Sportier alternatives to the CX-5

[GFrosty]

Moderator edit: Posts have been copied from a different thread where this discussion originated. Here's a link to the original thread.



Post-relearn, the A/T is showing signs of becoming more sedate. IOW, the excessive concern for fuel economy seems to be gradually taking over, again.

I'm resigning myself to the fact that I do tend to drive less-assertively than the factory AAS/shiftmap coding expects.

Most of the time, still it's rapidly downshifting if I'm somewhat more assertive on the accelerator pedal. But it's gradually becoming "worse" ... soon, I'm sure it'll require stomping the pedal again. So, I'm trying to remain a bit "frisky" with the throttle pedal, at least when I certainly do want to be accelerating more rapidly.

Would love to eventually hear there's a well-respected, basic tuning service that does both the engine and the transm (maps/shifts). Don't like all the features of the "Sport" mode, at least not for normal daily driving. It's zippy, sure, but it knocks a serious portion of fuel economy right out the window, and it won't upshift once the assertive-acceleration demand from the driver is done.

Ah, well. If I get truly concerned over it all, I'll just pop for a nice Audi RSQ8. That'll fix it. That'll show 'em. Gotta call SpeedDial #6 (the financial planner/broker), to see what he thinks of all this ... this ... whatever it is. ("Angst" is probably the word most applicable, though it's not the one I was searching for.)

 

[Lazy2.5]

Post-relearn, the A/T is showing signs of becoming more sedate. IOW, the excessive concern for fuel economy seems to be gradually taking over, again.

I'm resigning myself to the fact that I do tend to drive less-assertively than the factory AAS/shiftmap coding expects.

Most of the time, still it's rapidly downshifting if I'm somewhat more assertive on the accelerator pedal. But it's gradually becoming "worse" ... soon, I'm sure it'll require stomping the pedal again. So, I'm trying to remain a bit "frisky" with the throttle pedal, at least when I certainly do want to be accelerating more rapidly.

Would love to eventually hear there's a well-respected, basic tuning service that does both the engine and the transm (maps/shifts). Don't like all the features of the "Sport" mode, at least not for normal daily driving. It's zippy, sure, but it knocks a serious portion of fuel economy right out the window, and it won't upshift once the assertive-acceleration demand from the driver is done.

Ah, well. If I get truly concerned over it all, I'll just pop for a nice Audi RSQ8. That'll fix it. That'll show 'em. Gotta call SpeedDial #6 (the financial planner/broker), to see what he thinks of all this ... this ... whatever it is. ("Angst" is probably the word most applicable, though it's not the one I was searching for.)

I hear you on the sport mode. I had it on a BMW years ago. It was only useful when driving at 9/10's on a windy road.

I will say two things:

1. Just use the manual mode strategically when necessary. etc. (Just about to start climbing a hill, no upshift necessary)
2. I've obviously paid a lot of attention to the shift strategy of this transmission. I will say, it's conservative not just for economy or to be annoying, IMO, but due to fuel and possibly air quality.

Example: If I'm trying to wind the engine out past its usual shift point (Around 1750rpm) Sometimes the engine just feels a little rough and sluggish. Like it doesn't want to keep revving higher. I notice this all the time. The transmission is probably wise to just upshift in that scenario. It's really smart at adapting to real-time conditions, and that's probably exactly what it's doing over time. Seems it just can't stand the idea of revving higher unless your throttle position suggests: do it, it's really necessary.

In the end, I generally respect those shift points when there's no real need for a hurry, but, I do shift a bit higher than what the AT generally wants.

Re. the RSQ8 I'm rather lost here, it looks so heavy and impractical for real performance driving. Actually, I think any luxury car, even the non performance models are too cumbersome and heavy for it.

I'd go for a GR86/BRZ. I need balls to the wall cornering agility to be happy.

 

[GFrosty]

I hear you on the sport mode. I had it on a BMW years ago. It was only useful when driving at 9/10's on a windy road.

I will say two things:

...

Those are the sorts of things I do to get around the fuel economy bias that seems to disregard loads and pedal tip-in angle (as it learns and chooses a map). Not ideal, but it's what we've got with this vehicle.

Re. the RSQ8 I'm rather lost here, it looks so heavy and impractical for real performance driving. Actually, I think any luxury car, even the non performance models are too cumbersome and heavy for it.

