For the past 6 or so years I spent a lot of time working in Europe, renting 15-20 cars a year. Auto start/stop has been a standard feature over there for a long time now and generally speaking the first thing I do, even before changing the language to English in the Navigation system, is to find the auto start/stop disable button. Every one of those systems from BMW to Jaguar to Mercedes to VW and Audi is horrible. Herky jerky and slow to respond. Most of those vehicles are standard transmission too. As someone who grew up driving stick I was faster on the clutch than the start/stop and would stall out on occasion. On some of those cars the stupid electric e-brake would come on when the car shut off! Imagine fighting three independent systems in bumper to pumper traffic on the hills around Genoa, Italy!
Now, with that being said, Ram got the E-torque system right on the 1500’s. It still sucks in my girlfriend’s ‘19 Sahara Wrangler Jeep, but with the HEMI motor they got it super smooth. For the first time in my life I don’t disable the auto start/stop.
It still sucks in the Jeep. Maybe because of the way that turbo 4 cyl rattles on start up. You seriously barely notice it in the truck unless the widows are down.
Now we just have to wait and see how reliable it is!!
