Does anyone actually use the paddle shifters ?

[Genentec]

Am I living under a rock or does hardly anyone ever use the paddle shifters for these sedans ? or any sedan in general ?

I mean, yeah I guess for a sports car like a mustang or nissan Z is ok, but for a sedan ? really ? do we really need paddle shifters ? How many of you actually use them ?

is it a low cost item to add to a car as a feature ? I think most of us would rather have some LED foglamps instead of those paddles.

 

[Midnightsun]

I tried mine twice. Useless option in my case.

 

[db6]

Never. They look cool!

 

[MikeyTG]

I don't have a genny yet but I use them on my 2012 Sonata for the occasional downshift on a long downhill. Otherwise the tranny's response is too slow to make them really useful. For foot to the floor acceleration they are not needed, the transmission knows best! Yes, they look spiffy...

 

[xsolara]

Only use them for downshifts in the downhill drive in the mountains

 

[Huddleston]

never, they are cheap and flimsy plastic. I wish they would have made them out of aluminum or a nicer material. Even if they had I still would not use them.

 

[goochylittlepig]

I can't drive stick. There, I said it. Never learned how, and it seems like an antiquated technology, especially with the advent of electric and automated cars. So I doubt I'll start now. I'd be afraid of breaking the car...

 

[Huddleston]

I can't drive stick. There, I said it. Never learned how, and it seems like an antiquated technology, especially with the advent of electric and automated cars. So I doubt I'll start now. I'd be afraid of breaking the car...

WHAT!!! you've gotta learn! you could easily learn the basics in one day.

 

[Nikgen]

I only used them during the break-I'm period to keep RPM's in the recommended 2K-4K range. As others have said, they are too laggy to be of any real use in normal driving - maybe of some use to downshift/brake with engine on wet or icy roads?

 

[ksoze]

Besides not being very useful considering the transmission, they are fixed to the steering wheel hub and not the wheel, making them even less useful for more spirited driving. Their flimsiness is probably also a sign they are for show more than go.

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[Mark_888]

I think paddle shifters are included because they seem to be important to reviewers in the automotive press, who are mostly younger auto enthusiasts, and who are grossly underpaid (or in the age of the Internet, often not paid at all).

I noticed that even on MotorWeek TV show, the number of sporta cars (often ridiculously expensive) reviewed is much higher than 10 years ago. I get the feeling the reviewers work for free just for the joy rides.

 

[Canuck-Ottawa]

I do all the time. My last car only had the paddle shifters for it's SMG transmission. Using the engine to brake saves a lot of money in the long run (brake replacement). I had 20K miles on my last car and the brake pads still had over 25K miles left on them when I sold the car.

 

[amartz]

My sedan doesn't have the paddle-shifters, but I do occasionally move the shift level over into manual, just to lock the tranny into the current gear and prevent it from up-shifting. Like for example, if I'm accelerating away from a stop, and I know I'm shortly going to be slowing, like for an upcoming curve. I typically would be in 4th or 5th gear at that point, up-shifting would be pointless, the engine-braking would be an added benefit, and I probably want it in 4th for accelerating out of the curve. Usually thought, I'm not trying to down-shift, brakes are cheaper than transmissions!

 

[kn5owa]

Paddle shifters are handy in the mountains on downhill runs.

That way, you can save on brakes and wear out the xmsn.

 

[ep010835]

No

 

[5 Timer]

Use them quite often, particularly in Sport mode, when doing some mountain driving.
For me it is a carry over habit from driving my previous CTS-V fairly aggressively.
The G2's 5.0L engine is sort of down some in power from what I'm used to, but it does like to rev.

 

[accordn2ryan]

I used them more in my previous car, the Q50S because it was more functional and easier to use since they the paddle shifters were mounted on the steering column, instead of the actual steering wheel so you wouldn't ever lose track of where your paddle shifters were.

I still use my paddle shifters when I'm going downhill and just want to control my speed without using the brakes.

 

[ksoze]

it was more functional and easier to use since they the paddle shifters were mounted on the steering column, instead of the actual steering wheel so you wouldn't ever lose track of where your paddle shifters were.
.

Purists would say your hands should be at 9 and 3 (or 9 and 2) when driving and therefor with wheel mounted paddles, they are always there right there. To each his own.

 

[jarred52]

If I wanted to shift gears, I would have bought a car with a real manual transmission. However, I have used them a few times when in the sport mode to get to a higher gear on the after merging on the Interstate. I certainly would not pay extra for them.

 

[Mark_888]

Purists would say your hands should be at 9 and 3 (or 9 and 2) when driving and therefor with wheel mounted paddles, they are always there right there. To each his own.

You are correct. Hyundai would have been relentlessly skewered by the automotive press if they paddle shifters were not attached to the steering wheel.