[swarwi]

Hi,

just wanted to check in with you all - our disco sport just seems so gutless with a big flat spot when getting of the mark,, will try to explain as it may be user error

If we put it in reverse drive back a bit, put it in drive, you put the foot down and it just sits there like a sack of spuds for a few seconds, then picks up and off it goes. its very disheartening.

ours also struggles big time to find lower gears, especially when in D (Eco) mode, when trying to ovetake, you get a.... pause... downshift, and then it finially gets going,,, sometimes pulling out of T-junctions feels near on dangerous!

we have found the only way to have our DIsco nearly as "responsive" as our old 2009 Disco 4 HSE that had 150K on the clock is to drive it everywhere in Sport mode, even then its nowhere near as responsive as our old beast..

would love to hear if its just us being paranoid and needing to adjust to a smaller engine with a 9 speed box, or if we need to visit a local tuning house!

 

[ozsport]

Hi swawi,
Yes I have similar pauses but I just take it as being a normal part of modern (double clutch style) automatics. The Powershift 6-speed in my previous vehicle was pretty much the same. The way I understand it, this is because it is actually physically changing gear, but since it can't see what you're seeing, it can't anticipate what you might want to do as well as you could in some situations. This is why they're pretty smooth under consistent acceleration or deceleration, but if you switch rapidly from one to the other, it takes a second for them to compensate. Also they're tuned for maximum efficiency - always aiming for the highest possible gear - when you put the foot down you're probably coming down several gears at once to get to the power band.

 

[BFGDSMan]

Hi,

just wanted to check in with you all - our disco sport just seems so gutless with a big flat spot when getting of the mark,, will try to explain as it may be user error

If we put it in reverse drive back a bit, put it in drive, you put the foot down and it just sits there like a sack of spuds for a few seconds, then picks up and off it goes. its very disheartening.

ours also struggles big time to find lower gears, especially when in D (Eco) mode, when trying to ovetake, you get a.... pause... downshift, and then it finially gets going,,, sometimes pulling out of T-junctions feels near on dangerous!

we have found the only way to have our DIsco nearly as "responsive" as our old 2009 Disco 4 HSE that had 150K on the clock is to drive it everywhere in Sport mode, even then its nowhere near as responsive as our old beast..

would love to hear if its just us being paranoid and needing to adjust to a smaller engine with a 9 speed box, or if we need to visit a local tuning house!

When in Eco the car is trying to save fuel. Some of the ways it does this is to reduce gear changes and slow throttle response - its all a bit more driving miss daisy. It would be wrong to expect the car to have much umphh in this mode. If you want it to shift then leave it in D or put into S and smash the throttle - it will accelerate with plenty of go as the gearbox will happily change down two or three gears at a time to get things moving.

 

[timhum]

I've found eco mode is only good for gentle driving with no urgency; it does appear sluggish and hesitant. In regular mode I'm having no real issues after 4k miles of use although a technique does have to be developed. When accelerating from a standstill there doesn't appear to be any advantage in pressing the pedal to the floor over a partial constant throttle opening. I thought that the gearbox software adapts over time to your driving style, does anyone know if that iss correct? As far as I'm aware the gearbox is a regular auto and not a double clutch style.
Tim

 

[Strappe]

Hi Guys
I have had my DS now for almost 3 months and I have driven in ECO mode from the start.
Once the vehicle recognizes your driving style you should have no problems with "sluggishness or Gutless"
I find she responds to the throttle kick down extremely well, all be it just a "nanosecond" slower than my previous FL2s

 

[ccomley]

Me too - and it's bordering on dangerous! It isn't ECO mode doing it, I tried turning that off. I even tried Sport mode. It *still* takes half a second to a second to decide to go down to a usable gear esp if you've been slowing down and switch back to speeding up. Only way is to go manual. Really poor.

 

[ccomley]

Hi Guys
I have had my DS now for almost 3 months and I have driven in ECO mode from the start.
Once the vehicle recognizes your driving style you should have no problems with "sluggishness or Gutless"

I surely hope you're right, though so far no-one has even confirmed the system has a "learning" phase.

 

[MrShum]

I had the same problem on my Evoque and noticed it on the Discovery Sport demo model too so went for the manual box.

 

[PaulTheWall]

I doubt the car has the ability to learn and it's more you have to adapt to the car ... I have found the car accelerates from rest better with gradual use of the throttle rather than flooring it ... try sand mode in sport using the paddles to see how the car can really accelerate

 

[Chippy]

According to the catalogue the nine speed gear box has an "innovative adaptive shifting system which matches the driver's mood within seconds" so it should indeed learn from the driver.

This is certainly nothing new, I had on a 3 series BMW about 10 years ago.

