[croupier]

I had a chance to see the AMT Kwid at Kondapur, HYD showroom. They didnt allow me a TD but I was able to get a feel of the gear shifter. The action is like a AC direction adjustment know with clear slots for R,N,D. Didnt get a chance to see if the gear engaged when the know was turned without a foot on the brake pedal.

[RavenAvi]

Now launched at Rs 4.25 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi, in a single 1.0L RxT(O) variant.

It costs only 30,000 rupees more than the equivalent 1.0L RxT(O) manual!

As with other automatic cars, the Kwid AMT has been positioned at a premium of Rs 30,000 to the equivalent manual model and costs about Rs 14,000 more than the top trim Alto K10 AMT which is priced at Rs 4.11 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Autocar India

[RavenAvi]

Official website has been updated with the AMT page & detailed pricing in cities across India.

[outdoorlover]

Originally Posted by RSR

Even the totally gearless CVTs (without even "steps" a.k.a. gear pretenders) such as the ones on the Micra & Sunny/Scala have got some form of manual control of the belt-and-pulleys transmission system masquerading as a gearbox. That Nissan CVT has an L mode for steep uphill/downhill sections etc. and also a "Sport" mode which can be used in tight situations. Ford did sell a 6-speed DCT on the Fiesta without a manual control option, but they learned their lesson quickly, and provided + and - buttons on the gear lever of the EcoSport with the same gearbox.

I agree. This will be a pure flat city car without the option to downshift in case of down slopes which brings in the risk of overheating of brakes leading to brake failure.

NOTE FROM T-BHP SUPPORT: Trimmed quoted post for better readability. Please avoid quoting the entire post as it may inconvenience small-screen users / mobile users. Quote only the relevant portions instead. Thanks.

[i74js]

There is no creep function in KWID and this is going to be a limitation in bumper to bumper traffic and coming out of slopes.

I see issues in hills and overtake manoeuvres.

Without possibility of manual override; this qualifies as cost cutting unless confirmed otherwise by T-bhp or any other reliable review.

Cheers !

[jetsetgo08]

Autocar's review is out. This includes a stop-start test on a not so steep incline as well.

https://youtu.be/mnwVTklbCeM

[SPARKled]

All reviews so far seems glowing and they are calling it the best AMT in this price range. Now waiting for the Team-BHP review. My wife seems interested in this as her daily commute car which I think is the perfect role for this car. So just a noob question for automatic/AMT/CVT owners. How does one control speeds when coming down a slope? Is it as simple as just letting car coast with the brakes used for controlling speed and foot off the accelerator or something else?

[rohanak1]

Originally Posted by SPARKled

So just a noob question for automatic/AMT/CVT owners. How does one control speeds when coming down a slope? Is it as simple as just letting car coast with the brakes used for controlling speed and foot off the accelerator or something else?

Automatic cars provide a "low gear" selector or something like a "1", "2", "3" selector. They also come with manual shifters where there is a "+" and "-" marked. This way brake usage is reduced.

By coasting, if you mean placing in neutral, then this should NEVER be done. Auto or manual

[guptad42]

This makes sense over Alto K10 AGS on paper. Has anybody had a longish test drive yet on real roads?

Originally Posted by SPARKled

All reviews so far seems glowing and they are calling it the best AMT in this price range. Now waiting for the Team-BHP review. My wife seems interested in this as her daily commute car which I think is the perfect role for this car. So just a noob question for automatic/AMT/CVT owners. How does one control speeds when coming down a slope? Is it as simple as just letting car coast with the brakes used for controlling speed and foot off the accelerator or something else?

I have the same question as there are several up and down slopes near our house, even though we live in a city. Some of these are steeper than your average flyover climb.

Kwid AMT has no manual control over gears. Will it be safe while coming down the slope? It doesn't even have ABS.

Kwid AMT does not have any creep function. I have also not seen any mention of a hill hold control. How will Kwid behave going up a slope in stop-go traffic?

I had test driven an Alto K10 AGS (at slow speeds). It was very responsive up a slope, and didn't crawl back even on a steep slope. The gearshifts were smooth, and I did not feel any 'head nod'. The only reason we didn't buy the Alto was because it felt very cramped. Kwid feels more comfortable inside. But, if the Kwid AMT does not match up to Alto, than I may have to go back to the Alto.

So, looking forward to extensive real world testing of a Kwid AMT.

