About drive modes

"Spanfeller is a twat" (theaspiringengineer)
11/02/2018 at 22:24 • Filed to: None

The only two acceptable “drive modes” in modern cars are: the most aggressive sporty one and the most aggressive economy one.

I know it sounds like a load of shit to most people, but modern cars are really taking advantage of electric throttles via the drive modes. So you should only use the two most aggressive settings. I use eco mode 90% of the time, and my consumption didn’t actually go down that much, but eco mode coaches me into driving less aggressively and calmer. It makes my car feel a lot less powerful so I’m more relaxed.

On the other hand Sport+ mode keeps the revs around 2.5-3k ; right when the turbos are ready to work. So if you feel like acting like an idiot you can do it in Sport+

Comfort is sort of the least useful mode. It numbs the car a bit, sure, but it’s kind of annoying because you get neither the discouragement of Eco nor the responsiveness of Sport+

DISCUSSION (15)

PanchoVilleneuve ST > Spanfeller is a twat
11/02/2018 at 22:33

The thing that keeps me from loving sport mode in my Focus ST is how I have to re-enable it every time I start the car. It’s a super minor inconvenience but come on, Ford, in a car like that, it should be the standard, something you have to manually turn off to put it in boring mode.

Spanfeller is a twat > PanchoVilleneuve ST
11/02/2018 at 22:35

That’s really funny, cus in my Kia it defaults to Eco or Comfort mode (if you last used it in either) but it won’t default to Sport mode if it was the last one you used. In that case, it would return to Comfort.

RacinBob > Spanfeller is a twat
11/02/2018 at 22:40

I agree, what I appreciate is cranking down the interstate at 75 doing 2000 rpm in a modern cars and also putting around at 1500 rpm when in town at 30 or so.

But I also want a responsive sport mode that gets it when I want to accelerate with urgency.

Too bad, either its eco overdrive all the time, or 3000 RPM or higher in sport. They need a eco/sport mode but nooooo....

Spanfeller is a twat > RacinBob
11/02/2018 at 22:43

Ah, i love looking at my tach, shifting at 2000rpm on eco mode....

wafflesnfalafel > Spanfeller is a twat
11/02/2018 at 22:44

agree - my very first experience with a “sport mode” was on a post refresh Isuzu Trooper II we rented in Vegas years ago. It’s a super functional vehicle but kind of a slug in “normal” mode. But push that sport mode button and everything tightened up, throttle response was much better, transmission mapping significantly improved, etc. I just drove it the whole time in sport mode except for a couple off road excursions.

Spanfeller is a twat > wafflesnfalafel
11/02/2018 at 22:46

Same with my dad’s jeep. Well, the “sport” transmission mode. I think it’s akin to low gear on older cars

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Spanfeller is a twat
11/02/2018 at 22:46

My car has different drive modes numbered 1-6 there’s a selector in the middle of the car in front of the arm rest.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > Spanfeller is a twat
11/02/2018 at 22:49

It really sucks since, like you said, everything in a car these days is computer controlled so sport mode actually does something, so I FUCKING WANT IT ALL THE TIME.

In my Focus, it makes the throttle much snappier and more aggressive, more or less kills the on-center dead zone in the electric power steering, and lowers the steering input threshold for engaging torque vectoring (bullshit marketing speak for “slamming down hard on whichever of the massive front brakes is on the inside of the turn so you pivot around it like you’re in an action movie”), along with disabling traction control so it doesn’t freak the fuck out over the zany funtimes the car is now having. Seriously, in Sport Mode you can get a Focus ST sideways like it was secretly a Mustang hatchback .

I wish it did something about the boost restriction in first gear, but it pulls hard enough after a short shift into second that it doesn’t really matter.

Spanfeller is a twat > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
11/02/2018 at 22:49

Well, in that case I think my assertion is misguided , shifting between 1st and 6th seems uncomfortable and stall-able

Spanfeller is a twat > PanchoVilleneuve ST
11/02/2018 at 22:54

What would bug me the most is that the change is, what? one line of code? Or maybe they could put a “hold driving mode” option in the infotainment menu so that people that like the reset are happy and people who hate it are too.

In my case, Eco and Comfort do basically the same in the suspension department . Sport is different, in that one the suspension gets much firmer, and I like that because my car is very fond of body-roll.

Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz) > Spanfeller is a twat
11/03/2018 at 01:50

I keep SuzieQ5 in Dynamic (drive select which affects suspension, drive height, exhaust, and steering) because it feels more aggressive, but in standard drive mode ( the only other option - Sport - is what affects transmission and throttle response). It’s a pleasant mix of both worlds. Occasionally I need to kick it into Sport when I’m trying to get a jump people at a light though.

My wife tried to swear to me up and down that in Drive - Dynamic the eco options didn’t kick in. I promptly proved her wrong by adjusting the a/c.

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Spanfeller is a twat
11/03/2018 at 07:10

I like cars whose mode is directly controlled by your right foot...........

Nom De Plume > Spanfeller is a twat
11/03/2018 at 07:41

You forgot limp mode. For when you done screwed up.

Spanfeller is a twat > Galileo Humpkins (aka MC Clap Yo Handz)
11/03/2018 at 10:56

I’m not sure Eco has an effect on the a/c with the Kia. I rarely drive with the AC on, so it’s hard to tell.

Spanfeller is a twat > Nom De Plume
11/03/2018 at 14:23