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10-05-2012, 11:13 AM | #1 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 333446
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Vehicle:2013 Impreza SL CVT DGM |
how are you MT guys liking your 2012+ imprezas?
Just curious how you guys are liking the MT. I decided to go with the CVT for a few reasons. The two main reasons being my wife isn't very experienced with manuals and the second being that the MT didn't feel right to me. I learned to drive a manual in 2000 and started driving one full time in 2002 until I traded my car in for my new impreza. For whatever reason I had a really hard time telling what was going on with the clutch in the impreza. I couldn't feel it engaging or something. My old car was a VW and I also test drove the ford focus with a manual and both cars felt natural to me. Have you guys learned to feel comfortable with the MT in the impreza or did it feel right to you right from the start?
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10-05-2012, 11:24 AM | #2 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 206332
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: In a tent
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Love our MT Sport. Have test driven a CVT Impreza since and very happy I went with the MT. I also commute in traffic with MT with no issues. Clutch feels fine to me. It isn't a S2000 transmission, but it isn't meant to be.
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10-05-2012, 11:58 AM | #3 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 331332
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Minneapolis
Vehicle:2014 Camry SE V6 Silver |
I love it. This is my 11th manual transmission vehicle and it's one of the easiest I've had. I really like that the drivetrain is set up longitudinally so the shifter is more directly linked into the transmission. The drivetrain set up really sets it apart from the other econo cars.
I also like that the AWD is 50/50, don't need to wait for slipping, you have 50/50 AWD right off the bat. |
10-05-2012, 12:11 PM | #4 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 326909
Join Date: Jul 2012
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Des Plaines
Vehicle:2013 Impreza Premium 5MT 5-Door Marine Blue |
Seemed fine to me when I test drove a '12 in July. Now, I'm just waiting for my '13 to arrive. I'll report back IF (I mean when) it arrives.
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10-05-2012, 12:23 PM | #5 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 333446
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Vehicle:2013 Impreza SL CVT DGM |
if this car was a wrx I'd be a little more concerned about this aspect but given how little power we are putting down to the wheels anyway I'm not too worried about it.
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10-05-2012, 12:47 PM | #6 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 206332
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: In a tent
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10-05-2012, 12:52 PM | #7 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 331332
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Minneapolis
Vehicle:2014 Camry SE V6 Silver |
Well, I Iive in Minnesota, where you don't need 300 hp to have traction issues. I'm sure the CVT system works fine, but I like mechanical simplicity and proactive nature of the 50/50 viscous center diff setup. Even in dry conditions, all 4 wheels share engine braking/acceleration duties whereas the CVT's front tires carry almost all of the burden.
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10-05-2012, 12:56 PM | #8 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 328167
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Utah
Vehicle:2012 Impreza MT PZEV Silver |
I like my MT just fine. We were thinking about the CVT because my wife doesn't like driving manual, but 95% of the time she drives her own car.
I have no regrets. The manual was cheaper and I trust manual transmissions to be more reliable and to be cheaper to fix if/when they break. I also relish the feeling of control the manual gives. The Impreza is not a sports car but it is still fun to drive with a stick. I do agree that the MT in the Impreza is a little bit "vague" in that it's not as obvious when the clutch is starting to catch as in some other cars. But I got used to it after a couple of days. |
10-05-2012, 12:57 PM | #9 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 326909
Join Date: Jul 2012
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Des Plaines
Vehicle:2013 Impreza Premium 5MT 5-Door Marine Blue |
Quote:
I've been reading that the stock shifter is a bit "rubbery" feeling, but that can be fixed with a cobb, kartboy, or perrin shifter. I plan on installing a kartboy or perrin after a few months. I'm leaning towards the Perrin, simply because it's a lot cheaper, but I'll pay for quality. |
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10-05-2012, 01:17 PM | #10 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 333446
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Vehicle:2013 Impreza SL CVT DGM |
Quote:
What will the difference in performance be with bad driving conditions? Both systems appear to be able to direct the power where it's needed. I wonder if one of those bluetooth OBD II scanners can read what the CVT transmission is doing (since it is electronic after all). I didn't start this thread as a war between which transmission people choose. I started it to see if other people noticed some slight weirdness with the 5MT on this car and if yes if they've grown accustomed to it and are happy with the car. |
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10-05-2012, 01:43 PM | #11 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 331332
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Minneapolis
Vehicle:2014 Camry SE V6 Silver |
Quote:
With snow on the ground, the 50/50 system doesn't have to think about anything, it just does it. As far as any weirdness with the manual/clutch, I haven't noticed any. |
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10-05-2012, 01:52 PM | #12 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 333446
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Vehicle:2013 Impreza SL CVT DGM |
Quote:
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10-05-2012, 02:20 PM | #13 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 331332
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Minneapolis
Vehicle:2014 Camry SE V6 Silver |
Quote:
How can any system predict a loss of traction before it happens? If the Subaru CVT system is that smart, I'm bringing it to Vegas in January for the Super Bowl. |
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10-05-2012, 02:43 PM | #14 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 333446
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Vehicle:2013 Impreza SL CVT DGM |
Quote:
If I knew how that worked I would have invented it before Subaru did If I were to guess however they could sense wheel speeds and/or use sensors (gyros, accelerometers, etc.) to see the loss of traction coming and adjust accordingly. It's not that far fetched. |
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10-05-2012, 02:49 PM | #15 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 326540
Join Date: Jul 2012
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: Oakland, CA
Vehicle:2012 Impreza MT SP DGM |
I like it 1000 times better after disabling the hill-assist. That pretty much killed the MT experience for me, as I had a hard time feeling the clutch engage even on the slightest incline.
