Auto or Manual

[akd1961]

Hi

After all the advise, thank you very much.

We have shortlisted our cars to the Kia Sorento and the Hyaundai Santa Fe, next question is auto or manual best for towing

Man thanks

 

[Parksy]

I tow with a 2009 Kia Sorento CRDI with automatic transmission.
It's a safe relaxing car to tow our twin axle Abbey Vogue 620.
With the auto gearbox reversing is easy with no component wear.
My daily drive has manual transmission but my last three towcars have been autos, all with no issues.

 

[otherclive]

Since 2000 my tow cars have been automatics and like Parksy the daily drive is manual. Autos make towing so much more relaxing not only when pitching up but also in stop start traffic conditions.

 

[Bob_5041432]

I agree with Parksy. I have a Santa Fe which I think has the same engine as the Sorrento. Never had a problem with the auto box. I tow a heavy - 1700 kg - single axle caravan all over Europe. Relaxed towing and never found a hill that it can't cope with. The auto box does have manual selection for the steeper gradients. With the caravan off, again a very relaxed, easy and comfortable vehicle to drive.

 

[Damian]

I tow almost every day, either my work trailer which is certainly not light, or the caravan at 1600Kg with a Sedona Auto and it is by far the best vehicle I have owned for relaxed towing.
Also have to do a lot of reversing and the auto takes all the strain and wear out of the business, so no burning clutch !!!!

The only thing missing on it is 4 wheel drive, which would be useful considering the types of surface I have to go on, especially camp sites, but 4WD is not needed most of the time.

 

[Hutch]

I have a 2014 Santa Fe auto, we tow a 1645kg max Coachman and it is great . I tried a manual an thought of all that clutch slipping when reversing into pitches etc. Auto for me every time.

 

[Alan C]

Depends which year you get some of the earlier auto cars could not make up there mind what gear it wants to be in at 60mph newer models with the 6 or 8 speed boxes are much better

Alan

 

[Parksy]

I've found that on older auto models keeping the automatic transmission fluid fresh, clean and topped up eradicates most of the problems that you're likely to encounter. My 2009 Sorento with a 5 speed auto gearbox stays in top gear when towing at 60mph at 2400 rpm.
The kick down operates smoothly for steeper inclines.
Manual hold / change is available for driving in slow traffic.
I wouldn't switch to a towcar with manual transmission.

 

[Thingy]

I have long held the opinion that an auto box works best with a large and powerful engine, or cubes as Mr Clarksin would say. The power and the autobox make for a very pleasant driving experience, and especially when towing. Most modern cars anyway give you the option to use a sequential or manual gear change, just without the clutch. But when you will really love your autobox is sat in the endless queues that are a symptom of modern motoring.

My last four tugs have been autoboxes and I wouldnt have anything else now, for towing or day to day driving. Sometimes there is a slight premium to pay on fuel, but trust me, its worth it.

 

[xtrailman]

I've had 40 years with manual cars and now 4 with auto, on my second auto car and have zero intentions of ever driving a manual.

The new auto fitted to the Korean SF and Sorento is now a 8 speed TC box which makes more sense than a 6 speed manual to me.

 

[GeorgeandAde]

I have the 2016 Santa fe auto.
Its a fantastic towcar with a huge boot and being the 7 seater,has self levelling suspension.
2 not so good points,
1.fuel consumption not as good as manual
2.lower max tow weight.
My auto is 2000kg max
The manual is 2500kg.
Having said that.....I absolutely love it.

 

[Guzzilazz]

It looks like EDC/Powershift/whatever the other names are will be on the way out for larger vehicles, the new Ford Kuga has TC gearboxes in Auto config

 

[ProfJohnL]

As they say one swallow doesn't make a summer, so just because Ford may have used a TC on one model, the evidence from looking at virtually every other manufacturer the direct shift auto boxes are still favoured for for the higher powered vehicles.

 

[JTQ]

As they say one swallow doesn't make a summer, so just because Ford may have used a TC on one model, the evidence from looking at virtually every other manufacturer the direct shift auto boxes are still favoured for for the higher powered vehicles.

Even VW as VAG a leader in dual clutch autos selected a TC for the Touareg, and LR and Rolls Royce seem to have kept the ZF TC.

 

[Dustydog]

My Sorento were TC autos. Firs class.The Touareg and other larger German derivatives are moving away from DSG and using TC on their more powerful beasts. The new TC type are light years ahead of 20 years ago.Eg they contain an automatic electronic system that once on the move ensures the input and output shafts are locked, thus no slippage. The latest DSG boxes use wet clutches whereas until recently I think Ford were using dry clutches hence their poor record.
Thus auto every time for me

 

[xtrailman]

Part of the Vag group Porsche uses a DSG, I think that qualifies as a powerful car.

Reason Ford ditched the powershift was due to reliability issues, they and certain Vag DSG boxes gain a reputation for reliability issues.

There are a lot of DSG variants so one cannot generalise, it was some of the dry DSG boxes that gave the most issues.

 

[otherclive]

Part of the Vag group Porsche uses a DSG, I think that qualifies as a powerful car.

Reason Ford ditched the powershift was due to reliability issues, they and certain Vag DSG boxes gain a reputation for reliability issues.

There are a lot of DSG variants so one cannot generalise, it was some of the dry DSG boxes that gave the most issues.

l

Part of the Vag group Porsche uses a DSG, I think that qualifies as a powerful car.

Reason Ford ditched the powershift was due to reliability issues, they and certain Vag DSG boxes gain a reputation for reliability issues.

There are a lot of DSG variants so one cannot generalise, it was some of the dry DSG boxes that gave the most issues.

It was Porsche that invented the twin synchro gearbox which for a sports car is ideal given the faster changes and response to paddle shifters.

 

[JTQ]

The Touareg and other larger German derivatives are moving away from DSG and using TC on their more powerful beasts.

The Touareg has not moved away from a DSG, it never was offered with one, unless somebody knows better?
I used a loan Mk1, that I was told used an Aisin gearbox, that I believed was a TC.

 

[Hutch]

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[Beachball2]

I have a medical condition
I drive a Automatic because one thing it easy for me
Because I have trouble with my lower limbs poor circulation