HDI 110 6 speed box ratios

[Déesse trois]

I use engine braking a lot, preferring to drop progressively down the gears and not using the actual brakes until I absolutely have to. I'm an engineer by profession and hate the ineffiiciency created by converting a lot of your forward motion into heating up your brake discs. I like the idea of regenerative braking used on some hybrids as the kinetic energy is not wasted, but stored when braking (like KERS in F1). However, I hate hybrids and until they become plug-in I'm steering well clear (pun not intended).

However, to my point. I'm renting a Kia C'eed Eco at the moment. The gear ratios are terrible. 4, 5 and 6 are so close as to be not worth changing between them. 3 is ok but the gap down to 2 is very big. If I'm engine braking the engine screams when I drop down to 2 from about 40, sending the diesel engine near 4000 rpm.

I'm hoping for a more equal distribution of the gears on the HDI 110. Can anyone give me a feel for how engine braking feels with this engine/box combo?

I'm also a great believer in trying to maintain a constant speed in a traffic queue, rather than the accelerate/brake antics that some drivers use (I quite like preserving my mechanicals!). How good is the disel engine at idle in 1st and 2nd for walking pace progress in a traffic queue - not only do I want to save brakes but clutches as well!

[jazd71]

I find the ratios pretty good, as with many diesels 1st is over very quickly 2 & 3rd are fun & 4th gives good flexibility on the motorway as for slow speed 1st is ok tho sometimes traffic moves at a point where its difficult to know whether to keep in 1st or 2nd but this is the case for many cars. I spend loads of time in traffic at al paces and have found the gear box to be great on my HDi110, it wont ever be as flexible as the THP but the torque makes up for it.