Transmission I-Shift or manual ? -views

[surferjr1999]

Not - patientley waiting for my es manual vetec blueish silver. Was very interested in I-Shift but dealer didn't have one to drive and he was very negative about this option. Said I would'nt like it and that it was not smooth on change. Also said all the dealers were complaining about it and Honda were rethinking. Implied they would pull this and likely change to normal auto box but of course with much increased cost.

Would be very interested in other members views ( looked but couldn't find any reference to this on the site)

[czechplastik]

Havn't driven the i-shift so can't comment on it but i don't have any interest in auto boxes, prefer having more control

[SimonB]

I've had one of the i-shift Civics as a curtesy car - and to be honest, to start with, it really was lacking the smoothness of a manual etc.

But after a few miles - you adapt your driving, and it can work nice and smoothly. (e.g ease your foot off the accelerator, when you or the car changes the gear). It can be pretty fun to drive, and on a long run - saves killing youe clutch foot in stop-start traffic.

Saying that though - probably wouldn't have one! Prefer the additional control and fun of a manual.

[allan40alt]

I have an i-Shift and think it's brilliant. Silky smooth in auto or fast manual with the steering wheel paddles or gear shift; and you can switch between auto or manual whilst on the move.

Brilliant system; best of both worlds. Suggest you change your dealer!

[surferjr1999]

Allan40ALT interesting what you say I am starting to feel peeved as the concept seemed good and I too fancied having best of both worlds

[Bassa]

Like Allan, I also have the i-Shift and once you have adapted to it, which does not take long, it's superb. No regrets at all, in fact I'd rate it as one of the nicer things on the car - certainly in the top 6.
I echo Allan - dump your dealer.

[JPDirect]

I've had an i-Shift since Sept 1st and it's the best by far. Had use of both boxes and much prefer the i-Shift. Like we've said here in this thread, you have to get used to it and lift off the gas (just before the gear change) very slightly as you'd do in a manual and you'll have a nice smooth gear change.

Another thing is, the i-Shift has the best economy too! If you don't care about the economy and want it for good control, well you're onto a winner here too.

As a lot of people have said, go to another dealer and see what they say, but more importantly, it's what YOU want...

Good luck!

[Nick7]

Well, I'm driving my Civic for a week now with i-SHIFT.
It's really nice thing
You just need to get used to driving it. When accelerating just press gas pedal, and keep it at some 'setting'.
It is quite smooth, but not like with full automatic - but this is expected due to way it works (uses clutch, opposed to oil gearbox in full automatic systems).
As car is still rather new (400km so far on it), I haven't really pushed engine, and I could say there are basically only two downsides to i-shift: one is it can be 'quirky' - as it cant read your mind, it can change gear to wrong one or too soon (as you lift off) - and going on roundabout - also had an issue on slippery uphill, where if you add too bit more of throttle wheel start spinning, and if you lift off it changes to 2nd gear.. but - switching back to manual mode resolves those issues.
Other issue could be speed of change. Whilst at normal driving it is good, with more sporty feel it could be a bit faster. As I said, I havent really yet pushed the car, and it is possible that it changes gear faster under full throttle and near rev limiter (selespeed on alfa's does that - on 'casual' gear change it takes 1-1.5 sec, while if revs are over 5000rpm it changes gear in 0.7sec).

However, all in all it is great thing and I got really used to it very fast. Actually, in city I just leave it most of time in auto.

[Bungle]

I test drove the manual and the i-shift versions, and didn't like the latter one bit. You have to concentrate and lift off for gear changes, or they would be very uncomfortable. For me, that ruins the whole point of an auto, they should be easy and effortless to drive.

I am not saying that with practice, changes could be nearly as good as a proper change with a manual, so I just stuck with manual.

Changing gear with paddles was fun, but still not as good as a proper auto or a manual.

[Nick7]

I never had any reason to lift off for gear change.... and it's as smooth as can be with such system.

[allan40alt]

Originally Posted by Nick7

I never had any reason to lift off for gear change.... and it's as smooth as can be with such system.

That's true, unlike a manual where you have to 'lift off' at every gear change.

