How would you rate the auto trans in the Yaris? - Page 2 - Toyota Yaris Forums

nemelek · 08-09-2009, 07:02 PM

Around town the A/T is great. However when I take it to the mountains it keeps shifting between 3 and 4th gear.

JumpmanYaris · 08-09-2009, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemelek

Around town the A/T is great. However when I take it to the mountains it keeps shifting between 3 and 4th gear.

Same here

Marthos · 08-09-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemelek

Around town the A/T is great. However when I take it to the mountains it keeps shifting between 3 and 4th gear.

The D position is really Overdrive.

3 is Drive.

You should pull the shifter toward you into 3 (Drive) for climing big hills/fun in the mountains.

Check your Owners Manual, Thats what it says, I swear (Overdrive/drive not the mountains part lol).

Edit = 2007 Owners Manual Pg 125

D : Normal driving (shifting into overdrive possible)
3 : Enginebraking (shifting into overdrive not possible)

If D is overdrive then 3 is Drive

Engine braking only happens if your off the gas pedal.

Page 127 g Good driving pratice

has the info about using 3 when the trans keeps shifting from 4 to 3 and back to 4 and towing.

R2D2 · 08-09-2009, 10:02 PM

I'm very happy with the AT in the Yaris. I like the way the selector is set up and find it very user friendly. My favorite feature is the great engine braking due to DFCO and being able to easily drop gears as needed. As stated above the AT is looking to get into fourth ASAP if you drive conservatively and I find it will hold fourth a very long time (good economy) when climbing if your driving easily. (I very rarely push the accelerator down more than about 20 percent.) I drive quite conservatively and find it very smooth and intelligent when driven this way.

I find the shifts have a great balance of firmness-not harsh and not "slushy"

If your driving aggressively I find it "knows" this and will kind of "lock out" of fourth (meaning it waits much longer than usual to shift into fourth) in anticipation of more spirited driving until you settle down a bit. I noticed this during my first tank of fuel when I was giving the engine a good aggressive break in.

The AT is NOT for those seeking ultimate performance as in any other application. However I find when I need to push it a little to merge in heavy traffic it is more than adequate. I don't think you can compare an AT with a MT. All I can say is the Yaris with the 5 speed must have some pep!

I'd give it 9 out of 10. Hope it lives a long time!

R2

Yaris Hilton · 08-09-2009, 11:35 PM

Mine is fine.

supmet · 08-10-2009, 01:12 PM

Auto FTW.

If your car is boosted then you can drive a manual, but honestly, reading the forums I see nothing but people complaining about squeaky shifts, ornery gears, too loud at cruising speed, blah blah blah with the MT. I can cruise at 85 without hearing my car. And honestly someone might beat me in a straight line, but I'll keep up with you on curves with gear limiting.

As far as weird shift points, don't floor it at the bottom of a gear going up hill - its your car telling you, "You know, you could have easily stopped at that yellow - you were only going 20 and uphill at that"

ern-diz · 08-10-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supmet

Auto FTW.

If your car is boosted then you can drive a manual, but honestly, reading the forums I see nothing but people complaining about squeaky shifts, ornery gears, too loud at cruising speed, blah blah blah with the MT. I can cruise at 85 without hearing my car. And honestly someone might beat me in a straight line, but I'll keep up with you on curves with gear limiting.

As far as weird shift points, don't floor it at the bottom of a gear going up hill - its your car telling you, "You know, you could have easily stopped at that yellow - you were only going 20 and uphill at that"

LOL...i don't know how, with one less gear, an AT would be more quiet than an MT at freeway speeds...i'm thinking your definition of quiet is a little different than most peoples lol...my MT shifts great, is more responsive than an AT and i'm CERTAIN has better fuel efficiency due to the additional gear.

Maxh91 · 08-10-2009, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ern-diz

and i'm CERTAIN has better fuel efficiency due to the additional gear.

I dont own a Manual but i have heard that the AT 4 speed and the MT 5 speed have same RPM at 90 or 100 Km/h. But a MT can be shift early.

supmet · 08-10-2009, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ern-diz

LOL...i don't know how, with one less gear, an AT would be more quiet than an MT at freeway speeds...i'm thinking your definition of quiet is a little different than most peoples lol...my MT shifts great, is more responsive than an AT and i'm CERTAIN has better fuel efficiency due to the additional gear.

