Anyone else let down by Chevy Cruze mpg?

[comptiger5000]

Endurance - I hear you on not liking CVTs. There's just something missing from the experience when you drive one, and unlike a regular auto, you can't play games with it to make it shift how you want.

[EdKiefer]

Originally Posted by comptiger5000

Endurance - I hear you on not liking CVTs. There's just something missing from the experience when you drive one, and unlike a regular auto, you can't play games with it to make it shift how you want.

I have not driven CVT car but what about some have paddle shifters on them, wonder how that works.
My guess is it just has fixed points along the variable ratio it pick out for a gear ratio for paddle shift to work .

[endurance]

Originally Posted by comptiger5000

Endurance - I hear you on not liking CVTs. There's just something missing from the experience when you drive one, and unlike a regular auto, you can't play games with it to make it shift how you want.

I wondered if it was just me, but the first time I drove the Civic CVT the hair came up on the back of my neck the same as it did when I was 17 years old and had blown out my mom's auto transmission. Hearing an engine rev up beyond a certain point before you actually get moving makes me think "oh, crap, I am going to be in soooo much trouble when I get home!" I understand enough about the science behind them to think they're great in theory (allowing the engine to enter a torquier part of the power band and allowing nearly infinite gear ratios), but damn, it just don't feel right.

@ed, what CVTs have paddle shifters? I haven't seen that, nor would I understand how that would work from what little I know about them.

Paddle shifters are a blast and seem like the next best thing to a stick, but they still don't let you EOC. A friend loaned me his Audi TT Quatro 3.2 with paddle shifters and I don't think I've ever enjoyed driving a car more than that one. Of course, there was a lot to love about that car; the MPG was not one of them.

[EdKiefer]

Originally Posted by endurance

I wondered if it was just me, but the first time I drove the Civic CVT the hair came up on the back of my neck the same as it did when I was 17 years old and had blown out my mom's auto transmission. Hearing an engine rev up beyond a certain point before you actually get moving makes me think "oh, crap, I am going to be in soooo much trouble when I get home!" I understand enough about the science behind them to think they're great in theory (allowing the engine to enter a torquier part of the power band and allowing nearly infinite gear ratios), but damn, it just don't feel right.

@ed, what CVTs have paddle shifters? I haven't seen that, nor would I understand how that would work from what little I know about them.

Paddle shifters are a blast and seem like the next best thing to a stick, but they still don't let you EOC. A friend loaned me his Audi TT Quatro 3.2 with paddle shifters and I don't think I've ever enjoyed driving a car more than that one. Of course, there was a lot to love about that car; the MPG was not one of them.

Maybe I am wrong but though Nissan had paddle shifter and they use CVT trans, I have to check on that but kind of remember seeing/reading that somewhere .

Edit : Nissan altima specs claim "Xtronic CVT® (Continuously Variable Transmission) with manual mode"

And pic of shifter has a +/- selection area, so looks like other manual modes .

[comptiger5000]

Some CVTs do have paddle shifters. They just use certain set points in the variable range as "gears".

[EdKiefer]

Originally Posted by comptiger5000

Some CVTs do have paddle shifters. They just use certain set points in the variable range as "gears".

That's what I figured, so at least you have some control of engine rpm per CVT gear ratio .

[tiderfish]

I think the Cruse is a step in the right direction for GM. Its good to see they are actually considering a car that gets decent MPG. Plus it looks great! I also appropriate the fact they are going with a turbo charged engine. Turbos: the replacement for displacement!

As for the Smart cars, I don't think they will ever be as popular as the Geo Metro. As I recall the metro wasn't really marketed as a super fuel efficient car. It was marketed as a inexpensive car. The fuel efficiency was due to it's small size and displacement. The Smart car is just plane wrong. It's barely large enough for 2 people, has almost no cargo space, and starts at $11,990! What happened to the sub $10,000 car? On top of all that the car is so "squished" it looks like it would be flattened in an accident, passengers and all! I think the Smart is just for people that want to have that in the driveway to tell their snoody friends they are eco-friendly.

[endurance]

Originally Posted by tiderfish

What happened to the sub $10,000 car?

The same thing that happened to $1.75 a gallon gasoline, the $6 a pound T-bone steak, and the $5 bottle of California wine; INFLATION. If you look at the competition, there's not a Kia, Suzuki, or Hundai breaking the $10k barrier right now either. The Smart car is just about the cheapest thing out there and while it's not very practical, I think the moment gas tops $4.00 a gallon again, they'll be flying off the showroom floors as fast as they can import them.

Don't get me wrong, the Civic, Festiva, and Cruze will be flying out the door just as fast and provide much better safety and features, but for the bottom of the market, if they can weather the slow economy and cheap gasoline prices, the Smart car will carve out a niche.

[jason1973tl]

I can honestly say I am not surprised in the slightest. Given we are talking about General Motors here. They are the ones who build electric cars you refuel with gasoline then call it a range extended electric car.
Hell now I find out the Volt is not even a series hybrid. The gas engine runs the wheels at freeway speeds. It is nothing more than a plug in Toyota Prius.
And what is with the Volt's 36mpg gasoline only range? Is that the best they can do. It seems they like to half ass all the eco friendly cars.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by tiderfish

As for the Smart cars, I don't think they will ever be as popular as the Geo Metro. As I recall the metro wasn't really marketed as a super fuel efficient car. It was marketed as a inexpensive car.

Hell, the Metro wasn't marketed AT ALL. It's amazing it sold as well as it did.