Kia Gears up with Debut of Eight-speed Automatic Transmission

Kia recently debuted its new eight-speed automatic transmission that has been designed for use in front-wheel drive cars. Kia already has already used rear-drive eight-speed automatic transmissions in several models but this will mark the first time Kia is venturing into development of a torque convertor based transmission for transverse application. The use of more gears is meant to enhance performance and efficiency and to help a vehicle to perform optimally. With the use of more ratios in the automatic transmission, it will also be possible to set one or two of them to be tall overdrive ratios, without much compromise when it comes to performance. The use of the tall gears will also reduce noise, fuel consumption and vibration at higher speeds while contributing to a low rate of RPM (revolutions per minute).

Kia is not the first company to come up with an eight-speed automatic transmission. A similar transmissions has been designed by Aisin AW that has been used in models like the Volvo V60 and the Mini Clubman.

One notable feature of Kia’s new transmission is that though it has two extra ratios when compared to the current six-speed automatic, it is 3.5 kg lighter. It has the same dimensions as the six-speed transmissions and hence can be retrofitted in existing models for those who want to upgrade the driving experience in their vehicle. From the efficiency perspective, the transmission has been designed in such a manner that it only needs a simple valve body and a small oil pump thus minimizing heat, pumping and frictional losses.

According to Kia, the use of the new acceleration will enable smoother acceleration from zero speed, better fuel efficiency, better NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels and more decisive acceleration at high speeds than an automatic transmission with fewer gears.’

Initially, the new transmission will be used in the Kia Cadenza and in the future, Kia plans to use it in a number of both mid-size and large models having front-wheel-drive.