[ST7677]

Yawwn... So many years and still no options in small automatic transmissions :(

Com'mon wake-up guys, Indian women are getting liberated, they need a car to drive down to their shopping...

[Saanil]

Presently there are only 2 options for AT in small cars. I think the AT market is going to increase exponentially in the coming days. With traffic becoming Bumper to Bumper at all times on all roads all people will atleast think about buying an AT (forgetting the FE for the sake of convenience). I am surprised why the car makers have not focussed on small car AT's. C segment sedans - City, Verna, Vento, Sx4, Fiesta (almost all have automatics barring Linea I suppose). I wished Beat and Brio would get AT option but I was disappointed. I still hope Brio gets an AT. It will surely be a hit amongst ladies!

[k_nitin_r]

Previously, Maruti offered automatic transmission in the Zen but they now offer it in the A-star instead of the (Zen) Estilo. The only two product lines from Maruti in which automatic transmission is available are the A-star and the SX4 petrol, and both have longer waiting periods than the manual transmission variants. I guess the assumption by Maruti is that if you choose a Maruti, you care enough about fuel efficiency and running costs to buy a Maruti. When it comes to diesel, Maruti does not offer automatic transmission as an option.

[Tommie]

Originally Posted by ST7677

Yawwn... So many years and still no options in small automatic transmissions :(

Com'mon wake-up guys, Indian women are getting liberated, they need a car to drive down to their shopping...

Not just Indian women, Indian men are also saying the same. They are tired of holding the clutch, half clutch and pulling the hand brakes in the crazy Indian traffic. My leg really bad after driving for 30 kms in the city which would take 2 hours. I have decided my next car is going to be automatic.

[NFSfan#1]

Originally Posted by Tommie

I was trying to find out a car within the 7 lac(on-road) bracket to find an automatic.
=========
I hope some automobile product management guys are reading it and will start to work on their excel sheet to change the volume game in India to meet up to the additional costs for the gearbox.

try the i10 AT. it has the new engine and drives and feels much better than its only competitor (below 6 lacs), the A-star. A-star seemed a lot strained than the i10. Also, the interiors in the i10 AT are far superior than the A-star's.

OTR in Delhi of i10 AT is 5.85 lacs or so.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by ST7677

Yawwn... So many years and still no options in small automatic transmissions :(

Com'mon wake-up guys, Indian women are getting liberated, they need a car to drive down to their shopping...

Can anyone clarify to me something - why every time women are equated with AT cars?
I know a lot of women who can drive a stick shift very well, and on the same lines have a lot of male friends who cannot drive stick shifts at all (mainly in US). I myself am not very confident with stick shift cars!
I believe it is a very wrong blanket statement that 'all women drive AT' or 'AT is for women only'.
Yes - stick shift is fun - it was even fun in my dad's M800 when I managed to drive it, but AT is for comfort. Urban commuters IMO need comfort over fun in their day to day commute, and thus AT becomes relevant.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by blackasta

Can anyone clarify to me something - why every time women are equated with AT cars?

In the US context, where cars are mostly AT, what you mentioned is true. But in the Indian context, ATs are more for women, for whom a car is just a comfy mode of transport, not a personal extension like it is for guys. But no denying that ATs are comfortable, be it man or woman at the wheel. Again it is the kind of place you drive in that decides choice of MT vs AT. We use our AT in a small town in Kerala and occassional NH runs, where MT should do just fine. But since it is for wifey, AT was a boon. On the other hand if I had it here in Chennai, it would have been such a boon in the traffic here.

Originally Posted by Tommie

I could find that Suzuki A-star(which I cannot sit inside since I am tall)

I assume you tried the AT A-star. If so, what was the seat-height position when you sat in it ? Asking because at its lowest position, it is uncomfortable for average users, but could be perfect for tall people like you. But when you set height of seat to max position, head-room goes for a toss and for tall people like you, fitting in could be a problem, while average height people (I am 5' 8") are just about comfy. So, you could give it a try with seat at lowest position.

Compare this to our Swift where everyone can find a comfy position, whatever height the driver seat is set at. We have it set at max. high in our car and it is comfortable for me.

[ST7677]

Originally Posted by blackasta

Can anyone clarify to me something - why every time women are equated with AT cars?
I know a lot of women who can drive a stick shift very well, and on the same lines have a lot of male friends who cannot drive stick shifts at all (mainly in US). I myself am not very confident with stick shift cars!
I believe it is a very wrong blanket statement that 'all women drive AT' or 'AT is for women only'.
Yes - stick shift is fun - it was even fun in my dad's M800 when I managed to drive it, but AT is for comfort. Urban commuters IMO need comfort over fun in their day to day commute, and thus AT becomes relevant.

