Mar 20 2012, 07:17 AM
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QUOTE(trent666 @ Mar 20 2012, 02:49 AM)
QUICK THOUGHTS ON FLX 1.3 CVT
After clocking 500km, I must say that I am rather impressed with this car in relations to its price. I have just parted with my Satria 1.3 after 13 years and the FLX 1.3 CVT is definitely a step up.
This post is not intended to be a full review. I’m not a car expert nor am I car fan. I’ve driven many cars before, from 4WDs, modern saloons, MPVs and luxury cars as a co-driver to family and friends. These are experiences which I will draw upon to make the comments below.
Additionally, my views are from someone who requires a small family-sized vehicle for mostly city driving. My views are also contained to the CVT engine because I believe that there is not enough experience about this being shared in this thread.
THE GOOD
My initial impressions, since the test drive, was that the CVT would take some getting used to.
For starters, this car DOES NOT SHIFT in a traditional sense as one would expect from a AT vehicle, say a MyVi (Purely as an example. No disrespect to MyVi owners). The experience is comparable with that of a scooter motorbike.
Conventional methods of dropping the throttle before throttling again to intentionally induce a shift in traditional AT vehicles does not apply with the CVT.
I believe that this is definitely a plus point as the RPM does not drop as long as the throttle is maintained, thus providing a very smooth acceleration. This is translates to the elimination of the subtle jerk when overtaking with a traditional AT vehicle.
Another point I would like to make is that the downhill experience is rather strange, but definitely pleasant. I’m not quite sure how to put it in words. I will need more testing before I can articulate my experience.
But to put simply, I found myself braking less to keep myself at a safe speed, which translates into a smooth ride. This was my impression on both sides of the PLUS Highway tunnel near Ipoh. It reminded me of how I enjoyed driving me mate’s new two-year-old Vios from Bukit Tinggi towards the Gombak toll booth. I cannot have the same experience with my parent’s year-old MyVi (AT) or very old Unser (AT).
Lastly, I believe that fuel economy is good. But I’ll not get into that until I run some proper tests.
THE WEIRD
At speed, I really appreciate how the CVT works. But from the stationary position, or traffic jams, I kind of wonder whether I need to re-learn how to throttle.
Unlike the traditional AT, the CVT puts the vehicle in motion with a very gradual push, as opposed to, for the lack of a better word, a subtle jerk upon releasing the brakes. It felt like a slow start up, unlike a ‘flying start’ feel which I experienced with my aunt’s old Wira AT or my sis’ Kelisa AT.
What this means is that the FLX 1.3 CVT does not have that zippy feel as opposed to regular small cars with AT, say upon the traffic lights turning green.
This is not necessarily a gripe. I am just pointing out the obvious difference.
Where it does begin to feel uncomfortable is during traffic jams or other situations where I am required to drive slowly, such as when I spiral up or down my condominium carpark.
What happens is that the minute throttling can sometimes induce a bit of a jerking motion. This is a minor irritation but it CAN make parking situations, where finesses is required, a bit frustrating.
Take this for an example: Imagine an outdoor gravel-filled carpark near the office, where you would have to negotiate into a tight spot. Throttling too much would launch the car too far, while throttling too little would induce the jerk.
CONCLUSION
The CVT is a new experience for me, and I believe others will agree. I would strongly suggest potential buyers to read up more on the subject and engaging in as thorough a test drive as possible before making a decision.
Personally, I am more inclined towards CVT over AT, despite the quirks described above. I think doing 110kmh at 2,500+ RPM is respectable and (correct me if I’m wrong) comparable with the Vios 1.5 AT.
Again, this post is merely for me to share my thoughts on the CVT aspect of this vehicle, which IMHO is the standout for this car, because everything else feels cheap and plastic-y. But hey, for the price, who can complain?
a very good review for ppl to expect what is in a saga and what not to expect in a saga After clocking 500km, I must say that I am rather impressed with this car in relations to its price. I have just parted with my Satria 1.3 after 13 years and the FLX 1.3 CVT is definitely a step up.
This post is not intended to be a full review. I’m not a car expert nor am I car fan. I’ve driven many cars before, from 4WDs, modern saloons, MPVs and luxury cars as a co-driver to family and friends. These are experiences which I will draw upon to make the comments below.
Additionally, my views are from someone who requires a small family-sized vehicle for mostly city driving. My views are also contained to the CVT engine because I believe that there is not enough experience about this being shared in this thread.
THE GOOD
My initial impressions, since the test drive, was that the CVT would take some getting used to.
For starters, this car DOES NOT SHIFT in a traditional sense as one would expect from a AT vehicle, say a MyVi (Purely as an example. No disrespect to MyVi owners). The experience is comparable with that of a scooter motorbike.
Conventional methods of dropping the throttle before throttling again to intentionally induce a shift in traditional AT vehicles does not apply with the CVT.
I believe that this is definitely a plus point as the RPM does not drop as long as the throttle is maintained, thus providing a very smooth acceleration. This is translates to the elimination of the subtle jerk when overtaking with a traditional AT vehicle.
Another point I would like to make is that the downhill experience is rather strange, but definitely pleasant. I’m not quite sure how to put it in words. I will need more testing before I can articulate my experience.
But to put simply, I found myself braking less to keep myself at a safe speed, which translates into a smooth ride. This was my impression on both sides of the PLUS Highway tunnel near Ipoh. It reminded me of how I enjoyed driving me mate’s new two-year-old Vios from Bukit Tinggi towards the Gombak toll booth. I cannot have the same experience with my parent’s year-old MyVi (AT) or very old Unser (AT).
Lastly, I believe that fuel economy is good. But I’ll not get into that until I run some proper tests.
THE WEIRD
At speed, I really appreciate how the CVT works. But from the stationary position, or traffic jams, I kind of wonder whether I need to re-learn how to throttle.
Unlike the traditional AT, the CVT puts the vehicle in motion with a very gradual push, as opposed to, for the lack of a better word, a subtle jerk upon releasing the brakes. It felt like a slow start up, unlike a ‘flying start’ feel which I experienced with my aunt’s old Wira AT or my sis’ Kelisa AT.
What this means is that the FLX 1.3 CVT does not have that zippy feel as opposed to regular small cars with AT, say upon the traffic lights turning green.
This is not necessarily a gripe. I am just pointing out the obvious difference.
Where it does begin to feel uncomfortable is during traffic jams or other situations where I am required to drive slowly, such as when I spiral up or down my condominium carpark.
What happens is that the minute throttling can sometimes induce a bit of a jerking motion. This is a minor irritation but it CAN make parking situations, where finesses is required, a bit frustrating.
Take this for an example: Imagine an outdoor gravel-filled carpark near the office, where you would have to negotiate into a tight spot. Throttling too much would launch the car too far, while throttling too little would induce the jerk.
CONCLUSION
The CVT is a new experience for me, and I believe others will agree. I would strongly suggest potential buyers to read up more on the subject and engaging in as thorough a test drive as possible before making a decision.
Personally, I am more inclined towards CVT over AT, despite the quirks described above. I think doing 110kmh at 2,500+ RPM is respectable and (correct me if I’m wrong) comparable with the Vios 1.5 AT.
Again, this post is merely for me to share my thoughts on the CVT aspect of this vehicle, which IMHO is the standout for this car, because everything else feels cheap and plastic-y. But hey, for the price, who can complain?
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