"Torque Converter" Automatic Hybrid Options

Ditzy_Mitzy

Surely a torque converter automatic 'box defeats the point of all the hybrid gubbins.  What's the point of equipping a car with an expensive and complicated apparatus designed to save fuel whilst at the same time fitting the least economical sort of transmission on the market?  It rather seems counter intuitive. 

BOWFER

I can understand the reluctance towards CVT, they're awful things.
I can also understand the reluctance towards DCT gearboxes, I drive a DSG equipped 2020 VW Polo Gti every day and the gearbox is bloody awful.
Jerky, slow to react, easily confused.
And this is the generally accepted market leader DCT gearbox, having been around the longest (since 2005 at least).
If you're used to a torque convertor auto, a DCT will seem like a pile of cack.

Ditzy_Mitzy

BOWFER said:

I can understand the reluctance towards CVT, they're awful things.
I can also understand the reluctance towards DCT gearboxes, I drive a DSG equipped 2020 VW Polo Gti every day and the gearbox is bloody awful.
Jerky, slow to react, easily confused.
And this is the generally accepted market leader DCT gearbox, having been around the longest (since 2005 at least).
If you're used to a torque convertor auto, a DCT will seem like a pile of cack.

Is it not the case that the only good gearboxes are the good old fashioned proper manual and the real automatic, and everything else is a bit rubbish?  

BOWFER

Ditzy_Mitzy said:

BOWFER said:

I can understand the reluctance towards CVT, they're awful things.
I can also understand the reluctance towards DCT gearboxes, I drive a DSG equipped 2020 VW Polo Gti every day and the gearbox is bloody awful.
Jerky, slow to react, easily confused.
And this is the generally accepted market leader DCT gearbox, having been around the longest (since 2005 at least).
If you're used to a torque convertor auto, a DCT will seem like a pile of cack.

Is it not the case that the only good gearboxes are the good old fashioned proper manual and the real automatic, and everything else is a bit rubbish?  

I would agree with this, but we've had these dual clutch jerk-boxes imposed on us.
Thankfully, one of the beauties of electric cars is no gearboxes and they're super smooth.

[Deleted User]

born_again said:

marlot said:

Deleted_User said:

I am considering a hybrid car - but have driven CVT and similar conventional engined cars in the past and prefer a proper Torque Converter auto box

I believe that limits me to Hyundai / Kia - maybe I am wrong

Any advice/suggestions'/recommendations ?

Some Kia/Hyundai models have DCT boxes (dual clutch).  Others have traditional torque converters.

Not Hybrid Kia's. 
In fact all new Kia auto's are all DCT. Very good they are too..

Not compared to a proper torque converter box 

BOWFER

With regard to the Kia DCT box, we had a Kia Aportage (manual) for three years from 2017 to 2020 and I was a member of the Kia UK forum.
There was a lot of complaints from owners about the DCT box.
IIRC one of the complaints was the gearbox wouldn't change down up hills itself and would get to the point the car was shuddering.
Clutch judder was also mentioned.

[Deleted User]

How do hybrid cars cope with gearboxes?
Do they not have to cope with driving solely on electric? 

Ditzy_Mitzy

Deleted_User said:

How do hybrid cars cope with gearboxes?
Do they not have to cope with driving solely on electric? 

That's something of a 'how long is a piece of string' question.  The answer is that hybrids, depending on type, can use almost any sort of gearbox.  Most use either a CVT or a simple manual.  Others don't really have a gearbox at all as they use the electric motor for accelerating then use a clutch to connect the engine directly to the wheels at cruising speed.  There are 'series' and 'parallel' hybrids too, which use different combinations of engine and motor.  I think the former needs to have the engine running at all times, but I could be wrong!  

oldagetraveller1

"I can understand the reluctance towards CVT, they're awful things."

Why? You obviously have vast experience of owning/driving one or are you just quoting someone from down the pub(outdoors, of course!) or one of those "experts" in a motoring magazine?

They take a bit of familiarisation but are perfectly fine for "normal" driving in my experience.

cajef

BOWFER said:

I can understand the reluctance towards CVT, they're awful things.

Have you driven one recently, last year I changed my 1.8 torque converter auto Civic for the new 1.00 turbo CVT Civic, the CVT is super smooth with no delays it is a far superior and responsive gearbox than the old one.