[maurice28]

Hi all - I've just got back from a test drive of a new Ceed SW. I was looking for an automatic but the only SW they had was a manual, so I took that out and liked it. The salesman's own Ceed hatchback was an automatic so he let me take that out afterwards to compare the gearboxes.

The auto was nice but I found that while testing the acceleration, if I put my foot down there was a second or so delay before it picked up speed. This was the first auto I've driven for a long time so wondered, if this just the normal behaviour of an auto? Do you find there's a slight delay before you putting your foot down and the power being delivered?

Just thinking if it would be a potential issue if needing to pull out at a junction, for example?

 

[iooi]

DCT box is in may ways like a manual, only without the clutch.

If you are accelerating away from a slow speed, the box will be in 2nd. You have to come to a full stop for it to select 1st. Something that crops up a lot with drivers who are new to a DCT box.
You get used to it and drive to it's ability.

TBH. If a sec delay is causing a problem getting into a gap, then the gap is not there to get into.

 

[Bodgerer]

Is it a CVT or a proper mechanical auto?

 

[skygrowler]

i would think any delay is due to downshifting , is it any more of a delay then changing down using a manual gearbox ?

 

[Back again]

DCT box is in may ways like a manual, only without the clutch.

A DCT is a "Dual Clutch Gearbox". Its not a torque converter like old auto's or a Continuously Vocal Transmission like Toyota's and some other brands. As the name suggests its not "without the clutch", it has 2.

If you are accelerating away from a slow speed, the box will be in 2nd. You have to come to a full stop for it to select 1st. Something that crops up a lot with drivers who are new to a DCT box.
You get used to it and drive to it's ability.

TBH. If a sec delay is causing a problem getting into a gap, then the gap is not there to get into.

Not driven a Kia DCT but not really come away totally satisfied with the VAG variety either. They do 2 types, a wet and dry clutch version but in "drive" both are dumb and lethargic away from a junction/lights etc. They do have a "sport" setting which does improve matters but then it holds on to the lower gears far too long. In the last one I drove I was constantly changing form drive to sport to get the best out of the car in normal driving on normal roads at normal speeds. Not very automatic was it?

But I did buy a car with a VAG DCT, a Skoda Superb iV. Without a doubt its the best auto I have ever driven. Aided by the battery there is no hesitation whatsoever at any time whether electric or hybrid mode. The box also has comfort, normal and turbo nutter modes but only driven in normal in the year we have had it. Did try it in manual once and quickly wondered why? Never touched it since.

 

[maurice28]

Thanks all, it was a DCT box in the Ceed I tried. The point above that it's probably the same amount of time it would take to downshift in a manual is probably true.

I think it's likely something I'll get used to after 18 years of driving a manual!

 

[skygrowler]

Thanks all, it was a DCT box in the Ceed I tried. The point above that it's probably the same amount of time it would take to downshift in a manual is probably true.

I think it's likely something I'll get used to after 18 years of driving a manual!

i love it ! the point about it being slow pulling out at junctions ? i find it can be too quick sometimes and can catch you out !

 

[Astra99]

For what it's worth, I had a 2015 Cee'd Petrol DCT Auto. I found that when approaching roundabouts or junctions, if you did not have to stop completely, there was a small delay between pressing the accelerator and the car accelerating away because the transmission was, essentially, in the wrong gear. I soon adjusted to this.

Now I have a Niro HeV which does not suffer from the delay as the electric motor covers the period when the DCT box is sorting itself out

 

[maurice28]

Thanks again all! I liked the car so have taken the plunge and ordered.

It has the Sport mode, which I believe increases throttle response which may overcome the delay if ever needed. Also, I note there is the + and - option when in D to shift up or down manually. Does anyone know how this works? Do you have to push the stick over to the right and then you can push it back and forward to override the gears if needed?

 

[dave1978]

Thanks again all! I liked the car so have taken the plunge and ordered.

It has the Sport mode, which I believe increases throttle response which may overcome the delay if ever needed. Also, I note there is the + and - option when in D to shift up or down manually. Does anyone know how this works? Do you have to push the stick over to the right and then you can push it back and forward to override the gears if needed?

It works just fine but why you'd ever want to use it is beyond me. The DCT box is really smooth and if you want a quicker response just knock it sideways into "sport" mode.

