The other day , I used the paddle shifters

[Dennis Macho]

Maybe it is laziness or the forgetfulness to up shift in another gear but I really don't use paddles. Well I was feeling my OATS and I drove with the paddles for the whole day. TO me it felt like there was more torque and it accelerated faster shifting at 6100 rpm. and the exhaust note was throatier. NO!! I wasn't having flash backs from the grey blotter paper I took back in the early 80's. It was DEF more fun to drive. Just wondering, if in drag racing conditions would you run a faster ET one way or the another... Soon to take this BAYATCH to the track for some T&T.. I never tried launch control in manual but I guess I will find out...

 

[mandasol]

I'm pretty certain the computer will shift at the optimum rpm for the fastest time better than someone could do manually. That being said shifting manually is a lot of fun, but I think 8 gears is a little tedious. I've had automatics with manual shift modes with 5,6,7, and 8 gears (test drove a 10 spd as well) and I actually think less gears is more fun without feeling like you're having to shift all the time.

 

[Ruturaj]

I'm pretty certain the computer will shift at the optimum rpm for the fastest time better than someone could do manually. That being said shifting manually is a lot of fun, but I think 8 gears is a little tedious. I've had automatics with manual shift modes with 5,6,7, and 8 gears (test drove a 10 spd as well) and I actually think less gears is more fun without feeling like you're having to shift all the time.

Yes, a computer is smarter but doesn't know few things you do, like if you lift feet of throttle it doesn't know if you are about hit a corner then speed up, you are going down a hill, you are coming to a stop. If you control those it makes more sense then. For other predictable scenarios, a computer would be better than us.

 

[bumble bee]

Mandasol, good little paragraph.

 

[eflyguy]

There's a lot to be said for pre-selecting a gear, and the car doesn't know what you're going to do next.

As a motorcyclist, you can learn how to control just about every aspect of the vehicle in corners to ride safer, and faster if you choose.

Some of the same principles apply to 4-wheels, and can make spirited driving much more rewarding...

 

[mandasol]

Yes, a computer is smarter but doesn't know few things you do, like if you lift feet of throttle it doesn't know if you are about hit a corner then speed up, you are going down a hill, you are coming to a stop. If you control those it makes more sense then. For other predictable scenarios, a computer would be better than us.

Yup, totally agree! I was replying to the OP's question about a flat out drag race in which case it's probably best to use launch control let the computers take over.

 

[forzanerazzurri]

Wait until you try a car with a dual clutch transmission.

 

[Crisis]

Pretty much agree with all the above comments. No doubt that the car can accelerate fasted in "D" than being manually shifted but shifting yourself is much more fun. I exclusively paddle shift my car and it's a blast.

I just hope that KIA anticipated this and makes the paddle shifter switches more robust than those in my 2015 Sonata - I needed to replace 2 upshift paddle switches and 1 downshift switch in 3-1/2 years of ownership.

 

[MerlintheMad]

The paddle shifters seem sturdy. You click them, not yank on them. You drive with a light but firm touch, not white knuckling the steering wheel.

I've read that the 'puter is faster than we are. But I'm not convinced. Some of us are pretty danged fast in our reflexes and learned responses. Once the car becomes an extension of yourself, the 'puter will have to take a back seat.

I drove all the way to TX and back with the paddle shifters in Sport mode. It was huge fun. Right now, I am experimenting with Eco Engine/Transmission in Custom mode, Sport in the rest of the options. And almost no paddle shifting (I made an exception yesterday going up and back down Big Cottonwood canyon; I always drive roads like that in Sport and manual gate and use the paddle shifters).

 

[niko]

i agreed to disagree. yes i do believe the computer is smarter when in D but when i use the paddle shifter the car feels more responsive and i can shift on redline! plus if someone pulls up on me i can downshift quicker to get my rpms higher. as in D when on freeway say u r doing 80 in 8th ur break to race someone from 70 u prob be in 6th or 7th as if i were to downshift ill be in 3rd or 4th.. but somedays i drive D and forget about the paddle shifters depends on my mood lol.

 

[Terra]

That's what makes this car fun....you can shift with the paddles for more fun or leave in D and just have fun.

 

[Dennis Macho]

In 2012 went to Vegas. I went to world class driving. Drove a 458 Ferrari , R8 Audi a Bently GT and some JAG. I took the Ferrari to 155 in RED Rock canyon . It had the duel clutch and redlined at 9,000 . It was a blast to drive and pretty fast too. The R8 was cool and I took it to 150+ also. It pays to sand bag and stay back from the lead car. They gave me too much distance which allowed me to go WFO. Yes I even drifted the 458 then I got hold of my senses. I had to leave my credit card #. They had a $5000 deductible which they would charge me in the event of a crash. All those little boulder off to the side of the road could cause major damage to the underside of a high end car. It was way cool. The Ferrari had the best tranny of the bunch

 

[Crisis]

i agreed to disagree. yes i do believe the computer is smarter when in D but when i use the paddle shifter the car feels more responsive and i can shift on redline! plus if someone pulls up on me i can downshift quicker to get my rpms higher. as in D when on freeway say u r doing 80 in 8th ur break to race someone from 70 u prob be in 6th or 7th as if i were to downshift ill be in 3rd or 4th.. but somedays i drive D and forget about the paddle shifters depends on my mood lol.

