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Sport Mode and Paddle Shifters

50K views 31 replies 28 participants last post by  accordguy_2016 
#1 ·
There has been a lot of discussion on this board concerning the Econ mode and gas mileage. How many of you, with automatic transmissions, drive the car in the Sport Mode? How does that affect your gas milage? And, how many are using the paddle shift function and in which situations do you use them? Do you consider the paddle shift levers just a toy?
 
#2 ·
It really depends on the person... I've read quite a few posts where people baby their car and never rev the engine past the 3,000RPM mark and then there are the videos of people activating vtec hitting 5-6k.

I myself use Sports mode quite often because I like to hear my engine growl for a little longer than when my auto tranny does it for me.

I have found that on average, I get about 25MPG on average when I use shifters, and about 30 on automatic (city/highway driving combined)
 
#3 ·
Of course you can use the paddle shifters WITHOUT the Sport mode.

I posted my experiment earlier but during that experiment I didn't leave it in Sport mode but just during acceleration. When I reached cruising speed I'd pop it back in Drive.
 
#4 ·
U don't need to be in S to hit the paddles just hit the down shift paddle at stop light n be prepared after that.l

I love my mpgs so I keep it in auto econ mode
 
#5 ·
I typically shift to sport mode when trying to merge into the highway, the car is always set to drive with no econ unless in that situation. As far as using the paddle shifters, I downshift when going up hills/inclines or when trying to get around or pass a stubborn driver on the highway - the ones that insist on staying in the left lane and speed up when you try to get around them.
 
#7 ·
You can either treat your car like a baby and never take it out or treat it like a bitch and drive it like their's no tomorrow. That's what I always tell people and I drive my car like a bitch because I would rather have fun and enjoy my Honda then keep it in the garage 24/7. Be a rebel and throw it into sport :)
 
#8 ·
I use S mode quite often and only use ECO while in long distance cruise. I'm getting 22-23mpgs lately.

As far as the paddles - they're nice when coming out of a turn and the car doesn't wanna downshift and you don't wanna have to mash the gas to make it. It's not a stick, but it's close to the next best thing. They're really good for downshifting but for upshifting the S mode shift points are pretty nice by themselves.
 
#11 ·
D to S and the opposite on the fly is fine. The computer will look after the shifting in relation to the position.
 
#14 ·
I would not have bought an automatic if it did not have paddle shifters. I would have held out for a manual. I feel that the auto with paddle shifters is goo compromise between the best of both worlds. Granted, I have the V6 Coupe, so I have a real auto transmission instead of a CVT. I use sport mode and paddle shifters very often. It works great while having fun on the twisty bits of road. The added control over what gear you want to be in is great. On ramps, off ramps, you name it, I've used sport mode and paddle shift there. I really like being able to use engine braking in traffic congestion too, or while exiting freeways. I played with Econ mode at first, but I never use it anymore, and gas mileage is not something in concerned with. It may not be perfect (most notably the small delay in upshifts and non rev-matching downshifts), but it's also nice to just be able to jump on the freeway in auto and just have a nice leisurely drive to work. Like I said, best of both worlds.
 
#16 ·
No, the delay isn't much, a split second or so, but it is noticable. If you wait until redline to shift, you will bounce it off the rev limiter. Just compensate by shifting a few hundred RPM before you really want to shift and it's OK. I didn't compare the CVT, as my previous Accord was an I4, I had made the decision a long time ago that my next Accord would be a V6.
 
#17 ·
I wish you can down-shift into first with the paddles in the V6 :(
 
#18 ·
I have a 2016 Sport, but haven't used the paddle shifters much except to play around with it. Doesn't seem to practical for me to use all the time. Sometimes I wish I would have gotten a 6 speed manual to have some real fun. I have used the paddle shifter to downshift while going down a long steep incline to keep from riding the brakes too much downhill when driving through the Blue Ridge Parkway!!! :) Car does handle nice with those 19's...
 
