Hey guys, I got a 2017 IS Turbo F Sport a few weeks ago and I just now realized you can push the gas pedal down even more when you're "flooring" it. With some added pressure it can be pressed down another inch or so to get better power. This is normal right? Nobody told me this at any point during my visit to the dealership. If it is normal, is this normal for most new cars nowadays?

 

It is normal. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but pushing that "button" forces the car to downshift to the lowest possible gear given the speed of the vehicle.

 

Many automatic cars have a point in the pedal travel where the car is forced to downshift. Usually accompanied by a click. So yeah, go past that point and it will downshift. If you want smoother driving, don't click it. The turbo helps this a lot by giving you good torque.

 

All cars downshift more aggressively the closer the pedal is to the metal. Sounds like normal operation.

IMO, you are not "flooring" the car until the pedal is 100% all the way down.

 

Believe these are usually referred to as a transmission or throttle kickdown switch. I've never really been able to figure out which cars have them. My IS350, which was not an F Sport did not have it. My current GS, which is an F Sport, doesn't either. I think all F Sport ISs have it but I'm not sure. We discussed this one here a couple years ago.

 

Hmm, my IS 300 doesn't seem to have it, but I could be not mashing the throttle hard enough. Maybe I'll try that after work today. (I have done 0-60 testing, etc. and have not ever noticed it, if it is there.)

 

My 16 200t does that exact thing. You can floor it with what I'd call normal pressure and it will stop, but if you lean into it just a bit more you get that extra bit of travel and the car does act differently. It's just a matter of getting used to it.