Yea I have the same car and get the exaggerated holding of gears at high RPM. I just stick to the paddle shifters, even though they can be slow to shift sometimes.

 

RKSTRAT, your Sport mode is working exactly as expected. If you give it some gas and then suddenly release the pedal, it will hold the gear you're in. It's actually pretty good for back-road driving.

 

In everyday driving, I can get the downshift even in the ECO mode when slowing or breaking is sensed.
One in ten times during highway ramp acceleration in the SPORT mode I get the hung-up downshift.
So, you need to be conscious of not releasing the throttle for a even a second on the on-ramp?
Or is it better to use the NORMAL mode for merging onto the expressway?
I think of the SPORT mode in terms of the more responsive throttle, but. as you said in the twisties the down shift holds to slow down.
But on the highway the downshift is also helpful for passing/accelerating.......if you can get it to upshift again.
I have used the paddles, but I'm not good at it.
Sorry for the basic questions.

 

So, from what I can tell, it holds gears depending on three things, mainly:

• The rate at which you pressed the gas pedal down. i.e., stomping it down to the floor will always make it hold gears.
• The rate at which you released the gas pedal. i.e., if you pull your foot off quickly, it will hold the gear.
• How far you press the brake pedal. If you go past about halfway it'll downshift.

This is just based on my experience with my IS 300 AWD.

For me, most of the time when I am merging, even if it goes to redline, it won't hold gears. Probably because I gradually let off the gas.

 

 

Good to know! Thanks!

 

The ECU won't do anything that would cause damage to the engine or transmission, so maybe you would adjust for a driving smoothness reason, but the car will not harm itself.