#Transmission

Updated January 2019

In the quest to find a new car, there are a lot of questions that need to be asked. Questions about cargo room, technology, options, luxuries and other various elements will come up more than a few times while shopping for a new car. However, from the car driver’s perspective, there are just three main questions: 

How comfortable is the driving experience? 
How fun is it to drive? 
How good is the car on fuel?

SEE ALSO: Manual Transmission Supra Still Being Considered

A major factor in answering those three questions has to do with the right transmission. Let’s face it, manual transmissions aren’t for everyone. They require familiarity and a level of perfection to get just right. With a traditional automatic transmission, drivers have been able to experience a fairly comfortable, yet less engaging experience. Still, an automatic transmission can leave any driving enthusiast unsatisfied. Luckily, progress has been made in the world of automatic transmissions that can help alleviate those woes.

Volkswagen has put the kibosh on its 10-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox.

The 2017 Ford F-150 will benefit from a new 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is recalling approximately 25,000 copies of the 200 mid-size sedan for a transmission replacement.

The nine-speed automatic transmission that Jeep uses in its new Cherokee compact crossover is still having problems.

Vehicle Overview

In 2009 Chevrolet resurrected the Camaro nameplate. Using a mix of retro inspired style and futuristic design elements, the reborn Camaro commanded road presence and has become a sales success.

The Jaguar F-Type shook things up with it revived the brand’s presence in the sports car segment, but there’s still plenty to come from the British brand that loves to be bad.

Chrysler’s next-generation minivans will benefit from improved fuel efficiency and all-weather functionality.

Automatic transmissions are HUGELY popular in North America. Europe is still a strong hold for the manual gearbox but on this side of the Atlantic self-shifters account for at least 90 percent of new-vehicle sales; the standard trans lost the market-share race decades ago and in spectacular fashion.

Don’t hold your breath for an eight-speed automatic in the the Corvette Stingray next year.

Modernized as the C7 Corvette is, automatic models still use a six-speed automatic. That won’t be the case much longer and an SAE technical paper is revealing key details about the new slushbox.

Is there a place on the market for a performance-oriented crossover? Nissan sure thinks so with its Juke NISMO RS.

Nissan markets the Juke as a fun-to-drive crossover and while that is certainly the case, it’s still far from a performance product and the company is hoping to change that. 

Have you been anxiously waiting for the 2014 Jeep Cherokee? In spite of long delays the company is finally getting its act together and the new compact SUV should start to arrive at dealerships over the next 10 days.

Michigan, it’s more than just Great Lakes, the Big Three and the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history. To the surprise of many, GM, Ford and Chrysler aren’t the only games in town. Practically every major OEM and supplier company has offices, technical centers or test facilities in the mitten state, and Toyota is making a major investment its facilities.