Hello, everyone!
I'm new to this forum and this is my first post!

Anyways, I was reading an article from TOV (Temple of VTEC) about Fit and they said Fit sport AT might be faster (or peppier) than Fit sport MT due to difference in their gear ratios.

They did not do the direct comparison since they did not test drive MT and AT at the same time.

So I was wondering any of you guys have done such comparison.

 

I tested both back to back, twice, and purchased the auto. I am a manual driver and ordered my previous element with one. The Auto feels more peppy to me too. The manual felt weird with regards to the pedal and shifter location, but was okay. The redline is 6500 rpm so this is no high reving IVtec engine and thus not nearly as fun to shift gears in as my old element.
Also, at 70 mph the auto was spinning around 2600 rpms and the manual was around 3400 rpm's. The auto also has a full manual mode that is really cool. It shifts really fast. It's also the only vehicle in this class with a 5 speed automatic (and with F1 style paddle shifters) making it a class above the rest. Just my two cents.

 

Given that the manual weighs less, and has 5 gear ratios in the same space as the auto has 4, and does not have a torque converter to slow it down, I would be extremely surprised if the auto was faster.

The short gearing that people are complaining about for cruising on the highway will most likely give the manual an advantage in accelerating.

The auto may "feel" fast for some reason, but I doubt the numbers bear this out.

As an example in the Honda line, the Civic MT is 1.5 seconds faster than the AT to 60 mph.

 

Well... I know that manual cars are always faster than the automatic cars due to all that loss suffered in torque converter... However, that doesn't seem to apply to Fit...
Person who tested Fit on TOV said the manual LACKED some acceleration due to poor gearing compared to automatic.
I really want to get manual Fit, however, if automatic is indeed better... Then I might take AT.

And Fit AT has 5 gears just like MT.

And thanks for your opinion watchful one!!

 

Yes, but the ratio range of the first 4 gears of the auto match the 5 in the manual - hence less time in the sweet spot.

 

Hmm... after reading the article on TOV once again... I think the auto could be tad bit faster than manual...
This quote is directly from TOV article on Fit.

Until someone posts 0-60 and quarter time for both AT and MT, it won't be certain...
But IMO, I think they would pull very similar time.

 

I need to read that article. It sounds similar to what I experienced. I wanted to love the manual tranny, but it didn't feel right, while the auto tranny, though weird to shift clutchless at first, felt great and much better suited for this engine. I also test drove it in on a very hilly stretch of highway and the auto held it's own.

 

There's a comparison thread stickied right at the top of this forum.

 

If your going to be adding any HP the MT is better. Also, there's not to many purpose built race cars using AT's. Unless you call the SMG's Automatics or torque converter transaxle (Chaparral Cars Jim Hall RIP) Automatics.
That said, my Fit MT really would be better suited with a 6-speed.
Even my wife selected the MT over the AT! I'm keeping her, and my wife too

 

Tell B & M shifters they must not be listening...
www.bmracing.com

 

I'll be VERY surprised if the NA auto will be faster than the manual.

 

[quote=Jonniedee]Tell B & M shifters they must not be listening...
www.bmracing.com[/quote]

Thanks, Cool site but send me some motorsport cars running up front with AT's.
In all fairness I should have specified road course cars, open or closed wheel configured and not drag or off-road racing. Heel & toe skills are useless there. Plus AT's weight disadvantage.
I just don't recall anytime in the past seeing any open or closed wheel cars out there, at the tracks, set up so and running out front. But anyone, please enlighten me. I don't want my ignorance mistaken for arrogance.
Granted, F1 drivers now rely on the push button SMG's so their heel & toe skills may wane, but the drivers’ evolution from go-karts to F1/cart/indycar will surely see him only in MT cars. That said, I'm an old fart compared to most posted on the recent poll so consider my point of reference for AT's