D vs. S Gear

[iCeDmAn]

So today was my first day that I felt comfortable enough in my precious new car to push it a little. I have to say I definitely noticed a big difference and improvement in the cars pickup, I don't think it was a placebo effect at all. Of course, this spirited drive along the parkway ended 10 minutes later when State Police Lasered me at 80mph. Luckily, I have a family member in the NYPD and they let me go, but I took the hint, put the car in D and drove the speed limit the rest of the way to Long Island.

So my question is, by driving in S what type of mileage drop am I getting and is there any downside to driving in S all the time? Interested to see how you guys drive your cars, and what numbers you saw in MPGs.

[biketsai]

Well IIRC, the S mode will hold your gear in longer for you as opposed to early shifting and it will also keep the revs high when downshifting. Basically it keeps you in the powerband longer.

[phlabrasca]

There is definitely an MPG drop in sport mode, higher revs are going to eat more gas. I basically leave it in D but always rest my hand on the stick so if I ever have to drop it in S for whatever reason, I'm always ready. AWE exhaust and downpipes just shipped today so S mode might become standard soon lol.

[Shayan30]

I was curious as to what happens in S mode if you have the car chipped? I'm thinking abt getting the APR tune this week and thought of that. Tried to search it but couldn't find the answer...anyone who has their 2.0T chipped know?

[Operator]

I was curious as to what happens in S mode if you have the car chipped? I'm thinking abt getting the APR tune this week and thought of that. Tried to search it but couldn't find the answer...anyone who has their 2.0T chipped know?

Same thing as stock, the car will just pull harder in tuned S mode vs tuned D mode.

[AofC_RR]

S mode opens the throttle sooner, revs are up 500 if you're moving over what they would be in D. The pedal response is also much more sensitive. The transmission will hold the gear longer, downshift more readily, and pretty much lock out top gear unless you reach a speed that needs it.

[Solution Six]

Do you get the same throttle response benefits out of manual mode that you do out of the S mode? I assumed so but was not positive on that.

Also, does S disable 6th gear? I've had the car up in the 90s just cruising on the interstate when I've forgotten to take it out of S on a longer trip and it did not seem to want to use 6th ** but maybe I hadn't gone high enough in the RPM's yet. My BMW would disable 6th gear in Sport mode so I assume the Audi was doing the same?

[Wah]

Do you get the same throttle response benefits out of manual mode that you do out of the S mode? I assumed so but was not positive on that.

Also, does S disable 6th gear? I've had the car up in the 90s just cruising on the interstate when I've forgotten to take it out of S on a longer trip and it did not seem to want to use 6th ** but maybe I hadn't gone high enough in the RPM's yet. My BMW would disable 6th gear in Sport mode so I assume the Audi was doing the same?

The reason it didn't shift up to 6th was probably because your were at a speed where there was more room for the rpms to climb in 5th and being in S mode i.e. that was the ideal gear to be in to achieve more power.

[alexza4]

Will bring this from the dead, don't feel like starting a new thread.... Been driving my new s5 for few days now and noticed this one big difference between S and D mode on the downshifts. When in S, say going 60 and slowing down to a stop, as DSG downshifts, the RPMs jump up through each downshift...I find it pretty annoying. Doesn't seem to happen when doing same in D. Is this normal?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[chbrook]

Will bring this from the dead, don't feel like starting a new thread.... Been driving my new s5 for few days now and noticed this one big difference between S and D mode on the downshifts. When in S, say going 60 and slowing down to a stop, as DSG downshifts, the RPMs jump up through each downshift...I find it pretty annoying. Doesn't seem to happen when doing same in D. Is this normal?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes, that's completely normal. You are driving a car with a automated manual vs the A5 guys that have an actual automatic transmission with a torque converter. When you're in S mode the car is automatically keeping you in the power band by down shifting according to the speed you're driving. When In "D" the car is making much less dramatic downshifts to keep the engine from stalling.

Chuck

[alexza4]

Yes, that's completely normal. You are driving a car with a automated manual vs the A5 guys that have an actual automatic transmission with a torque converter. When you're in S mode the car is automatically keeping you in the power band by down shifting according to the speed you're driving. When In "D" the car is making much less dramatic downshifts to keep the engine from stalling.

Chuck

Thanks man. I thought as much. Just not used to this car and the DSG.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[jrabakker]

Thanks man. I thought as much. Just not used to this car and the DSG.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

You'l learn to love it :-)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LINDW4LL]

I have to say I definitely noticed a big difference and improvement in the cars pickup, I don't think it was a placebo effect at all.

S mode has better throttle response, and you have more power on tap with partial throttle in most cases due to it holding the lower gear and keeping the revs up and in the meaty part of the powerband.

That said, the "S" program is no faster when going WOT and doesn't make any more power than drive; meaning if you floor the pedal in both D and S, the acceleration will be the same.

[Hatchman]

I don't drive in S very often, with the higher revs I can almost watch the gas gauge drop. Then again, gas is really cheap right now...