 

[ccomley]

According to the catalogue the nine speed gear box has an "innovative adaptive shifting system which matches the driver's mood within seconds" so it should indeed learn from the driver.

This is certainly nothing new, I had on a 3 series BMW about 10 years ago.

Am pretty certain our Merc "learned", I certainly find it less often needs paddling these days than when we first got it.

So I hope it does and soon.

 

[Chippy]

No doubt it did ccomley, Mercedes have also had the system for a number of years.
Can't wait to get my DS to try it.
Cheers

 

[Moose]

I am just not sure its designed to accelerate quickly, as mentioned befor, the buzz at the moment is getting as much MPG as possible with low CO2 and from a smallish 4x4, It is not a sports car.
As to comparing it to D4, it may feel less so, maybe because the D4 is heaver and requires a quicker response to get it moving (BTW i am not anti D4, i like them immensely and have drive lots) it would be interesting to get one of each, do say 10 laps of a track to get both "adaptive shifting systems" thinking the same way and then side by side test them, I would suspect there is not much difference.

 

[ccomley]

I am just not sure its designed to accelerate quickly, as mentioned befor, the buzz at the moment is getting as much MPG as possible with low CO2 and from a smallish 4x4, It is not a sports car.

Indeed. But to have *nothing* happen for the first second or so is not just "non-sporty" behaviour, frankly, it's poor design. Unless it's actually a fault. I will be having a word with the dealer.

 

[IluH]

I find the petrol version fast enough and actually having better initial acceleration than my FL2 3.2 did.
What I find uncomfortable with the auto box is the constant acceleration or engine braking depending on the precise position of your right ankle.
That is even more noticeable when using the cruise instead of your right foot. I had to switch the cruise off when I noticed my wife's head swinging back and forth.
Maybe using the eco mode would make the ride smoother?

 

[Guest]

Deleted

 

[Strappe]

You are on the money Chippy911 with the Adaptive Shift.
Give yourselves and the car time guys and it shall work for you.
Remember though! if you really want a racing car you have bought the wrong vehicle.

 

[ccomley]

Today I went 30 miles each way to 4x4 club and I decided to go manual, At least, for slowing down for junctions and roundabouts, I used the paddles to change down, for both engine braking and to be in the RIGHT gear when-ever i start to speed up again.

It's MUCH better. It's not that the engine is gutless or sluggish, the problem is just that without paddle input, the gearbox is in too high a gear - at least one perhaps two - and also that when you do start off again, only THEN does it decide to start thinking about a downshift, and you get no significant "drive" out of the whole thing until it's done all that. Pop it down to third, or even second for a sharp corner, as you approach, and when you put your foot back on the loud pedal it accelerates away smoothly and promptly. You can either then "paddle" back up through the gears or, probably better for efficiency, hold the right paddle down until it returns to "D". (You can do this as part of a deliberate up-shift, as you get the upshift when you first pull the paddle, just don't let go of it again until "D" shows).

I have found that if you are in a fixed gear, you can pull away in 2nd or 3rd (I know it never uses 1st anyway except in Terrain Response) and perhaps even 4th - its the pause whilst it shifts after you start pulling away that causes the annoying delay. I have also found that you can take roundabouts and junctions in 3rd quite happily, and, again, faster junctions in 4th or even 5th. The system's response to the paddles is fast and reliable - if anything slightly better than the Merc 7GTronic. I *would* prefer the long-hold for "D" to be a BIT shorter, and the delay before it decides FOR you that it's going back to D slightly longer. But that's a minor issue.

 

[Hawks]

I chose manual - nothing against automatics and have owned several - but I do prefer the complete control a manual box offers.

It would clearly solve this problem and I'm very surprised at how few manuals disco sports seem to be sold

I have to agree!, except I do have issues with Multi Gear Auto, I owned a Merc C Class for last 4 years & I am glad to see the back of it, also test driven BMW, Porsche, and Land Rover, they are all as bad.
1. They will insist on staying in a higher gear to remain more eco, this can often be annoying/dangerous if trying to pull away quickly.
2. They are supposed to learn your driving style, and improve, but they don't, in fact they often get worse!
Sorry if any one has paid the extra for Auto, but the manual is the better option.

 

[swarwi]

Hi guys, thanks so much for the insight, since writing this post have been basically driving it around in Sport mode around town, using paddles a lot and then when on motorway flip it into D for dangerous

Not experienced or noticed this "adaptive gearbox thingy" working - but its much easier to live with in Sport mode

i know its not a sports car i get that, its the long pause when going from Reverse into D or when pulling out of junctions.

will submit another post as am wondering if chipping it will help,.