Great Transmission for Multiple Reasons - 2016 Kia Optima Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

Great Transmission for Multiple Reasons - 2016 Kia Optima Long-Term Road Test

Our 2016 Kia Optima gets many of the basics right. One example is the transmission, both in how it works and even how the shifter feels.

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roadburner

That's just a well designed shift lever. One thing I really don't like about my 2er is the "beer tap" shifter. It's counter-intuitive and annoying. I'm sure Munich went that route because the idiots who consider their car to be a fashion accessory think it is "cool."

gtalum99

It is a nice touch. The steering wheel feels great too, as you note.

longtimelurker

Riswick said that the only way, shape or form this transmission is acceptable is if you religiously place it into sport mode as soon as you start the engine. Every time you start the engine.

In the performance testing, Reese Counts said:

"We're surprised by the lack of refinement from this dual-clutch transmission. During part- and full-throttle applications, this transmission exhibits a significant delay during upshifts. As the Optima prepares for a shift, you can feel it slowly roll off the power. After making the shift, it slowly re-engages the throttle. This delay is visible in the data and occurs on each upshift, stacking time against acceleration. It also makes the engine's power deliver feel needlessly non-linear. The engine gets loud around 4,500 rpm under full load, but doesn't sound very good. Never mind the 6,600 rpm indicated redline — the transmission automatically upshifts at 6,000 rpm regardless of drive or shift mode."

He also said that regardless of shift mode, the quality and speed of shifts was sub-par, and that neither mode allowed the engine to reach redline.

I understand differences of opinion...but both of those guys went out of their way to say that shifts are slow and mushy. You go out of your way to say that shifts are crisp and quick.

bankerdanny

Long-term reliability is the real question. A conventional automatic can easily hit 200k miles or even more with proper maintenance of fluid and filters.

But you rarely see 100k miles on a manual transmission clutch and so I wonder if DCT's are going to be due for expensive clutch replacements around that time.

roadburner

Rarely see 100k miles from a clutch? that hasn't been my experience:
1995 318ti(former HPDE instructor car): 144k miles, original clutch
1999 Wrangler Sahara: 114k miles, original clutch
2007 Mazdaspeed 3(tuned to 300 hp): 159k miles, original clutch

gtalum99

Isn't VW's DSG transmission a dual-clutch transmission? I don't think they're notorious for going bad at 100k miles.

I haven't noticed any delays or rough shifting in mine in ECO mode. I wonder if the Edmunds car has a technical issue.

schen72

I just bought a 2016 Acura ILX with Honda's 8DCT. First time I haven't driven a normal automatic transmission. The shifts are indeed lightening fast and satisfying. I hope it lasts. My recently sold 1999 TL went 270k miles on original transmission.

longtimelurker

roadburner said:

Rarely see 100k miles from a clutch? that hasn't been my experience:
1995 318ti(former HPDE instructor car): 144k miles, original clutch
1999 Wrangler Sahara: 114k miles, original clutch
2007 Mazdaspeed 3(tuned to 300 hp): 159k miles, original clutch

1979 Ford Fiesta S - 162,000 miles - original clutch

1987 GTI - 225,000 miles - original clutch

2003 SVT Focus - 123,000 miles - original clutch. Engine was out of car (dealer toasted it while screwing up a timing belt change at 100,000 miles) and they said the clutch looked new.

Overall have had five MT cars in our household over the past 20 years...have never replaced a clutch in any of them.

roadburner

I've had four other MT cars and I only replaced one clutch- on my 1973 Bavaria 3.0 at 110k miles. I had to rebuild the Getrag transmission because a PO had run GL-5 in it- decided to R&R the clutch while I had it out.

allthingshonda

Haven't driven the Hyundai/Kia DCT but the regular 6 speed is one of the best I have ever driven in any car at any price. Silky smooth shifts and always in the right gear at the right time. Hyundai just started making their own auto transmission when they introduced the previous generation Sonata/Optima twins but they clearly did all their homework. As for the shifter, you can't go wrong with a traditional non-gated PRND floor mounted shifter. Simple and easy to use without having to look and think about how to use it.

And VW's Borg Warner DSG transmission was very problematic when they were introduced but have improved quite a bit. MT clutches, from my experience, are as durable as the driver is skilled at using it. My first 2 cars were MT and they both went well over 100,000 miles with the original clutch.

gslippy

allthingshonda said:

Haven't driven the Hyundai/Kia DCT but the regular 6 speed is one of the best I have ever driven in any car at any price. Silky smooth shifts and always in the right gear at the right time..

Agreed. Our 13 Optima Hybrid's 6-spd auto is fantastic*, as is my son's 11 Sonata 6-spd auto. Even our 09 Sedona 5-spd auto is very smooth and solid at 87k miles. But I'm a firm believer in fluid changes every 25k miles for any automatic.

* One note about the hybrid's tranny: it has a clutch between the pancake motor and transmission that can be abrupt when the car is cold and just starting out. It will short-shift and sort of 'pop' the clutch. But once it warms up this is not an issue, and the 6-spd is always smooth.