What do paddle shifters do? This shiny shifter on your new Subaru steering wheel puts the power of your transmission in your hands, with less work than driving a manual transmission. Paddle shifters are a great middle ground for Minneapolis and Eden Prairie drivers who want to be actively engaged in the driving experience, but on your terms. Find out how to use paddle shifters, and which Subaru models feature them with Morrie's Minnetonka Subaru. 

What Are Paddle Shifters?

Paddle shifters are often found on sportier vehicles and trim levels because they allow drivers to switch gears quickly. They’re usually located behind or near the steering wheel, and one paddle brings you down a gear, and the other paddle brings you up a gear. When you use a paddle, the clutch receives an electronic signal for gear selection and the gear shifts.

Paddle shifters are easy to use, and they offer more control to help you manage your RPMs better. With correct downshifting, you can even extend the life of your brake pads by using paddle shifters. 

How to Use Paddle Shifters

While driving a car equipped with paddle shifters, you’ll want to enter manual mode. This puts you in full control to paddle shift. The right paddle upshifts and the left paddle downshifts, and you can easily switch gears manually as you drive around Eden Prairie.

Don’t worry about harming your vehicle when shifting gears, as the paddle shifters won’t change gears if:

• You upshift before the engine reaches the lower limit of the higher gear
• You downshift before reaching the upper limit of the lower gear
• You press one paddle while the other is being held down
• You press both paddles at the same time
• You try to shift to third or higher while stationary
• If you’d rather let the automatic transmission take over for a while, just enter D mode.

Subaru Models with Standard or Available Paddle Shifters:

You can find paddle shifters on these Subaru models: 

• Subaru WRX
• Subaru Legacy
• Subaru Outback
• Subaru Forester
• Subaru Impreza 

Experience Driving With Paddle Shifters at Morrie's Minnetonka Subaru

If you like the idea of paddle shifters, contact Morrie's Minnetonka Subaru or stop by our showroom for a test drive. Our sales associates can show you in person how to use paddle shifters as you experience a new Subaru on Minnetonka streets. Let’s make driving fun again!