What Are The Differences On These Automatics

daveoc22

I'm getting a new car in a few months and want an automatic.

From what I've been reading you can get a full 'normal' automatic or one like a 'multimode' automatic (Aygo).

I'm sure there are differences but I can't get my head around it. A review I've read of one of the 'multimode' types says that you can put the car into auto and then not have to change gear, it does it all for you.

Well to my laymans brain that sounds to me the same as a 'normal' automatic---so what is the difference? As long as it drives as an auto then doesn't that make it an auto?

anewman

I believe you get paddles and can change up and down. As they're in a manner manual, I believe you need a full manual license rather than just an automatic one to drive one of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_transmission

roddydogs

"Multimode "was so popular, that Toyota dropped it!

harveybobbles

Normal auto's are great.

It's the Selaspeeds, CVTs, Durashifts, DSG's you need to avoid...

Jay_Tee

roddydogs wrote: »

"Multimode "was so popular, that Toyota dropped it!

That's completely untrue - perhaps you should visit the Toyota web-site

zzzLazyDaisy

At the risk of stating the obvious, it is really important to go on a good test drive. I have a 'full' automatic honda civic, but when I was looking for the car I quite liked the smaller 'semi' automatics - however I had test drives in a couple of different models and couldn't stand the way the gears changed - although it was automatic I was aware of the change unlike a full automatic - and it made me feel very uncomfortable.

vikingaero

Proper automatics use hydraulic fluid to provide the drive. This means that they are not as efficient as a manual car. They provide "creep" so that you can move forward slowly in traffic and when parking.

Automated manuals such as the MMT, Selespeed, Duologic and other fancy names are clutchless manuals. You CAN drive a MMT car on an automatic only driving licence as the key differentiator that allows you to do so is the absence of a clutch pedal. The MMT type boxes uses a motor to replace the action of a clutch pedal. Apart from that and maybe flappy paddles they are essentially the same car as a manual. The MMT type gearbox does not provide creep in traffic or parking and sometimes these manoeuvres can be a bit jerky. Also when you start off on an incline the car will roll back unlike most automatics.

There is a big question mark over the long term durability of a MMT gearbox. They seem to commonly go pop around the 40k mark - even on Toyotas. On Alfas/Fiat Group type Selespeed there seems to be problems cropping up once a gearbox has gone pop - as though a fault makes it impossible to align the gearbox up properly for long term use.

DSG gearboxes are fairly new and there aren't enough reports to confirm long term durability - It seems that they don't last as long as people think.

The only reliable alternative automatic seems to be the CVT box in Honda Jazzes.

The key point when buying a proper auto is to discard any main dealer sales/service lies that the gearboxes are sealed for life. I get the automatic transmission fluid and filters change on my automatic cars every year - costs around £100 depending on the size of the car. Then there are the main dealer stories that you can only drain out a % of the ATF fluid. Well my autobox specialist uses a pump to suck the old ATF out. Check out https://www.fedauto.co.uk to find a member.

roddydogs

Jay_Tee wrote: »

That's completely untrue - perhaps you should visit the Toyota web-site

Just telling you what Toyota told us when OH bought a Yaris "MM was unpopular so they dont offer that option anymore" perhaps its yaris only?
Yes im correct, its no longer available on Yaris (petrol)
Also 6-speed may seem better, but it aint, its virtually impossible to know which gear your in, and their too close together (The ratios) and feels like "A knitting needle in elastic bands" I wouldn't buy one.

Inactive

anewman wrote: »

I believe you get paddles and can change up and down. As they're in a manner manual, I believe you need a full manual license rather than just an automatic one to drive one of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-automatic_transmission

I think that on this occasion you are wrong.;)

I could be wrong, but I am fairly sure that an automatic type licence is OK.

jack_spratt_2

Just to clarify the position and support Vikingearo comments regarding the MMT gearbox .

The MMT stands for multi mode transmission and is in fact an electronic clutch .
It has been dropped from the Toyota Verso range and replaced with a CVT on petrol models and Torque converter on the diesel models but the MMT is still available on smaller models .
DSG(VW group) and Power shift (Ford Volvo) are recognised as the best in this type of gearbox .The advantage of these type of gearboxes are they produce less emissions and and better fuel consumption

Please do plenty of research before you commit yourself to the MMT I myself would not touch one with a barge pole

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=33317

I

daveoc22

Many thanks for all the replies which have given me something to think about.

In tha past I've only ever driven a 'normal' auto, which was great, and from what I'm hearing I don't think the MMT type is going to be for me.

I'm going to take a look at the Diahatsu Sirion, Kia Picanto and Rio and Hyundai i10 and i20, all of which I believe have standard automatic.

Again, thanks for replies.