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Dual clutch 6 speeds
The wifes current 2012 Kia Sorento as well as my 2011 Ford Fiesta both have dual clutch 6 speed transmissions.
Fiesta:
Remember this car was totalled and rebuilt.
The Fiesta is nice and the transmission works fairly well, but it seems a little cluncky at times and certain scenarios like my steep driveway can catch it in a funky shift. I have to be careful because I drive with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake (lets not dilute this thread with a debate on that).
When I get a little lazy and let my left foot touch the brake pedal it drives the transmission crazy and it starts doing crazy stuff, so I have to be aware of that.
Good performance, a little noisy, and it seems less perfected than the Sorento, which is as smooth as glass and likes to keep the engine at lower RPMs. The Kia is a great vehicle for what it is. I was surprized at how good it has held up and we have had absolutely no problems with it, and it's built in Gerogia. The transmission in the Kia seems far more refined than the Ford. I know Ford had service bulletins about "relfashing" the computer for the transmission, but mine is not eligible for any service bulletin dealer work due to the salvage title. It is still eligible for any recalls.
The biggest aggravation for me was after we got the Sorento I tried to see if I could easily beat highway MPG like I could in the Fiesta. I found it almost impossible unless I went 55 MPG with no accessories on a deserted road with virtually no traffic. Later Hyundai-Kia admitted they had "errred" in their highwway mileage testing and they dropped the EPA highway from 32 to 29.
Personally I would have kept the 2009 Rogue and it really ticks me off that they think paying her $100 a year for the difference in fuel mileage is fair.
We probably would not have bought the Sorento had it not been rated at 32 highway. She averages around 26.5 to 28 MPG.
I haven't really tried to much neutral coasting in her Sorento, just a few times with no problem, but I don't want them to have a warranty denial excuse. The Fiesta I neutral coast everywhere I can, even saw 80 MPG reading coasting around the Wall Mart parking lot after the last fillup when I reset the MPG meter. I have neutral coasted downhills on Interstates and through the mountians on two lane roads. The throttle by wire does a great job of rev matching on renegagement of the gears and selects the highest gear above 40 MPH with a smooth reengagemment of the engne.
The Fiesta transmission does not really go into neutral if you are moving. It will stay in 6th gear above 40 MPH but below that speed it shifts down to the lower gears when the engine speed would drop below 1500 RPM in the higher gear. It took me a while to realize it was doing that, but I could feel the transmission shifting, even though the shifter was in neutral.
regards
Mech
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