You're right about FE, and I don't know how the freeway speed noise works out, I just know its never the AT people whining about the noise :D

Drive what you want, I'm just poking fun back at the people making fun of the ole slushbox.

ern-diz · 08-10-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supmet

You're right about FE, and I don't know how the freeway speed noise works out, I just know its never the AT people whining about the noise :D

Drive what you want, I'm just poking fun back at the people making fun of the ole slushbox.

i can feel you on that!

TRDMarty · 08-10-2009, 04:26 PM

When I oredered my 2008 ''S'' with an auto, the salesman looked at me like I was actually kidding. I'm sure the rest of you & where you might live have a freeway that you have to do your daily commute on and it just SUCKS to sit there. Here in So Cal, I have to sit everyday for 1 to up to 2.5 hours. There was no way I wanted to give my left leg a workout. As far as how my auto tranny works, no problems. The shift points are within reason and alittle soft but thats to be expected. Little car, little engine, little tranny. Again I'm happy with my choice of auto over manual tranny.

bronsin · 08-10-2009, 05:18 PM

I think its pretty smooth but its the first Ive owned in 40 years of driving. One thing though. I was planning on passin' this guy on a back road and it took a while for an opportuniy to present itself. When it did I pinned my ears back and let her rip! And....nothin'! There was nothin there! Now in my five speed ECHO Id have dropped it into third and floored it and be doing 80 real quick. I mean Im not afraid to die you know what I mean? But this auto trans just has no beans. If you want beans...

TRDMarty · 08-10-2009, 07:42 PM

It's not the tranny that has no beans. It's that little engine with the 4 squirrels turning the wire wheels in the their cage. Add turbocharger, add supercharger, add beans. Maybe feed the squirrels a peanut.
I'm with you on this, just not enough beans.

bronsin · 08-10-2009, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRDMarty

It's not the tranny that has no beans. It's that little engine with the 4 squirrels turning the wire wheels in the their cage. Add turbocharger, add supercharger, add beans. Maybe feed the squirrels a peanut.
I'm with you on this, just not enough beans.

Actually the ECHOs (and Yaris's) engine has as much horsepower as a 1970 BMW 2002 tti had. I blew by a left lane blocker in my 01 ECHO at 106 mph once. The five speed transmission gets the power to the wheels in a very forcefull way. And the solid lifters dont float at high rpms either! The auto trans just didnt have the means to convert the power into SPEED. Of course this is my first experience with it so maybe its me thats the problem!

Bob Dog · 08-10-2009, 08:42 PM

An AT comsumes power to operate and also does not allow the most efficient use of the rpm curve when accelerating to roadway or highway speeds. The less HP you have the more important it is to use it efficiently. I can sure understand an AT in stop and go commuting though, constant extremely repeatative shifting in the first and second gears can turn into a real bitch after a rather short stretch of time.

Vang · 08-11-2009, 03:00 PM

its ok for what you get, but when i go uphill its a pain...

Yaris Hilton · 08-11-2009, 03:31 PM

You guys complaining about the power of a Yaris with an automatic must've grown up in another world.

ern-diz · 08-11-2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yaris Hilton

You guys complaining about the power of a Yaris with an automatic must've grown up in another world.

just outta curiousity (because i drive a MT so, your comment wouldn't apply to me), what do you mean by that? i'm not following you...

08-09-2009, 07:02 PM	#19
nemelek DWEED Drives: 3DR 2008 Metorite Metalic Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,161	Around town the A/T is great. However when I take it to the mountains it keeps shifting between 3 and 4th gear. __________________ Making a decision without following it with an action is still a fantasy.

