European and Japanese Civic, and I think we can all agree that they look better with this finish.
Modern Practicality
Lastly, the interior of the 2026 Honda Civic Si is likewise very similar to the standard model, though there are major design changes to spice things up. You absolutely can’t ignore the Civic Si’s red interior door panels, red trim surrounding the honeycomb vents, and the Si-specific bucket seats. The seats themselves are a highlight, as they offer both long-distance comfort and excellent lateral support when cornering hard.
Fundamentally, the interior itself is well-built with a reasonable amount of plush. Honda’s current interiors feel impeccably well-built, whilst being very practical and usable. As for feature highlights, you’ve got modern tech goodies like the Bose sound system, the nine-inch infotainment with Google Built-In, and the new Si-specific graphics for the 10.25-inch digital gauges.
