Ray Magliozzi
Dear Car Talk:
I am a 72-year-old woman who drives a 2011 VW Jetta with a 5-speed manual transmission. I LOVE my car! Eventually, I will need a new car and am thinking about a hybrid SUV.
I have test-driven a Honda CR-V (liked it) and a Toyota Corolla Cross (too small). When we looked at a Kia Sportage, I was surprised by my visceral, negative reaction to the rotary gear shift dial.
My husband was shocked when I told him that was a deal breaker. I told him I couldn’t go from a manual gear shift to a flimsy little twist knob.
What is your opinion of the rotary gear shifts? What would be the best hybrid SUV for me?
— Nancy
I don’t particularly care for rotary gear shifters, personally, Nancy. But mechanically, or in terms of durability, there’s nothing wrong with them.
Automatic transmissions used to be shifted by cables. You’d move the shift lever from Park to Drive, and the lever would actually pull a cable attached to the transmission. But now, automatic transmissions are all electronically controlled. So all a shifter has to do is send a signal to the transmission controller.
That means you no longer need to use a lever that moves a cable. You can use almost any kind of switch. And, in fact, we are seeing a variety of shift controllers now. I’ve driven Hondas and Lincolns with push-button selectors. And I’ve shifted Chryslers and Hyundais with rotary controllers.
And, mechanically, they all work fine. The advantage of these compact controllers — besides styling distinction — — is they take up a lot less space inside the cabin. That means the designers can use that extra space for things customers might want more — like storage bins, phone charging pads or Italian espresso makers.
What I don’t like about the newer controllers is that they require you to look at them to use them. I can put an old-style automatic shifter into the right gear with my eyes closed. Or, more importantly, with my eyes on the road. That becomes useful when you need to shift quickly back and forth between, say Drive and Reverse. So, if you’re making a multi-point U-turn in traffic or you’re navigating into a tight parking space, I find the lever more useful.
That said, I admit I got used to the rotary controllers pretty quickly. I still can’t say the same about the push-button shifters. But it’s your car, Nancy. And if it’s a dealbreaker for you, don’t buy it. No justification is required. With hundreds of cars on the market, “I don’t like it” is all you have to say.
And if you like the Honda CR-V, with the traditional console lever better, that’s a great car. And I’m sure you’ll spend plenty of happy miles slamming your shifter between Park and Drive.
Got a question about cars? Write to Ray in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk.com.
