Automatic: Ford vs VW

SimonTemplar

I'm looking at getting a new automatic car next year and have started doing some research. Both the new VW Polo and the new Ford Fiesta are at the top of my list. I won't know for certain until they are fully launched in Ireland, but they are definitely the ones to beat. However, both their automatic transmission have had problems in the past, especially Ford's Powershift.

In all other aspects, those two models are perfect for me but I'm just a little concerned about those past problems. Would I be foolish to get an automatic Ford given the much publicized problems the transmission has had in the past? Overall, I'm leaning towards the Fiesta but the Powershift's reputation is pushing me toward the VW's Polo.

I'm a bit of a motoring novice when it comes to these things, so I'd love to get people's opinion on the matter here who have much more experience and knowledge than me.

Thanks a mill.

Ionised

The Dsg gearbox in the Polo is so much better than the Ford unit.
New model Polo is due towards the end of this year and is getting good reviews.
Consider Skoda Fabia? Pretty much the same car bar trim and badge.

Vote 4 Pedro

I always drive automatic's due to a disability and I have mainly had Ford's and VW's and only ever had one problem in 30 years of driving (all auto's)
The problem I had was in a 2007 Caddy van I had from new, gearbox knackered.
All others were fault free,
I have just changed cars in July from a 2015 Audi A3 to a 2017Ford Focus and I thing the Ford drives very smooth, the stop start works a lot better in the Focus.

colm_mcm

Ionised wrote: »

The Dsg gearbox in the Polo is so much better than the Ford unit.
New model Polo is due towards the end of this year and is getting good reviews.
Consider Skoda Fabia? Pretty much the same car bar trim and badge.

and the more basic interior and uglified styling of course!

Ionised

colm_mcm wrote:

and the more basic interior and uglified styling of course!

Goes without saying!

In all seriousness, my Oh just picked up a 172 Fabia and I am pleasantly suprised by the interior quality.

2018 Polo does look nice though (if a tad dull)

colm_mcm

I had one as a rental for 2 weeks last year. Well specced but deliberately dumbed down interior. Dreadful flat backs on the seats. I know they have to justify the polo being more expensive, but instead of pushing things forward with the polo like they did 20 odd years ago and the Fabia some 17 years ago.

kerten

Both DSG and Powershift gearboxes are dual clutch automatics. There are wet (more oil in gearbox)and dry(less oil in gearbox) versions of both gearboxes.


Less powerful engines gets dry versions which will be the case for polo and fiesta.

Dry ones are known to be less reliable than wet versions and I wouldnt rate DSG over Powershift reliability wise. Both are subject to same weaknesses.

If you are planning to keep the car long term and fuel consumption is not important I would avoid dual clutch gearboxes and go for torque convertor boxes.

Ionised

kerten wrote:

If you are planning to keep the car long term and fuel consumption is not important I would avoid dual clutch gearboxes and go for torque convertor boxes.

I'd have to disagree but only on my own experiences. Between myself and my Oh we've done over 150k with Dsg boxes with not one failure.
I'm sure others will have different experiences.

I'm now trying my best to think of a Fiesta/Polo sized car with a torque converter box.

colm_mcm

Ionised wrote: »

I'm now trying my best to think of a Fiesta/Polo sized car with a torque converter box.

Peugeot 208
Hyundai i20
Kia Rio
Mazda2

Toyotafanboi

And there's nothing to be said for buying any of those over a Fiesta or Polo really, maybe the i20 for the warranty.

kerten

Ionised wrote: »

I'd have to disagree but only on my own experiences. Between myself and my Oh we've done over 150k with Dsg boxes with not one failure.
I'm sure others will have different experiences.

I'm now trying my best to think of a Fiesta/Polo sized car with a torque converter box.

I didn't mean that all dual clutch boxes fails at certain time but they have more potential to cause issues technology wise depending on conditions they are driven in.

Climate and time spent on stop start traffic are the main factors. I believe those boxes look reliable here due to those factors are not extreme in general.


You can search dsg mechatronic issues or powershift hesitation issues online. And those are generally dry boxes.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/vw-uk-why-we-dont-need-dsg-recall

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/60728/focus-automatic-gearbox-and-clutch-problems

kerten

Yaris would be another reliable option as CVT boxes are in general ok with less powerful engines in this class. Hybrid would be useful if car is driven in city a lot.

Shefwedfan

It does depend on your requirements in terms of mileage etc but all electric cars are automatic