One advantage to paddle shifting that I've found is that, in Sport mode, the car won't shift to 8th gear on the highway when in D - it stays in 7th at 80mph. At least that has been my experience. Paddle shifted, it stays in 8th until I manually shift it.

As for the downshifting to pass, I find that having it in D and just flooring it provides the best results. The transmission will quickly drop gears down to 3rd and then really take off. There's a lot of paddle downshifting to get the same result manually. It sets up a bit of a weird usage for me - I'll cruise in paddle mode, then shift to D when I'm getting ready to pass. Seems counterintuitive, but it works for me. Conversely, I could just cruise in Comfort mode like most people when on the highway, but I really like the better passing response from Sport mode.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Conversely, I could just cruise in Comfort mode like most people when on the highway, but I really like the better passing response from Sport mode.

Lately, I've been staying in "Eco" via the engine/transmission selection in Custom (while the other options are Sport); testing fuel economy. While in Eco I don't use paddle shifters. But when I stomp on it, everything "Eco" goes away and the car instantly comes alive. Eco is the spongiest power curve, and yet it throws you forward very impressively. It's main objective is low RPMs, as it shifts up to 8th quicker than the other drive modes. But if you keep your foot in it, that mandate is overridden, literally.

 

[Brunoc66]

Hello to all, hope you having a good day!

I was wondering if there is a possibility to fully switch to manual Paddle shifting when you drive cause in my GT when i want to use only paddle shifting, after a while (like driving on highway) the car automatically comes back to automatic mode which is a bit annoying when you want to keep a higher RPM and have a better kick boost.

Also the exhaust sounds better and gives some "pops" when i use the paddle shifting maybe cause i keep RPM a bit higher than the asceptic 2500 in 8th gear...

In UAE we have the gearbox with "electronic" control knob, i don't know how do you call this thing on the central consol.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Hello to all, hope you having a good day!

I was wondering if there is a possibility to fully switch to manual Paddle shifting when you drive cause in my GT when i want to use only paddle shifting, after a while (like driving on highway) the car automatically comes back to automatic mode which is a bit annoying when you want to keep a higher RPM and have a better kick boost.

Also the exhaust sounds better and gives some "pops" when i use the paddle shifting maybe cause i keep RPM a bit higher than the asceptic 2500 in 8th gear...

In UAE we have the gearbox with "electronic" control knob, i don't know how do you call this thing on the central consol.

If you have a "GT" equivalent to the US trims (including GT1 now) you have the "T" shifter with manual gate. So, I am assuming from your description that you have the upper trim, equivalent to our GT2, with the knob and shift by wire. This only stays in manual mode in Sport mode, and only until you come to a halt (under 1 MPH). A pull on the paddle shifter returns the trans to manual mode and the gear number replaces the "D", again, until you come to a halt or leave Sport mode (or pull and hold the paddle shifter for c. three seconds, which will detach manual mode and return you to "D").

 

[GetStung915]

Hello to all, hope you having a good day!

I was wondering if there is a possibility to fully switch to manual Paddle shifting when you drive cause in my GT when i want to use only paddle shifting, after a while (like driving on highway) the car automatically comes back to automatic mode which is a bit annoying when you want to keep a higher RPM and have a better kick boost.

Also the exhaust sounds better and gives some "pops" when i use the paddle shifting maybe cause i keep RPM a bit higher than the asceptic 2500 in 8th gear...

In UAE we have the gearbox with "electronic" control knob, i don't know how do you call this thing on the central consol.

As far as I know....

Turn off traction control, and the other control (turns off after you hold down the traction control button) .... basically same procedures as preparing for launch control. Then you shift, and it shouldn't shift by itself anymore.

 

[Crisis]

I have a Stinger with the “shift by wire” transmission and always use the paddle shifters when driving. The only time that my car returns to D is when stopped at a light. On the highway it happily cruises along in 8th gear.

Though as I’m writing this, I recall that if I leave the drive mode in “Comfort” it will shift into D while cruising on the highway. I always keep my drive mode as “Custom”, with all settings other than suspension being set the same as the “Sport” setting. My car is a 2018 and it’s been 4 years since I was figuring this stuff out so forgot about it until now. If you set your drive mode to “Sport” it should stay in 8th on the highway.

 

[JSolo]

Eh... all of these paddles remind me of video games from decades ago. There's a certain connection to the car when the whole shift sequence has to be timed perfectly involving both feet and the shifter.

 

[StingertimeNC]

for max acceleration it's better to shift prior to the boost tapering off. I typically try to pull the paddle around 5800-5900 rpm, so the shift is complete by 6100 rpm's. JB4 logs will show the boost staying high say at20-21 lbs, vs tapering off before the shift. If you just floor it and leave it in automatic, it will shift near redline, long after boost begins to taper off. Plus, as others have said, you can drop down a couple of gears while coasting, to be prepared for accelerating as you come out of a turn. it's also easier to control the car in corners as you are not upsetting the balance as much when the car realizes you want to accelerate hard again and drops a couple of gears on the way out of the corner. Essentially the acceleration is a bit more linear vs. abrupt. This is especially true with my setup as you can break the rear end loose pretty much anywhere under say 60 mph under full power. (during cornering)