[SPARKled]

Originally Posted by rohanak1

Automatic cars provide a "low gear" selector or something like a "1", "2", "3" selector. They also come with manual shifters where there is a "+" and "-" marked. This way brake usage is reduced.

By coasting, if you mean placing in neutral, then this should NEVER be done. Auto or manual

By coasting I meant movement due to sheer momentum. I meant no accelerator input and the car would be in some gear or the other as it is in Drive mode which will probably create some sort of dynamic braking while going down a hill and I am assuming that no accelerator input will also cause no gear up shift as well. Going uphill should not be a problem as you will need a constant accelerator input to ensure that the car has enough speed to keep moving and does not roll back.

[rohanak1]

Originally Posted by SPARKled

By coasting I meant movement due to sheer momentum. I meant no accelerator input and the car would be in some gear or the other as it is in Drive mode which will probably create some sort of dynamic braking while going down a hill and I am assuming that no accelerator input will also cause no gear up shift as well. Going uphill should not be a problem as you will need a constant accelerator input to ensure that the car has enough speed to keep moving and does not roll back.

Even in this case, there would be an increase in speed during descent which will result in an upshift. This would reduce engine braking. To control the speed continues braking input would be needed. Or you could use the low gear option or shift to manual mode.

[audioholic]

Having used an AMT for the last two months, I cant think of a setup without a manual mode and most importantly the creep mode. These are two features that I make use most of the times when driving. Forget driving, I cant think of parking without the creep mode. It will require fast reflexes to switch between accelerator and brake repeatedly. With a creep mode, all we have to do is brake on and off. And in bumper to bumper traffic, it will lead to extra work for the foot.

And in the autocar review, the reviewer talks about the smoothest launch off the slope - This is mainly because of clutch slipping. This aint a torque converter which can ensure a smooth launch with no wear and tear. If there was a creep mode, the clutch would have partially engaged when the foot is off the brake pedal, and then it completely engages once there is a slight movement of the Accelerator. This will reduce clutch wear, at the cost of a little jerk.

Hence, if someone is in the market for this car, then its better you check the ease of parking and movement in crawling traffic and then make a decision.

Coming to the absence of manual mode, this isnt a serious necessity like the creep mode, but it will lead to earlier wear of brakes and also brake fade during extended braking. Brake fade is noticeable even in my Celerio if driven in auto. Hence, if I drive on empty roads where speeds are greater, I switch to manual mode and downshift ahead of slowing down. That gives good control over the car and also requires lesser braking effort.

The AMT in auto mode downshifts only when the engine speed goes very low and this will result in more pressure on the brakes for slowing down. In ghat sections, where I havent taken the car to yet, its better one be driving sedately if there is no manual mode available.

[AkMar]

From my limited experience of driving an AT, I don't think I would be comfortable driving an AT with no manual mode. The difference manual mode makes during descents is significant. I consider it a must have

[rsm97]

Had a quick test drive of Kwid AMT this afternoon. Covered nearly 5kms with four people on board.

The points like vocal engine, (too) light a steering, peppy low range, etc, are generic and already have been covered in details. My observations based on today's brief encounter are entirely on AMT.

The AMT seems responsive to the throttle input so lack of creep function does not feel much of a bother. A bit of lag at lower gears, but turns smooth as the speed exceeds 30kmph. Responds quite well to the sudden braking. Better than Celerio in my view.

Now the crucial question, does the manual mode makes its absence felt? My view is - yes it does. Took the car twice to the basement just to check the behaviour on steep slopes. The gears upshifted very rapidly while descending and had to apply the brakes regularly. While coming up, first time the gear upshift happened right in the middle of the slope. I assume it was from first to second gear. The remaining ascend was negotiated in second gear itself and it was no way easy. Once on flat, the transmission shifted to first gear again and everything turned smooth.

Second time, special care was taken to keep speed low by regularly manipulating the throttle. The upshift was avoided this time, but probably just.

While it seems possible that one can 'practice' to overcome this limitation of transmission, unlikely that most will like doing so. Its unclear what made Renault to not provide any sort of manual override. Believe they will consider it going forward.

[outdoorlover]

Originally Posted by rsm97

While coming up, first time the gear upshift happened right in the middle of the slope. I assume it was from first to second gear. The remaining ascend was negotiated in second gear itself and it was no way easy. Once on flat, the transmission shifted to first gear again and everything turned smooth.

The upshift in an upslope can happen if you take your foot off the throttle midway. Otherwise. I have never seen an AT upshift on an upslope in the past 14 years that I've been driving ATs.