intuitive "no look" activation of sport mode switch

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2016 CX-5
cool, we're back on, looks like the Mazda 247 server was down for a while.

anyways, found a cool intuitive "no look" activation of sport mode for the CX-5

not sure of any fellow CX-5 drivers, but I find the Sport switch very extremely handy when merging or when I need quick acceleration to pass slow pokes tie-ing up the left lane and causing traffic clumps.

but sometimes I need to look down to see where the switch is, but I discovered an intuitive "no look" activation of sport mode.
I use my right hand (open palm) to find (like a waving/swiping action) and gently "slap" the left side gear shift knob and as soon as I do, I know the Sport switch is right next to it towards the lower left.

now I can activate it without even looking down anymore. I know it sounds weird but it really works, I don't need to look down anymore and I have full attention to the road during merging or emergency acceleration situations where I need to pay full attention.

Just sharing a useful tip I discovered just by chance, try it, it's pretty handy IMHO.
 
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I thought the whole purpose of Sport Mode was so that you didn't have to use the accelerator and were already in the correct gear without downshifting and blah blah blah, and here you are saying people are pressing a button, then waiting for it to downshift, and giving it the gas to pass someone, all because simply mashing the go-pedal "is harder/takes longer"?

I continue to shake my head over "sport mode" in this vehicle.
 
I thought the whole purpose of Sport Mode was so that you didn't have to use the accelerator and were already in the correct gear without downshifting and blah blah blah.....

I think that's the theory, but honestly I find the sport mode accelerate instantly without applying additional force to the gas pedal, might just be me.....

in normal mode, I find there's a 2-3 second delay before it downshifts and then I accelerate.
 
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I think that's the theory, but honestly I find the sport mode accelerate instantly without applying additional force to the gas pedal, might just be me.....

in normal mode, I find there's a 2-3 second delay before it downshifts and then I accelerate.

So how long does it take for you to find the button, and how long after pressing it does it instantly get into said gear, and how is this faster/easier than just using the shift selector? I really am shaking my head over the whole thing.
 
Agree that the Sport switch's location and setup is quite intuitive. I did try to find a way to not look at it at the beginning, and similar to you, I touch the shift knob with my palm as reference, then use the right thumb to flip the switch.

However, after a while it became natural but slightly different: I usually have my right elbow on the arm rest/storage box, and the tip of my index and middle fingers when straighten is close to the switch and can easily hit it with a slight forward movement of the forearm. Of course, it's similar to how you can hit your home light switch easily in the dark, it takes some times to build up the habit and muscle memory.

Sometimes I wonder about the logic of pulling back the knob to manually shift up (natural), but pushing forward the Sport switch to make the car go faster doesn't follow that logic, but they all work out intuitively just fine for me, so it's just meaningless pondering.

Similarly, the five buttons around the volume knob match our five fingers, that layout also doesn't require looking down. The volume and backward/forward buttons on the steering wheel also work well. In general, although I haven't driven a lot of cars (only Honda, Toyota and BMW), the CX-5 is the most comfortable I've had. I feel right at home whenever I get into it.
 
So how long does it take for you to find the button, and how long after pressing it does it instantly get into said gear, and how is this faster/easier than just using the shift selector? I really am shaking my head over the whole thing.

Well, we all know how your opinion about the Sport button is different from the rest of us, wouldn't that make you curious and want to test drive one with it? It's painful to hear you repeating the same thing over and over, like a fish arguing to a penguin about how things are different on land :)
 
Well, we all know how your opinion about the Sport button is different from the rest of us, wouldn't that make you curious and want to test drive one with it? It's painful to hear you repeating the same thing over and over, like a fish arguing to a penguin about how things are different on land :)

Honestly no, I don't want to drive it. My Jeep had the same thing. It was called "TOW". The best "sport" mode I ever saw was the setting for the PTM in the Z06/7 cars. THAT is an actual sport mode. Not a glorified "TOW" mode like CX-5 and most 3/4 ton truck owners have that you guys are cooing over. I do not understand it.
 
I have used sport button more than bluetooth jejeje!

Imo, the Sport mode button alone re-couped 2 grand frm my 2016.5 Car. it is terrific going on frontage roads with 55mph speed limit. You are at the light next second you are 30 meters ahead and everyone is like - is that bullet!
I would be careful to use this button in low speed running traffic since many car drivers are too slow to react and may not know what happened. Never had the chance to use this while passing - the normal mode is plenty to pull but then my car payload is < 300 lbs.

