2009 Mazda 6 i: Manual Shift Control

This could be a great option for my wife, who demands an automatic. She is inclined toward an Accord, but would you find the Mazda to be superior in some ways?

I occasionally use the identical manual control in my '03 6s. Its certainly nothing like a real manual but having a little more control during spirited or winter driving is nice. And you're right on Brent - pull back for upshifts, push forward for downshifts is the right way to do it. I can't believe Porsche has done that backwards for years and didn't fix it on the new PDK.

I rented a Mazda3 awhile back with the sport shift setup and tried to use it but the darn car was almost always in the gear I wanted it to be in without doing the manual thing.

I agree with the direction of the gate comment. So many automakers have you push the shifter to the right and it moves it wayyy farther away than it should be. My GTI moves it to the left and its so much more comfortable than the old VW systems that moved to the right

In my CX-7 and with Mazda with this gate, it also cocks toward the driver, I like that too. Most cars don't do that.

Mazda's!*

I hate the press-forward to downshift. Usually when I want to downshift I'm in a hurry and giving it a quick tug is much more reassuring than giving it a slap/push and possibly knocking it back into drive.

Everyone else take note! Especially those with DSG...

this is one thing that mazda does right and no one else seems to.

I once test drove a mazda 3 and tried the manual mode and pulling back to shift up and pushing forward to shift down just felt so much better.

I drive occasionally with the manual mode in my GTI and I despise the fact that I have to push forward to shift up. although I would say it's better than having no manual control at all.

on an unrelated note (just venting), I'm not a fan of the air intake design on FSI-engined (BPY) GTIs (as opposed to the newer TSI, or CCTA-engined GTIs). getting to the air filter is a pain.

+1,000,000. Why is this so hard to do?

I don't know why something this simple is lost on almost every other manufacturer. Why do I need to look like I'm flirting with the passenger if I need to use this thing?

-/+, on the driver's side PLEASE!

"The shift pattern is pull back for upshifts and push forward for downshifts, which is the way it should be -- end of story"

Why is that the way it should be?

On every automatic I have driven, you pull the selector back to downshift and push it forward to upshift. It's always been that way.

Why would changing it make it better?

I happen to disagree regarding “Push = Downshift, Pull = Upshift”.

But, much more important, I believe that drivers ought to be offered the choice – in every car, for this and other several other .

And I believe that it technically possible (almost trivial) to allow owners / drivers to customize many aspects of the vehicle’s dynamic behavior, in response to driver input - so that it matches what ** WE ** happen to think is logical.

I prefer to have the choice.

Meaning: I need an automatic trans., for several reasons. But I enjoy the manumatic trans. that I have now. It allows me to make shift / no shift decisions when I want to – and allow the automatic to make decisions at other times, based on the shift lever position, road speed, throttle position, etc. Meaning: I have a choice in how the trans. is controlled.

(I also have an Automatic Temp. Control mode on the HVAC system, but typically I run it in ‘manual’ mode.)

I think it is critical that all auto manufacturers address the issue of choice. Never more so than now.

With electronic systems now so pervasive – there is the option / choice to offer amazing flexibility to tailor the car behavior to the individual.

For the transmission response to shift lever movement, for example: [for Driver 1, ID by remote / key] Car asks initially:

Mr. \ Ms. Driver 1, do you want the trans. to allow the engine to bump off the rev limiter and not upshift – if so, press “Unlock” key once.

If you want the trans. to upshift at redline instead – press twice.

Want the trans. to upshift when shift lever is moved forward [default behavior] - press once.

Prefer the trans. to upshift when the shift lever if moved to the rear (I believe BMW and others have also selected this) – press twice.

(We are really only talking about interpretation of various electronic signals here – why not allow us choice?)

Driver 1: Always start in second (or even third gear) for Winter driving – press twice.

Next Spring: resume default / always start in first gear – press once.

Want the headlights to come on with the wipers – press once.
No – press twice.

Etc.
Etc.

Let us select. Let us make the choice and tailor the vehicle behavior to us – not the reverse . . .

Just my 0.2 gallons worth . . .

- Ray
Preferring to have the car adjust to me (where it makes sense) rather than me adjust to the car . . .

This is how it is in the racing world, be it shifter carts or sequential manual transmissions in race cars. The natural acceleration pushes you back, making a pull more logical for upshifts. Upon braking, the natural movement is forward, making the push more logical for downshifts.

