I have owned my RX premium + (ICE) for about a year, and only used advanced parking five times and paddle shifting twice. I found these features not particularly useful in everyday driving or parking. Do you have a different experience?

 

Advanced Park is too slow. When we were shopping, the dealer even apologized for how long it took to use. In the 2+ years we have owned our '23, I've used it twice.


Our other automatic-trans car has paddle shifters same as the RX. I am fully comfortable with using the paddles, 'specially for engine braking when I just want to slow downhill, and don't want to ride the brakes.

 

As someone who knows little about cars, can you please explain step by step, how you use the paddles when going downhill?

 

Paddle shifters on a CVT. <sigh> I've used mine ONCE.

 

Paddle shifters – only on steep, winding mountain roads uphill, or freeway on-ramps (and only for fun) – the automatic shifts perfectly on its own. Parking assist tested 6 times (too slow, and once the RX tried to drive into a steel barrier, sideways at 1.2 m height) – not safe enough. On downhill drives, paddle shifters can’t be used for light braking anymore – no more engine braking from the automatic. So these two functions exist, but I only use them for fun. (If I didn’t have them, I’d definitely want them, aniway :-)

 

I also downshift for increased engine braking, but never more than 2 steps (they're not gears) because it increases engine revs more than I like. One nice thing is that it returns to D by itself.

 

Both are gimmicks. Self-parking is slower than a bone disease. I don't use those features.

Before EVs hit the seen, paddle shifters made the most sense for cars with SMG/DSG transmissions. Then at some point marketing got involved and stuck them everywhere they could to convince buyers their SUV was a sports car. LOL

 

I don't use the paddle shifters at all as it's CVT. However I do play around with the Self Park sometimes. You can speed it up in the settings to make it fast enough. I also have the Remote Park which I have also had fun with while standing outside the car parking it while at Costco and people are watching.

 

The non-hybrid version has an 8 speed auto which is what I assume the OP has by mentioning it was ICE, but paddle response is painfully slow. Response was only slightly better on my GS that had an eight speed auto. Maybe the true F models have better programming.

My wife thought they were volume controls and probably would be more useful as that to most RX drivers.

As mentioned in a previous post, they seem to be sticking them on everything where they really shouldn't be. I think the factory kickdown programming is just fine without having to preemptively enter a gear before engaging into a maneuver.

On a dual clutch transmission or a very well tuned auto, they are really awesome, even on an SUV. I use them about 50% of the time on my Macan which has a lightning quick dual-clutch (PDK). Most of the time it's to shift early since the RPMs like to run above the peak powerband of the engine. I've tried to do that a couple times with the RX but it's just so slow to react that it's not even worth it.

 

"You can speed up self parking to make it faster though." Really? I have to look this up in the manual. If Sonny3621 has the link to this, kindly post!

"My wife thought the paddle shifters were volume controls and probably would be more useful as that to most RX drivers." LOL!!

 

Press the Park Assist button to get into that mode. Then press the gear icon at bottom left to get into Settings. Then press Advanced Park and then Speed Profile and change it to Fast. The Default is Standard.

 

Thanks Sonny for your prompt response. I will try it out next time!

 

Oh, and paddle shift: always tap about 3 seconds in advance — it takes around 3 seconds to decide if it really, really, really wants to shift. So no sporty shifting possible. As said, the automatic shifts best on its own.