ASG gearbox - in use

[Caravan_man]

My wife and I have owned Smart Fortwo's for 12 years but due to the increasing potholes want to move to a more compliant riding very small car such as Citigo/Up/i10/2015 Smart Fortwo - but it must be the automatic box option - I have long ago given up using a clutch in all my cars.  

 

Our first drive in an Up seemed to show the upward gear change in fully auto mode as very hesitant and slightly head nodding - the same as the Smart.  This can be eliminated by operating the gear lever (switch!) manually, which is the same as in the Smart, though the latter is easier to use as I have paddles on the steering wheel.    The Smart changes down automatically even in non-fully automatic mode so I only need to change up.    I wasn't able to check whether the Up/Citigo was the same - or does the box remain in  high gear if one doesn't manually drop it down when stitched to manual gear changing?  Can any owner advise please?    There don't seem to be paddle options on any of the ranges.

 

Also driven the Hyundi i10, where the auto box performs very well, except the fuel consumption and CO2 figures (hence tax class) are awful compared to the UP/Citigo and new Smart and the steering is vague at sped though the ride is very compliant.   My wife also finds that with the seat back upright, the non-adjustable headrests in all but the Smart are too far forward to be entirely comfortable.

 

My big Skoda Superb estate has deg - a perfect box!

 

Thanks for any help

Brian

[tweenster]

The DSG box is brilliant; I guess it was the bean counters that insisted that the less good ASG was put in the Citigo.

[M12MKD]

Oh my the old ASG issue. It's not a DSG and it's a dreadful box.

Yes it can me shifted up and down but it's not really any better than letting it do it by itself. Tip for a better change is to let of the power as you shift, it will improve things greatly. However if you are looking for a DSG style change honestly look elsewhere.

[M12MKD]

Sorry so to answer the question about shifting down. Yes like all auto's it will shift down when required, only time you'd need to is if you wanted to.

[uphillma]

    The Smart changes down automatically even in non-fully automatic mode so I only need to change up.    I wasn't able to check whether the Up/Citigo was the same - or does the box remain in  high gear if one doesn't manually drop it down when stitched to manual gear changing?  Can any owner advise please?    There don't seem to be paddle options on any of the ranges.

 

 

Hi Brian,

 

Yes the ASG box will change down when in manual mode. As many manual owners have stated the ASG will never be as good as DSG but it is a lot better since the recall for a new transmission ECU. I have had my Citigo ASG for two years and 19000 miles. Is it as good as a manual, probably not, but is any auto? Do I like mine? Hell yes. It has been great fun to own and drive. I think of it as a manual that changes gear for you. I have another one on order only difference this time is that it will be red.

 

Regards,

Mark

 

[tweenster]

Another red Citigo - Yay!

[Stormchaser]

Too common now [emoji6]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Caravan_man]

Thanks for all your replies and opinions.   I got to try a S/Hand auto citigo today, with a few thousand miles on the clock and found the auto upward changes slightly better than the Up demonstrator last week.  Again these were smoothed by manual upward changes, but as said before on this forum, the slight easing of the throttle helps more. Both cars should have been exactly the same but perhaps there were very slight differences. 

 

This second drive also established for me that left in manual, and slowing down, the gears will change down as well without any driver action, though the selection of the correct gear if one is slowing then speeding up again takes place once the throttle starts to be depressed - a slight hesitation again.

 

All these are issues that the much more expensive and heavier Volkswagen/Skoda group DSG box doesn't have, but thats one of the penalties of small cars - it can't be fitted!  As I said before, the Hyundi i10 auto box feels best but regretfully is very inefficient and has serious effects on fuel consumption and CO2 output compared to the manual box car.

 

So I've decided that the ASG box cars are acceptable but I will wait to test the new Smart Fortwo with a 6 speed twin clutch box which in principle should be better. Unfortunately this doesn' t come out until the summer - no firm release date and the versions arriving at the dealers now have the manual box  - I really don't think existing Smart owners will upgrade to a car with a manual box, when all previous versions have been auto.  

 

Buying a car is never easy.  

[wizzi]

Have you tried a micra cvt box?, unfortunately also heavier on fuel than the citigo and the micra now is a little larger than it once was (aren't we all).

[snapseller]

Like you I have given up on changing gear - why do it yourself when a machine can do it?

Have just returned from a 1600+ mile round trp to N.W. Scotland from N. Devon in Citigo with ASG box & found it perfectly acceptable except in the rare cases where it could not decide whether to be in first or second (steep shortish hills in the wilds). The box improves with use & by the time you have gone past 1000 miles it should be much better than when new. Good luck. 

[snapseller]

Just to add to the above. The Citigo Elegance 75 did just under 60 mpg on the trip with some vigorous overtaking on the Mway's with every indication of enjoyment, just buzzed up in the revs with no effort. Very enjoyable. Dennis.

[Citigogogo]

If you are looking for a small automatic car i would not recommend the Citigo ASG. I can only drive automatics and have tried a vast number of different types. The ASG is by far the worst box I have ever come across. It's a massive shame because the car itself is excellent. It could do with the 1.2tsi engine in it and a dsg box, but then I guess it would be a Fabia.

Having said all that it is fun in manual mode. For someone who cannot experience a manual stick its about as close as you can get. But fully automatic mode is too jerky and slow compared to other automatics out there. Personally I would take the hit of a more expensive running costs for the smoother automatic operation.

[Caravan_man]

It's fun that some contributors think the ASG is good and others don't think much of it at all!  To some extent I suppose it depends on your driving styles, but it could also be that there are differences between individual cars - tolerances and assembly perhaps.

 

I personally am very happy to change gears myself,  but definitely prefer to not have a clutch and also prefer pressing/pulling little switches on the steering wheel (both hands on the wheel), instead of waving my left arm about.

 

I am now told the auto version of the new Smart is just about now being issued to some dealers as demonstrators, for some version of the car to be on general sale in June 2015, so I haven't too long to wait for a trial and then make a decision.

Brian

[wizzi]

. Personally I would take the hit of a more expensive running costs for the smoother automatic operation.

 

 

You don't fancy a V70 do you!!!!

[cal377]

Im happy with my ASG, no its not fast, but then im not a boy racer who needs to change fast. Each to their own, but for an old fart like me, who is lazy, its great

[Citigogogo]

You don't fancy a V70 do you!!!!

ironically my next car will likely be an estate [emoji3] Unfortunately used Citigo prices are so low there's no way I can change.