The dual clutch transmission can be thought of as an automatically shifting manual transmission. It gives the driving feel of a manual transmission, yet provides the ease of a fully automatic transmission.

When D (Drive) is selected, the transmission will automatically shift through the gears similar to a conventional automatic transmission. Unlike a traditional automatic transmission, the gear shifting can sometimes be felt and heard as the actuators engage the clutches and the gears are selected.

The dual clutch transmission incorporates a dry-type dual clutch mechanism, which allows for better acceleration performance and increased fuel efficiency while driving. But it differs from a conventional automatic transmission because it does not incorporate a torque converter. Instead, the transition from one gear to the next is managed by clutch slip, especially at lower speeds.

As a result, shifts are sometimes more noticeable, and a light vibration can be felt as the transmission shaft speed is matched with the engine shaft speed. This is a normal condition of the dual clutch transmission.

The dry-type clutch transfers torque more directly and provides a direct-drive feeling which may feel different from a conventional automatic transmission. This may be more noticeable when launching the vehicle from a stop or when traveling at low, stop-and-go vehicle speeds.

When rapidly accelerating from a lower vehicle speed, the engine rpm may increase dramatically as a result of clutch slip as the dual clutch transmission selects the correct gear. This is a normal condition.

When accelerating from a stop on an incline, press the accelerator smoothly and gradually to avoid any shudder feeling or jerkiness.

When traveling at a lower vehicle speed, if you release the accelerator pedal quickly, you may feel engine braking before the transmission changes gears. This engine braking feeling is similar to operating a manual transmission at low speed.

When driving downhill, you may wish to move the gear shift lever to Manual Shift mode and downshift to a lower gear in order to control your speed without using the brake pedal excessively.

When you turn the engine on and off, you may hear clicking sounds as the system goes through a selftest. This is a normal sound for the dual clutch transmission.

During the first 1,500 km (1000 miles), you may feel that the vehicle may not be smooth when accelerating at low speed. During this break-in period, the shift quality and performance of your new vehicle is continuously optimized.