I've been driving around and have playing around with the IDS mode. More specifically, between Normal & Sport. I haven't played with Sport + yet, because i'm waiting untill she's broken in, but i was just curious.....what do you guys or gals prefer as your IDS mode in everyday driving?

 

odd reason not to go into sport+ lol

if you're already in sport mode, what wont sport+ do that sport mode doesnt...


i'm gonna guess that most drive in sport mode.

 

Though I have had my car only 3 days, I set mine to default in Normal, for now. Will try out Sport as default next week.

 

Almost all of the time I use Sports mode. It's more responsive and peppy. If I am stuck in bumper-to-bumper stop-and-go traffic I try to remember to switch to Econo since I don't need the pep and may save gas.

Never used the Sports + mode. I just like slapping it in Drive and getting on with it. Most people say I am missing out on all the fun.

I don't use the preferred setting. I leave IDS in whatever I used last.

I still get excellent gas mileage in Sports mode so why use something less fun than Sport?

 

I keep mine in Sport mode...that is what I have my default setting set as. I prefer the response feel over Normal. (I havnt tried Econ or Sport Plus).

I was gonna post this topic as well. I'm curious to know what mode is best suited for driving in the snow. I would've guessed Econ or Normal, however when I checked the manual it suggested Sport mode (no indication of weather) to recieve better Sh-Awd performance.

 

For winter and wet road driving I use ECON mode, and NORMAL for the rest., with occasional use of Sport or Sport+.

 

I use Sport most the time. I don't think there is any economy gain in norm or econ the way I drive (econ modes are awful in all Honduras - except for maybe improving winter driving characteristics - not that they are designed for that). Very occasionally it'll hold a gear longer than necessary in Sport - but more often will lug too long in a high gear, and I know norm and econ would do this more - why I avoid them. By auto standards it works really nicely in sport, is very quick to change down. I use the paddle shifters a lot, mostly for more engine braking on my hilly commute. I drove a 335Xi last week - an 08 - man its steering feels heavy compared to today's over-assisted norm.

 

Econ/Normal. I use econ in most stop -n- go driving. Otherwise Normal mode is my go-to mode. Sport+ a few times but my daily driving doesn't offer much opportunity for fun so Sport/Sport+ is mostly wasted on me.

 

Sport mode for me. I prefer its steering weight, and acceleration characteristics.

Sport + is too herky jerky with the rev matched downshifts when stopping for a light, or toll. It seems like it more setup for highway use which is also probably when you would want to use it the least, so it just seems out of place to me. Ditch, or optionally remove the multiple rev matched downshifts, and I would probably use it more because I like how it responds to downshifts the best.

Eco is so sluggish that i only use it in traffic which is when the lighter steering feel, and acceleration matter the least. Sometimes I use normal instead.

 

Sport mode is set as Preferred. Econ and normal don't have the handling feel I like. Haven't even tried Sport+ yet, I will get around to that one of these days... ;-)

 

I don't like the way the car handles in Econ, it feels a little sluggish.

Normal is fine, but Sport is even better. Since there's not much savings in gas between those two (I drive mostly on highways), I set the default to Sport. I'm averaging close to 40mpg.

 

I usually stick with Normal or Econ for day-to-day driving to work and back. I've tried a few tanks in Sport, but rarely get to really exercise the car using it unless I'm pedal-mashing from a stop light, and the older I get, the less I have the urge to do that. lol. Driving in Normal or Econ in this vehicle is changing the way I drive.

 

sport mode

 

Mostly sport mode. I like the throttle response better. In snow I use normal. Less response and less wheel spin which is better in snow and cold wet pavement. We just had a big dump of snow last Thursday and my TLX 4 cyl drove excellent in the snow with Dunlop snow tires.

 

Sport mode for driving around town is definitely the way to go. Do I lose a little MPG? Yeah, but it makes the commute more enjoyable.

 

Just broke 300miles today, so I've stayed away from Sport/+ so far. Split time between Econ and Normal. While my 2014 Accord was very drivable in Econ, the TLX is a dog in ECON mode. It really saps any life out of the car. It's fine when its snowy/wet, or the engine is still warming up.

By the time Spring comes, I suspect I with be 50/50 Normal/Sport.

 

Econ is supposed to be best on long trips at cruising speeds.

 

Supposedly.

On the way back from a 400 mile trip I put the TLX in Econo but forgot to behave myself when I drove back. I didn't drive the recommended speed limit. Maybe some day I will grow up and try Econo again for a real test of what it can do.

