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I've done neutral coasting in every car I have owned for at least the last 7 years. Regular autos, CVTs including an early Insight and an 08 Altima, and now in my 2011 Fiesta, for the last 17k miles in the Fiesta alone.
In some old slushbox designs the transmission will stay in top gear and the torque converter will unlock. My 85 Riviera did this and it took me some time to learn how far it would "coast" when you let off the gas. I loved the car and it averaged 27-28 MPG, but the dang thing put me to sleep if I drove it over 2 hours.
The Fiesta does not go into neutral when you put it there is it is moving. You can feel it downshift as the engaged engine speed drops below 1500 RPM, so at 40 MPH, even in neutral you can feel the transmission "downshift" but the clutch stays disengaged until you shift back into gear.
I have never and will never do engine off coasting in any auto equipped car. Autos require hydraulic pressure to function as well as for lubrication. If you want to fry your transmission and spend a bundle of money then go ahead and shut off the engine while you are going 60 MPH. I know I won't.
The Fiesta coasts down to something like 16 MPH in neutral and still pegs the MPG gauge at 99 MPG. The Insight did 150 MPG down to 16 MPH. The Altima did 60 MPG down to 16 MPH. You can actually calculate your idle fuel consumption using those figures. The Insight went 150 MPG coasting at 16 MPH, os it used 16/150ths of a gallon idling.
All 3 cars would go to normal neutral idle speed when coasting, same RPM as they did in neutral sitting still.
regards
Mech
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