"Short-shifting" a Jeep Patriot & Audi A4 CVT (forcing early "upshift") saves gas

[MetroMPG]

spamming the shifter

great description of exactly what I was doing.



I didn't notice the trans was particularly slow to respond, though I did confuse it enough to make it lurch once or twice by hitting upshift just after getting moving off in 1st. I think it went 1-2-1 within a couple of seconds.

comfortable car, though

I said the same thing to Tim about it. Relatively quiet, compliant ride, substantial feeling. And no squeaks or rattles despite 200k km / 120k miles on it.

[19bonestock88]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I had a chance to drive a 1st gen., pre-update Cruze this week (first time in a Cruze for me).

6-speed, conventional torque converter automatic with a manual mode like the Audi & Jeep CVT's.

Not surprisingly, like the CVT's, the default programming upshifts a lot later than you can make it shift manually. Though I can't count how many times the car told me "SHIFT DENIED" when I asked for an early upshift. Funny.

The other interesting eco-driving transmission factoid: you can force the car to start off in 2nd gear by requesting an upshift when stopped.

My ex had one of those, with the 1.4T and the 6T45 you drove, I remember it not allowing 6th before like 37mph... it would deliver good mileage in 6th if you kept it to like 45-50mph and kept it out of boost...

What I didn’t like is the gearing... when accelerating at WOT it would shift three times by the time it got to 60... engine had a really narrow power band, you had to really work the shifter to keep it happy, it had lots of turbo lag below 3500, and fell on its face above 5500... they say that a ZZP tune helps lots with the power curve, but I know it also voids the warranty on a car that still had one left...

[MetroMPG]

I could get it into 6th around 50 km/h = 30 mph. But I'm pretty sure this was the 1.8 -- different programming?

[19bonestock88]

It could be different programming or I could just be remembering 37 and not 31... it’s been a few years ago that my ex had her Cruze... how was it with the 1.8? Slow as crap? I think the Cruze weighs 3100-ish and the 1.8 is rated at 138/125?

[MetroMPG]

Honestly, I'm not the person to be asking about whether a car is 'slow' or not. Remember I drive a 50 hp car with extra tall gearing, and I think it's fast enough! The 78 hp Mirage I tested felt extravagant.

[litesong]

Originally Posted by 19bonestock88

....I could just be remembering 37 and not 31... it’s been a few years ago that my ex had her Cruze... how was it with the 1.8? Slow as crap? I think the Cruze weighs 3100-ish and the 1.8 is rated at 138/125?

I had wanted a 6sp. manual tranny, 1.4 turbo Eco-Cruze. The Chevy dealer didn't have one, but I got to drive a 6sp., 1.8 liter Cruze. Seemed very solid & I liked the 6sp. manual. The dealer tho, wouldn't deal with me for a lower-priced Eco-Cruze, so I got a good deal, better looking, 2013, 6 speed auto tranny, 1.8 liter Elantra, which I thought would give 2nd best efficiency to the Eco-Cruze. The Elantra auto tranny would shift into 6th gear at 43MPH. But when the Cruise Control was activated, speed could be reduced to 36MPH, WITHOUT the auto shifting to 5th gear. All sorts of MPG would pile up then. The Elantra was 2950 (?) pounds, 148HP, 131lbs-ft of torque. Tho little differences, the combined lower weight, more HP, more torque, made the Elantra acceleration tolerable. Averaged 39MPG, with a high of 45MPG, which made the acceleration really tolerable. Liked it so much, we also bought a 2016 6sp. manual tranny Elantra. The manual gives better MPG than the auto, & with lower gearing, gives good acceleration.....excellent for steep mountain pass highways or on-ramps.

[niky]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Honestly, I'm not the person to be asking about whether a car is 'slow' or not. Remember I drive a 50 hp car with extra tall gearing, and I think it's fast enough! The 78 hp Mirage I tested felt extravagant.

I never feel bothered by the lack of power after test-driving something bigger and more powerful. The lack of inertia when you light off the line is addictive.

Granted, it doesn't have much go after that.

I wonder, actually, if the largely negative press the Mirage gets in the US would change if Mitsubishi only lent out manual test units. The CVT is a bore, but the manual is kind of quick given the power on tap.

[Ecky]

Are there any manuals with three shafts? DCTs have much wider ratio spreads without becoming overly large by having an extra reduction gear.