But this is a 4 cyl family sedan, not a race car.

Only a handful of drivers will ever drive a race car or a shifter cart.

Everyone has driven a regular automatic though.

Perhaps it would make sense for the race drivers to adapt rather then everyone else.

The way it should be!!! Case closed!!!

Pull to upshift, push to downshift

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC6tTFp4W4o

"huyracing said:

This is how it is in the racing world, be it shifter carts or sequential manual transmissions in race cars. The natural acceleration pushes you back, making a pull more logical for upshifts. Upon braking, the natural movement is forward, making the push more logical for downshifts."

+1. It's just more intuitive and natural. If I have to buy an automatic car, it better have this setup, or else just the regular PRND for me. The other approach by all the other manufacturers is simply wrong and not worth the hassle.

By the way, this is also the setup on BMWs. I think they even had it before Mazda.

Steering wheel Paddle shifters FTW. Why take your hands off the wheel?

norsairius:
"on an unrelated note (just venting), I'm not a fan of the air intake design on FSI-engined (BPY) GTIs (as opposed to the newer TSI, or CCTA-engined GTIs). getting to the air filter is a pain."

+1. that stupid engine cover has the air filter housing integrated in it on my dad's 2007. It's a pain in the ass to take off. Dealer cracked it, and didn't say anything about it. Now, it's even harder to remove/replace.

Yup, only mazda and bmw (i believe 2001-onwards? or so, they originally had it backwards) do the gear shifter this way.

Doesn't the new Infiniti coupe have the same shift pattern?

As much as I try, The Mazda is just not growing on me. I think it is a genuinely ugly car. The front just looks plain awkward, while the rear just looks too bland. Would I rather have a Fully-Loaded Mazda6 or a Base Pontiac G8 GT with a couple more months of financing and a few more visits to the gas station? I think so....

Have you seen it in person? They're plenty of uglier sedans out there. Namely the TL, RL, Camry.. The G8 has poor build quality from what I hear.

adavis2493 -
I tend to agree. I've sat in both the G8 and new 6 and after inspecting them both I think I would take the G8. The front looks gimmicky (something a high school girl would like) and I much prefer the old styling of the car. The G8 is a solid, understated look and I like that. Few expect a Pontiac to leave most other similar class autos in the dust any more and that is appealing to me.

Most importantly, the 6 just doesn't handle like it used to. Too bad. There are plenty of other autos on the market that will lumber around. Let's see if Mazda6 can compete with Toyota and Honda in that segment now that the company has nearly given up the sports sedan approach in favor of one that they think will sell more units. I believe Nissan has supplanted Mazda in the sports sedan category, already.

This stupid argument seems to come up once every month or so, about the "right" way to set up a shiftable automatic transmission.

Forward (+) and backward (-) is more logical to me for several reasons. First, regardless of how race cars do it, this is not a race car, so that wipes the design slate clean. Second, I equate forward with positive and backward with negative anyway; when you want to go forward, push forward, and when you want to slow down, pull back. Third, it's similar to throttle in aircraft: push the lever forward to go faster, pull it back to slow down. Fourth, in the standard PRNDL pattern, you pull back to downshift anyway; why swap it up just because the shifter is one inch to the side? Last, it's like several people touched on but nobody specifically said: it's personal preference. There is no "end of story", and it's arrogant to assume that your preference is right for everyone.

greenpony

You've never owned a car or an automatic with this setup have you? It just feels right and go's with the way of Velocity. Mazda/BMW is functionally correct, everyone else isn't. Even if this "isn't a race car" That's the state of mind you're in when you're using Manual Mode, you want to get around someone, you need that extra response, etc.

PRNDL is completely different. Last I heard people weren't going back to R while accelerating. You think it's arrogant but you're trying to pass off the opposing argument that Mazda/BMW does it wrong! LOL!!!!!!!!

I much prefer paddle shifters if I'm going to be forced to drive a slushbox, but I agree that Mazda's setup is preferable for the "tiptronic" gearshift lever. Seems odd that they are about the only ones to do it this way, though.

And hanging this out as some sort of signpost that Mazda hasn't "sold out" to the mainstream norm of big comfy cushy sedans is a wee bit of a stretch, to say the least. Step out of a Mazdaspeed 6 and into this thing and try that line again with a straight face.

