Nissan Z vs Ford Edge

[bpeckham]

Okay, I get that this isn't a valid comparo, but I had a rental Ford Edge this weekend, and boy was I happy to get back to my Z.

The biggest difference I noticed: the Z"s brakes are amazing. The brakes in the Edge are a big pile of mush. You have to really press the pedal to get any stopping power, and they are not linear at all. When I got back to my Z I found I was braking too hard (having adapted to mushy Edge brakes).

But I wonder. Is this an auto vs manual issue? The Edge, of course, was an auto, and I often feel when I'm driving an auto that I really have to fight with the engine (that wants to go), when I'm braking. With my manual Z, I feel like I have total control over power to the wheels (via the clutch), and so braking is just killing momentum.

With an auto, I feel like you you need to kill the momentum *plus* overcome the fact that the engine and trans are trying to push you forward.

Can anyone out there who's driven both the auto and manual Z comment on the "fighting the auto" aspect? Do you feel this in the auto Z?

(Also: The Edge is gutless. The Z not at all.)

 

[rocksandblues]

?

 

[MacCool]

The 9-speed auto in a Z certainly is a "busy" transmission compared to the MT 's in all of my previous Z's, the 6-speed auto in my 3/4 ton GMC, and especially in my wife's CVT Muranos. I don't find it to be overly intrusive as it's pretty quick-shifting (Nismo is even faster) and doesn't do a lot of "hunting". Initially, I found the transmission to be a bit distracting but soon found myself just ignoring it and now I find myself just driving and not obsessing about what gear the computer has chosen.

 

[bpeckham]

Do you feel like you're fighting the engine or transmission when you're coming to a stop? It's trying to go (or at least creep) while you're trying to stop?

 

[Mellowyellow]

Do you feel like you're fighting the engine or transmission when you're coming to a stop? It's trying to go (or at least creep) while you're trying to stop?

Not so far.

 

[Thefunk]

The 9-speed auto and ECU will shift according to how you use the throttle. It tries to "predict" what you want. For example when I drive around town I'll manipulate the throttle in a way where the shifting isn't as jumpy as it would be on the highway in dense traffic.