Automatic gearbox question

[wazh]

Hi All - quick question around the HS Phev auto box. When in Hybrid mode, the petrol engine auto box does not seem to change gear as expected. Does anyone experience the petrol auto box holding onto gears longer than expected? My car holds onto a gear and changes at exactly 30mph. With around town driving mostly needing to be less than 30mph, the car feels / sounds like it needs to change gear, but simply will not at 28mph, 29mph (anything under 30mph). Is this normal for the car to just sit and hold onto the selected gear and rev higher than needed until a specific speed is reached ?

 

[Jto]

Yes it’s how the car works, I find if I flip the acceleration I and can get to change up dropping the revs, I drive mostly in EV.

 

[wazh]

Yes it’s how the car works, I find if I flip the acceleration I and can get to change up dropping the revs, I drive mostly in EV.

Thanks for confirming, I am surprised the auto box is not a little more refined. Still find the car great overall though.

 

[djenson]

Thanks for confirming, I am surprised the auto box is not a little more refined. Still find the car great overall though.

The gearbox is really weird as you say - It seems more speed based then load based - Im guessing it has something to do with how the 2 separate gearboxes need to negotiate with each other.

 

[Lovemyev]

Other owners have observed the same issues with the gear change conditions.
Holding onto 2nd gear too long is a common complaint.
It’s okay to use, but not ideal like you say.
The PHEV set up is not as refined as it could be TBH.
The DSG system linked between the ICE and the EV motor is a lot more refined and slick in the VAG PHEV cars for sure.
I had a Golf GTE ( PHEV ) for about four years before going full BEV back in 2019.
The system they used was extremely quick to act and gear changes where silky smooth.
In pure EV mode you could power the car from zero to 80+ MPH and not introduce the ICE as long as you had the EV range and did not hammer the “GO” pedal to the floor.
The cabin heater could be used without the ICE kicking in also ( if you had enough EV range of course ).
The driver had complete control of how and when the EV range was consumed.
The DSG gear changes where both smooth and very quick to respond.
The VAG system is a brilliant piece of engineering really, the integration of ICE and EV is almost seamless.
You sometimes struggle to know if you being powered along the road by either ICE or EV power.

 

[wazh]

Agreed that the system definitely feels like it is set up around speed rather than load (which is a shame when having to use ICE around town).