Paddle shifting

[Buttercream]

One thing I noticed though in the Korean spec Stinger... When you completely floor the gas pedal, it seemed that it was like a two-stage... I felt that there was a "click" or notch when you completely floor it all the way... if you don't depress with enough pressure, you won't activate this... I am guessing that this only affects that throttle reponse?

According to the manual (Chapter 5-16 or 5-32), depressing the gas pedal all the way activate the kickdown mechanise, and the transmission will downshift one gear to give you better acceleration.

 

[Benjamin Turner]

I test drove one today, and really loved the car, but the fact it would not hold the gear, lost a sale for me.

 

[Marc Collins]

I test drove one today, and really loved the car, but the fact it would not hold the gear, lost a sale for me.

It will hold in Sport or Sport+ mode...unless you try to bounce it off the rev limiter in which case it will shift, or floor the accelerator right to the final detente switch in which case it will down-shift.

This is adjustable with reprogramming by KIA. It is my understanding they have already tested a revision that may come soon (and will be backwardly compatible). But there are only a handful of cars available that will not up-shift at the rev limiter in manual mode, so we'll be lucky if they give us programming designed for the 1% who know how to drive.

 

[Thirteen]

I really hope the programming for the paddle shifters will indeed hold until redline, and not upshift within seconds if it detects that there is no user input at a mid to high RPM, such as going around a ramp while holding the gear at 3-4k rpm...

I did see the car in person this weekend, and got a feel for them though, and they felt good. Obviously couldn't test drive the car since it was in a showroom, but the paddles felt pretty good for what they were... however they were composed of plastic so not sure how they will stand up through years of use. Tactile feel was pretty good, you could feel it 'click' when toggled and it wasn't mushy from previous paddles that I experienced. In terms of response, delay, and rev-matching on downshifting... will how to see how that is when we all go for a test drive.

One thing I noticed though in the Korean spec Stinger... When you completely floor the gas pedal, it seemed that it was like a two-stage... I felt that there was a "click" or notch when you completely floor it all the way... if you don't depress with enough pressure, you won't activate this... I am guessing that this only affects that throttle reponse?

That click is a switch that will immediately downshift to the best available gear for full throttle acceleration.

 

[Brian B]

I don't really mind it shifting at redline, although there is no reason for it to. A rev limiter would stop any damage just as well. What I am really concerned with is it not staying in the gear I select unless I'm shifting every 10 seconds or do some magic prayer to the transmission gods before starting the car. If I'm driving through a canyon road I might want it to be 8n third gear for 20 minutes straight. I shouldn't have to have stability control turned off and have used launch control to do this.
This is another really basic feature that my 27k 4 year old optima already has that seems to be missing in this 50k+ "brand changing car"

Hey this isn't necessarily true since i do this all the time in my car ! How ? Push the gear leaver over to the left once in Drive (D) once its pushed over the trans is in manual mode and will hold your gear indefinitely (No 10 second defaults like using the paddle shifters.) It will automatically upshift if you push your revs into redline but again it WILL HOLD the gear your in ! (It doesn't mater what mode your in you can be in comfort or Eco it all works the same).

 

[Marc Collins]

Hey this isn't necessarily true since i do this all the time in my car ! How ? Push the gear leaver over to the left once in Drive (D) once its pushed over the trans is in manual mode and will hold your gear indefinitely (No 10 second defaults like using the paddle shifters.) It will automatically upshift if you push your revs into redline but again it WILL HOLD the gear your in ! (It doesn't mater what mode your in you can be in comfort or Eco it all works the same).

How can it automatically upshift if you push the revs into redline and HOLD the gear you are in? These are opposites.

If you are talking about reverting to D, the drive-by-wire cars stay in manual mode when the transmission is in sport mode (SPORT or CUSTOM if you have it set that way). Makes sense, because unless you are in SPORT/CUSTOM, odds are you are not interested in a permanent shift-it-yourself experience. Just tapping the paddle for the occasional need while driving "normally" can revert after you are done the scenario. And it doesn't start the timer countdown until you are coasting or driving "normally." If you are on a big hill or turning or applying throttle or brake vigorously, it will (and should) not revert to D until things calm down.

The problem is that the automatic upshifts should NOT occur on a car like this when you are in full manual mode. It's already been reprogrammed, but KIA hasn't bothered to give it to us (yet).

 

[Brian B]

How can it automatically upshift if you push the revs into redline and HOLD the gear you are in? These are opposites.

Yor missing what I'm saying: If you use the paddle shifters up or down in ten seconds the trans will default to the gear it wants to be in. If you push the gear shifter in to the left the trans will STAY in the gear you select using the paddle shifters or the up or down gear selector in manual mode. It shifts up at redline but if you dont peg it to red line it just stays in the gear you selected.

 

[davebo]

But the only gear shifter you can push to the left is the one in the GT2 trim, right?

 

[Marc Collins]

But the only gear shifter you can push to the left is the one in the GT2 trim, right?

GT2 has the electronic shifter that you cannot push to the left. Switching to SPORT driving mode does the same thing (for the paddles--you can't use the shift lever to shift up and down, either).

