This was my general impression - especially the early shift issue. I learned to shift manuals ~500 rpm higher than where most automatics seem to, a decision tha

This was my general impression - especially the early shift issue. I learned to shift manuals ~500 rpm higher than where most automatics seem to, a decision that seems made to produce the smoothest possible automatic acceleration at a cost to efficiency. Notably, this feels way less pronounced with faster, sporty automatics, which are willing to give you a feel of acceleration and shift more like manual drivers.