Quote:
Originally Posted by cbaber
Automatics have improved drastically over the years, ... An automatic won't ever let me "chug" around at 900 RPM in 5th gear in town.
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Actually... I bought my wife a 2012 VW Golf 6 speed auto last year. It really does an amazing job. I cruze around town (35-40ish) in 6th at 1000RPMs in auto mode. I can easily beat the EPA with 37MPG average without using manual shift mode. In fact it is so quiet it is hard to beat the auto around town in manual shift mode. I do wish I could neutal coast from manual shift mode, but I can from auto mode. Not that I really need to as it coasts well most of the time already.
The manual mode is better on the highway as I can leave it in 6th and stay easy on the accellerator. In auto mode every rise causes a down-shift.
The cruse control could be better though. I rented a Mazda 3 with "Sky active". (whatever that is?) Also an auto, that cruse control was great. I'm pretty sure it was engine off coasting on cruse control at times.