Not really a question, just kinda of an FYI.
I usually drive a stick shift, so I am in charge of telling the car when to shift to give me power or economy when I need it.
I went on a road trip with a RAV4 and was playing with Eco and Sport mode on the automatic transmission.
I must say, I am quite impressed with Sport Mode. I feel like it knows when I want to shift. It reads my mind. It just knows.
Eco mode on the other hand is erratic. I get it, it’s meant for fuel economy. It doesn’t get how I drive. But I do appreciate how it saves me gas.
So I switched back and fort between the two, Sport when I needed some acceleration and power. Eco when I was just cruising.
This is nothing new, but I think I finally figured out how to drive an automatic with these features.
With that said, I am curious about your experiences with Sport and Eco modes in cars you have used them in. What’s the the good, the bad, the ugly?
The 10-speed in my Accord 2.0T Sport LOVES Sport Mode. Very quick response, smooth shifting. It's great for on ramps or hooligan fits. Lol.
The downside is of course increased wear and tear and decreased MPG. Eco mode...I don't use. I'm happy at 33MPG and down here in Texas having the Eco mode on limits the turbo severely and is a great way to become a hood ornament.
I think Scotty is also very impressed by how automatic transmission in Mustang works. I'm old fashioned and I like manual transmission better simply because of their simplicity and dependability, compared to automatic transmission, Although I must say I have not played with the new stuff that much.
I heard in car reviews that generation of Toyota (specifically the Corolla I heard) had a much better transmission set up, good paddle shifters, and a nice sport mode. Generally ECO mode in these cars are sluggish and don't give any power but can't speak for sure, that depends on whose driving. Manual shifting is fun though;)
In my experience in a couple Toyotas with automatics and sport modes, I find that the sport mode shifts (and more importantly downshifts) much more like when I would if I was driving a manual.
If I or my wife turned off the sport mode, I would start wondering what was wrong with the car until I checked the switch, and these were pretty strong V and straight 6s.
