Anyone driven both? I read the auto sport mode has "suprisingly quick shifts", but having owned a tiptronic VW, the auto sports aren't that sporty.

 

I've heard if you compare the Auto/Manual's together the Auto is fractionally faster than the manual (considering the nature of auto trans. is a lot faster than manual).

Although if it was me, I'm not sure which one to go for, I drive a manual honda jazz and it's fun and all but sometimes I just can't be bothered with changing gears and prefer the more smoother ride of an autol.

 

The idiot that wrote the article also compared the Fit to a sports sedan. Automatics are never "sporty" and can't shift better or faster than a person can.

 

The CVT might have an edge, but the automatic transmission we'll be getting in North America won't be so lucky.

 

Actually, the thing I heard is that Honda is using more or less the same five-speed automatic found on the 2006 Honda Civic models, but geared differently so acceleration in the lower gears can be quite strong.

 

True, but the 5 speed automatic won't shift as quickly as the CVT or a decent human shifting a 5 speed manual, and the torque converter will eat some power.

If someone has seen 2006 automatic and manual Civic acceleration times, it should be similar for the Fit.

 

I actually want an automatic...so sick of shifting all the time in traffic

 

I will definitely be buying the Sport AT. This will be really just a daily driver for me, and I'm tired of having a manual in traffic. My girlfriend has an '05 base RSX, and the tiptronic-ish shifting on that thing is fast enough for me (i.e. good for spirited driving, not a track car), and I'm sure the Fit will be as good or better.

The tiptronic on her car makes it MUCH more livable. I don't much like it on standard auto mode, as I can really only live with conventional automatic trannies on large-displacement cars with lots of low-end power (Q45, Cadillacs, etc...). For a small inline four, the electronic shifting makes it easy to keep the car in the powerband when you want to, and it makes an otherwise dull car very engaging.

It also helps that I'll be retaining a 250whp CA18DET-powered S13, with a 5spd, as a "fun" car. I don't think that I could just not own a manual at all.

In fact, I've never owned an automatic before, come to think of it. Should be nice in traffic.

 

Actually, Honda has done a very good job with the five-speed automatic on the Civic. I've driven a 2006 Civic LX sedan and the automatic shifts very smoothly up and down gears, doesn't have the bad habit of hunting between gears going uphill, and even downshifts automatically doing downhill to provide engine braking.

If that's the same automatic found on the Fit I have nothing to worry about.

 

ABSOLUTELY! the civic 5 speed is amazing. It provides extra smooth shifting with much better than average over all driveline control

 

What kind of VW did you own?
If most of your driving is commuting in bumper to bumper traffic you may have to be practical. If you still want to wind out your vehicle to the maximum, your gonna have to bite the bullet and go stick.

AT is out of the question for myself personally since I don't encounter gridlock out in suburbia and most of suburbia traffic I can drive in 4th gear often.

 

I didn't like the way the 2006 Civic 5 speed automatic shifted.

 

I had to sell my manual 6 years ago, when I moved. The other day, I was starting the wife's people-pod, thinking of something else, and automatically tried to engage the clutch. Guess I'm just wired for manual. No auto, no matter how good for me. Although, I wouldn't mind taking Rubens Barrichello's ride for a spin.

 

In general, today's AT shifts better than a human. That's why if you look at lately, AT gets higher mileages than MT for most cars. Believe it or not--which is difficult, I know, b/c I was in denial to the following--if an AT is programmed for speed, it can outrun a manual transmission. Software of the ATs are better than they used to be.

 

The only reason the automatic will get better gas mileage on the highway is due to the final drive and 5th gear.

http://www.hondanews.com/CatID2155?m...35878&mime=asc

The 5 speed manual has a 0.757 5th gear, and a final drive of 4.294. That means at 62mph, it will be cruising at approx 3400rpm with 195/55R15 tires.

The 5 speed automatic has a 0.550 5th gear, and a final drive of 4.562. That means at 62mph, it will be cruising at approx 2400rpm with 195/55R15 tires.

This means two things, one this motor is extremely efficient in the 2000-3500 rpm range for there to be so little difference in fuel consumption between the automatic and manual. Also, the automatic will have to shift to 4th gear to go up any type of grade change with a few people in the car. 4th gear rpms for the automatic end up being almost the same as the manual 5th gear RPMs.

If Honda actually uses the gearing specified on that page, expect the automatic Fit to be a lot slower than the manual model. Check theses links to find out why.

Automatic Fit gear ratios, this link shows the MPH in each gear with respect to the RPMs.

Manual Fit gear ratios, this link shows the MPH in each gear with respect to the RPMs.

With the amount of power the Fit has, the manual transmission gear ratios will be as ideally matched between fuel economy and performance. The Automatic Fit top speed will be drag limited, likely around 110mhp.

 

All the points made regarding modern automatic transmissions are true. The advances are truly remarkable. There is but one quality missing: FUN!

 

with the exception of the 01-03 3.2CL and the 99-02 accords..Are Honda auto trannies reliable in general? Has the Fit had any issues with it's tranny? Really looking at getting a auto because I sit in traffic all day and want something comfortable..This will be my daily driver so I want something mellow

 

The 2002-2004 Odysseys also had serious reliability issues.

I do have a bunch of friends with high mileage Hondas over 200,000kms that have had zero transmission issues, mostly automatic Accords and Civics.

 

I drove stick shifts for years, until I got the Weak Dawg Toyota pickup I now have, which has a 4 speed auto trans and 4 cyl. This is a truck and it's slow, but for driving in heavy Phoenix traffic, it sure beats a stick. When I had my Civic, I used to get so tired of shifting in traffic. The Civic was way more fun to drive than the Weak Dawg, but....if you drive in heavy traffic, the auto trans is the way to go. By the way, I do agree that the Fit may be much slower with the auto trans. The Scion Xa is OK with a stick, but it does get slow with the auto tranny. That's the closest car I can compare to the Fit as of now, so the Fit may be the same way. do hafta admit that I like the new Civic. I see one in the parking lot at work every morning.....

 

With regards to tranny reliability, the 5ATs coupled with the J series engine had problems (J30, J32, J35).

The Honda ATs for the 4 bangers havent had any notable problems and should be trouble free.