V40 Automatic or manual?

[abby606]

Hello all,

I'm in the process of hunting for a used V40, most likely a 13/63 plate. I'd prefer an automatic over a manual gearbox but I can drive either. Most likely a D3, though possibly a D2. It seems very difficult to get what I want spec/price wise with a petrol engine.

All the reviews I read talk about how bad the automatic gearbox is. I can't tell if it's car reviewer snobbery, or in comparison to other marques it's not as good. Or if there is a significant difference between Powershift or geartronic (some reviews don't mention which one they are talking about which doesn't help). I've not test driven any cars yet which doesn't help!

I'm not going to be racing around town and will have an even split between city and motorway driving. My only concern is feeling confident I can change lanes, overtake and get away from junctions/roundabouts without hassle or hesitation from the car.

I've driven a brand new (15) Astra auto and it was great, except at around 70mph where it sometimes couldn't decide between 4th, 5th and 6th. Everything else was great though.

Can anyone share their experiences please?

[mrboroman]

Originally Posted by abby606

Hello all,

I'm in the process of hunting for a used V40, most likely a 13/63 plate. I'd prefer an automatic over a manual gearbox but I can drive either. Most likely a D3, though possibly a D2. It seems very difficult to get what I want spec/price wise with a petrol engine.

All the reviews I read talk about how bad the automatic gearbox is. I can't tell if it's car reviewer snobbery, or in comparison to other marques it's not as good. Or if there is a significant difference between Powershift or geartronic (some reviews don't mention which one they are talking about which doesn't help). I've not test driven any cars yet which doesn't help!

I'm not going to be racing around town and will have an even split between city and motorway driving. My only concern is feeling confident I can change lanes, overtake and get away from junctions/roundabouts without hassle or hesitation from the car.

I've driven a brand new (15) Astra auto and it was great, except at around 70mph where it sometimes couldn't decide between 4th, 5th and 6th. Everything else was great though.

Can anyone share their experiences please?

I know from research. The auto has changed recently from a ford powershift unit to a volvo geartronic unit.

Seems the v40 board isnt very busy

[abby606]

Originally Posted by mrboroman

I know from research. The auto has changed recently from a ford powershift unit to a volvo geartronic unit.

Seems the v40 board isnt very busy

Thanks, most of the cars I've seen advertised are Geartronic which seems to be the more tried and tested type of auto. I can't imagine everyone who buys an automatic Volvo is unhappy with it but the reviews would suggest they should be!

[mrboroman]

I have test drove the geartronic in the xc 60 and i thought it was excellent. Pretty sure more knowledgeable guys will advise when ford auto boxes stopped being used in the v40. It was either my14 or 15 onwards.

[lcnar01]

Originally Posted by mrboroman

I have test drove the geartronic in the xc 60 and i thought it was excellent. Pretty sure more knowledgeable guys will advise when ford auto boxes stopped being used in the v40. It was either my14 or 15 onwards.

The Ford (Powershift) dual clutch transmission was used with the Ford/PSA 1.6 diesel engine designated D2 by Volvo. (From model year 2016 the D2 is the new 2.0 Volvo engine which is mated to the Volvo Geartronic torque converter transmission.) All the other diesel engines (D3 etc) use the Geartronic.
So any used D2 V40 will have the Powershift, the rest of the diesels will have the Geartronic. As to which is preferable, I will leave for others to say.

[abby606]

Originally Posted by lcnar01

So any used D2 V40 will have the Powershift, the rest of the diesels will have the Geartronic. As to which is preferable, I will leave for others to say.

Thanks, I was never sure why some were Geartronic and some weren't, never twigged it was based on the engine!

[civilservant]

I had the Geartronic in my previous car. It was great and utterly reliable. I'm in a manual now and I do miss the Geartronic in the V40 but having say that, the manual is fine if you don't mind changing gears!

The Geartronic reduces the economy, in my opinion by about 5mpg.

[anton differing]

Originally Posted by abby606

All the reviews I read talk about how bad the automatic gearbox is. I can't tell if it's car reviewer snobbery, or in comparison to other marques it's not as good. Or if there is a significant difference between Powershift or geartronic (some reviews don't mention which one they are talking about which doesn't help). I've not test driven any cars yet which doesn't help!

IMHO very much car reviewer snobbery. Car magazines seem to wish to cater for a tiny minority of motorists who think they're the logical successor to Ayrton Senna and who drive everywhere like lunatics. I have long given up on Autocar, which marks cars down for not having "sporting characteristics"? Who in heaven's name wants "sporting characteristics", apart from the abovementioned tiny minority? The rest of us have grown up and want something comfortable and reliable.

I have a D3 Geartronic, and I find it excellent. Being, as I understand it, a torque converter design, it will naturally result in greater fuel consumption, but against this the technology is tried and tested - our previous car, an Opel Astra, had a torque converter auto, and in 20 years and 346,000Km never failed once.

Before I bought the D3, I tried a number of other marques with double clutch gearboxes. I noticed that, on a particular hill near where we live these 8-speeders could never decide in which gear they should be and seemed to shuffle endlessly between them. The 6-speed Geartronic doesn't do that.

I've also heard dire tales about the reliability of the VW Group's DSG gearboxes. I don't know how representative those are, or whether they are true of all such gearboxes (I believe Volvo's come from Getrag and VW's from Borg-Warner). However, I'm happy with the combination of D3 and Geartronic.

[abby606]

anton, civilservant,

Many thanks for your views, this helps a lot. I'm not entirely fussed on the slight loss of efficiency, comfort, reliability and knowing the car will react in a sane manner is what I'm after. I don't mind nipping into the manual mode to help it find a gear from time to time just as long as it's not a constant battle - as I said above confidence at junction and roundabouts matter most to me.

Thanks for your help with this, I'm test driving a Geartronic equipped V40 next week but I know not to bother with the Powershifts and manuals now as the D3 Geartronic should do the trick.

[e123]

I've had a couple of geartronics as courtesy cars when mine has been in for service, and, like other auto boxes, they have had a tendency to want to change gear when I apply power on a roundabout. So it's manual for me every time.