I think climbing hills with adults + gear : this mode would be great, instant torque.

I will try your method though - I have to look down which isn't great.
 
Honestly no, I don't want to drive it. My Jeep had the same thing. It was called "TOW". The best "sport" mode I ever saw was the setting for the PTM in the Z06/7 cars. THAT is an actual sport mode. Not a glorified "TOW" mode like CX-5 and most 3/4 ton truck owners have that you guys are cooing over. I do not understand it.

Every car's Sport mode is different. Unlike the CX-5, my 2014 Accord's Sport mode doesn't do much. You're making assumption from your experience with the Jeep, just like a fish assuming breathing in air is the same as breathing in water. Not trying to attack you personally (and not biting your bait :), but this is pure flamebait when you keep bringing up the same opinion while you haven't even experienced it. Without actually "been there, done that" with the CX-5 Sport mode, you're just discrediting yourself.

One difference from flooring is, of course, you can still adjust the amount of acceleration with the pedal not all the way in.

Someone mentioned not to tow in Sport mode (at least from rest), the gears lock up earlier/longer and might get damage if the payload's inertia is too much. Maybe once moving? Can't seem to find that reference anywhere, maybe I'm just imagining it.
 
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I have used sport button more than bluetooth jejeje!

Imo, the Sport mode button alone re-couped 2 grand frm my 2016.5 Car. it is terrific going on frontage roads with 55mph speed limit. You are at the light next second you are 30 meters ahead and everyone is like - is that bullet!.......

I agree with this and sillyxone that every car's "Sport" mode is different, I have noticed also that the CX-5 in "Sport" mode pulls away like the dickens.

as soon as I hit sport mode the other cars behind me are like minature cars in the rear view mirror, I know it's not just my imagination, the CX-5 accelerates hard in Sport mode,

I'm not saying the CX-5 is a Corvette or anything like that but for a CUV it accelerates pretty damn good in Sport mode, and not just saying this because I own one, it's based on a lot of experience and this thing pulls. If it didn't, I would be the first first to complain.
 
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Every car's Sport mode is different. Unlike the CX-5, my 2014 Accord's Sport mode doesn't do much. You're making assumption from your experience with the Jeep, just like a fish assuming breathing in air is the same as breathing in water. Not trying to attack you personally (and not biting your bait :), but this is pure flamebait when you keep bringing up the same opinion while you haven't even experienced it. Without actually "been there, done that" with the CX-5 Sport mode, you're just discrediting yourself.

One difference from flooring is, of course, you can still adjust the amount of acceleration with the pedal not all the way in.

Someone mentioned not to tow in Sport mode (at least from rest), the gears lock up earlier/longer and might get damage if the payload's inertia is too much. Maybe once moving? Can't seem to find that reference anywhere, maybe I'm just imagining it.

Let's see...my Jeep changed throttle sensitivity, kept the transmission 1 gear (numerically higher) lower, and prevented it from going into overdrive. What does the CX-5's sport mode do, again?
 
I agree with this and sillyxone that every car's "Sport" mode is different, I have noticed also that the CX-5 in "Sport" mode pulls away like the dickens.
as soon as I hit sport mode the other cars behind me are like minature cars in the rear view mirror, I know it's not just my imagination, the CX-5 accelerates hard in Sport mode,
I'm not saying the CX-5 is a Corvette or anything like that but for a CUV it accelerates pretty damn good in Sport mode, and not just saying this because I own one, it's based on a lot of experience and this thing pulls. If it didn't, I would be the first first to complain.

In a Hyundai I rented - the small sedan whatever the name was - The sport mode displayed "Sport Mode" on the LCD display. Thats it. It did not even make fake noise like some cars do. I put it in Sport mode and put the foot down, a grandma in her wagon with wood trim went pass me!! Like wtf.

Now then in a Prius, if you select sport mode a robotic arm comes out of the dash and slaps you twice - First slap to remind you this is a Toyota Prius and 2nd slap for buying it.
 
The sport mode on the CX-5 obviously holds a gear longer and downshifts sooner which is why you feel the peak power as the engine revs into higher RPMs.

The question is, does the sport mode remap the throttle at all? I would think it does, because you can still be in sport mode while in manual mode on the tranny. Otherwise, what would be the point? However, while driving around, i was switching to sport mode with the car in manual mode already, and I could not feel a difference in the throttle.

Anyway, I wish the sport mode button were on the steering wheel so one could put the car into sport without letting go of the wheel. This is how it is with the M-button on my BMW and it is much more intuitive than feeling around down near the shifter.
 
