Manual or Automatic?

pjm007 · Post by **pjm007** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 8:27 am

.... and you can drive the Auto in Manual mode anytime you feel like it, either with the lever or with the paddles. No brainer for me.

Andy S · Post by **Andy S** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 8:33 am

As other members have written, you need to test both yourself to make the decision, but for me and my family auto is the way to make today's driving easier, plus allows all the good driver aids to be enabled. My son even converted to auto when he was 25 (RR Evogue, and then Q5), and just recently took delivery of his Audi S3 - Again an auto box that simply zips through the gear changes.

Final thing to think about is residuals.....

jd40 · Post by **jd40** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:08 am

Automatic is the only way to go for me. Who wants to be pressing pedals, pulling and pushing levers to get anywhere. Much more relaxed driving with one pedal for go and one pedal for stop.

Erago · Post by **Erago** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:52 am

Thanks for all the replies. Looking forward to my test drive on the 16th April. I’m sure I’ll prefer the automatic the second I start driving it!

Boomer · Post by **Boomer** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 9:58 am

Moved over to automatic's about 14 years ago (car I wanted only came In auto at the time....it was Volvo actually). Been a convert since though will always test out both manual and auto if possible. Nowadays very little difference between either in terms of fuel consumption. It's a way more relaxed driving experience, and modern auto box's change gear much quicker than I every could. My last audi apparently did it in milliseconds. Finally ss above it you fancy a bit more control there is always the paddles. Auto is proving to be a no brainer in a modern car.

xc40fun · Post by **xc40fun** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:34 am

Unless you're planning to take it off-road (I do a lot of off-roading for work but won't be taking this baby off-road... much), I'm not sure there's not much point in a manual. Then again, even modern automagics are pretty good for the gentle offroading it is likely to ever encounter.

Plus, doesn't a manual restrict your choice of engines?

I'm not a big automatic fan myself, but this car is meant to be for relaxing drives so auto seems to be the right choice for this car, at least in my highly subjective opinion.

Shaenei · Post by **Shaenei** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:36 am

This thread sums up why I think car manufacturers will drop manuals in most if not all cars/SUV's in the next decade.

Once people switch to auto's, very rare do people go back

Marketry · Post by **Marketry** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:41 am

Electric vehicles will make gear sticks a distant curiosity

Cholsey · Post by **Cholsey** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:08 pm

I switched from manual to PDK (an automated manual with no clutch but no power sapping torque converter) in my Boxster a couple of years ago.
The automated gearbox with paddles is better in every respect. Except that I have lost connection with the car which is import to me in what is basically a weekend car.
In the XC40 I would go automatic every time.

Cholsey · Post by **Cholsey** » Thu Apr 12, 2018 4:12 pm

Marketry wrote: ↑Thu Apr 12, 2018 11:41 am Electric vehicles will make gear sticks a distant curiosity

This is some way off Marketry - unless we massive upgrade our power generation infrastructure (which is a long term project!). One of my largest customers is Shell. While they are buying EV vehicle charging companies and electric utility companies they are also investing in hydrogen and further oil reserves. This is because they know we cannot meet demand for large numbers of electric vehicles even in the medium term.

Manual or Automatic?

Volvo XC40 Forums

Follow Volvo XC40 Forums