Car still got good gas mileage, but due to my driving I set no records on MPG.

 

Plain old normal mode for me...I really need to start futzing with these more, hehe.

 

Normal for now. I wanted to try out the different modes a week at a time. Sport mode next.

 

I'm not so sure about that - I don't think Econ lowers the RPM's when cruising at highway speed - although it will diminish the AC a bit. I think econ helps the most in stop -n- go driving - by retarding the gas pedal response you start slower and smoother (which also feels like you're driving underwater) and save a smidgen on gas. At constant highway speeds I don't think it really does much at all.

 

Econ when I'm riding with my wife. Normal/Sport when I'm out on my own or if the weather conditions begin to get rough. I find Sport+ to be almost "too much" for me but I think that's probably because I feel I should controlling the gears manually at such high revs. It'll be my homework come summer

 

ECON is also designed to make cruise control more efficient in hilly conditions - letting the speed drop when going up hills rather than the gear changing down....another thing I would find annoying - though I don't use cruise much - its true its better to let speed drop going up hill and build up free extra speed on the way down, but I'd never use cruise in these conditions anyway. Its just something to put on now and again to move your legs about...keep the RLS at bay.

 

Sport mode except for long highway runs, for just droning along.

I had a TSX before this so Sport is as close as it gets to the fun I had with that car. I don't miss the harsh ride of the TSX, though.

 

The TLX's ride is vastly better than the TSX.

 

I have tried all modes, and here are some suggestions.

First, you won't see any difference in the mpg when cruising on a highway at a constant speed, as the transmission is going to be in the highest gear no matter what. If you are riding on an even surface at 65 mph, you will get about 43-46 mpg in any mode.

Now my opinion on individual IDS modes:

"Economy": I would strongly advise against driving in this mode. Even if it provides some fuel economy gain compared to say "Normal"/"Sport", it is minute. On the downside, I feel that this mode is plain dangerous because the lack of acceleration makes your lane changes quite precarious. This is especially true for stop and go traffic (which many here suggest this mode is designed for) when you try to pull out of a slow lane into the faster lane in front of approaching traffic. Plus, driving in this mode makes you feel like you are in a Prius.

"Normal": Overall ok but after a while it get boring. Again, if there is any fuel economy gain compared to "Sport", it is not significant.

"Sport": I feel that overall this is the most versatile and enjoyable. It gives you good mpg on a freeway (at least the way I drive) and at the same time nice power that makes the car fun to drive. In the city, you can make it behave like "Normal"/"Economy" (if that's what you gravitate towards) if you are gentle with the gas pedal. So I set it as my default mode. Some people commented here that "Sport" mode is not great in heavy traffic. I see no problem here either. Again, be gentle with the gas pedal, that's all.

"Sport+": Well, this is actually becoming my #2 driving mode. At first, I stayed away from it because I did't really understand what it was. But now that I do, I find more and more uses for it. So, there are two important things to keep in mind about the IDS mode: (a) it will not change gears on its own until the tachometer either hits the redline or drops <1000 rpm; and (b) once you set a particular gear with the steering wheel levers, it will persist indefinitely until the first condition is violated. So, given this insight, I found the following uses for "Sport+" so far:
1) Learning how to drive the car in a "manual" mode (useful for me because I only drove automatics up to now).
2) Driving in stop-and-go traffic if you want to eliminate potential transmission jerkiness and make your ride very smooth. What you do is you set the gear manually in "2", and it will stay in it even through stops (unless you brake hard).
3) Getting the highest fuel economy on the freeway. You set the gear in "8" and keep going. This prevents occasional downshifts on small hills.
4) Just for the fun of it... If you are at a stop sign in front of a steep hill, just switch to "Sport+" and floor the gas pedal. Enjoy the ride, but don't forget to eventually switch to the manual gear control when you get to the top...

Enjoy driving, everybody!

 

What's IDS? Idiot Driver Support? LOL

 

This would imply that driving ANY economy small engine car is "plain dangerous", and they make up more than 50% of the cars on the road. In my experience, the TLX in Econ mode will outperform any of these cars in standing starts or overtaking.

 

vgr926, when you quote mileage, I assume that's in Imperial gallons? My highest was 40.2 US mpg with 38 - 39 normal on long runs (as shown on the dash; 37 - 38 when dividing miles traveled by gallons used).

