Automatic only cars

[SteveW77]

Yes it is filled brim to brim and the 48mpg was on a run last Sunday from Luton to Bognor regis, so mostly motorway. My average day to day return is 38mpg. These figures are not exceptional for the New Kia Sorento 6 speed Auto. The last Sorento I owned never got above 32mpg on motorway trips no matter how it was driven.
I have been in the motor trade to long to rely on electronically recorded data for anything.

Steve W

I find those figures hard to believe as they are even higher than the figures on the Kia technical specification sheet. generally all manufacturers tend to over estimate and if you subtract 5 from the ir mpg figure it si evne lower. If they are correct then that is quite extraordinary for 2.2 engine on a auto vehicle weighing in at 2000kgs.

As someone who has owned all three versions of the Kia Sorento, I know all about poor fuel economy. My second one the facelift version never returned more than 25 mpg on normal running and a miserly 18-20 mpg towing.
Last year I towed over 6000 miles with my KX2 auto and returned an average of 28.7mpg. I picked up my new caravan in January and towed it 160 miles home although the van was empty, it still weights 1600Kg. I filled the car to the brim before I set of and refilled it when I got home. result 29.6mpg at an average speed of 56mph.

Steve W

 

[otherclive]

Hi,
regarding Lutz's commenst above and whether Ford auto (powershift twin clutches) are susceptible to problems I have made several comments on another thread (Mondeo gearbox problem) and have also made mention of the numerous reports in the Daily Telegraph Motoring (Honest John letters) section (Saturdays) of similar problems with the VAG DSG gearboxes. In fact there was another one in the Telegraph last Saturday. If you look at the Honest John website you will see more details discussed. Why this type of gearbox should be more susceptible to this type of problem I don't know although I suspect that ina normal torque convertor box the drive is fully engaged at standstill and the combination of torque convertor and brake prevent movement. Even if in neutral with a torque convertor box first gear is fully engaged manually by moving the lever to Drive anda smooth take off is ensured as engine speed winds up the torque convertor.

 

[xtrailman]

Why not just take the stress out of towing, drive a manuel, get more MPG, put more weight on the towbar, pay less to buy the car, and maybe even save on the VED.

 

[Surfer]

Why not just take the stress out of towing, drive a manuel, get more MPG, put more weight on the towbar, pay less to buy the car, and maybe even save on the VED.

Ray I would prefer to drive a manual but unfortunatley my disability does not allow me to do this without considerable pain. Then again this gearbox issue is a right PIA.

Yesterday I drove a Vauxhall Astra 1.6 petrol auto which has a torque convertor gearbox and the gearbox engaged instantly. Fely like a boy racer again as it coudl shift and cornering was good. Tomorrow a 2.0L Insignia diesel auto has been made available for a test drive so based on that I will then decide whether to dump the Ford or not.
Pity as I like the Ford and the toys and the gearbox is fine in the Sport auto mode, but fuel consumption increases quite a bit. Also it can tow up to 2000kg and the Insignia is limited to 1600kg not that I will ever exceed 100%.

 

[xtrailman]

Can you stretch to a BMW X3 ?
It comes with a 8 speed box, has LOWER emissions than the manuel version, takes 100kg nose weight, and pulls 2000kg.

I would expect residuals to be very high come resale.

And its won every group test i've read.

 

[JonnyG]

Hello Steve if the Kia was fitted with a manual box would you expect more mpg?

Over all certainly.
On motorways probably not, as the torque converter locks up in 5th & 6th it is in effect, a manual box when cruising.

Steve W

Why would the auto give better mpg on m/ways than a manual? the only way it could possibly achieve that was if it had higher gearing in top,than the manual and the manual wasn't fitted with the normal overdrive top. being as most efficient manual diesels already have an overdrive in top, i would not expect an auto to be any higher geared.
48 mpg is really quite impressive for a car with a claimed CO2 of 191 gr/km? or there abouts. one would expect that sort of mpg figurers from cars with around 175 gr/km with in this case would be the manual version.

 

[SteveW77]

Hello Steve if the Kia was fitted with a manual box would you expect more mpg?

Over all certainly.
On motorways probably not, as the torque converter locks up in 5th & 6th it is in effect, a manual box when cruising.

Steve W

Why would the auto give better mpg on m/ways than a manual? the only way it could possibly achieve that was if it had higher gearing in top,than the manual and the manual wasn't fitted with the normal overdrive top. being as most efficient manual diesels already have an overdrive in top, i would not expect an auto to be any higher geared.
48 mpg is really quite impressive for a car with a claimed CO2 of 191 gr/km? or there abouts. one would expect that sort of mpg figurers from cars with around 175 gr/km with in this case would be the manual version.

I did not say that the auto box would give better results than a manual, I said I would not expect it to be worse than a manual version, I seems you only read what you want to read.
I could not care less how you take my figures, I have no axe to grind. Believe them or don't, I don't care either way.

Steve W

 

[Surfer]

Isn't the DSG auto box a manual box controlled by a ECU? Due to gear changes at the correct time is the reason why they are able to achieve a good mpg but at the same time this is the reason why I am having so much problem with my auto box as the darn thing does not know which gear to select if you brake and then accelerate!

 

[nelmo]

My non-DSG 2005 auto diesel also has the 'problem' of delay when putting your foot down after coasting to a near-stop. I don't believe it is a design or manufacturing fault - the gearbox does not have physic abilities and it cannot see the gap you are trying to get into. So it is about to change into first, thinking you are stopping, and you put your foot down. It has to decide whether to stay in second or drop to first - either way, there is a delay while it does that.

This is only a 'problem' when driving solo IMO, because everything is much slower when towing - I never want to accelerate into a gap and I normally always have to come to a complete stop at junctions etc. If you find it a problem when solo, leave the gearbox in manual and then you can change down to first in advance (like you would do in..er.. a manual car) and you won't have the problem.

 

[xtrailman]

Yet auto fans say auto is best for urban driving.
less stressful?

 

[MichaelE]

I dont think less stressful is the correct word ? They are much easier to drive and less effort is involved.
You always keep both hands on the wheel when pulling away from junction etc.

 

[Surfer]

My non-DSG 2005 auto diesel also has the 'problem' of delay when putting your foot down after coasting to a near-stop. I don't believe it is a design or manufacturing fault - the gearbox does not have physic abilities and it cannot see the gap you are trying to get into. So it is about to change into first, thinking you are stopping, and you put your foot down. It has to decide whether to stay in second or drop to first - either way, there is a delay while it does that.

Do you drive a Volvo as the gearbox is controlled by an ECU? Isn't thed drive train similar to the Ford? On all my older automatics I never had a problem and I have had various autos since the sixties. It was only in the early 2003 that I came across this problem as I had a manual car for a operiod of about 5 years.
I have being selecting the Sport mode to get around the problem, but this defeats the purpose of paying the extra for an automatic!