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I've driven a CVT before, a long time ago and I really didn't like it - no engine braking, "wind up the rubber bands" feeling each time you put your foot down.
The DCT doesn't feel like that at all - if you kick down it's just instant oomph (or at worst maybe 1/2 second delay while it sorts out a gear), and when you pull away normally it's just smooth and comfortable. And with better fuel economy (which is a pretty good idea these days) thrown in.
Weird - but I'll get used to it and probably wonder why I ever drove a manual. 
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
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Fuel economy. What are you getting/expecting for gas mileage and what are you paying per liter?
If you can't laugh at yourself - ask me and I will do it for you.
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Currently 67mpg (4.216 l/100km) but I expect that to go down a bit once I'm used to it. The official figure is 72 mpg, so I expect around 62 in the real world.
Currently £1:78.7 per litre (ouch!)
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
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That isn't so much compared to the US since the pound is down. It used to be a lot more. it's funny how perceptions can be very localised.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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Is that diesel or gas?
(I am getting 7.4l/100km at ~£.9/litre.)
If you can't laugh at yourself - ask me and I will do it for you.
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Diesel - but with a DPF, so the emissions are low enough that road tax is £30 / year, instead of the £220 with the previous (also diesel but same BHP) car.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
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What is the auto model? I cannot find a MPG spec that good online. 53 the top.
"A little time, a little trouble, your better day"
Badfinger
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Mercedes B 180 d (109 hp) 2014-2018 MPG, WLTP, Fuel consumption[^]
Those are the WLTP figures, so you probably won't get near them - but knock off 10% and that should be feasible. depends on how much lead there is in your right foot, of course!
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
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impressive specs. Diesel costs in US are typically higher than gasoline costs (Gas ~2.50 US, Diesel ~3.00 US), but MPG makes up for that.
"A little time, a little trouble, your better day"
Badfinger
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I have no clue what you're talking about.
Is it the thingy that shut down the engine when you stop and restart it auto-magically when you move again ?
CI/CD = Continuous Impediment/Continuous Despair
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Yes - BlueEfficiency is Mercedes name for it, along with a whole bunch of other eco related changes like not circulating cold water round the cylinder block until it actually gets warm so the engine reaches an efficient operating temp quicker.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
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OriginalGriff wrote: not circulating cold water round the cylinder block until it actually gets warm
So they put a thermostat back in?
Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994. So does this signature. me, 2012
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No, I think it's cleverer than that - the don't let the water circulate round the cylinders until they are warm, never mind the actual radiator. Saves heating all the water at once I guess.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
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it's an subscription add-on for the low, low price of $50 per month.
CI/CD = Continuous Impediment/Continuous Despair
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Do not give Mercedes any ideas like that ... they are bad enough as it is! 
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
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You can dedicate your left foot to tapping time with the music on the radio 
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Your shifting hand (right for right hand drive, left for left hand drive) is also going to get very bored and start looking for things to do in heavy traffic. It took me years to figure out why every time I got into heavy traffic in my wife's cars I grabbed the soda can that was invariably in the center console.
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If you mean the gear shift, it's left for right hand drive
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!" - Hunter S Thompson - RIP
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I know when I first moved from England to Germany I kept bruising my knuckles on the left door when reflexively reaching for the gearstick that was now on the other side.
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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I keep reaching for a gearstick that doesn't even exist!
And a clutch pedal ...
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
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Watch out for that wide brake pedal in an automatic. I've left footed it to the floor hard on more than once occasion.
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Yes, when I moved to the USA and had to rent a car it was an automatic (no other choice) and I did some seriously hard left foot braking now and then!
- I would love to change the world, but they won’t give me the source code.
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I have auto start-stop on my petrol, manual Skoda - love it, and it gets me noticeably improved performance in traffic / around town. The engine's very smooth/quiet anyway, so half the time I need to check the tachometer to see if the engine's running or not. Auto-starts on depressing the clutch or tweaking the steering wheel. When I drive my wife's older car, I now find myself turning the engine off manually at every traffic light and queue. Just feels wrong to be stationary with the engine running.
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Be careful with that - apparently the ECO start /stop system doesn't work like just turning off the ignition - it stops the engine with one cylinder at TDC on a compression stroke so the restart is as easy as possible, and only works if the engine is warm enough to not need increased mixture richness.
And an extra battery specifically for the task which has to have enough charge!
There is an interesting video on it here: The truth about engine stop start systems | Auto Expert John Cadogan - YouTube[^] - he does some good tech stuff on engines and transmissions.
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
"Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt
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Oh sure; I only do that (a) in the wife's car and (b) when the engine's warm. The auto-start on mine is (normally) very smooth indeed; not like a "normal" start, though occasionally it will give a bit of a kick (presumably if not, as above, stopped in quite the right place). The linked video sounds a bit dated to me, or maybe I'm just lucky with Skoda. There's an option in the "settings" (accessible from the control stick on the wheel) to permanently disable auto-stop, and there's a big button right by the gear stick to disable it for the current journey. Never felt the need to use either option.
When the engine's cold (or you've inadvertently moved the wheel so the engine re-starts) and you're sat at lights, during a short round-town journey, you can see the average mpg dropping while-u-wait. Yes, in the scheme of things it's a small saving overall, but from my experience definitely worth going for both for the effect on the pocket, and on the climate (for the grandkids).
I think start/stop is probably better for manual than auto gears. A criticism of the system in autos is that it will sometimes shut the engine down then need to restart just moments later, because it's based simply on the driver keeping their foot on the brake. As a manual driver that just sounds horrible anyway, but it means that in my case if I am just about to stop when I can see the lights are about to change, then I either keep my foot on the clutch (start/stop only happens once I'm in neutral AND lift my foot off the clutch). So that makes it very easy - and natural - to "override" the engine stop. Locally I know most of the light sequences so know if I'm going to be stationary for less than a few seconds, and in traffic can simply look a few cars ahead to see if things are about to start moving again. Be interesting to see how AI can in future take that sort of stuff into account...
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