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Driving Modes

19K views 20 replies 15 participants last post by  Fred99 
#1 ·
Anyone actually use their Eco or Sport driving modes? do you actually notice much difference in how the car drives?
 
#2 ·
I use Sport sometimes. The main thing is that it puts the DSG into sport mode (which you could do from the gear lever). The only other thing I've noticed is that it makes the ACC more responsive - not in terms of distance - that's a different control, but in terms of how quickly it reacts.
The ECO mode just seems to slug everything.
 
#4 ·
In a manual the difference is less obvious but there's still a difference. Sport makes the steering heavier and sporty. The main difference in acceleration I notice is from a standing start, sport gives full throttle power whereas normal seems slightly held back and eco even more so.
 
#5 ·
With a manual 1.5 TSI the difference is negligible in my view, although it is a bit more noticeable after the software update. But anyway there is not as much difference as it used to be with a 1.4 TSI engine.

I am using the Individual mode, which is Sport throttle with Normal steering. There is nothing sporty about this Sport mode, just a tiny bit less of a lag.

I would have dropped this function, as it became a useless gimmick with the 1.5 engine, for something more useful like ACC or even wireless charging for lower spec models.
 
#6 ·
I tend to keep my 1.4 manual in Normal mode most of the time but flick it into Sport if I need the extra boost for overtaking or fancy a bit more fun. In these instances I find the power difference quite noticeable but the steering gets too heavy for normal use. I never use Eco.
 
G
#9 ·
Mode dial makes a massive difference on my car. I drove it in Eco almost exclusively when I first got it and I never really liked the car. Once I'd run it in properly, I started driving in Normal and Sport and it was a completely different vehicle.

Here are my findings, YMMV.

Eco - very sluggish and resistant to changing down. If it does, it will only change down 1 gear. Will change down further if you use the kick-down* (which also fully opens the throttle). Eco is the only setting where the vehicle coasts. I only use it pootling in town where I can hit a very respectable MPG in the mid-40s.

Normal - More eager to change down and will change down more than 1 gear if necessary, depending on throttle input. Don't have to use kick-down*, just floor it.

Sport - Holds lower gears longer, resistant to changing up. Very eager to change down. Gear shifts are noticeably more aggressive and 'clunky'. Kick-down still works but...

*Kick down a waste of time IME as it will change down to the lowest possible gear which means sometimes it changes down so far that it is right at the top of the rev range and therefore past the sweet spot in terms of where the engine develops the most power. The car then has to change gear almost immediately. So you get a screaming engine, some asthmatic acceleration then a gear change before finally getting some decent acceleration. In Normal or Sport, you don't need to use kick-down; just floor it (but stop before the kick-down switch) and it will drop to a sensible gear and take off.
 
#10 ·
I have been experimenting recently with Eco DSG "Coasting", on back roads, and TBH I like the MPG but at times don't feel totally in control without engine breaking effect I am an old bloke though, driving 46 years :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
#11 ·
The only time I ever have used ECO is on a run down from Granada to the coast. 4500 ft drop on a perfect, uncrowded motorway. I managed about 30 miles with the engine ticking over. A very strange feeling, and yes not totally under control as ACC doesn't work. The mpg was ridiculous!

I understand that the latest 48v semi hybrids can actually turn the engine off. Apart from that I would never use ECO mode. It doesn't seem to make much difference to economy compared to sensible economy driving and makes the car horrible to drive. They should rename it Granny Mode.

I am surprised that DSG drivers here never mention the steering wheel paddles. I use them all the time rather than relying on kick down. I have fitted some extensions from eBay and they do make it much easier to use the paddles which as fitted are a bit small. I often use them for up changes when the DSG is reluctant to change up, especially on a slight downhill slope.

They are worth experimenting with. You might be surprised!
 
#12 ·
Out of curiosity
What was the ridiculous mpg?? :lol:
 
#19 ·
I use Sport whenever I need to go from a complete stop to merging into fast moving traffic. On eco or normal I feel that the car may not take off quickly enough.

Can someone explain kickback and paddles please?
 
#20 ·
On the 1.5 manual petrol, the Sport mode is hardly noticeable if at all, so no benefit using the normal mode, I will leave it in sport all the time.

My last car was an Octavia diesel 184 bhp and the sport mode was more noticeable, but mainly on torque, the mpg is sport mode was virtually the same as ECO so there was no point using anything other than sport. Maybe if I put my foot down more the difference in mpg would have been seen, but for normal driving, there was little difference.
 
#21 ·
It's very different if you have DSG. Really big difference in change points. It really feels more "sporty". As for the other settings which you can set in custom mode, the difference is less obvious. You have to try really hard to notice the steering differences. On the other hand, eco mode with DSG is horrible. It completely ruins the drive and doesn't seem to be significantly better economy
 
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