08-09-2009, 10:02 PM	#22
R2D2 Crazy Oil Sniffer Drives: MM 09 Yaris 5 Dr LB "Click" Join Date: May 2009 Location: ME Posts: 498	I'm very happy with the AT in the Yaris. I like the way the selector is set up and find it very user friendly. My favorite feature is the great engine braking due to DFCO and being able to easily drop gears as needed. As stated above the AT is looking to get into fourth ASAP if you drive conservatively and I find it will hold fourth a very long time (good economy) when climbing if your driving easily. (I very rarely push the accelerator down more than about 20 percent.) I drive quite conservatively and find it very smooth and intelligent when driven this way. I find the shifts have a great balance of firmness-not harsh and not "slushy" If your driving aggressively I find it "knows" this and will kind of "lock out" of fourth (meaning it waits much longer than usual to shift into fourth) in anticipation of more spirited driving until you settle down a bit. I noticed this during my first tank of fuel when I was giving the engine a good aggressive break in. The AT is NOT for those seeking ultimate performance as in any other application. However I find when I need to push it a little to merge in heavy traffic it is more than adequate. I don't think you can compare an AT with a MT. All I can say is the Yaris with the 5 speed must have some pep! I'd give it 9 out of 10. Hope it lives a long time! R2 __________________ "The howl was the sound of God’s casting pot, the morphing of my cells into shape, the forming of oceans out of molten premordial plasma. And I could feel it. I could cry for it. I could cry with it." -The Fitful One

08-10-2009, 08:42 PM	#33
Bob Dog DARK PHASE OF THE MOON Drives: 07 liftback Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: the Boondocks, NC Posts: 993	An AT comsumes power to operate and also does not allow the most efficient use of the rpm curve when accelerating to roadway or highway speeds. The less HP you have the more important it is to use it efficiently. I can sure understand an AT in stop and go commuting though, constant extremely repeatative shifting in the first and second gears can turn into a real bitch after a rather short stretch of time. Last edited by Bob Dog; 08-10-2009 at 11:07 PM.

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08-09-2009, 11:35 PM	#23
Yaris Hilton Half a Bubble Off Plumb Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA Posts: 1,593	Mine is fine.

08-10-2009, 01:12 PM	#24
supmet Banned View User's Garage Drives: 2007 4 Door Yaris Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,357	Auto FTW. If your car is boosted then you can drive a manual, but honestly, reading the forums I see nothing but people complaining about squeaky shifts, ornery gears, too loud at cruising speed, blah blah blah with the MT. I can cruise at 85 without hearing my car. And honestly someone might beat me in a straight line, but I'll keep up with you on curves with gear limiting. As far as weird shift points, don't floor it at the bottom of a gear going up hill - its your car telling you, "You know, you could have easily stopped at that yellow - you were only going 20 and uphill at that"

08-10-2009, 04:26 PM	#29
TRDMarty Drives: Polar White 2008, 3Dr HB TRD ' Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Corona CA Posts: 403	When I oredered my 2008 ''S'' with an auto, the salesman looked at me like I was actually kidding. I'm sure the rest of you & where you might live have a freeway that you have to do your daily commute on and it just SUCKS to sit there. Here in So Cal, I have to sit everyday for 1 to up to 2.5 hours. There was no way I wanted to give my left leg a workout. As far as how my auto tranny works, no problems. The shift points are within reason and alittle soft but thats to be expected. Little car, little engine, little tranny. Again I'm happy with my choice of auto over manual tranny.

08-10-2009, 05:18 PM	#30
bronsin Drives: 2009 Base Hatch 2 Dr Auto Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: nj Posts: 4,792	I think its pretty smooth but its the first Ive owned in 40 years of driving. One thing though. I was planning on passin' this guy on a back road and it took a while for an opportuniy to present itself. When it did I pinned my ears back and let her rip! And....nothin'! There was nothin there! Now in my five speed ECHO Id have dropped it into third and floored it and be doing 80 real quick. I mean Im not afraid to die you know what I mean? But this auto trans just has no beans. If you want beans...

08-10-2009, 07:42 PM	#31
TRDMarty Drives: Polar White 2008, 3Dr HB TRD ' Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Corona CA Posts: 403	It's not the tranny that has no beans. It's that little engine with the 4 squirrels turning the wire wheels in the their cage. Add turbocharger, add supercharger, add beans. Maybe feed the squirrels a peanut. I'm with you on this, just not enough beans.

08-11-2009, 03:00 PM	#34
Vang Drives: 2008 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: CA Posts: 158	its ok for what you get, but when i go uphill its a pain...

08-11-2009, 03:31 PM	#35
Yaris Hilton Half a Bubble Off Plumb Drives: 2009 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Bristol, Tennessee, USA Posts: 1,593	You guys complaining about the power of a Yaris with an automatic must've grown up in another world.