I’m looking at a 2013 Ford Focus (petrol) with the 6 speed Powreshift gearbox fitted. I’ve been reading a bit about poor changes, harsh pull aways and so on. Anyone got some real world experiences they could share with me?

By Powershift, should I read automatic? I’ve seen a few in interested in but don’t really want auto.

Its Fords version of the DSG box, a twin clutch automatic manual gearbox if that makes sense! Leave it in D and its an auto but you can put it into S and press the button the change up and down.

It’s probably the box manufactured by GFT, also known as the MPS6.

Depending on which engine/car combination you are looking at they vary from really quite nice to pretty bloody awful.

Its the 1.6 123hp petrol if that helps?

No idea i’m afraid.

I’ve driven a mates 2.0turbo ‘eco power’ SMax with powershift box quite a lot. It’s a lovely box in that guise. Silky smooth and fast almost seem less changes. Not driven another makes DSG style box but it was definately much nicer than the 8 speed conventional auto box married to a 1.6ltr turbo petrol ( same engine as Mini Cooper s).

I’ve been in a mates Diesel Mondeo that was running 200 bhp with the powershift and it was nice. Wasn’t harsh even with the extra torque from a remap.

You should go and drive it, being a modern dual clutch it should be fine.

I drove a couple of Galaxy’s and SMax’s with Powershift – all 2.0tdci/140bhp.

The nicest auto box I have driven, really smooth in auto. Shame I could not find one where the rest of the car was sh*te or would not do a deal.

We have Powershift in our mk1 Diesel Kuga – it’s lovely, pulls away when you need it and doesn’t over rev.

Drove a zipcar yesterday which was probably a 2013 ish petrol Focus. It was horrible in D & S mode on the motorway – over-revved when you put your foot down to overtake and took ages to recover from the over-rev.

I was looking at these a while back. I don’t think the Mondeo, Smax, Galaxy versions can be directly compared to the ones in the smaller cars. Wet clutch systems vs dry clutch systems springs into mind from my wiki searching at the time. It was three months back so I can’t really remember the detail.

The big car versions were I think better regarded.

I’m prepared to be shot down on this – but I think both DSG dual-clutch and more traditional torque converter autos work best with higher torque engines.

Going against the grain here and have to say I didn’t really like the one in our 2010 smax.

It was always hesitant at junctions as though it couldn’t decide what gear to be in to pull away so wouldn’t do anything anmsd leave you sat there.

A software upgrade helped but I still didn’t like it.

DSG is good but have a lot of problems, and many upgrade and mods, many manufacturers made “autos” that are in effect manual gear boxes but have Ecu control clutch and gear changes. The reason they don’t go full auto is conventional auto box torq converter type are more wasteful on fuel so come out with high road tax and poor economy.
The early versions all where a bit poor at judging slow speed pulling away or quick pull away. Latest stuff is near as good but not perfect.
I had a customer a few weeks ago with a DSG gearbox in a citroen c crosser that had a pressure sensor fault and wasn’t repairable I.e the gearbox is a sealed unit.
The gearbox alone was £8500.00 without labour

Vw’s gearbox is repairable BTW.

I’ve been in a taxi with a powershift, it was very smooth fwiw.

As for high torque.. A dsg or powershift is exactly like a manual that shifts on its own. Will work just as well with ang engine.

Well I had a drive in it today – what an impressive gearbox it is! Pulls away nicely and the only way you can tell its actually changing gear is by watching the rev counter. I’d have bought it if they hadn’t insulted me with their part exchange offer…