The last Mazda6 had the same interior size as a compact car. This new car had to bump up bigger.
If you want a "right" size car, the Mazda3 is there, which carries 4 adults adequately, and is about the same size as the puny last Mazda6.
And I'm liking the Mazda3 more now. That big goofy smile is a winner.

"First, regardless of how race cars do it, this is not a race car, so that wipes the design slate clean.

and then...

"Third, it's similar to throttle in aircraft: push the lever forward to go faster, pull it back to slow down."

So road cars are more similar to aircraft than race cars? This doesn't make sense.

I own a Sonata with the +/- setup and I've driven a previous gen Mazda 6 with the correct setup on more than one occasion.

-/+ is the correct setup. End of story.

I arrogantly say that BMW and Mazda are right and everyone else is wrong. However...there really is no reason not to give the driver their choice on items such as these.

Love the Mazda boards. "We're right, you're wrong, and if you don't like it...F-OFF!!!"

So there's two, maybe three car companies that have this set-up, and the rest of the major manufacturers go with the +/-...and 'they're' wrong.

Personally, I agree with greenpony. Push forward when going forward and pull back to slow down. Abstract anaolgy here: When riding a horse, you want the horse to stop; do you push the reigns forward? I know that's stretching it, but it just goes to logic.

Drive what you like, but enough the the "End of story" BS.

I have a 2002 BMW 530i up "-" and the down "+" and i couldnt imagine it any other way. Its just perfect. Now i really wish i had a manual but thats another story...

The 1997-2001 Honda Preludes with the Sportshift automatic transmission was +/-, or Up for Upshift & Down for Downshift. I had a 1997 & it worked fine for me. I believe the Acuras with this transmission were also like this.

I think "it feels natural" simply because of being used to manual gearbox setup. Between 1st & 2nd, or 3rd & 4th - you downshift forward, upshift backward.

As someone who has only owned manuals, whenever I get into a manumatic car, I'll screw up the shifting everytime. I think the lack of a clutch pedal is the culprit. I often forget to shift and often push the wrong button/pull the wrong lever. It's such a pain, that I usually put it back into "D" after the first two or three stops.

smilez

LOL, now we're riding horses? They are just WRONG. The setup should go with the way of the force the car is pulling or coasting. It feels much more natural vs the Audi with the same setup. End of story.

Aside from the push-pull argument, the Mazda6 has a very sporty auto trans. Drive one on your favorite mountain road and it downshifts nicely, blasts you out of corners, and holds your gear while going downhill. Plus you have the manumatic if you want to have some fun. Not bad for a sensible family car.

I understand arguments for both sides, but being an owner of both manumatics, I say the -/+ is more natural.

I first used a manumatic with the +/- set up on a 1999 Acura TL. This was fine until I owned a 2002.5 Mazda Protege5 that had the -/+ set up. I thought I'd hate it, but it actually felt so much better.

However, the Protege5 had with the manual mode on the right side. I hated this, because when you're in manual mode, you want more control. It makes no sense to push the shifter away from you when you want more control. I hated it so much that I actually wrote to Mazda Corporate. They responded by stating that they will take it into consideration for the next generation.

My next Acura was the TSX with the +/- set up. Going back to that set up was just so awkward. Ironically though, I didn't hate it as much because the manual mode was on the left side. That was my bigger pet-peeve.

And just a year ago, I sold my TSX and bought a Mazda3 hatchback, which replaced the Protege5. Now I have the best of both worlds! The manual mode is on the left and the set up is -/+. I'm optimistic to think that they really took my letter to heart. Most likely my letter wasn't the defining factor, but I'd like to think so!

d_hyper: you might have a point and that is why race car drivers forced to use a sequential prefer that set-up. the only straight pull motions are an upshift and the only stright push motions are a downshift.

Regardless cx7lover, at least you've proved my point about 'End of Story', and 'They're WRONG'.

Keep up the bias buddy.

End of Story
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End of Story

The only people that agree with you are just about as ignorant and inexperienced with the same manual mode setup as you.

Chill people. Don't get your panties in a bunch. The whole "end of story" comment is just a figure of speech. The editor is just emphasizing how strongly he feels about the topic. That's all it is.

I'm always extremely chilled out. Although I may use !!!!! a lot I never ever let this blog get me in a bunch or even a little upset.