 

[Ace Demon]

Thanks again all! I liked the car so have taken the plunge and ordered.

It has the Sport mode, which I believe increases throttle response which may overcome the delay if ever needed. Also, I note there is the + and - option when in D to shift up or down manually. Does anyone know how this works? Do you have to push the stick over to the right and then you can push it back and forward to override the gears if needed?

I switched from a car with a torque converter auto to one with DCT and ISG. The new car has a delay of about a second between taking the foot off the brake and starting to roll. This took a while to get used to and I was getting to regret the change. I have adapted to it now, so it's alright. Lifting the brake, without fully releasing it will start the engine, to cut some delay, though the driver of a manual that has prepared by pre-selecting 1st will still be slightly quicker from brake release to initial roll.

The only times I use manual mode are in slow moving traffic or when trying to get into a tight gap. In auto, the car will only drop to 1st when stationary (unless heavily booted - presumably 1st has been preselected for such eventuality) so even while crawling it will be slipping the clutch in 2nd. Sometimes it is not reasonable to keep stopping and starting so holding it in 1st cuts clutch slip. When trying to cut into a tight gap in traffic, using 1st overrides ISG and holds it in gear while stationary. It now starts to roll immediately the brake is released, nearly producing the response of a torque converter. (With DCT, use the footbrake, don't select gear and hold it with the handbrake, never rev it.)

I dislike S mode. Normally the engine is cruising in the 1500-2000rpm range. S increases that by about 500rpm, which is useful on undulating country lanes but the way they have sharpened the accelerator ruins the smoothness. S does not reduce standing start delay or improve performance.

 

[macgd016]

I switched from a car with a torque converter auto to one with DCT and ISG. The new car has a delay of about a second between taking the foot off the brake and starting to roll. This took a while to get used to and I was getting to regret the change. I have adapted to it now, so it's alright. Lifting the brake, without fully releasing it will start the engine, to cut some delay, though the driver of a manual that has prepared by pre-selecting 1st will still be slightly quicker from brake release to initial roll.

The only times I use manual mode are in slow moving traffic or when trying to get into a tight gap. In auto, the car will only drop to 1st when stationary (unless heavily booted - presumably 1st has been preselected for such eventuality) so even while crawling it will be slipping the clutch in 2nd. Sometimes it is not reasonable to keep stopping and starting so holding it in 1st cuts clutch slip. When trying to cut into a tight gap in traffic, using 1st overrides ISG and holds it in gear while stationary. It now starts to roll immediately the brake is released, nearly producing the response of a torque converter. (With DCT, use the footbrake, don't select gear and hold it with the handbrake, never rev it.)

I dislike S mode. Normally the engine is cruising in the 1500-2000rpm range. S increases that by about 500rpm, which is useful on undulating country lanes but the way they have sharpened the accelerator ruins the smoothness. S does not reduce standing start delay or improve performance.

I agree with all the above but having owned a number of DCT cars as well as a Mercedes torque converter (some say these are among the best such boxes) I would just add the following.

Pulling away with a DCT box we just need to be aware that the box is having to slip the clutch as we do with a manual but if we are pulling away quickly, such as pulling out of a side road, it doesn't have the advantage of knowing when you are going to floor the throttle or the ability to slip the clutch to avoid wheel spin. This means that in normal circumstances a DCT will pull away very nice and smoothly without any fuss at all but pulling out of junctions quickly can need a bit of management but its not an issue just something to be aware of. I find that DCT is different from torque converters in this regard as the torque converter will rapidly lock the drive which gives a similar effect to slipping a clutch and then facilitates easy control using the gas.

Similarly when overtaking flooring the gas can induce a bit of frantic activity as what often happens is the box will drop one gear and then realise that you really do want to go faster and drop one or two more gears which makes the engine scream unnecessarily, when overtaking I tend to manually drop one gear when I'm getting ready to overtake as I do in a manual but then drop one more gear as I pull out and as soon as the revs rise pop it back into auto, this normally makes for very a very smooth overtake. I've found that this is common between DCT and torque converter autos.

Overall I would say this DCT box is a good one and driving any automatic requires requires some retraining when sudden acceleration is needed, this is also the case for manuals but just different