On Sport+, I forget what I'm doing and forget to shift. There are many reasons why manuals are on the way out, but there's nothing quite like that 3rd pedal and that big stick to keep the driver engaged. Big mental difference for me.

 

There is a thread called "Hypermiling in TLX" where I discuss some numbers. Typically I get around 41 mpg @70 mph, 46 mpg @65 mph, and 50 mpg @60 mph. It all depends on the speed and how gentle you are with the gas pedal. Maybe the warmer weather here in LA helps too.

 

Is that all down-hill driving?

I live in South Florida where there are no mountains and barely hills. I made it to 38.8 mpg when I was carefully driving but never made it into the 40s. I guess my right foot is too heavy.

 

This is purely highway mpg, with cruise control on. Small hills don't make much difference: whatever you lose going up, you will make up going down. Ideally, you want to measure fuel consumption between 2 points with the same elevation, or at least average A->B and B->A trips.

In my 80-mile daily commute, which is 90% hwy but includes areas with heavy traffic and steep hills, I usually average about 37 mpg roundtrip.

 

Well, not all small-engine cars are slow. But I do believe that slow cars are dangerous, especially when driving in traffic on a freeway. The main reason for having a strong engine is safety, although quick 0-60 time is fun too.

 

Yeah, we have tried to "hypermile" a few times, but after the 30th 18-wheeler blew on by, we said, "Screw it!" and decided to drive normally.

The earliest effort at hypermiling was back in my youth with my '58 VW, and I realized I had already kicked-over the lever (no fuel gauge) under the dash for the spare gallon of gas the day before and was miles from a gas station. Made it to the left-turn lane into the gas station. Therefore, hypermiling has never interested me much. But good for you, keep it up!

 

Agree that not all small-engine cars are slow, but maybe the critical factor is the driver. The car should be driven according to its capabilities and not what the driver wishes they could do.
- If driving on a freeway and have difficulty merging, then either the on ramp is too short, or drivers already on the highway are not courteous enough to let you in.
- If driving on a divided two lane road and there is a slower vehicle ahead (worst case is an 18-wheel or longer semi), just be patient and not try to exceed the limits of the (underpowered) car.

In the urban areas that I drive neither of the above are a problem, but my experience may not match your experiences or locale.

 

Around here you get the combo of a less powerful car coupled with a fearful driver that will stop on an on-ramp, hoping for a spot to merge onto the freeway from a standstill! Hours later, traffic can still be slow in that spot due to the backup that causes.

 

I have really surprised myself since I got my TLX at the end of October - I thought that I would be using the "Sport" mode for the most part, but I have found myself using "Eco" much more frequently than I would admit to.... with my driving style and needs, the "Eco" mode actually does save gas. For my daily commute, I now use mostly "Eco".

However, whenever I want to have some fun, I would go to the "Sport" mode as it does act much more responsively. The "Normal" mode is a bit on the sluggish side for me. The "Sport" mode reminds me of my 2012 TL SH-AWD, which is a good thing! :-)

 

I'm also coming from a TSX, and noticed how different my TLX responded to the throttle in Normal vs. Sport. I think I'll do Sport on the regular!

 

One thing to note - when in Econ mode if you mash down the pedal the mode is ignored and you'll get the full throttle response. There's really no danger at all - you just need to be aware of the dulled throttle response and act/drive accordingly.

 

But unless you mash the pedal econ feels just awful - like a parachute's been deployed and the car is fighting to overcome it. As My Lyons of Jaguar fame said the car is the closest thing we will ever create to something that is alive (most people would say a motor bike is but anyways) and econ is the antithesis of that.

In perfect conditions I got 40 US mpg on my commute this morning...but still averaging below 30, and 10% adrift of my TSX. Pretty sure it will never match it except perhaps on pure highway runs where it's higher gearing and better aero should overcome greater weight and auto tranny losses.

Sport is the nicest for day to day use and I fell sure makes no economy difference with a light right foot. will have to play with + a bit more - I thought it would change gear within the minimum and maximum as long as paddles hadnt been used.

Nice tip on locking it in 8th btw vgr.

First car I ever went in was a 58 Beetle. actually might have been a 57...probly was. I actually don't remember, I had just been born. First year with the big back window whenever that was. Remember the car well enough - how it would smell of gasoline after being filled....when it crashed in the welsh mountains and hospitalized my twin brother....when my Dad drove it to Moscow....it plowing through the snow on the drive to the datcha...it being driven into the cargo hold of an cross channel aircraft...reminisces...it had quite a life!