I've always used the S position on the shifter to slow down on long mountain descents but not at other times. It never occurred to me to use it in ordinary driving situations. For example, my house is at the bottom of a half mile slope - it's fairly gentle but it does require regular braking. Is it worth putting in S to save the brakes or is the benefit so minor that I needn't bother? Coming from the other direction is a much shorter, steeper slope.The same drop but in probably 150 yards rather than 1,000.

Thanks

 

While I have used a lower gear when on a steep decline, and wondered the same, brakes are cheaper than transmission.

 

Are you driving an Es300h or an ES350 with the V6?

 

I have a 2018 ES300H

I also have an ICE 2013 RX350

 

With the hybrid the electric components do most of the braking on the car which is why the regular brakes last so long on them. Had mine checked at 80k miles and they were like new.

But I asked about the hybrid because in S mode it’s really weird having a cvt. Definitely not the same experience as with the V6.

 

I find myself wanting to do that all the time but I also find myself with it automatically helping with the breaking down hill it’s not like my old ES 350 where I would do that but at the same time I think that’s why I lost my transmission at 200,000 miles.

but I dint want to screw this up
I dint really even understand why the ES even has o many speeds on it for the hybrid it’s a nice smooth sedan not a GS sport car lol

I personally would have been fine with it being like the CT that only has one gear