How often are you in S/S+ mode?
10-13-13, 06:07 PM
#31
I only switch to S+ mode when I go on a highway with no traffic; otherwise, eco most of the time. I just love the fast throttle response and the high-rpm engine noise in S+ mode.
10-13-13, 06:14 PM
#32
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: BC
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I love the S+ mode and I totally ignored S mode because there is no reason to have it on S mode if you have S+. I would love to drive the car in S+ mode 24/7, but the feeling of having to turn the drive mode select every time I turn on the car stops me from putting it on S+ mode all the time. Although 100% of the times I drive with S+ on freeways. I just love how responsive the car is. There is no point of trying to save gas on a car like this nonetheless putting it on Eco mode. Also somehow on S+ mode I don't seem to be able to rev as high as on my previous IS250 in S mode. The average rev I normally sees it at around 3-4k. I think I went from 0-60 in 5.5 seconds in S+. Not faster than the 335i nor the M3, but I have the temptation of racing one on the freeway LOL
I can't wait to get my IS350 RWD F-Sport.
10-14-13, 08:34 AM
#33
I love the S+ mode and I totally ignored S mode because there is no reason to have it on S mode if you have S+. I would love to drive the car in S+ mode 24/7, but the feeling of having to turn the drive mode select every time I turn on the car stops me from putting it on S+ mode all the time. Although 100% of the times I drive with S+ on freeways. I just love how responsive the car is. There is no point of trying to save gas on a car like this nonetheless putting it on Eco mode. Also somehow on S+ mode I don't seem to be able to rev as high as on my previous IS250 in S mode. The average rev I normally sees it at around 3-4k. I think I went from 0-60 in 5.5 seconds in S+. Not faster than the 335i nor the M3, but I have the temptation of racing one on the freeway LOL
10-14-13, 09:59 AM
#34
I'll never use S mode, mainly because there are no real benefits to it, in my opinion. Sure, the shifting is "better", but once I want to go into a "fun" driving style, I'm going to shift myself with the flappypaddles.
So when I commute, I leave it in normal or sometimes eco mode, since it's mostly stop and go traffic. When driving around doing errands with the wife, normal mode.
When I'm driving to/from hockey at night on more empty roads, once or twice a week, I'll put in in S+, but I shift myself. I don't really need it hanging out at 3k RPMs while cruising on the highway.
So when I commute, I leave it in normal or sometimes eco mode, since it's mostly stop and go traffic. When driving around doing errands with the wife, normal mode.
When I'm driving to/from hockey at night on more empty roads, once or twice a week, I'll put in in S+, but I shift myself. I don't really need it hanging out at 3k RPMs while cruising on the highway.
10-15-13, 07:54 AM
#35
There seems to be some confusion in this thread about what modes and options are available on what models. The correct information has been posted by others in this thread, so I thought I'd consolidate it into one post. Pretty sure this is all correct, based on what I've read and experienced on my own.
Models
Drive Modes:
Models
- IS 350 F-Sport RWD
- Optional VGRS - Variable Gear Ratio Steering with power tilt & telescoping steering wheel
- Adaptive Variable Suspension
- Modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport+
- IS 350 F-Sport AWD
- Adaptive Variable Suspension
- Modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, Sport+
- IS 250 F-Sport RWD
- Modes: Eco, Normal, Sport
- IS 250 F-Sport AWD
- Modes: Eco, Normal, Sport
Drive Modes:
- Eco
- Engine
- Reduces overall output
- Reduces throttle sensitivity
- Reduces output of AC system
- Steering
- Unaffected
- Suspension
- Unaffected
- Transmission
- Shifts earlier than normal. Allows automatic shifting into 8th gear on IS 350 F-Sport RWD vehicles.
- Engine
- Normal
- Engine
- Unaffected
- Steering
- Unaffected
- Suspension
- Unaffected
- Transmission
- Shift points unaffected
- Will not shift into 8th gear automatically on IS 350 F-Sport RWD models
- Engine
- Sport
- Engine
- Increases throttle sensitivity
- Steering
- Tightens steering ratio
- Suspension
- Unaffected
- Transmission
- Holds gears longer in automatic mode
- Shifts occur faster in automatic or manual modes
- Will not shift into 8th gear automatically on IS 350 F-Sport RWD models
- Engine
- Sport+
- Engine
- Increases throttle sensitivity
- Steering
- Tightens steering ratio further than Sport mode
- Suspension
- Stiffens to significantly reduce body roll
- Transmission
- Holds gears longer in automatic mode
- Locks torque converter on downshifts in automatic or manual modes
- Shifts occur faster in automatic or manual modes
- Will not shift into 8th gear automatically on IS 350 F-Sport RWD models
- Engine
10-16-13, 05:43 AM
#37
Torque converters connect the engine to the transmission and allow them to operate at different speeds as needed. You can think of it as a coupling with two sides - one for the engine and one for the transmission - that spin independently of eachother.
