Manual transmissions may be disappearing fast, but Subaru doesn’t seem ready to let go just yet. While most automakers have moved fully toward automatics and CVTs, Subaru continues to hold the line with stick-shift options on cars like the BRZ and WRX. Now, a new internal survey suggests the company may be exploring something far more unexpected: a manual-transmission SUV.
The revelation comes from Reddit, where users recently shared screenshots of Subaru surveys that ask a very direct question: Would customers consider buying a manual SUV in the future?
In 2026, that’s a bold thing for any automaker to even ask.
The Survey That Started the Buzz
As first reported by Gear PatrolReddit user u/Macgyver452 posted an image from a Subaru survey circulated via private email. The standout question was simple and provocative: “Would you consider purchasing a manual transmission SUV in the future?” Respondents could choose anything from “Definitely” to “Definitely Not.”
According to the user, these surveys aren’t publicly accessible. Subaru sends them selectively to customers, which means they’re often used to quietly test ideas before any real commitment is made.
That alone would’ve been enough to stir conversation. But then another Subaru owner chimed in with something even more specific.
A Manual Outback Wilderness?
Reddit user u/VodkaChugger420 shared a separate survey asking: “If a manual transmission was available, how interested would you be in having this feature on your Outback Wilderness?”
That question matters. The Outback Wilderness is Subaru’s most rugged, adventure-focused variant of the Outback lineup. If any Subaru SUV could plausibly support a manual gearbox, this is the one.
Right now, only two SUVs sold in the US still offer manuals: the Ford Bronco and the Jeep Wrangler. Both lean heavily into enthusiast culture, trail credibility, and mechanical simplicity areas where Subaru has long enjoyed a loyal following.
History Says It’s Not Impossible
This wouldn’t be Subaru’s first manual SUV. The brand discontinued the manual Crosstrek in 2023. Before that, the Forester lost its stick shift in 2018, and the Outback itself dropped the option around 2014.
In other words, this isn’t ancient history. The engineering knowledge exists. The question is demand.
And that’s where the surveys come in.
Will It Actually Happen?
Here’s the thing. Automakers send out exploratory surveys all the time. Many never turn into real products. These questions could mean absolutely nothing.
But if there’s one enthusiast group likely to answer “Definitely” to a manual SUV, it’s Subaru owners.
As Engine1 put it, the idea may go nowhere but it’s intriguing. A manual Outback Wilderness would be unconventional, niche, and unapologetically enthusiast-driven. Which, frankly, sounds very Subaru.
For now, all we can do is wait and see whether this quiet question becomes a very loud statement.
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