Smart car indicates it has a five-speed automatic transmission. What does this mean, exactly?
The Smart’s transmission is not a traditional five-speed automatic, it’s an automated manual that’s similar to a manual transmission but is driven like an automatic, meaning there’s no clutch pedal. It can be driven in either a fully automatic drive mode or a manual mode. When in manual mode, Smart drivers use a plus/minus gate on the gearshift — or, in the uplevel Passion trim, paddles on the wheel — to shift up or down.
Even though when it’s in automatic mode the Smart car is driven like any other automatic car, it isn’t a true automatic. That means the Smart’s is not the smoothest transmission when driven this way. Many of the Cars.com review team and staffers have been jerked around by the Smart and its rough gear changes.
In his review of the Smart ForTwo, Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays says about the automated manual transmission, “What that means is that you drive the ForTwo like you would a regular automatic, but the transmission lurches through gear changes with the awkwardness of a 15-year-old learning stick on his brother's Corolla.”
Many of us have found a trick to driving the Smart smoothly. According to Kelsey, “Let off the gas slightly at each shift, like you would while driving a stick, and the gear changes are much smoother (though still not very fast). It's hard to tell when the shifts will occur with the transmission in Drive, so smooth acceleration requires using the gearshift's manual mode. There's a plus/minus gate on the shifter, while the Passion adds shift paddles on the steering wheel.”
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The automated manual has largely given way to the double clutch transmission.
Though Ferrari is still a holdout.
this sounds a lot like the system some fiftys mopar and merc Benz used.they also jumped when shifting manually when touching the gear stick.
Think new GT-R.
What is wrong with just putting in a regular manual transmission. Seems like it would be cheaper and it would make more sense for this type of car.
"What is wrong with just putting in a regular manual transmission. Seems like it would be cheaper and it would make more sense for this type of car.
Posted by: James, Feb 8, 2008 11:46:10 AM"
They have done this so they do not need to find the space for a clutch pedal which would be awkward to fit into this size of car.
I believe VW tried this approach with its Auto stick in 1968.
I just bought a 2K6 Smart Pulse,can a remote starter be hooked up for our cold climet (Winnipeg,Manitoba Canada)? Also how can I improove the heat for 45 degree F cold winter? Like put a manual cable to get the RPM's up to produce more heat,what do you think of this?
Why not offer a regular automatic transmission with the Smart Car? I know a manual transmission is more effecient and less costly but most US drivers prefer automatic.
This is like an option that is offered on the 2005 Mazda 3 which I've driven. True, the automatic mode is jerky, it seems to want to shift too soon thus causing the jerking of the car, however, in the manual mode, it was quite a smooth ride. I for one like the option of this gear system, as over the lifetime of the car, saves money but is not as daunting to those drivers like myself who live in fear of grinding gears on a traditional manual system.
"What is wrong with just putting in a regular manual transmission. Seems like it would be cheaper and it would make more sense for this type of car.
Posted by: James, Feb 8, 2008 11:46:10 AM"
They have done this so they do not need to find the space for a clutch pedal which would be awkward to fit into this size of car.
If there's room for the driver's left foot there's room for a clutch pedal. Idiot.
i HAD A 1972 vw THAT WAS THE SO CALLED FIRST AUTOMATIC. IT WAS A HORRIBLE CAR. I HOPE THE SMART OPERATES BETTER AS IT IS AN ADORABLE CAR.
Okay EVERYBODY here is an idiot!
This is not a VW retool!
Your Mazda 3 did NOT have this type of transmission!
It is NOT a 1950s technology!
IDIOTS!
This technology has been in big rig highway trucks for years!
These truck weigh 80,000 pounds! They have 10 speed MANUAL transmissions that are shifted AUTOMATICLLY, (automated manual)
They are NOT automatic transmissions with a novelty, fake, "stick shift" ah la the MAzda and BMW!
This technology has been proven for two decades in RACE CARS! Ferari has the same technolgy on their most expensive cars.
The computer that controls the shifting of the smart transmission and that of big rigs did not exist in 1950, 1969, the 70s etc. The
It is a MANUAL transmision with no clutch PEDAL. There is STILL a clutch in the transmission that is controlled by the computer and the gear selctor is controlled by the computer in BOTH fully auto mode and driver shift mode (via wheel mounted paddles or the shifter).
This is technology of the future because the power losses throgh a MANUAL transmision are LOW because there is always a mechanical link with the engine and drive wheels via actual gears in the transmission while an "automatic" transmission is a hydraulic device that uses high pressure hydraulic fluid to form a link between the engine and drive wheels and thusly you have slippage which decreased efficiency.
And of course the automatic will be smoother since it is essentially a fluid drive versus the automated manual which is a mechanical drive...whew...get it now? By the way, new technologies are always resisted by the small minded.
