Is Toyota Avanza manual or automatic?
The latest Toyota Avanza uses an automatic transmission and is typically offered with a CVT in most markets; manual transmissions were available on earlier generations in some regions.
To understand how this has evolved, the article below surveys transmission options across the Avanza’s generations and notes how regional availability shapes what buyers can get today.
Transmission options by generation
The following summarizes which transmissions were available in each generation and where they appeared.
- First generation (2003–2011): Offered with both a 5-speed manual transmission (5MT) and a 4-speed automatic transmission (4AT) in various markets, with choice depending on trim and region.
- Second generation (2011–2021): Continued availability of manual and automatic options in many markets; configurations commonly included a 5-speed manual and a 4- or 5-speed automatic, depending on trim and market.
- Third generation (2022–present): Automatic transmission dominates; the latest model is primarily automatic (CVT) in most markets, and manual is not offered on the current generation.
Across generations, Toyota’s approach shifted from offering both options in older models to primarily automatic for the latest generation, with regional variations.
Current regional status
Transmission choices for the latest-generation Avanza vary by market, but are largely automatic across the board. The following notes highlight common patterns in major markets:
- Indonesia and Southeast Asia: All-new Avanza is sold with automatic transmission (CVT); manual option is not offered on the latest model.
- Philippines and other Southeast Asian markets: Automatic is standard on current trims; manual was available only on older generations or specific used-model inventory.
- Other markets: Availability depends on local import or dealer stock; generally automatic-only on new models.
In practice, buyers seeking a manual should consider older used examples from prior generations or verify regional inventories, as the latest models are automatic-only in most markets.
Summary
The Toyota Avanza has evolved from offering both manual and automatic options in its early generations to predominantly automatic (often CVT) in the current generation. If you specifically want a manual transmission, you’ll likely need to pursue an older generation or confirm availability in very particular regional inventories, since the newest models are automatic-only in most markets.
