Originally Posted by
AdamD
I've found mine only shifts back to first at about 3km/h (ie slower than walking pace); anything above that and it remains in second. For many give-way scenarios it's remained in second for me (and you get quite a bit of clutch slip on the subsequent takeoff). I've also been quite impressed by how smoothly it shifts to first (in conjunction with clutch actuation) when decellerating.
If, on the other hand, I'm manually shifting down gears and select first at a higher speed, I find that the clutch actuation isn't so good as I actually come to a stop, and there is some lurch under the moderate brake application required for a gentle stop in traffic - making smooth stops difficult. So while I frequently drive in manual mode, I almost always come to a stop in second gear.