NAVi5

Unlike "traditional" automatic gearboxes with a torque converter and planetary gears, the mechanical aspects of the NAVi5 are identical to those of a conventional five-speed manual transmission with a dry-clutch.^[5] The shifting and clutch operations though, are done automatically by two hydraulic actuators connected to an electronic computer (an 8-bit unit with 8 KB ROM and 192 KB RAM).

The early version of the NAVi5 only had an automatic mode with an ability to lock out certain gears, thus operating in a manner similar to a traditional automatic. The later version added a manual mode, enabling the driver to select specific gears. The NAVi5 also came with autocruise and Hill-Start Aid as standard features.

A Japanese television commercial for the Aska heralded NAVi5 as “Not a manual, not a torque converter.” ^[6]

The customer reactions toward the NAVi5 were mixed. Some liked the more “direct” feel and better fuel economy it offered compared to those of typical automatic gearboxes. Others, however, were turned off by what they felt as awkward shifting program and the acceleration gap during shifting. The NAVi5 also required gentle throttle operations when accelerating from standstill since it didn't offer creep function.

It was outsold by the conventional manual and automatic gearboxes in both the Aska and Gemini and subsequently dropped in the next generation Gemini. (Isuzu stopped manufacturing the Aska in-house after the first generation.)