Sure, Well look at the usage figures of Auto cars and women drivers and you will understand!
With women, they generally can't get around with clutch and gear funda (specially when they are tensed) and they don't care about the pickup.

I am talking about our country - where fuel is 6 times costlier than US and there is absolutely dearth of powerful cars. An automatic car is less FE and the transmission sucks more power, so you are left with a fuel guzzler dud automatic car. How many men want that?


Of course things are changing, now we have slowly started to get better auto transmissions and slightly more powerful (in high end cars), even there except for DSG automatic sales are dismal (read nobody wants to pay for it), but then this is a small car thread!

If you like driving, stick shift is so much fun, be it city or country side. Unless you are looking for a point A to B solution, in which case you might as well buy a manual transmission and hire a driver - you can even read a newspaper in the back seat

[Tommie]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

I assume you tried the AT A-star. If so, what was the seat-height position when you sat in it ? Asking because at its lowest position, it is uncomfortable for average users, but could be perfect for tall people like you. But when you set height of seat to max position, head-room goes for a toss and for tall people like you, fitting in could be a problem, while average height people (I am 5' 8") are just about comfy. So, you could give it a try with seat at lowest position.

I didn't try the AT A-Star, I tried the geared A-Star. I had difficulty to even get inside the crampy door with the seat being max-behind and max-low. I am 5'11' and heavily built too. I couldnt get inside to sit on the back seat since the doors were too small. I think its made for typical asian sizes and not european/american size people.

[blackasta]

Originally Posted by ST7677

Sure, Well look at the usage figures of Auto cars and women drivers and you will understand!
With women, they generally can't get around with clutch and gear funda (specially when they are tensed) and they don't care about the pickup.

Oh no - thats some very generic blanket statement! better watch out for feminists lurking around


I am talking about our country - where fuel is 6 times costlier than US and there is absolutely dearth of powerful cars. An automatic car is less FE and the transmission sucks more power, so you are left with a fuel guzzler dud automatic car. How many men want that?

Who said that fuel in US is cheaper by 6 times when compared to India? We pay around 3.6 for a gallon (3.79 Liter) of fuel - which brings the equation to a dollar (47 - 48) per liter. India pays 73-74.


Of course things are changing, now we have slowly started to get better auto transmissions and slightly more powerful (in high end cars), even there except for DSG automatic sales are dismal (read nobody wants to pay for it), but then this is a small car thread!

If you like driving, stick shift is so much fun, be it city or country side. Unless you are looking for a point A to B solution, in which case you might as well buy a manual transmission and hire a driver - you can even read a newspaper in the back seat

Sorry - disagree on this. I wish it was true.

so the options are a. drive a stick shift or b. driver drives a stick shift but no c. you drive a AT - correct?

Put some comments inline!

[joslicx]

how is stick shift more fun? In Bangalore's bumper to bumper traffic my legs ache so bad in even 20 KM driving!

Aint automatics also provide manual override function, you can downshift/upshift at will (like city has paddles for shifting, etc)

[Tommie]

Originally Posted by joslicx

how is stick shift more fun? In Bangalore's bumper to bumper traffic my legs ache so bad in even 20 KM driving!

Aint automatics also provide manual override function, you can downshift/upshift at will (like city has paddles for shifting, etc)

Stick shift is actually fun when you really wants to rev hard especially climbing hills or trying to overtake. While driving down in steep hill, you would prefer to use a gear than using the brake. Most of the petrol vehicles gives higher Torque only at higher BHP which gives the adrenaline rush for the drivers. Additionally, one will miss the control of the half clutch power to wheels when you are using automatic.

The paddle shift (as in City Automatic) with the Sports mode and the VW Jetta tiptronic mode would naturally mean additional cost to the car. Adding such features would not be truly economical in the HIGHLY price sensitive Indian market who is also concerned about fuel economy.

[Oxy]

An automatic option on any car is a huge convenience. It's surprising that only two small cars exist with an auto option.

I think automatic transmission is the future. Just like how the Bajaj Chetaks and the Honda Eternos have disappeared, it maybe possible that manual transmission cars start to vanish slowly. It will take a pretty long time though!

[Tommie]

India needs Diesel Automatic cars more than petrol automatic as of now.

Any car manufacturers reading this real big business case that could change their annual results?

[supremeBaleno]

@Tommie, as it is manufacturers are unable to keep pace with the demand for diesels. So do you think it makes any business-need for them to add a line for AT-diesels ? Not to mention the fact that diesels already are sold at a premium to the petrol model and adding an AT would mean having the price go even higher.