In 2007 my commuter car must have was an Aux jack. Quickly that was replaced by a dedicated iPod cable and then, rightly, to the USB input where it sits today. The must have feature is something-- in a daily driver -- that I wouldn't go without. It would be a deciding factor in initial car selection.
With the exception of something like our Mazda 3, USB ports are common and easy to get. It's still a must-have for me, but it's no longer something special. The new special is paddle shifters on normal cars. Yes yes I should want a manual damn the traffic but here's the reality of the situation: I drive, on average, 19 miles per day and average somewhere around 19 mph. The traffic isn't stop and go as much as it is 2-8-2-15-5-30-5-40-5 and doing any work at that time of the morning in that stupid traffic is maddening. But having paddle shifters that allow me to slow the car down with the engine make this process significantly more efficient. They even make driving a slushbox more fun if you happen to break free of traffic and hit one of those canyon roads.
Not only are the paddles are available as standard on the SX Turbo, they're standard on the 2012 Toyota Camry SE. That bodes well for me. If the Camry's got 'em, everyone will soon and I'll need to find a next Must Have. Proximity entry is pretty neat. Automatic headlights are already pretty much standard. Maybe power doors? Power hatch would be cool, but no...
Mike Magrath, Features Editor Inside Line
72roadrunner says:
08:53 PM, 01/24/12
Wow. I was really shocked by this post. Of all the great features on the SX you pick paddle shifters as your must have?
I gotta say that the paddle shifters on my SX are a waste of engineering, at least for me. I tried them once a year ago when I bought my SX just to see if they work. I have never used them since. The transmission picks the right gear for me just fine.
But, I actually resent those paddle shifters because on the SX I got those instead of the heated steering wheel. I would have gotten a whole lot more use out of the heated wheel. It was worth getting the SX over the EX that does have the heated wheel and no paddles for other reasons. But, I still hate those stupid paddles.
The console shift lever does the same thing for you. You don't need a flipper at your fingertips. It isn't a must have.
thebandleader says:
09:28 PM, 01/24/12
I actually agree with Mike. When I first got my SX, the paddle shifters didn't seem useful to me either, but now that I've had it for a while I've found them great for engine braking and ticket avoidance. I live in a very hilly area. There are lots of great driving roads around here.
I thought the main issue with the steering wheel heater was an electrical problem which caused them to discontinue it. I believe they were on early SXs.
72roadrunner says:
10:07 PM, 01/24/12
No, the SX never had steering wheel heat because they had paddle shifters. The EX had problems early on with their heated steering wheels, but it has been resolved. The thicker heated wheel doesn't provide the clearance needed for the paddle shifters, so the SX never got heat. Unfortunately.
throwback says:
05:15 AM, 01/25/12
Mike, at the rate your going, your next must have will be a driver so you can sit in the back. I agree about the traffic though. Approximately 12 miles of my commute is this type of driving and that is why I got an automatic for my daily driver. The constant shifting just aggravated the tendonitis in my shoulder.
legacygt says:
06:01 AM, 01/25/12
I'm just trying to understand how this is different from automatics that allow manual shifting with the shift lever. It seems to me that the paddles may be a convenience in that you can leave both hands on the wheel but any good auto-manual mode can do the same thing.
alpha01 says:
06:24 AM, 01/25/12
Do these paddles work equally well in the Optima SX Turbo and Camry SE I4?
markventure says:
06:30 AM, 01/25/12
I have to say I would agree with 72Roadrunner on this. I actually own a Optima Hybrid and the heated steering wheel is my FAVORITE feature (living in the Northeast). I've had plenty of cars with shifter paddles and basically tried them once and never used them again. It just felt like such a waste to slow the car down that way when cheapo brake pads can do the same thing. I am completely for manuals in sports cars for "actual driving", but for commuting, the "sport shift lever" can get the same task done. I almost had bought an SX instead of the Hybrid, but I know I would have missed the heated wheel.
banhugh says:
06:45 AM, 01/25/12
How's the performance of the paddle shifters? Are they as good as the Audi's? Do they rev match the engine in downshifts?
fordson1 says:
06:46 AM, 01/25/12
"Automatic headlights are already pretty much standard."
I would much rather have auto wipers - auto headlights turns the lights on when you start out and turns them off when you shut down when it's dark out, and turns them on or off on the fly if you are driving at dawn or dusk. I can do that myself. I mean, once it's dark out or once it's light out, it's pretty much going to stay that way for several hours.
Auto wipers will turn on the wipers and keep adjusting to wipe as needed through rain or snow of varying intensity, water or slush that gets splashed onto the windshield, etc. - these are things that change continuously while you are driving.
Not having to dick around with the intermittent setting a half-dozen times in a half-hour drive is worth something to me. Something that turns the lights on and then half an hour later when I shut down turns them off? Not really.
bankerdanny says:
08:43 AM, 01/25/12
Auto headlights would not be required if every car maker did what Subaru does and had the headlight power wired through the ignition switch.
On my Forester I left the light switch in the running light position most of the time. It had DRL's and I live in a well lit city, so I really didn't need the small amount of extra light from the full on position very often.
I think I'm with Mike on the paddle shifters, but only if they actually result in immediate shifts. Except to prvent over-revving, there is no reason the transmission should not immediately respond when I hit the paddle.
ed124c says:
10:13 AM, 01/25/12
I test drove a 2012 Camry SE 3 cyl. and I can say that the paddles were just great. And yes, they do rev match. This is a drivetrain that I could grow to love.
Sure, you can step on the brake, but that isn't going to guarantee that you are going to be in the right gear after you slow the car. The only positive way to achieve having the correct gear is by owning a stick shift car (as I have for the past 30+ years) or having a car with paddles or a similar lever or button device on the console shifter.
I drove a Fusion 3.0 V6 with the buttons on the shift lever, and they worked OK, but not as well as the Camry. The Fusion is faster, but the 4 cyl. Camry is fast enough for most people. Maybe not the people on this blog, though. For that, get the super fast Camry SE V6.
shaddai says:
11:44 AM, 01/25/12
If the paddles don't blip throttle on downshift, then they're useless. I drive a manual though, so the point is moot.
@bankerdanny - auto wipers are the best thing! In my '08 S4 not only do they adjust when it rains, but if it is raining enough they'll turn on the headlights too. Very cool.
greenpony says:
12:46 PM, 01/25/12
"In 2007 my commuter car must have was an Aux jack. Quickly that was replaced by a dedicated iPod cable and then, rightly, to the USB input where it sits today." "The new special is paddle shifters on normal cars."
And there is still some wonder why automakers can't make "cars people want".
hondacura4 says:
02:13 PM, 01/25/12
Given Hyundai/Kia's slow transmission programming what's the point? I'd only use these if the transmission programming is accurate, responsive, offers throttle blips or if it's a true dual clutch transmission that meets all the requirements above. Other than that booo!
ptcdawg says:
03:59 PM, 01/25/12
Its either a manual or an automatic. The paddle shifters are useless, imho
esoterica says:
07:56 PM, 01/26/12
Paddle shifters are absolutely brilliant for mountain driving.
porschetr says:
08:25 AM, 01/28/12
I'd much rather have the heated steering wheel than the pedal shifter.
I don't know why Kia deletes the heated wheel and "REPLACE" that with the shifter on SX.