 

[Brian B]

But the only gear shifter you can push to the left is the one in the GT2 trim, right?

No this is being done in my GT base trim car. Should work for the 4 cylinder Stinger aswell. Why cant this be done in the GT1 and GT-2 they have a different leaver handle (The non T Handle shape correct ? ) but it should function the same ??? Edit I guess GT-1 and GT-2 drivers really don't get this function according to what some are saying ?? Why would KIA remove this useful feature on higher trim cars it makes no sense.

 

[Brian B]

 

[davebo]

Ahh my bad. Boy you can really tell I spent five weeks without my Stinger as it got repainted if I don't even remember how the shifter works.

 

[MerlintheMad]

That's how my GT1 looks. And "Manual Gate" is the feature you are describing; pushing the "T" shifter to the left when In Drive.

However, in Sport Mode, the trans will not shift out of the gear you select. It shows on the instrument cluster as the gear you are in. The only time this is overridden is when you are in cruise control, and the decline is steep enough to need downshifting to maintain the set speed: you can flick the paddle shifters and they ignore you: cruise control takes precedence. I did a trip from Utah to Texas and back using Sport the whole way, and I didn't discover Manual Gate until weeks later.

 

[Marc Collins]

That's how my GT1 looks. And "Manual Gate" is the feature you are describing; pushing the "T" shifter to the left when In Drive.

However, in Sport Mode, the trans will not shift out of the gear you select. It shows on the instrument cluster as the gear you are in. The only time this is overridden is when you are in cruise control, and the decline is steep enough to need downshifting to maintain the set speed: you can flick the paddle shifters and they ignore you: cruise control takes precedence. I did a trip from Utah to Texas and back using Sport the whole way, and I didn't discover Manual Gate until weeks later.

Same as with the electronic shifter. No need to use the manual gate unless you like the backwards shifting with the lever. When you have the far superior paddle shifters that are not backwards, I have no idea why anyone would ever use the lever to shift manually.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Same as with the electronic shifter. No need to use the manual gate unless you like the backwards shifting with the lever. When you have the far superior paddle shifters that are not backwards, I have no idea why anyone would ever use the lever to shift manually.

It's fun and feels natural if you like driving with one hand sometimes. I use it once in a while. But I put my shifter into manual gate mainly so that when I stop the trans doesn't shift back into "D". In sport mode the trans will let me pick the gear I want if I use the paddle shifters, and, contrary to the OP's concerns, nothing of the sort occurs unless I leave Sport Mode. When entering a canyon or other twisty bit of road, I like to select Sport and move the shifter to manual gate; that way my intentions are doubly received by the onboard 'puters and nannies. And I can bump or pull the shifter too, when that seems desirable.

 

[washguy]

One thing I noticed though in the Korean spec Stinger... When you completely floor the gas pedal, it seemed that it was like a two-stage... I felt that there was a "click" or notch when you completely floor it all the way... if you don't depress with enough pressure, you won't activate this... I am guessing that this only affects that throttle reponse

My car has this click or two stage throttle as you describe....instead of the high beams coming on, it kicks down and takes off....but yall are too young for the high beam on the floor concept.... Wash

 

[jdouga]

On the gt1 when in manual mode, in sport with traction and stability control it will not shidt up and will bounce off the rev limiter, i learned this the hard way, although i drive in manual mode in sport all the time i forget when i take traction co trol off to shift itll bounce, lost a couple of races that way lol

 

[MerlintheMad]

On the gt1 when in manual mode, in sport with traction and stability control it will not shidt up and will bounce off the rev limiter, i learned this the hard way, although i drive in manual mode in sport all the time i forget when i take traction co trol off to shift itll bounce, lost a couple of races that way lol

That's what happened to me on my first Launch Control attempt. I deliberately completed each of the steps to enter LC: held the brake: mashed the accelerator: lifted my left foot: took off in 1st and red lined in 1st!? When all of a sudden the RPMs dropped and the car was in 2nd or 3rd gear, I didn't know which. All I know is that the car took over and saved my engine. I had forgotten that I was in manual gate.

 

[rocket23]

As I was afraid of according to this new review by Top Gear the paddle shifters only keep the transmission in manual mode for 10 seconds. They are basically worthless at that point.

See review here:
Kia Stinger GT S review: Korea’s sports saloon tested on the road

The V6 drives via eight automatic gears - there’s no manual option - and even the paddles only override the auto-shifting for ten seconds. Because supposedly, American and Korean buyers only click a paddle once in a blue moon, for a quick overtake perhaps. Only Europeans like to take full control, we’re told. Are we sure? Hmmm.​

only some europeans......england, germany to name a few....lol.

 

[Marc Collins]

Non-sport mode - reverts to D after about 10 seconds or depending on how you are driving will stay longer

Sport mode - will not revert to D, but still auto upshifts when you approach redline

Sport mode with TC reduced - will not revert to D and will not auto upshift

There is a clear logic to this, although I would prefer no auto upshift any time you are in manual mode.