#25 ·
You're in my neck of the woods - Bristol, VA here. If you live around here, you may find the paddle shifters useful. When doing any mountain climbing in D, the transmission is pretty quick to downshift to 5th or 4th gear and then it gets hung. The engine has plenty enough power to pull the car along in a higher gear, but for whatever reason, it won't upshift. There have been many times on long mountain passes (such as between Salem and Blacksburg climbing Cburg mountain), that I put it in S, force it into 6th gear and it has absolutely no problem whatsoever pulling you up the road. The opposite is true also - descending, it is very handy to have for engine braking. Otherwise, there is a lot of gear hunting involved and just unnecessary wear and tear on the transmission. In D, it is guaranteed to shift to 5th gear and hang there or bounce back and forth between 5th and 6th. I actually use it frequently on I-81 with the constant up and down. Cruise control causes a lot of unneeded 6-5-6 shifts, so I frequently lock it into 6th gear and set cruise if traffic allows and it never has a problem pulling the hills in 6th - again, just saves wear and tear.

Otherwise, I use it in stop and go driving to again, prevent unnecessary shifting. This thing is really quick to shift 1-2-3-4 and usually I can avoid a 2-3, 3-4, 4-3 and 3-2 shift. In theory, it should be saving some wear and tear on the transmission.

And I hear the 6MT revs at about 3000rpm at 75/80 mph versus the 6AT loafing along at 2100/2200 rpm. The 6MT gearing would have drove me NUTS!
 
#20 ·
I don't use sport mode much unless I am trying to avoid slow moving traffic downtown.


I use the paddle shifters quite often to downshift the car for engine braking. They're far more responsive than previous manually shifted automatic cars I've driven. During my morning commute I can usually slow the car down from 80mph to 30 or so when I get to my exit for the office without touching the brake pedal. This was the only thing I really appreciated about driving my old 6mt Accord, so the paddle shifters do a great job of simulating the gear ratios.

I don't see any benefit in using them while accelerating as the CVT will just leave the car near redline when I have my foot in the accelerator.

But I have been surprised at how fast the car "downshifts" when I hit the paddle, and it's effective at holding the "gear" when slowing down.
 
#24 ·
I think the paddles are great. I only put it in S when I need to take off quickly or when entering a highway.

I used the paddles on a daily basis when I traffic slows down wether it be on the highway or on a normal road. I find them very useful instead of hitting the brakes all the time. What's awesome in that in D itll go straight back to auto however in S one you hit the paddles it stays in Manual. I wish there was a way to revert back to auto in S without having to throw it in D and back into S.
 
#30 ·
Agreed 100%.


The paddles are great for controlling speed in traffic instead of riding the brakes.

I know they may not be as fast as DCT paddles, but I'm honestly surprised at how fast and crisply they do seem to "downshift" the car. Faster than I ever did with my clutch in my 2013 Sport :)

I always thought manually shifting an automatic transmission was pointless because it was slow and ineffective. The CVT is much better with the paddles than a traditional geared automatic.
 
#28 ·
im 50/50 witrh the paddle shifters. Im old school and love driving a manual but since the honda dealer where i live normally never has manual vehicles for sale i ended up with the v6 auto. I normally use the paddle shifters if i need to overtake someone on the highway or if im going to race someone. being that im in a v6, with paddle shifters i dont ever reach 20mpg, normally im at 17-18mpg. When im not using the Sport mode, i normally get around 20-22mpg. I only use the ECON when i travel out of town as i actually get more mgs that way than having it turned on while i drive in the city. City driving with the ECON on fetches me 18-19mpg.
 
#32 ·
well my answer to that is, driving on sports mode explains itself, when im on the highway i used sports mode to have at least the feeling of driving a real sports car and when it comes to fuel economy even though my ECON button is on all the time, consumption is not really economic because when i step on the gas it uses gas like sipping a can of soda. to some drivers those paddle shifters on our accords may look like toy but to some like me they are at least the closes way i feel like driving an stick shift car (which i am used to) minus the clucth pedal.
 
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