It's certainly nobody's Miata, GR86/BRZ, or even M3. But it's comfortable, has a serious suspension, certainly is performance-oriented with its engine/transm. A pig, in terms of weight, but even the Q8 doesn't seem extraordinarily heavy when pushed a bit. Isn't a 9/10ths type car, no, like the BMW M3 and a few other cars are. But if one can stomach the utter lack of fuel economy and wrap the head around a porky format handling well and having more power/torque than is sane or rational, the RSQ8 wouldn't be a bad choice.

Have had a Miata, some years back. Minor suspension tuning and freer-breathing was able to wring-out an amazing amount of speed through winding mountain roads and on the tracks. Wasn't anybody's speed demon, but darned if the handling didn't catch a few corvette, porsche and BMW drivers by surprise. Definitely my favorite type of car, the lightweight roadster format. Hard to not love what a well-designed one can do.

 

[Lazy2.5]

Those are the sorts of things I do to get around the fuel economy bias that seems to disregard loads and pedal tip-in angle (as it learns and chooses a map). Not ideal, but it's what we've got with this vehicle.



It's certainly nobody's Miata, GR86/BRZ, or even M3. But it's comfortable, has a serious suspension, certainly is performance-oriented with its engine/transm. A pig, in terms of weight, but even the Q8 doesn't seem extraordinarily heavy when pushed a bit. Isn't a 9/10ths type car, no, like the BMW M3 and a few other cars are. But if one can stomach the utter lack of fuel economy and wrap the head around a porky format handling well and having more power/torque than is sane or rational, the RSQ8 wouldn't be a bad choice.

Have had a Miata, some years back. Minor suspension tuning and freer-breathing was able to wring-out an amazing amount of speed through winding mountain roads and on the tracks. Wasn't anybody's speed demon, but darned if the handling didn't catch a few corvette, porsche and BMW drivers by surprise. Definitely my favorite type of car, the lightweight roadster format. Hard to not love what a well-designed one can do.

When it comes to a speed bruiser, I supposed something spacious, RWD, not too heavy, decent handling but focused on hitting high speeds, i'm not sure what would fit the bill. I would just want something balanced, inline 6 engine, well under 4000lb.

 

[GFrosty]

When it comes to a speed bruiser, I supposed something spacious, RWD, not too heavy, decent handling but focused on hitting high speeds, i'm not sure what would fit the bill. I would just want something balanced, inline 6 engine, well under 4000lb.

+1

Love the look of the current BMW M2 240i xDrive coupe. Haven't seen one of the M2 CS Coupe, but that'd be nice.

 

[Lazy2.5]

+1

Love the look of the current BMW M2 240i xDrive coupe. Haven't seen one of the M2 CS Coupe, but that'd be nice.

M2 and 240i are two different models.

I'm not so sure about the looks personally. I miss the older models of BMW. They haven't built one that actually stays true to their original design philosophy (no turbo, rwd, driving enjoyment philsophy, not just heavy luxury) since like 2011.

I guess i'd have to go for a BMW that's RWD, manual, and has 6 cylinders between the front wheels.

 

[GFrosty]

M2 and 240i are two different models.

Meant the M240i and M2. Mistyped the brainfart as it passed from head to fingers. Oops.

In this era of normal four-bangers getting 250hp and some pushing 300hp, it's unsurprising that makers are going to turbocharging.

As for AWD versus RWD, I'm all for a traditional RWD experience. Like it. But AWD tends to be grippier, safer.

Whether the "design philosophy" of the M-series BMW can be claimed as corrupted or enhanced, who can say. It's still the road-eating bad boy of the line-up and still behaves like it. Even if not a carbon-copy duplicate of the earlier models.

Was behind an M2 the other day, on the road. It looks like an M3 from 15-20yrs ago, but in a smaller package. Same bulging quarters, same meatier tires and more-muscular stance. Same rocketing performance of the line.

 

[GFrosty]

The beauty of the Audi Q8, BMW M-series and similar are: they all but erase the sluggish tip-in problem the CX-5 tends to have on a car that's fairly frequently "babied".

 

[Lazy2.5]

The beauty of the Audi Q8, BMW M-series and similar are: they all but erase the sluggish tip-in problem the CX-5 tends to have on a car that's fairly frequently "babied".

I had a BMW 528i with even worse tip in that my mazda. Lol. Can't be sure until you try