# 2.5L manual vs. auto performance



## VeeRSixPassat (Mar 18, 2002)

I am on my 4th VW with the 2.5L engine. My first was '08 Jetta, then a '12 Passat which was totaled and we replaced with a '13 Passat SE (wife's) and I currently am driving an '07 Rabbit. They were all automatic trans except the Rabbit. I have always been pretty pleased with the engine overall on all the vehicles I've had. Fairly quick and decently economical (~26mpg overall) and reliable. 

I assumed the Rabbit would be a little quicker than the rest since its the smallest car of them all and same engine. Though it doesn't feel that way, and I'm blaming it on the 5-speed manual transmission. I guess its mainly 1st gear i'm unsatisfied with...it seems like the gear is too short and slow. Like it feels like I need to shift almost immediately. 

How do you all feel the performance is auto vs. manual for this engine? And I've never really gotten into ecu tuning and things of that nature - would something along those lines allow me to tune the car to more how I'd like it to be?


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## mk6matt (Jan 26, 2013)

If you want to modify it, the manual is the one to have. It offers the ability to raise the rev limit when going to an SRI and tune. I can't speak for the ratios of the manual vs auto. If you want to modify it, there are a lot of options. It really just depends what you'd like to get out of the car and what your tolerances are in terms of exhaust noise and such.


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## gugu1981 (Jul 25, 2011)

VeeRSixPassat said:


> I assumed the Rabbit would be a little quicker than the rest since its the smallest car of them all and same engine. Though it doesn't feel that way, and I'm blaming it on the 5-speed manual transmission. I guess its mainly 1st gear i'm unsatisfied with...it seems like the gear is too short and slow. Like it feels like I need to shift almost immediately.


The 2011+ gear box have longer gears. Check with Rally Rabid Rabbit, I believe he has swapped his 2012 with older gears.

The gear ratio is a physical thing, and no amount of software tuning will change that. If anything, you can possibly tune the engine so it has enough power to take off from second gear without bogging. Then you can skip first altogether.

Peter


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## DerekH (Sep 4, 2010)

In my 07 i can hit about 70mph in second(sri +tune, header back). Only issues i have with the gear ratio is the jump from second to third is a little far and fifth is not quite tall enough for highway cruising. First and second feel just right to me. Second covers enough that you aren't having to down shift into first until you get to very low speed corners. There is no way you could ever convince me that the auto is faster off the line than the 5 speed. If it is, quite frankly you're doing it wrong. I've driven cars with that auto and its really not great. if it was a dsg i could buy the argument but its not, I've not driven a vw auto that i liked and thought would pass as a performance or enthusiast car.

All that being said I've driven stick my whole life and learned to drive on a standard as well, so i am definitely biased.


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## mkV Fanatic (Oct 23, 2014)

Coming from another biased manual lover . The 5 speed is the way to go for any kind of engine modding because of rev limiter as stated above. If you drive any manual car, unless it's an old 4 speed first gear is a lot shorter than an automatic first gear. That be said you just have to get used to it. And for it not being faster than the other, yes, you're not doing it right :laugh:. It would be nice though if we had the longer gear ratio. I've always thought they were just a little short


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## VeeRSixPassat (Mar 18, 2002)

mkV Fanatic said:


> Coming from another biased manual lover . The 5 speed is the way to go for any kind of engine modding because of rev limiter as stated above. If you drive any manual car, unless it's an old 4 speed first gear is a lot shorter than an automatic first gear. That be said you just have to get used to it. And for it not being faster than the other, yes, you're not doing it right :laugh:. It would be nice though if we had the longer gear ratio. I've always thought they were just a little short


I love driving the manual, as well, actually. And you all right that 2nd and 3rd are about perfect and feel so good. I guess a shorter 1st gear is the necessary trade-off to get the longer 2nd/3rd and not have to downshift constantly. I guess I'll revise my original statement, in that I feel its slower off the line initially and first gear is a bit short. Maybe it is that i need to work on my game. I've had manuals in the past but i've been out of the game for about 6 years.


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## Zoolook_ (Mar 17, 2012)

I've never owned an automatic (although driven plenty from airports) - the 2011/Mk VI has a pretty decent gearbox. Solid and nice pull in 4th from about 55mph.


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## tay272 (Aug 22, 2007)

Get a short shifter and upgrade your cable endlinks and youll feel a whole lot differently about a manual haha. Also, a tune will help get rid of the rev hang. Which doesnt help in making the gear changes seem fast. Having an SRI and a tune that allows me to rev to 7500 rpm, I will say that it allows the extension of ever gear and lets you achieve higher speeds in every gear. Stock in 1st, I think I was just touching 30 mph before I had to shift. Now, its an even 40 mph. 2nd is a tad past 70 mph and 3rd is over 115 mph. Dont know about 4th because I havent found enough clear road to test that gears max speed yet


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## Cherb32 (Jun 18, 2006)

I too support the manual over automatic. Ive made it to 4th pushing 135 before I had to slow down. Id suggest an auto if you plan on just flashing the ecu...but Id suggest a manual if youre planning on doing more:


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