Be cautious of someone's comments when he considers everyone else an idiot and small minded. Too many people in the world think like that.
Point of clarification:
Years ago I had a 1959 Mercedes 220S with Hydrak transmission. It was a 4-speed manual transmission with column-mounted shifter, but no clutch pedal. There was a vacuum-operated mechanical clutch, but also a fluid coupling. The clutch released when you touched the shifter lever, and engaged again when you released the lever in the next gear. The fluid coupling made it all very smooth (with practice), and allowed idling in gear like an automatic, with similar drive-off when the light turned green. It differed from the Smart in that it would not shift automatically. Unfortunately the fluid coupling was inefficient, and people with no mechanical skills could never learn to drive the thing well, so this option didn't survive. I liked it, and despite the inefficiency still got 27mpg with that 4-door, 6-cylinder Merc with 2 carburetors. In those days, no domestic cars I can think of came close to that economy.
Point of clarification:
Years ago I had a 1959 Mercedes 220S with Hydrak transmission. It was a 4-speed manual transmission with column-mounted shifter, but no clutch pedal. There was a vacuum-operated mechanical clutch, but also a fluid coupling. The clutch released when you touched the shifter lever, and engaged again when you released the lever in the next gear. The fluid coupling made it all very smooth (with practice), and allowed idling in gear like an automatic, with similar drive-off when the light turned green. It differed from the Smart in that it would not shift automatically. Unfortunately the fluid coupling was inefficient, and people with no mechanical skills could never learn to drive the thing well, so this option didn't survive. I liked it, and despite the inefficiency still got 27mpg with that 4-door, 6-cylinder Merc with 2 carburetors. In those days, no domestic cars I can think of came close to that economy.
All I care about is how to improve on the slow shift times!
Do you reckon there would be enough room for a transmission swap to a different automatic? I was thinking a sequential transmission from Holinger or something. For a Smart Roadster by the way.
I have a Smart Passion Fortwo top of the range vehicle. A vehicle whichout power steering as standard is appalling! I have been driving it for eight months and it is about appalling. It has already been in teh garage twice for gearbox and electronic problems. Has anyone else experienced these problems?
hi there, there is no such things you called 'automatic' in this world, if you look very closely there are couple small people operating it. So look closely.
OK, Now I have a week on my new Cabrio Smart.
I have gotten to enjoy the transmission. It's shift points are slewed toward economy. If I do not give it a lot of throttle on acceleration, RPM stay well below 3000. The engine functions a lot in the sub 2000 rpm range fairly smoothly. The engine will rev nicely when asked to do so, but it stays at about 3000rpm at roughly 65 mph. The only annoying shift lag is between 1st and 2nd. Even though the car is sporty and enjoyable, it is not a mini cooper, or a miata. Some practice with the paddle shifters will improve things for the sports orientated, but I suspect that it will cost you in the fuel economy department. This is not a buzzy engine, and the computer shifting seems to like lugging the engine at lower speeds for economy reasons. The ride on expressways has surprised me. I am quite comfortable in the 65-70mph region. It rides on a par with my Ford ranger when lightly loaded. Smoother than you have a right to expect in a car that is this shortly coupled. Seems to be easily getting over 40 mpg in a city/hyway mix.
A number of people have asked why Smart doesn't just use an automatic transmission. Automatics take power to run the pumps which will have a significant effect on fuel consumption.
Have they improved the transmission with the 2009 model.
I have a job that requires alot of stop and go driving is this car good for this or be more of a hinderence then an pure automatic
Just to add. Clutch pedal free, automated transmission in a city car. Who cant get their head around that? Conventional autos bulky, sap power thru internal drag (brakes & clutches) and TCs cant go over 7000rpm hence use by Maser, Ferrari, BMW etc.
In manual mode, try using your left foot for braking and give the throttle a blip as you pull the lever/paddle for the downshift. Now ain't that smooth?
Or, leave it its own devices but pick up the throttle very gently till you feel it driving again to eliminate that lurch. But if a few downshifts are required, either you take command or let it do it - not a combination of both. Once mastered, it is a brilliant transmission. Just takes a bit of learning.
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I'd like to add my opinion on the Smart Fortwo's transmission. To simply state this car is a manual with a automatic mode as oppose to a automatic with a manual mode. Which to be honest I find quite frankly to be a bad decision on Smart's past considering the fact that European journalists still aren't convinced if this is the best approach for the gearbox even in this second generation.
That transmission is the main downside to the Fortwo, because much bigger names in the Auto Industry mainly have attempted this approach and haven't faired well. Mainly Aston Martin's Vanquish & Maserati's Quattroporte and Gransport which took a fair amount of criticism for the vulgar and aggressive shifts in manual and automatic modes thus hurting the depreciation. If the bigger more expensive cars didn't fair well then how can Smart's Fortwo make improvements with a significantly smaller budget.