When both halves are spinning at different speeds your engine and transmission are also moving at different speeds. Let's say you've come to a stop - the engine is still spinning and its half of the torque converter is spinning at whatever speed the engine is, but the other half of the torque converter is spinning at a much lower speed and therefore not transferring all of the engine's power to the transmission. So if your engine is producing 80lb/ft of torque at 800RPM, the torque converter may only be transferring 15lb/ft of torque to the transmission, which is why you can just hold the brake pedal and remain stopped.
When both halves are spinning at the same speed it essentially acts as a solid coupling from the engine to the transmission, resulting in the maximum amount of power being transferred from the engine to the transmission. This is beneficial when you want to get moving quickly. So, downshifting into a locked torque converter is good when you're going around the twisties since you have more power available to you immediately.
I hope that was more or less clear, I'm not always the best at explaining things.
When both halves are spinning at different speeds your engine and transmission are also moving at different speeds. Let's say you've come to a stop - the engine is still spinning and its half of the torque converter is spinning at whatever speed the engine is, but the other half of the torque converter is spinning at a much lower speed and therefore not transferring all of the engine's power to the transmission. So if your engine is producing 80lb/ft of torque at 800RPM, the torque converter may only be transferring 15lb/ft of torque to the transmission, which is why you can just hold the brake pedal and remain stopped.
When both halves are spinning at the same speed it essentially acts as a solid coupling from the engine to the transmission, resulting in the maximum amount of power being transferred from the engine to the transmission. This is beneficial when you want to get moving quickly. So, downshifting into a locked torque converter is good when you're going around the twisties since you have more power available to you immediately.
I hope that was more or less clear, I'm not always the best at explaining things.
10-16-13, 07:33 AM
#38
Lexus Champion
Torque converters connect the engine to the transmission and allow them to operate at different speeds as needed. You can think of it as a coupling with two sides - one for the engine and one for the transmission - that spin independently of eachother. When both halves are spinning at different speeds your engine and transmission are also moving at different speeds. Let's say you've come to a stop - the engine is still spinning and its half of the torque converter is spinning at whatever speed the engine is, but the other half of the torque converter is spinning at a much lower speed and therefore not transferring all of the engine's power to the transmission. So if your engine is producing 80lb/ft of torque at 800RPM, the torque converter may only be transferring 15lb/ft of torque to the transmission, which is why you can just hold the brake pedal and remain stopped. When both halves are spinning at the same speed it essentially acts as a solid coupling from the engine to the transmission, resulting in the maximum amount of power being transferred from the engine to the transmission. This is beneficial when you want to get moving quickly. So, downshifting into a locked torque converter is good when you're going around the twisties since you have more power available to you immediately. I hope that was more or less clear, I'm not always the best at explaining things.
10-16-13, 08:17 AM
#39
Maybe a more interesting question is, does anyone drive around in Normal mode? Since the car defaults to Eco, you have to intentionally want normal mode and not want S or S+. Seems like they just wanted to have an extra mode.
10-16-13, 08:18 AM
#40
My car does not default to ECO, it defaults to normal. If I put it in ECO mode, it will remember that and default to ECO the next time I start the car. It doesn't do this for Sport or Sport+, though. Would it be possible for the dealership to program it to remember that?
10-16-13, 09:26 AM
#41
Car only defaults to Eco if it was in Eco when you shut it off. I mostly drive around in normal mode.
10-16-13, 09:42 AM
#42
Lexus Champion
My car does not default to ECO, it defaults to normal. If I put it in ECO mode, it will remember that and default to ECO the next time I start the car. It doesn't do this for Sport or Sport+, though. Would it be possible for the dealership to program it to remember that?
10-16-13, 10:08 AM
#43
10-16-13, 10:16 AM
#44
I drive in ECO mode most of the time. When I drive nice I can average 19-21 MPG on a tank (IS350 f-sport AWD). Sometimes i'll drive a whole tank on sport + just to have some fun (usually around weekends). MPG there has varied between 15 up to 19 MPGs depending how hard and how many times I get on the gas. I do love the feel of Sport+ though, that quick snap reaction on the pedal.
