Honda I-SHIFT
While the world is fussing over Volkswagen’s excellent Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG), Honda has come up with their own automated manual transmission called the Honda I-SHIFT. For a technology-driven company like Honda, this might seem a little late to market, considering companies like Renault and Volkswagen have been using these gearboxes for quite some time now.
Honda’s I-SHIFT only debut recently on the European market Honda Civic hatchback, pairing it with the 1.4 liter i-DSI engine and the 1.8 liter SOHC i-VTEC engine. In fact, there is another automated manual transmission on the market with a similiar name – Volvo’s i-Shift used on it’s trucks and buses.
The Honda I-SHIFT is a 6-speed manual transmission with a hydraulic computer controlled clutch. The I-SHIFT transmission is a 700 pound option over the Civic with a standard 6-speed manual. No slushbox automatic is offered with the Euro Civic. Kind of like our Savvy here.
August 3, 2006 @ 4:38 pm
got dual clutch ?
August 4, 2006 @ 1:20 am
special car also got a special look,
but looking not have HONDA style already…
August 4, 2006 @ 1:47 am
when car manufacturer sells a car with automated manual clutch, little do buyers knows that the unit that actuate the clutch is actually a wear and tear item.. it actually has a certain lifespan and need to be service for some and some even have to be replace over a period of time usage.. and its gonna be costly.. car manufacturer dun tell you this when they launch the car in the market…
eg..savvy amt, selespeed, smg, smart softouch, citreon sensordrive to name a few…
August 4, 2006 @ 8:07 am
Can’t say for the rest but the only 2 clutchless manuals I’ve driven was the DSG and the Selespeed.
Neither is as smooth as a proper manual and a proper automatic.
If you are an enthusiast, you wont replace your manual anyway , and a proper auto is better in the city, especially with the CVTs.
So it leaves these clutchless manuals in limbo…really, especially these are rather expensive options.
No idea on long term reliability though, but for me, the simpler the system, the less things that could go wring with them.
August 4, 2006 @ 8:46 am
No worreis abt cost, as soon as they are common in the market,servicing these things can be just peanuts in the end
August 4, 2006 @ 9:04 am
what about the savvy? don’t left out the AMT.
August 4, 2006 @ 4:26 pm
I-talk laaahhh
or I-Shift..
talk talk laah
Yeah.. the city’s cvt is sweet… the piece de’resistances over vios.
but would like to test the I-Shift though..
I’ve tested the new 2006 Mazda 3.. it has the option to manually shift its autogear through a 4speed gear.. no pedals only the gearstick.
Is it considered automated manual transmission also?
August 4, 2006 @ 6:20 pm
Wonder if it’s as good as the benchmarked DSG or S-tronic (in Audi’s speak)…
August 5, 2006 @ 3:18 am
Paul,
More info please.
August 5, 2006 @ 8:02 am
familyman,
That is just a regular automatic, with manual select (ie. Its still an auto gearbox.)
The differentiation/defination of a manual and auto is whether one has a clutch (manual) or a torque converter (automatic).
Even the so called ‘7 Speed’ CVT in the City or Jazz/Fit is just marketing speak for buyers who know no better. CVTs do not have gears. Putting “gears” in it only sets the computer to artificial and predetermined gear ratios.
August 5, 2006 @ 9:28 am
auto? DSG? i-shift? whats wrong with manuals?.. all honda cars in msia r now auto.. boring la… manuals cool what.. easy to maintain & syok.. total control of a car…
August 5, 2006 @ 2:19 pm
I have driven the Ishift Honda Civic recently. And I agree it is not as good as the DSG from VW/Audi. In full auto mode it is very jerky and quite dissapointing. However, in the manual mode (where you have paddles behind the steering wheel) it was very entertaining to drive. The response is relatively quick and it suits the new 1.8 high rev engine very well.
So conclusion: Full auto mode – not good.
Paddle manual – OK ..so..so
August 5, 2006 @ 4:40 pm
DSG is extremely smooth, far smoother than any manual car, and much much smoother than Selespeed and SMG. Plus if you are talking about gear change speed, none of the other automated manuals come close to the shift speed of DSG. IMHO, DSG blows everything else out of the water, including manual transmissions.
October 24, 2006 @ 3:37 am
[...] The 1.6 liter Dual VVT-i and the 1.4 liter D-4D turbodiesel engine also have an option for Toyota’s MultiMode transmission, which is basically a manual transmission with a computer controlled clutch, like Honda’s i-SHIFT or Proton’s AMT. The thing is, the same 1.6 Dual VVT-i equipped with a MultiMode transmission raises 0-100km/h acceleration time from 10.4 seconds to 12.1 seconds, and the 1.4 D4-D’s time is slower (14.7 seconds versus 12.0) so I suppose the shifting speed of this transmission is not really that great, far from what Volkswagen has achieved with DSG. Honda has got some bad reviews about it’s i-SHIFT, so Toyota had better not end up with the same predicament. [...]