6 M/T Availability - is Toyota stealth ending MT production?

[DennisG]

My dealer, who is a family friend, looked at allocations for the truck I wanted, I gave them some leeway in color and packages. They 'found' a TRD OR premium with the MT to be built 6 weeks in advance of our contract. It took a long time for it to built and arrive, especially in the face of constant tariff policy changes and postponements. I am glad I waited and got the truck I want.

Sponsored

 

[Mad Max]

I'm in the process of shopping for a new vehicle, and have a short list of vehicles I'm looking at. The availability of a manual transmission is a huge differentiator for the Tacoma over competing trucks, and would be a deal-winner for me *IF THEY WERE ACTUALLY AVAILABLE*. But, from what I can see they are not.

I live near South Padre Island, Texas and there are a couple dealers around here, both in person and checking their web site, no dice on the manual.

So, then I checked the biggest Toyota dealer in Houston (maybe in Texas) and - again, no deal.

Then I tried to use an app that someone on this site developed to help look for them anywhere, and even thought it shows a bunch none of those dealers have them either.

Am I wrong in concluding that Toyota isn't really in the manual-transmission Tacoma business anymore?

I mentioned "OK, I'll order what I want" to the salesman at Brownsville Toyota and he sort of mumbled and said "you could come near the beginning of the month. That was weird, most dealers (ie: Jeep, Chevy, Ford) are happy to order a vehicle for a buyer - it's a "no risk, no cost" sale for them.

Then I came here are read about the weird Toyota "Dealer Allocation" system, and it seems like (despite having a "Build One") option on the Toyota.com web site, that's NOT an option, and the best a dealer can do is put in a "request" to get on, and who knows what trim level / options it will have.

This would be my 4th new Toyota purchase, but I was not aware of this. To some extent this supports Toyota's way of doing things, I guess. The inability to special order hasn't prevented me from buying a new Toyota three times in the past.

But, then again, I still have the Toyota truck I bought in 1996 - so for something that I'm going to hold onto I'd just as soon get 100% of what I want, especially the M/T (on a TRD Offroad).

If, as now suspect, the manual transmissions were mostly done has part of the 4 Gen launch to get some attention for Toyota, and they don't really bother building them except on alternating blue moons then the Tacoma drops down into the category of "one of" the mid-sized trucks I will consider getting. (Again, maybe there aren't too many people who care at this point?)

I know a handfull of people active here have the manual Tacoma's - I have read every thread on them here. Is anyone else *currently* trying to find one?

Anyone tried to *order* (given the "Toyota doesn't take customer orders") successfully? Any other advice.

My fallback for a M/T vehicle might be a Jeep Wrangler. The local Jeep Dealers do at least have a token M/T on *their* lots (so you can drive one) and are happy to order whatever combo of M/T and other goodies you want. (Which is how it should be: Toyota Tacoma's are made in Texas after all, not far away Toyoda City).

Thanks in advance for any encouragement or information you can provide on this topic.

By the way: my first non-introduction post. Nice forum,

Here is my 1996 Toyota T-100 on the beach a few months ago.
It's a 5-speed manual, and it was easy to get. (I lived in Oregon at the time, the truck was the last made-in-Japan Toyota truck, and they were imported into the Port of Portland, so the dealer could see everything that was on the docs and a gray manual was easy to get).

I had the same problem. I found 2 trucks with manual transmissions. One was a "new" ( in July of 2025) 2024 TRD off road which I didn't want the first year, and the second was a bare bones SR. I asked the dealer to order a truck for me and was also shocked they wouldn't do it. Looking hard another month I found another SR nicely optioned but still lacking a couple items I wanted. I ended up working a great deal on it and it has been a fun truck.

 

[MT-Taco]

Try here..
https://www.tacoma4g.com/forum/thre...-2024-tacomas-💵-purchase-leasing.2039/page-17

 

[mikem]

You've already learned Toyota doesn't do custom orders; What I did and I recommend you do is ask your local dealerships when they receive their allocations. Mine was every other Tuesday. Check their website those days when inventory updates, it took 2 months for my dealership to be allocated a 6 m/t TRD OR. For about a week after the allocation they can submit update requests, i.e. different paint, infotainment system, different dealer or port installed upgrades. Those are granted at the discretion of the manufacturer: Toyota doesn't keep a warehouse of parts on hand, they only order what's needed for the current production run. If they're not planning on any bronze oxide exteriors that run, that request will be denied no matter how hard you ask (still a bit salty about that one, though I do like the underground grey I got).

