I love my Citigo but have a hankering for an automatic. Any ASG owners care to share their experiences?

John

My Smart has the same type of auto box as the Citigo and i love it. The changes are smooth as long as you do not floor it everywhere.

I quite fancy the Citigo Sport,but its not available in auto,so it has to be the Elegance when i am ready to purchase.

I would never have a manual car again.I love Automatics.

 

   Have you noticed the price of the VW UP now costs a lot more than the Citigo?  The Citigo Elegance ASG costs £10400 but the UP ASG costs £11500,however you can get £500 discount off the UP,but thats still not as low as the internet brokers offering pre reg Citigo sports for £9000,even if the car is infact worth £8000 in the trade.

Keep in mind that the ASG is not really an automatic gearbox. Think of it as an assisted manual gearbox, where the car press and release the clutch for you.
So it is with the ASG as it is with a manual gearbox - if you floor it during the gearchange you'll end up with jerky gearchanges.

I see a lot of reviews that report the ASG as jerky, but drive it moderately with low revs and the ASG can be both smooth and enjoyable.

Keep in mind that the ASG is not really an automatic gearbox. Think of it as an assisted manual gearbox, where the car press and release the clutch for you.

So it is with the ASG as it is with a manual gearbox - if you floor it during the gearchange you'll end up with jerky gearchanges.

I see a lot of reviews that report the ASG as jerky, but drive it moderately with low revs and the ASG can be both smooth and enjoyable.

 

 

Having only driven two ASG's ...and only for half an hour at a time, I'm not the best qualified to comment.  However smooth and enjoyable are not the two words I'd choose to best describe it. Lurching, yawning gaps in acceleration would be my choice.  But, I came straight out of my DSG so you shouldn't really compare the two.  Except to say I won't be buying one any time soon.

 

And....these are just my own views...I don't speak for anyone else who loves them.  Each to their own.

My Smart has the same type of auto box as the Citigo and i love it. The changes are smooth as long as you do not floor it everywhere.

I quite fancy the Citigo Sport,but its not available in auto,so it has to be the Elegance when i am ready to purchase.

I would never have a manual car again.I love Automatics.

 

   Have you noticed the price of the VW UP now costs a lot more than the Citigo?  The Citigo Elegance ASG costs £10400 but the UP ASG costs £11500,however you can get £500 discount off the UP,but thats still not as low as the internet brokers offering pre reg Citigo sports for £9000,even if the car is infact worth £8000 in the trade.

We had a Smart a few years ago and my son had a Corsa with "automated" gearbox. I didn't mind the Smart although my wife grew to the it. The Corsa change was much better.

John

Having only driven two ASG's ...and only for half an hour at a time, I'm not the best qualified to comment.  However smooth and enjoyable are not the two words I'd choose to best describe it. Lurching, yawning gaps in acceleration would be my choice.  But, I came straight out of my DSG so you shouldn't really compare the two.  Except to say I won't be buying one any time soon.

 

And....these are just my own views...I don't speak for anyone else who loves them.  Each to their own.

Thanks Stan. I think we've corresponded before. My middle name I Stanley but at 60 I don't know if that makes me old, or older!

We have a Yeti with DSG and I think that really is the yardstick, better even than my Merc 300E.

John

We have an ASG and find it to be perfectly ok.  Yes, as others have said it feels like an age between gear changes. In truth it is no longer than a normal manual gearbox speed wise it's just you have nothing to do so you notice it more. Also it can get in a bit of a tizzy when trying to decide what gear to select if slowing down whilst going up an incline then suddenly put your foot down.  The people who describe them as jerky are probably the same people who plant their foot down even harder when it has a 'think' and this makes it jerky. My wife is guilty of exactly this, as she has only ever driven a torque converter autobox before. If you keep your foot in the same position as when you start to accelerate it will sort itself out perfectly smoothly and pull away. The other issue related to this is it can not 'see' the incline approaching and has top react when the load increases. You can help it by changing down a gear in advance using the sequential shift but it isn't strictly necessary.  The biggest benefit is that the fuel consumption is nearly as good as the manual.  The polo auto we had previously had a dreadful thirst. This car at a stroke has cut my wife's fuel bill by two thirds!!!     I have driven both auto and manual cars over the years and I have to say that I won't buy another manual now there are autos that do as well as this on fuel.

 

In summary I would say that once you get used to it you will be happy.  If you want a car to thrash around in and are bothered about 0-60 times then it may be best to look elsewhere, as that is not what these cars are about. :sun: 

 

As ever, this is just my opinion but I hope this helps.  

 

I'd also like to say that my opinion after the test drive was the same as Oldstan but now we have had it a few weeks I can appreciate its abilities more.

Edited 10 July, 201312 yr by Usernamealreadytaken

Having owned and driven Toyota Aygo (with MMT or as u guys call it ASG box) for two years now, I simply love it. It is very simple to use in auto or manual mode. It is a no rush system. It can hesitate sometimes when the terrain suddenly changes from plain to up hill. It will teach you patience!

"Thanks Stan. I think we've corresponded before. My middle name I Stanley but at 60 I don't know if that makes me old, or older!

John"

 

 

 

 

I'm afraid the answer is 'old'.