But, even with the Tip, it's nice to be in the power band and getting quicker throttle response when in S.

Good note about WOT makes no difference, it is what is, not like you are going to get more hp or quicker 0-60 times in S.

[flatsick]

I was curious as to what happens in S mode if you have the car chipped? I'm thinking abt getting the APR tune this week and thought of that. Tried to search it but couldn't find the answer...anyone who has their 2.0T chipped know?

it definitely holds gears longer post chip(Apr stage !!)...don't know why but its pretty distinct.

[namvar]

I experimented a bit on my RS5

21-22 MPG in D
17-18 MPG in S

Small sampling

[Hatchman]

I experimented a bit on my RS5

21-22 MPG in D
17-18 MPG in S

Small sampling

Sounds legit.

[dazed1]

I experimented a bit on my RS5

21-22 MPG in D
17-18 MPG in S

Small sampling

Assuming mainly highway? I barely get 17-18, being conservative :o

S (auto) will also not put the car in 7th. Will keep the max @ 6.

however, S, while being in Manual, you can shift up to 7.

[VenturiRS]

I don't drive in S very often, with the higher revs I can almost watch the gas gauge drop. Then again, gas is really cheap right now...

I know what you mean. It's a beautiful down/down relationship with the pedal... it almost syncs perfectly.

Assuming mainly highway? I barely get 17-18, being conservative :o

S (auto) will also not put the car in 7th. Will keep the max @ 6.

however, S, while being in Manual, you can shift up to 7.

Man...I guess I'm just a cheap shmuck. I complain I only get 24.2 highway... Maxing out at 350-360mi/tank 95% highway 5% city commute (at least with winter gas).

I hit 405 during the summer a couple times.

[mozman68]

I typically always start is "S" mode and only drop into "D" when I'm entering the highway (the majority of my daily driving).

I have noticed that the car needs to warm up though for at least a minute when cold before I really try to go all out in sport...shouldn't be doing that from the get go anyway, but so hard to resist.

[dazed1]

I know what you mean. It's a beautiful down/down relationship with the pedal... it almost syncs perfectly.




Man...I guess I'm just a cheap shmuck. I complain I only get 24.2 highway... Maxing out at 350-360mi/tank 95% highway 5% city commute (at least with winter gas).

I hit 405 during the summer a couple times.

I'd be stoked getting 350 mi / tank. I get maybe 225-240 (always fill up at around 190ish). Maybe when going to tahoe or somewhere, when its on cruise I get 22-23 mpg.

My normal commute / day to day I get about 12 :o

[mozman68]

I'd be stoked getting 350 mi / tank. I get maybe 225-240 (always fill up at around 190ish). Maybe when going to tahoe or somewhere, when its on cruise I get 22-23 mpg.

My normal commute / day to day I get about 12 :o

WTF? I only bought my 2009 S5 this past weekend and drove 800 miles home...was showing a hair under 400 miles per tank at highway speeds and stayed pretty true to that. Was averaging between 21 and 22 mpg.

Have only had 2 days of regular commuting (average around 90 miles a day with 70 of those being mostly highway miles), but haven't seen too much of a drop off yet. want to wait at least a week to see what my average mileage is.

[dazed1]

WTF? I only bought my 2009 S5 this past weekend and drove 800 miles home...was showing a hair under 400 miles per tank at highway speeds and stayed pretty true to that. Was averaging between 21 and 22 mpg.

Have only had 2 days of regular commuting (average around 90 miles a day with 70 of those being mostly highway miles), but haven't seen too much of a drop off yet. want to wait at least a week to see what my average mileage is.

Here's my mpg since I bought the car.

[GlazierGlaze]

Will bring this from the dead, don't feel like starting a new thread.... Been driving my new s5 for few days now and noticed this one big difference between S and D mode on the downshifts. When in S, say going 60 and slowing down to a stop, as DSG downshifts, the RPMs jump up through each downshift...I find it pretty annoying. Doesn't seem to happen when doing same in D. Is this normal?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Blipping the throttle... and it's awesome.

I drive almost 24/7 in S mode.

[alexza4]

Agreed. It's pretty hard not too drive in S when not on the highway, the difference is so damn huge between S and D modes... The car feels slow and non-inspiring in D mode, don't even feel like you driving an S5.
On the highway D mode is ok, I just drove 250 miles stayed in D the entire time on the highway tracking the mileage and saw the average of 25-26 mpg while cruising around 80mph. Looks reasonable, though I thought I'd be getting a bit more.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mozman68]

Last tank...19.65 mpg.....the current tank will be more representative of my day to day driving...hopefully still in the 19 mpg range at a minimum.

[Nastybutler]

All the manual transmission guys who clicked on this thread probably rolled their eyes. I'm using S mode a lot more now that I've went Stage 2. Also been using manual mode with the paddle shifters a bit more, but with this 8spd Tiptronic tranny it doesn't shift nearly as precisely as I'd like. There seems to be a bit of lag between when I tell it to shift and when it actually starts the shift.