Automatics - my driving is worse!

[Brian Trizers]

I suppose the point is that you don't have to. If it's a fairly long overtake - by which I mean plenty of clear road visible - and the engine is already around that 2000 rpm sweet spot then it's enough to squeeze the pedal and let the box decide if a change is necessary. Only if the auto has slipped into 1200 rpm trundle mode - which you probably wouldn't allow a manual to do - is it essential to nudge it down a gear, or to let the box do it for you.

This is mostly based on my MB diesel auto, which doesn't have a full manual mode. But I will discreetly slip it into 3 (which locks out 4 and 5) if I'm following something slow and know - or hope - there's a possible overtaking spot coming up. That wouldn't alarm the most nervous passenger. If the driver in front is the sort who dabs the brakes at random, too, the extra engine braking makes it easier to maintain a smooth, steady following distance.

[FiF]

Based on experience with Volvo (Ford) Powershift and VAG DSG in order to get acceleration with reasonably wide throttle opening but avoid / minimise a downshift then the speed of the throttle increase is significant. Mashing the throttle pedal, even if you don't hit the kickdown position, definitely increases the chance of downshifts. A steady restrained squeeze can give quite good positive speed increase with no downshift.

I can get a similar effect on my LR FL2 6sp auto with torque converter, but far more difficult to achieve.

[JuniorD]

In my experience it used to be that when you were behind a car that swevered about its lane with frequent sudden sharp steering inputs and frequent touching of the brakes - 99% chance it was an automatic.

Nowadays, it's 50% chance automatic, and 50% driver texting