[The Great Soprendo]

As a diesel owner who has never driven an i-SHIFT, I should probably butt out , but it's probably worth mentioning that while the 1.8 with i-SHIFT has marginally better mpg than the manual (0.7mpg better) and slightly lower CO2 emissions (meaning a 1% saving in taxable value for company car users, and a slightly greener planet for all), according to the official figures it loses 1.5 seconds over the 0-60 dash compared to the manual version. That to me is a big difference and would be enough to put me off getting one. Plus, the manual box is sweet to use, and combined with a high revving petrol engine like the i-VTEC would be one of the main appeals of getting the petrol Civic in my mind.

[Marky]

Had my 1.8 EX I-shift for 3 weeks now and would never go back to a total manual box. In auto mode it is very good (agreed not as smooth as total auto box) but smooth enough for relaxed driving in busy traffic. When you feel the "need for speed" just knock it into manual and keep that right foot firmly pressed to the floor an the car will take off like a rocket. The paddles are great as is the gear stick shift, less than 1 inch movement to change gear

I was wondering how many problems I would get with my Civic having read this forum over several weeks whilst waiting for mine but Francis Honda of Leicester have done me proud !! Not a single problem (apart from the wet head from the boot when opened) but that is not their fault.

This is my 3rd Civic and is by far the best version yet.

Keep up the good work Honda and again many thanks to Nick at Francis for a great sale!!

[Bigian]

Just to reiterate what Marky said, it does take a few days to get used to but once you get the knack the I-shift is silky smooth and using the paddle shifters really puts you in tune with the car. There are however a couple of downsides to owning an I-Shift: When you drive any other without the paddles it’s boring and as there are few cars with the I-Shift your next choice of car will be limited.

[allan40alt]

Originally Posted by The Great Soprendo

according to the official figures it loses 1.5 seconds over the 0-60 dash compared to the manual version.

I think that time is in auto mode. It has the same gear box and clutch so in paddle shift mode it may be quicker as you have no clutch operation or gear stick travel to bother with, keep your right foot down and just flick the paddle and away you go......

[The Great Soprendo]

Originally Posted by allan40alt

I think that time is in auto mode. It has the same gear box and clutch so in paddle shift mode it may be quicker as you have no clutch operation or gear stick travel to bother with, keep your right foot down and just flick the paddle and away you go......

In that case (and I'm not doubting you), why don't Honda say so (or provide two times for the i-SHIFT, in auto or paddle mode? Surely it would be a good selling point for the i-SHIFT system if it is actually quicker than the manual...there can't be many auto/semi-auto gearboxes that make cars quicker, emit less CO2 and use less fuel than their manual counterpart.

[Maldax]

I think it's the Dog's! You are right you don't 'need' to drop the throttle but I think you get a quicker change if you do!

I can see why dealers don't like it as it is very different and hard to show just how good it is in a 45 Min test drive. If anyone had a 24 Hour test-drive with one I don't think you would want to give it back

I only found out the other day that it is never out of auto mode

Floor it in second and it will change up when you hit the redline even in manual mode (As I found on a motorway slip road the other night) came as a bit of a shock

[Bassa]

If Honda sold it with only the sequential change via the stick I would still have gone for it - the change via that method is so light and positive its an absolute joy to use.
Occasionally I use auto, normally in congested areas otherwise it's sequential via the stick for me. Strange thing is, prior to owning the car I thought the steering wheel paddles would have been the favourite.
It is really great with i-Shift to have the choice though -and all that pleasure comes without denting the car's fuel economy or emissions - can't say that with a normal torque converted auto.

[surferjr1999]

Well having read all these posts I have to say I am not happy. Nearly all posts are very positive - other drivers experience mirrors what I was expecting. I really should have insisted on a drive. Words will be said and I will now make sure I drive one. Whether I change my order -unlikely.When I was put off I-shift decided to upgrade to ES from SE so doubt would spend a further £700 on top. Certainly won't give up the extra bits on ES. Also the thought of slipping even further back on delivery dates is just too much !!

[AL56]

Originally Posted by allan40alt

I have an i-Shift and think it's brilliant. Silky smooth in auto or fast manual with the steering wheel paddles or gear shift; and you can switch between auto or manual whilst on the move.

Brilliant system; best of both worlds. Suggest you change your dealer!

I have an 1.8ex i-shift and as allan says its very good best of both worlds
auto& manual paddle shifts,nice car