Keep looking around, you'll find one sooner rather than later.

Good luck!

 

[Bannedname]

Put deposit down May 2023, received truck August 2024. I feel your pain... close to the end I was calling the GM of the dealership to see if he could actually verify that Toyota would build the truck.

I was checking Toyota's site and the inventory link on here weekly. Found one truck in white that I almost moved forward on but I'm really glad I waited.

Eventually did get exactly what I requested when I put the deposit down. Solar Octane, MT TRD Off Road, Premium Package, SDM. The only non-requested option that was added was Mud Guards ($60).

 

[Texas Bob]

I ordered - yes ordered - my 6MT OR in early September of 2024 and it was delivered on March 7th, 2025. I received what I ordered (biggest chunks being the Premium package, Bronze Oxide) except for the mudflaps (no issue, better options are available online). I was warned by the dealer that Gulf States Toyota, the regional distributor, would load it up with stuff I didn't want -and they did. $750 steps, $500 dash cam, $75 USB wires, first aid kit are the ones I recall. Totaled $1850. Not singled out - apparently they do it to most of their vehicles.

If you want the manual, and are willing to order and wait for it, call Toyota of Cedar Park (Texas) and ask for Constantin. Know that the lowered redline (5400rpm) and the low gearing in 1st and 2nd gear make the 6MT less fun to drive on the road -where my truck , and most others will expend most of their miles.

My experience with Cedar Park Toyota was much different. Like all the other dealers (salesmen) I talked to within hundreds of miles of my house, they were unwilling to talk about anything other than vehicles they had already been allocated. They told you the truth about Gulf States Toyota, though. I stalked the web sites continually for about eight months before I found what I wanted: a TRD O/R 6MT with minimal options. It was allocated for a dealer only 4 hours and 220 miles away (Cedar Park Toyo is about one hour away). And whoever said that the Toyota sales model is "Customer Third" is being generous: Toyota #1, Gulf States Toyota and dealerships #2 and #3, and customer #4. I don't know which BS stinks worse: the GS BS or the dealer BS.

 

[6MTNate]

I live in Atlanta metro, and I spent about 4 months searching for a manual Tacoma in late '24 through early '25. My must-haves were: 4th Gen, TRD OR, Upgrade package, 14" screen; in Black, Underground or Silver. After local dealers weren't much help, I used Cars.com to search the entire country (for 24s and 25s, new and used). Typically, out of 10,000+ Tacomas available, only 10 or 12 were TRD OR 6MTs. . . so finding a truck with the manual -with all the other specs- would bring my search any given week to 2-3 vehicles nationwide. At that time, several listed were on a "NO SALE" list due to the break recall issue. . . so that limited options even further. . . Eventually, I talked to a dealer in central Tennessee that had a perfect match, so I made an appointment. In prime car dealer fashion, they sold it out from under me the day before I was planning to drive up. Fortunately, this particular dealership made up for it by finding another one scheduled to arrive "any day" at a dealer in Virginia. They said they could transfer it to their lot within 48 hours of its arrival if I put down a $1000 deposit. So I did, and ultimately drove off with a nice brand new TRD OR 6MT in Underground. I had to drive ~3 hours to buy it. . . and put down a deposit before I ever saw the truck - but I have no regrets. The truck is fantastic.

So be patient, search as far away as your willing to go to get it, and don't hesitate to pounce when you find one. . . they sell immediately. Good luck. It IS possible.

 

[Crazy Mary’s Husband]

I’m kind of glad that I didnt wait and got the automatic. Threw my back out one night and had to have a hooker drive me home. She could hardly drive an automatic so I highly doubt she could drive a MT. Either way, I was fooked.


Edit: this isn't what it sounds like. I needed someone to drive me and the only person around was a hooker. She was on duty and said that if she were to drive me home, I had to pay for an hour, just like everyone else. It was only 15 minutes to my house so I got my moneys worth had her fold my laundry. When she was finished, Crazy Mary took her back where I found her.

Sponsored