Disable the hill assist, and slap in a kartboy ss kit with bushings. It's a world of difference! |
10-05-2012, 02:54 PM | #16 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 333446
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Vehicle:2013 Impreza SL CVT DGM |
Quote:
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10-05-2012, 02:55 PM | #17 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 326540
Join Date: Jul 2012
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: Oakland, CA
Vehicle:2012 Impreza MT SP DGM |
Well I found it very sensitive, so what seems flat surely could engage that system. It also mushes the brake pedal if you're trying to inch around in line or at a stoplight. I couldn't stand it!
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10-05-2012, 03:12 PM | #18 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 333446
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Vehicle:2013 Impreza SL CVT DGM |
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10-05-2012, 03:47 PM | #19 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 331332
Join Date: Sep 2012
Chapter/Region:
MWSOC
Location: Minneapolis
Vehicle:2014 Camry SE V6 Silver |
Quote:
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10-05-2012, 05:02 PM | #20 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 299286
Join Date: Oct 2011
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: Upstate NY
Vehicle:2017 Legacy Limited White |
Subaru Outback owners with more experience in both manual and the Auto versions of AWD (manual is viscous coupling, Auto/CVT use electronic clutches) found that both were great, but the Auto was slightly better because the system responded quicker to changes in traction.
This makes sense because the viscous coupling fluid has to heat up to begin transferring more power, which takes longer. Personally I like having the simpler viscous coupling AWD and the manual transmission because they are proven for longevity and cheaper to maintain and replace. I also like controlling the gears myself, and don't find the clutch or hill assist to be bad. Of course it shifts a lot more smoothly when you change the differential fluid to Amsoil Severe Gear, at least that was my experience. |
10-05-2012, 05:05 PM | #21 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 206332
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: In a tent
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Quote:
Wasn't it the CVT Outback that had problems reversing over a curb? |
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10-05-2012, 06:04 PM | #22 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 158355
Join Date: Sep 2007
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: White Plains NY
Vehicle:2012 Sport 5MT DGM |
The shifts seem a little longer than in my 2006 impreza 2.5i. Personally I hate the hill holder system. I disabled it and it felt wonderful but I hate the yellow light that stays in the dashboard so I put the hill assist back on. The yellow light ruins the nice red display at night.
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10-05-2012, 06:50 PM | #23 |
*** Banned ***
Member#: 331656
Join Date: Sep 2012
Vehicle:2012 2.0i Marine Blue Pearl |
Don't confuse old VWs' semi truck clutches with a better clutch. Just because you can't feel it doesn't mean it's broken. In fact if you do feel it in any modern car it probably is broken...
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10-05-2012, 06:56 PM | #24 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 326540
Join Date: Jul 2012
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: Oakland, CA
Vehicle:2012 Impreza MT SP DGM |
Quote:
I'll never ever ever turn that back on |
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10-05-2012, 09:50 PM | #25 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 317344
Join Date: Apr 2012
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Well, I don't own this car (yet), but I've driven both a bunch. My 2 cents, and I've driven manuals all my life (25+ years of driving).
I love manuals but I am unimpressed with this manual. For starters, there feels like there's too much distance between the gearing, so there's a big drop in RPM between gears. First gear is too touchy & jerky. The shifter feels sloppy. Now I will admit a bias, as I've become spoiled from years of driving Miatas. But even my old B-series truck had a smoother shifting action than this gearbox. What it feels to me is cheap, as in cheaply made. I have been waiting for the 2013's as I wanted a leather wheel and shifter, but I'm either going to have to reconsider the CVT or skip this iteration altogether. |
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