Poll Do you use Sport mode and Manual mode?

[GFrosty]

Sport as well as Manual modes used frequently, for me. Mostly when coping with uphill on-ramps to the highway; the extra "oomph" is useful to save some people from themselves (those who flatly despise people attempting to merge at on-ramp zones).

Normally in nearly every other situation, though, it's standard automatic Drive. I prefer the zippier throttle responsiveness and acceleration of Sport, but it's nice to have at least tolerable fuel efficiency most of the time.

 

[ADS-B]

(those who flatly despise people attempting to merge at on-ramp zones

I beg to differ. It’s mandatory for drivers merging onto the freeways to yield to incoming traffic, even stop if necessary. Me moving to the left lane to make you room to merge is more of a courtesy or trying to avoid a crash knowing that you’re about to cut in front of me no matter what.

 

[Jack Rabbit]

I beg to differ. It’s mandatory for drivers merging onto the freeways to yield to incoming traffic, even stop if necessary. Me moving to the left lane to make you room to merge is more of a courtesy or trying to avoid a crash knowing that you’re about to cut in front of me no matter what.

True. That is correct. Merge drivers should yield. And they have every right to expect the merge to yield, especially during heavy traffic. But you also have drivers who speed up to prevent one from merging or who move from the left passing lane into the right lane as someone is merging as well. Passive-aggressive tactics. We have a name for them.

 

[GFrosty]

I beg to differ. It’s mandatory for drivers merging onto the freeways to yield to incoming traffic, even stop if necessary. Me moving to the left lane to make you room to merge is more of a courtesy or trying to avoid a crash knowing that you’re about to cut in front of me no matter what.

That was my point. On the road, at such merge zones, there are often people who despise allowing others to merge in as the law allows. Of course, they're required by law to allow the merge, in the same way people attempting a merge are required by law to not force their way in despite physics.

Situation allowing, moving over one lane (assuming there is one) is always a good move. Of course, frequently on a well-traveled route it's not always safe to jump to the next lane over due to traffic.

One thing I try to do, myself, is to never follow another vehicle up the on-ramp so closely that I've erased everyone else's options once we do get into the merging spot. Not everyone is so lawful or courteous, though (either up the on-ramp or when approaching a spot where folks are heading up an on-ramp).

Anyway. Yes, the law requires exactly that. Something a certain sort of mentality (in some people) just won't tolerate.

 

[RonK]

I love using it on my Sherman Tank. It's so much more responsive. And boy, is it peppy too!!

 

[Koko_Bandit]

I use manual mode in the hills to prevent the transmission from 'hunting' for a gear.

 

[erhayes]

Only when having fun,

 

[madar]

Just recently rediscovered this setting, really puts some zip into the ride, but at the expense of the good gas mileage I'm getting.

 

[1killera4]

I use sport, but manual just isn't the same when it's not a DSG

 

[DG_1234]

I use the manual mode to make it up some of San Francisco's steep incline hills.

 

[N7turbo]

Sport is great for coming up to a stop or down a hill. It will downshift and engine brake, but the downshifts are smoother than if you put it into M and do it yourself.

It's also great for coming up to a corner. It will downshift, hold the revs, and you'll be ready to exit the corner better than leaving it in Normal mode where you'll bog down. As you accelerate out, you switch to Normal before the revs get too high.

 

[jadmt]

I normally run sport mode on my 23 turbo and always get 29-31mpg...people complain about mpg and many of those people have never used sport mode..They might be surprised if they give it a try and find they are getting better mpg as the engine seems to be in the sweet spot by doing so.

 

[Snorting2.5]

I just let the well designed transmission do what it needs to do.

Exactly!

Sport mode should never be your default. If that's your thing, you bought the wrong car. These drivetrains are designed for efficiency as the priority.

A closer observation of engine behavior during data logging revealed some valid reasoning for why the AT behaves the way it does. The electronic throttle will cut throttle if the ECU detects knock and will pull back timing, meaning you are not getting optimal performance by forcing the throttle further.

Listen to the AT. Keep it in Drive, Sport mode off, and let the transmission do its thing.

I usually will only override the AT using manual mode when I am approaching a hill and wish to hold the current gear, or downshifting to help me come to a stop.

 

[N7turbo]

A closer observation of engine behavior during data logging revealed some valid reasoning for why the AT behaves the way it does. The electronic throttle will cut throttle if the ECU detects knock and will pull back timing, meaning you are not getting optimal performance by forcing the throttle further.

You shouldn't be getting knock at all. If you are, run better fuel or have the issue diagnosed.

 

[Snorting2.5]

You shouldn't be getting knock at all. If you are, run better fuel or have the issue diagnosed.

I run 91 octane. All of our cars will occaisonally detect knock. it's usually slight, like some predetonation, which the ECU will compensate for by pulling back a a few degrees of timing or so. I'm not talking about knocking you can actually hear.

 

[jakeuten]

My city is located on a giant hill. I use both manual mode for descending grades (It's much easier on the brakes to be in 3rd gear at 30 MPH than constantly riding my brakes downhill 2x a day) and sport mode for ascending grades (effortless torque from the engine sitting in a lower gear to begin with and extra touchy throttle response). They both have their uses. Sport mode is also nice for passing on two-lane highways.

 

[CarpeDiem]

I normally run sport mode on my 23 turbo and always get 29-31mpg...people complain about mpg and many of those people have never used sport mode..They might be surprised if they give it a try and find they are getting better mpg as the engine seems to be in the sweet spot by doing so.

This is an odd statement. I have performed numerous back-to-back tests with and without Sport mode, the former always netted lower mpg. The difference varied, but Sport was usually 10-15% lower. I suppose that under some circumstances the results coukd be reversed, but I fail to see that happening for most owners since in Sport they would be in a lower gear than when out of Sport - higher rpm usually means higher fuel consumption.

 

[jadmt]

This is an odd statement. I have performed numerous back-to-back tests with and without Sport mode, the former always netted lower mpg. The difference varied, but Sport was usually 10-15% lower. I suppose that under some circumstances the results coukd be reversed, but I fail to see that happening for most owners since in Sport they would be in a lower gear than when out of Sport - higher rpm usually means higher fuel consumption.

all I know is I am always around 30mpg +- 1or 2 mpg. i use both 87 and 91 just depending on my mood. I live in an area where speeds tend to run high. If I am running on the interstate at 80-90mph I do not use sport mode but pretty much any area where speeds are 60mph or less I do.

 

[ruthrj]

I use manual to downshift/engine brake for the mile long 10-15% decline from home. I’ll occasionally use sport mode when I want to give it the beans (passing, WOT at a green light)

 

[N7turbo]

I run 91 octane. All of our cars will occaisonally detect knock. it's usually slight, like some predetonation, which the ECU will compensate for by pulling back a a few degrees of timing or so. I'm not talking about knocking you can actually hear.

Ok. So how does that affect my decision to use sport mode? Sounds like Mazda engineered the system to manage that already. If as you say we're all getting occasional knock, then they wouldn't give us modes in the first place, if they were detrimental.