"The Decline of the 5-Speed Transmission in the U.S."

The five-speed transmission is nearly extinct in the U.S., with only two cars offering it, one automatic and one manual. The fifth-generation Toyota 4Runner, the last vehicle with a five-speed automatic, is being replaced with an eight-speed model, while the base-model Nissan Versa remains the only option for a five-speed manual. The shift towards more gears and the rise of CVTs in cheaper cars are contributing to the decline of the five-speed transmission, which was first introduced in 1991.