8 speed automatic coming!

My wife's German SUV (her choice) has 6 that show on the dash as they change. When it goes from 1st to 2nd instead of skipping to 3rd it feels like something is wrong. We almost want to bring it in to get fixed but I guess it is normal. It's all in the name of gas mileage but I think anything over 4 or 5 doesn't feel right. 1 or 2 to get you going and one or two to put you at low RPM's is all you need.