Everyone loves sport mode except uno...the one who doesn't even have sport mode lol.

OP I will try your theory out. I do wish it was on the steering wheel. But I still love having it. It makes a difference for sure in driving.
 
Let's see...my Jeep changed throttle sensitivity, kept the transmission 1 gear (numerically higher) lower, and prevented it from going into overdrive. What does the CX-5's sport mode do, again?


Personally, I'm not a fan of "shifting" on manu-matics, so sport mode is nice because you can put the car into a more aggressive transmission setting while still driving in AUTO.
 
In a Hyundai I rented - the small sedan whatever the name was - The sport mode displayed "Sport Mode" on the LCD display. Thats it. It did not even make fake noise like some cars do. I put it in Sport mode and put the foot down, a grandma in her wagon with wood trim went pass me!! Like wtf.

Now then in a Prius, if you select sport mode a robotic arm comes out of the dash and slaps you twice - First slap to remind you this is a Toyota Prius and 2nd slap for buying it.

FUNNY !!(cabpatch)


Everyone loves sport mode except uno...the one who doesn't even have sport mode lol.

OP I will try your theory out. I do wish it was on the steering wheel. But I still love having it. It makes a difference for sure in driving.

wait, sorry for my ignorance, I just got the CX-5 GT recently so I'm not familiar with all the trims, I thought ALL CX-5 model trims have the SPORT mode ? am I wrong, which trim doesn't have the sport mode ?

shoot, after using it, I don't think I can live without it, it's freaking awesome. To me when I engage it, it's like a turbo boost and extra oomph to pass the pimple faced kid in his supped up Honda. The Sport switch on the CX-5 is absolutely not just for show, you can feel it and hear it.

Agree there should be a button right on the steering wheel instead of fiddling around for it though.
 
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wait, sorry for my ignorance, I just got the CX-5 GT recently so I'm not familiar with all the trims, I thought ALL CX-5 model trims have the SPORT mode ? am I wrong, which trim doesn't have the sport mode ?

shoot, after using it, I don't like I can live without it, it's freaking awesome. To me when I engage it, it's like a turbo boost and extra oomph to pass the pimple faced kid in his supped up Honda. The Sport switch on the CX-5 is absolutely not just for show, you can feel it and hear it.

Agree there should be a button right on the steering wheel instead of fiddling around for it though.
2016 and 16.5 all have Sport mode - except the manual tx. I think earlier models dont have.
 
FUNNY !!(cabpatch)

Not as funny as getting an apology from a jerk who tried to pass me on the right when the light turned green. He was in a right turn lane but heading to a culvert abutment. He jumped the light. I don't get jumped very often so I went for it. I wasn't even using my 2010 Prius five's sport mode and, at the drop dead point, he was only ahead by a nose. Being a responsible driver, I backed off to let him in and proceeded at 5 over. He waited for me 2 blocks ahead under an overpass. He flagged me down, apologized, and told me he had no idea a Prius could accelerate. A Prius dumps the traction battery into the hybrid system on hard acceleration. The electric motor has max torque at 1 rch above dead stop. Remember, Prius - fastest production auto in the US from 0 to 20!
 
FUNNY !!(cabpatch)

Not as funny as getting an apology from a jerk who tried to pass me on the right when the light turned green. He was in a right turn lane but heading to a culvert abutment. He jumped the light. I don't get jumped very often so I went for it. I wasn't even using my 2010 Prius five's sport mode and, at the drop dead point, he was only ahead by a nose. Being a responsible driver, I backed off to let him in and proceeded at 5 over. He waited for me 2 blocks ahead under an overpass. He flagged me down, apologized, and told me he had no idea a Prius could accelerate. A Prius dumps the traction battery into the hybrid system on hard acceleration. The electric motor has max torque at 1 rch above dead stop. Remember, Prius - fastest production auto in the US from 0 to 20!

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2011-2015 Chevy Volt

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2014 Spark EV

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Fiat 500e

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Ford Focus EV

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Honda Fit EV

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2013 Nissan Leaf

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Smart Fourtwo EV

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Ford C-Max Energi

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Toyota Prius PHEV

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Tesla Model S P85

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cool, we're back on, looks like the Mazda 247 server was down for a while.
now I can activate it without even looking down anymore.

I don't mind blind touching the button to activate sport mode, but cancelling the mode (pulling vs. pushing) the "no look" way makes me nervous. The electronic parking brake switch is just inches away and pulling means engaging for that switch.
 
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