slats

Obviously to those of us who are coming from a true manual transmission any automatic regardless of manual shift-ablity just isn't the same. I'm not hating on automatics here though - after two test drives of the 2.4 TLX I have to say I was very impressed with the DCT (and as a side note did not notice any issues from a cold start other than the slight lag from reverse to drive). I loved the smoothness and the way it rips off such fast upshifts depending on how much love I give the throttle. Also the rev matched downshifts and varied shift points with IDS are awesome. My only complaint was lack of control at the shifter itself. I realize that many people are coming from other automatics and I'm wondering if anyone who had say an older TL or TSX or any automatic car you could manually shift from the console shifter dislikes being forced to use paddles.

I realize paddle shifters are the stuff these days - "Oooo look at me! I have paddle shifters! I'm a real bad*** with my paddles!! My car is like a racecar!!!"

Me personally? I drive with one hand on the wheel and the other on/near the shifter at all times so paddles are a pain and require more focus than simply being able to bump the shifter into a second gate and toggle my way through the gears. Plus I like being fully manual or fully automatic and knowing by feel which mode I'm in without having to look at the dash to see if the car has put itself back into automatic or change the IDS to Sports+ every time I hit a patch of twisties.

Thoughts? Comments? Any chance of Acura putting the manual gate back on the console in addition to paddles?

JDMaccord3.5

Since 2009-10 AT Acura TSX and TL only had paddle shifters... so I doubt Acura will bring it back.

slats

Kinda figured as much. Doesn't seem smart of Acura though given that BMW's all have it and I'm pretty sure Lexus still does too.

SebringSilver

Paddles are here to stay. All the proper sportscars have them nowadays: 458, Gallardo/Huracan, McLaren, etc. It's unavoidable that more "ordinary" cars will follow.

Better question is whether the paddles should be affixed to the steering column or the steering wheel.

My current R8 is an R-tronic, and I like having both paddles and a shift stick. But I wouldn't have a problem if the stick wasn't there. You just get used to it.

I quite like the buttons on the TLX; it looks pretty cool and works as advertised. The new NSX will have the same setup. Can't wait to drive that thing.

Gary3N

I find that using the steering wheel mounted shift paddles on my TSX is confusing if you are trying to turn a corner and shift at the same time. This makes it hard to do any spirited driving on twisty roads. I have always thought that steering COLUMN mounted shift paddles would be much better. That way you always know which paddle is going to shift up/down.

slats

Ideally you would downshift well before the apex of a curve but yes there are still times I want to shift in a curve especially on unfamiliar roads (ie upshift because revs too high and curve not that sharp or a last minute downshift cause I entered too hot or just want to make a fast exit). So yeah fixed would make this easier but I feel like you still need to look at you hand placement to be effective.

MedX172

Not to distort the conversation, but I recently had a TSX as a loaner with paddle shifters and was playing around with them. The transition between gears seems to be quicker in it than the TLX. Is this just my perception or has anyone else noticed this?

weather

^^ You are correct. The same applies in the ILX as well and not sure why it is such....

slats

I haven't driven a TSX with paddles but occasionally drive an MDX that has them. It definitely doesn't shift faster than a DCT TLX, perhaps a little slower. If you're comparing to the 9-speed auto in the V6 that would make sense though. Most reviewers complain that the trans is slower shifting.

MedX172

Thanks, yes it's the 9 speed I'm referencing. It shifts a bit slower with paddles than it does in automatic mode, from my perception.

jim256

It may just be the dog clutches versus friction clutches on certain shifts on the 9 speed. The dog clutch will have to match speeds first.

SeismicGuy

My feelings exactly but I suspect it largely depends on the age of the user. I started driving in 1964 and have always had automatics. I have also frequently manually shifted the automatics from time to time. People always seemed to be surprised that you can manually shift an automatic. This is not really the same as a manual transmission but the effect is essentially the same. So there is nothing new about manually shifting an auto but I prefer the console shifter. My wife's 2012 TL is the first car we have driven with paddle shifters and I constantly get mixed up which to flick. With the console shift there was no doubt--move down to downshift and up to upshift.

I suppose if you have never had a console you would learn the paddle shifting much quicker. But the transition from console to paddle takes getting used to.

CheeseyPoofs McNut

Thus far I've used the paddles exclusively for engine braking - so it's no hardship for me to flick a couple times with the left hand to achieve what I want. I can't see driving in sport+ mode and using them to shift (did it once to play with it and it didn't "thrill" me) but for engine braking it works great and the location of the paddles is perfect.

Stew4HD

^ Same here

slats

I've been driving (legally) since 1997 so I'm not sure it's an age thing, but I'm happy to hear someone else agrees with me. I've owned two older BMW's with console tiptronic or whatever they call that and I guess I'm just spoiled now. Mine both went up to upshift and down (meaning pull toward you) to downshift, and BMW has since reversed that. Screwed me up while test driving a newer twin turbo model but whatever. I guess I'm just set in my ways and don't like change!

Agreed that paddles are good enough for engine braking/corner entry type stuff so I suppose I'll just not use them for much more than that.

As a sidenote (and to anyone who lives in the mountains like I do or drive a lot of curvy roads), does the transmission really hold lower gears well while cornering?? I read that the trans looks at g forces unlike older "grade logic" systems but obviously I couldn't really try that out on a test drive.

powdbyrice

put it in sport+ and the TLX holds the gears for a long time.

SeismicGuy

Agree. Even in standard mode the non-paddle shifting on the TL is one of the best I have encountered on an automatic--both on the upshifting as well as the downshifting. In fact automatics have gotten so good these days that 0-60 times on total automatic are as good or better as times where the driver does the shifting.

Bruce Dow

FWIW, the driving technique I learned (at the BMW advanced driver training) is that the correct driving position is with two hands on the wheel... Left hand at 9:00, Right hand at 3:00. AND this is the only place that your hands should touch. You should be able to do most "spirited" driving without releasing either hand. For tighter corners, requiring more than a half turn of the wheel (hand over hand), you should immediately regrip the wheel at the same place you let it go. So the upshift paddle is always your right hand, and the downshift paddle is always your left hand. It took about a week to get used to it. Give it a try.

DLCU2

^Completely agree. I moved from a car with center console sport shift to paddle sport shift and I hated it at first. Like the OP, I used to drive with one hand on the steering wheel only.

Then one day I went to a Jaguar event where I was given the opportunity to track a car. I quickly realized how sloppy it was to drive with one hand. The instructor said "there's no need to look cool driving with one hand, both hands on the wheel!" I did what I was told and immediately noticed how much more control I had around the track.

The paddles being where they are makes complete sense so you never have to take your hands off the wheel.

SeismicGuy

Actually the better technique when driving a BMW is to have one hand on the wheel and the other in your pocket at the ready to be pulling out your wallet.

Sorry, couldn't resist