 

 

Yes, I think you're right re. correspondence.......but with a couple of extra years on top of your own my memory doesn't allow me to recall what about.........and it can only get worse :-(  I find myself saying the same old things over and over again.   I find myself saying the same old things over and over again.  As I might have said, I share your centrally placed nomenclature designation (Middle name Stanley) and wish it wasn't.... but it's better than my first name  -  Veronica is not a good name for a boy :-)

 

 

Edited 11 July, 201312 yr by oldstan

We had a Smart a few years ago and my son had a Corsa with "automated" gearbox. I didn't mind the Smart although my wife grew to the it. The Corsa change was much better.

John

 

 

                    If you had a Smart i am sure you will like the Citigo ASG as its the same type of auto box.Even the layout of the gate is the same.I am not sure if when parking if you leave it in R as in the Smart it will be like putting it in P in a normal auto.

 

                      I have the Smart diesel,and the auto box is even smoother on the diesel. I get 60 MPG in town traffic and 80 MPG on a longer run.Not sure if the Citigo could compete with those figures.Mind you it will be better than the Mini 40 MPG,the Abarth 500 30 MPG and the Mazda MX5 25 MPG,all cars which are on my shopping list as well as the Citigo. When its time to change. I will be doing a lot of test driving.

I find the Asg box really struggles to cope with sudden acceleration or deceleration especially at lower speeds.its fine in normal driving .therefore the secret is to drive smooth and remember its a small 1litre city car not a hot hatch .horses for courses and all that jazz

Thanks everyone, these are really great responses and just the kind of thing I was looking for.

 

I'm more intersted in economy with this car than 0-60 times although I've not found it to be lacking given the engine size.

 

As I'm doping quite a lot of toen driving, and we have a Yeti DSG and an old Merc with auto box, I am well and truly sold on two pedal motoring.

 

Thanks again

 

John

Thanks everyone, these are really great responses and just the kind of thing I was looking for.

 

I'm more intersted in economy with this car than 0-60 times although I've not found it to be lacking given the engine size.

 

As I'm doping quite a lot of toen driving, and we have a Yeti DSG and an old Merc with auto box, I am well and truly sold on two pedal motoring.

 

Thanks again

 

John

 

Indeed, John, I've doped some toen driving too.  Mind you, I got some funny looks at the time. 

Indeed, John, I've doped some toen driving too.  Mind you, I got some funny looks at the time. 

Of course the toen driving is Durch, hence the doping.

Of course the toen driving is Durch, hence the doping.

Of course I meant Dutch but the Bitburg has just liked in!

Of course I meant Dutch but the Bitburg has just liked in!

 

 

At least you haven't managed to equal The James Naughtie reference/gaff to James Hunt, the Culture Secretary on Radio 4.  Or, indeed, Andrew Marr's repeat of the same discrepancy on the following programme.  They both fade mools of themselves and no mistake.

I'll echo most of the sentiments above.

 

Like all 2-pedal gearboxes, you can catch it out (slowing for islands etc), but unlike the DSG, you don't need to move the lever to a new gate to force it up or down a gear; just nudge it like the Smart.  Gearchanging seems to take a while but if you actually got a stopwatch on it, it would be the same as a quick change in a manual - it is just that you're doing nothing for the duration.  Driven gently, you'll hardly notice the changes but the best way is find a dealer with an ASG demo car and try one.  Doesn't matter if its an Up, Citigo or Mii, they're all the same gearbox.

 

Its good, but its not a DSG.  Saying that, it would be several hundred pounds more expensive and do less mpg if it was a DSG due to the weight difference!

I love my Citigo but have a hankering for an automatic. Any ASG owners care to share their experiences?

John

It seems there are varying views. I'm certainly in the "it totally ruins the car" camp and can't ever imagine anyone 'liking' this type of gearbox, but I'd just suggest you test drive one and make up your own mind.

Many thanks everyone. I've ordered.

A Citigo Elegance with ASG, and:

Lowered suspension - I think t looks good!

Luggage compartment cover - should be standard.

Convenience pack - I like cruise control and do quite a few long runs.

Safety pack - for the city-safe...I do a lot of town driving, anything that helps safety is worth having.

Spare wheel.

Summer pack...the sunroof on my current Citigo is just great.

Interest free PCP with 12k miles per year and three years' servicing, but, could be a 27 week wait.

John

27 weeks!,I presume that's because of the Auto' gear box?.

I never bothered asking. I resume it's the gearbox but I recall issues with supply of sunroofs on Yetis that wre causing long waits.

However, I have been guaranteed a price and the 0% finance so the oly thing that will change is the value of my trade-in.

John

Great choice of car and spec. What colour did you go for?

Did u actually drive the auto version before ordering?

Don't worry about the wait - it'll prepare you for the pauses between gears :-)))))

I never bothered asking. I resume it's the gearbox but I recall issues with supply of sunroofs on Yetis that wre causing long waits.

However, I have been guaranteed a price and the 0% finance so the oly thing that will change is the value of my trade-in.

John

Mine is an elegance5dr with asg box in white .12 week wait for me put down to the auto box plus when i ordered they hadn't yet started building the 5dr models !! 3 months most i ever waited for a new car. !think 27weeks is too much

can' hardly believe had mine nearly a year now .

Edited 26 July, 201312 yr by aernala

Great choice of car and spec. What colour did you go for?

Did u actually drive the auto version before ordering?

Don't worry about the wait - it'll prepare you for the pauses between gears :-)))))

Green like my current one and three doors. I didn't drive one but as I said in an earlier post my wife had a Smart and son used to have a Corsa, both with automated gearboxes.

For me two pedals is the important bit.

John