Honda S+ Shift (virtual shifting in the new Prelude)

[brages]

One of the big knocks against Honda's new Prelude is that it doesn't come with a manual transmission - instead, it has the drivetrain of the Civic Hybrid (which is very similar to the Accord and CR-V hybrids).

BUT Honda is talking up their new simulated paddle shift technology. I'm kind of bullish on it, although I think I might be the only one, lol! I'd like to see some reviews of it to see how well it fakes paddle shifting.

I have a 2019 Accord Hybrid. This car came out before the hybrid got any kind of fake shifting, just the drone on hard acceleration. I don't mind the drone. But I do feel like the 2019 HAH has good responsiveness around town, starting from a stop. However, if you get on a twisty backroad and you're accelerating out of turns, you get a very rubber-band CVT feel to the car. You punch the gas, the motor revs, and finally the car starts to accelerate. For this reason, it's a nice enough car to drive "normally" but it's not much fun for spirited driving.

Maybe I'm Cipher asking to be plugged back into the Matrix, but I feel like if Honda can fake it well enough, this might end up being a drivetrain that offers both fun and practicality.

Here's a link to read all Honda's decription of it: https://global.honda/en/tech/honda_s_plus_shift/?from=techtop_all

 

[meep]

The S mode in our 15 CRV CVT was frankly, extremely usable for precision driving in dense traffic. The faster you were going, the higher general rpm it would settle at, and in S mode it was always at a higher rev than normal drive. Engine braking was readily available such as it would have been in a stick, and the response from gas to pavement was good. Probably the best sport mode programming I’ve seen in a CVt.

 

[Nessism1]

The Prelude does not use a CVT. It's different, but in some ways, Honda has tuned it like one. I have no personal experience, but from every review I've seen, the Honda hybrid system is one of the best in the business.

 

[andrew_j]

The knocks from people who would never buy the car in first place.

I am always happy when car maker offers a manual even as extra cost option (it costs a lot for little uptake). I like automatics but also commute .

 

[Nessism1]

For what it's worth, my Civic is 2nd year of 10th generation, and the CVT doesn't have any fake shifts. In later years, Honda retuned the CVT, adding fake shifts, but the car is a little slower because of it. Some people say CVT's can cause the engine to drone, but my car doesn't seem to, or maybe I've gotten used to it. Anyway, Honda hybrids have the fake shifts. If you brake launch the vehicle, though, it doesn't. I wonder if that part is in the owners manual?

 

[97prizm]

The knocks from people who would never buy the car in first place.

I am always happy when car maker offers a manual even as extra cost option (it costs a lot for little uptake). I like automatics but also commute .

Car manufacturers have to have a 10 percent sale on manual transmissions to make it worth their while. This was directly from the VP of Ford whom I spoke to many years ago.

 

[Nessism1]

Manual isn't an option, the car is hybrid.

 

[andrew_j]

Manual isn't an option, the car is hybrid.

It is however they likely won’t get update. The Honda CR-Z had it: eg
https://www.carmax.com/car/27740260...e26JTkZM-unP4AR2N9dvlerWOAZUI5VBoCfywQAvD_BwE