I rarely, rarely, rarely, did I mention rarely use the paddle shifters or "S" mode.

That being said, I agree that I think it would of been better to have The choice tied to extra gates on the stationary shifter.

That's where my mind is trained to expect shifts to come from anyway. Shifting from paddles attached to my steering wheel is not a natural feeling experience to me.

But NOT a big deal to me. I rarely use this option anyway, in "D" even if you accidently hit he paddles it's idiot proof.

I love my Fit, but I think if I had to do it all over again, I would of gotten a manual transmission.

One of the few things I dislike about my Fit, is the plastic Automatic Shifter that looks and feels like it belongs in a 1976 Toyota Corona or Nissan Sentra.

 

This may have something to do with the Fit being marketed toward the younger generation. Many of us have become used to "F1 style" paddle shifters via games like GranTurismo.

It is perfectly natural to many of us

 

now kids are insulting us of our age.

 

If you were really old though, you'd be used to the shifter on the column.

 

or the crank to start the car.

 

With left foot dimmers (high/low beams).

 

How about driving a manual shift on the column? That's what I learned on.

 

How about manual spark advance levers?

 

Three on the tree?

 

Float bottle and palm-priming the carb... That was when sand paper was a tuneup tool.

 

Point being, interfaces with our cars have changed a lot over the years. Putting gate shifters on the the stick to match the previous custom is archaic.

 

as is shifting an automatic transmission manually...

 

Not to beat a dead horse, but there are situations where the driver has more information than the ecu and can make a better choice about gearing. Passing on the highway being the most cited example.

 

Going uphill/downhill it is beneficial as well. For enthusiasts its nice to be able to stay in gear in a turn and modulate throttle without the ECU deciding you want to upshift mid-corner.

 

Same here a three speed manual shifter on the column 56 Chevy bel air.

 

The ECU senses grade and also frequent throttle brake maneuvers avoiding more frequent shifting through the twisties.

If I felt I had to control it I wouldn't have gotten an auto. If I felt enthusiastic I wouldn't have gotten a Fit, and I definitely wouldn't have gotten an auto...

Grade logic:


Shift hold control (in the twisties)


It's entirely adequate for an econo-pod commuter.

I bought a Miata for my son and enjoy the hell out of it. We've lowered it, put in a sound system. Left the manual transmission alone except to change the oil.

I drove an automatic Miata once with paddle shifters. More useless than teats on a bull.

 

I push the go peddle and it shifts down to 4th or 3rd faster than I can think about it. Better choice than the computer? I'd say different choice.

 

You got it! I learned in a '73 (I think) Ford pick up.

My neighbor has a '67 Pontiac Tempest with "three on the tree" and when I asked if I could take it out for a spin, he was surprised someone from my generation even knew how.

Guaranteed to not get your car stolen these days if that's what you got! Actually, they would probably just think the gear indicator was missing and would be stuck in 1st. LOL

 

And if the ecu were able to predict perfectly what speed I want going downhill or the gear I want going into a turn then great. But it often guesses wrong, relative to what I want. Sure, it's adequate to just leave it alone. But just being adequate isn't the greatest compliment. Yes, its a compromise relative to a proper gear box. But the compromise of mediocre gearbox with human shift control is better than the adequate state of mediocre gearbox with mediocre ecu programing.

 

The lag is noticeable. In the grand scheme of things, its not glacially slow, but still it could be better.