I'm still doing research on the RDX and I’m a little confused about “sport” mode.

I was under the impression that shifting into “S” was for “sequential” mode, used for manual shifting using the paddles, but the owner’s manual also indicates there is something called “sport mode”. It describes the “S” being used for:

● Automatically changing gears between 1st and 5th (5th gear is used only at high speed)
● Driving in the sequential mode

I know I'm missing something. How can shifting into “S” do both?

Does anyone use the "sport" and/or "sequential" modes?

Thanks - off for my second test drive tomorrow.

 

what if; sport mode is sequential mode?

 

Well, the way I'm reading it, 'sport mode' shifts automatically, 'sequential mode' awaits a paddle shift.

When you move the lever to "S", do the gears change automatically or not?

The only presumption I can make is that when "S" is first selected, perhaps it's in "sport" mode and will shift automatically until you flap a paddle. Then you go into "sequential" mode. Is that how it works?

 

^i dont have an RDX, but it seems as if you're over complicating things.
on all modern cars, the ECU will not let you harm anything.
so, it could be true that sport mode and sequential mode is one in the same. tapping a lever to change gears, but also shifting by itself in order not to harm itself.



lets wait till an RDX owner chimes in.

 

When the RDX is in "S" mode, if you don't use the paddle shifters, it will perform like an automatic, using 1st-5th with more aggressive shift points. If you shift using the paddles, it will stay in the gear you put it in and you will have to change the gears (with the car going into 1st when you stop and from 1st to 2nd automatically)

 

Yes that is it. Shift to sport mode will change gears automatically. It has higher rev more aggressive shift points. Also usefull in slow speed traffic as the higher shift points keep it from hunting for a gear as you vary speed. Once you use the paddles it will go to manual sequential shift until you take it out of sport mode but it will not allow over revving or lugging so in certain situations it will still take control.

 

Thanks.

 

its one in the same..

 

I agree with GRDX. Sport mode activates when the car is in "S" mode. Sequential mode activates when the car is in "S" mode and the driver uses the paddle to shift. When the car is in the sequential mode, it will automatically shift from 1 to 2 if the driver does not flap the "+' paddle in time. Once in 2, the car will wait for the driver to shift to 3,4,5, and 6. The RPM will go to the red zone if the driver does not shift accordingly when in 2,3,4,5, and 6. When slowing down, the driver has the option to manually shift down if he wants to use some engine breaking but if the driver does not do so at a certain speed, the car will automatically shift down. In general, the driver has a little bit of control of the gears when in sequential mode.

 

I've found the lag time to be so great that I've only used the paddle shifters 3=4 times in a year. The Volvo shifter and shifting experience make much more sense to me and I occasionally 'row through the gears' in the C70, but don't bother in the RDX.

 

Just to be complete, you can also use the paddle shifters in "D" mode. This would be for say, down shifting. Once the the speed "equalizes", you pop back into Drive.

 

Agree, I only use it when climbing on mountain roads, lol.

 

The issue I have with the 2013 RDX is the manual shifting is a joke. If you start off in 1 in Manual mode the car upshifts to 2 by itself FAR before you even come close to red line. My old EX35 was better in manual shift mode.

 

The paddle and manual shifting stinks on most cars. Infiniti's on my old EX35 where you used shifter, tilted it to left was actually much less lag time than my RDX. Still some lag.

I had a shift kit put in my 2005 GTO, nice quick fast hard firm shifts and you can burn rubber as you shift gears, thanks to the modified V8.

 

If you want fast paddle shifts you need a dual clutch sequential gear box. They'll shift in tens of milliseconds, almost before you realize you've pressed the paddle. A conventional automatic just can't shift that fast, at least not within the price range of the RDX. IMO, the paddle shifters on the RDX are really kind of silly...having the lower gears on the shift lever would be just as good.

 

Agreed... The paddle shifters are one more thing to differentiate the RDX from the CRV...

 

One question I have is: when in S mode and you use the paddle shifters, is there any way to go back to shifting automatically, without have to go back to D?

 

Used the paddle shifters this weekend, and I know people said they're useless here, but I had no idea how bad it was. Trying to go and shift manually, RPMs kept climbing and went up another 500-1000 rpm before it actually shifted. I've used manual shifting in a few automatic cars now, and the RPMs did keep going up after I wanted to shift, but usually only a couple hundred and it started to shift right away. Acura's system seems to wait a couple seconds before even trying to shift. It is useful when coasting though to use the engine to brake and maintain speed, but otherwise, they seem like a total gimmick.

 

"Imnuts": If you want more precise shifting, then spend the money for a Porsche/Audi/VW vehicle with PDK dual clutch gearbox. They will give you a quick, precise shift, but the initial cost is more, and required fluid changes are expensive at the dealer. In reality, the number of people that play with the shift paddles are as small as the number of people that go "off-road" in their SUV's. This is not a Mercedes ML63, or a BMW "M" X-5.

 

Yeah, I know that the dual-clutch setups are going to be the best, but this manual shifting system is useless in it's current setup outside of downshifting when coasting down a hill. I've driving a Mazda, VW, BMW, and Audi using the manual shifting on an auto trans, and none of them were this slow with the up shifts. The Mazda was probably the worst, and only in the low gears (1-2 and 2-3 up shifts), after that, it was fine.

I doubt I'd ever use it on a day-to-day basis unless it was snowing or icy. The only thing is, why not just offer another way to shift manually if you aren't going to do a good job with the paddle shifters? IMO, the paddle shifters would make it more sporty and one would think it should be great when it is quite the opposite. If it was manual shifting through the shift lever on the console, I'd be more forgiving.

 

I guess you have to be hookin' 'em to use S mode. My RDX won't shift out of 3rd in normal driving. So it's not any good blasting around town ... you apparently have to get over 45 or 50 to get out of 3rd!