You are among the few that've said that they don't like the DS mode.
Goes to show how hard it is for these car manufacturers to come up with features for the mass market

 

I don't like the DS mode either. It holds gears too long on light acceleration and downshifts too early.

Also, a proper adaptive transmission should be more based on how you drive every day, not just each time you drive being treated separately. Perhaps it does learn your overall day-to-day style, but the daily style heavily overrides whatever it learned over time.

 

I've only used DS mode in very aggressive driving, its too much for everyday driving plus it kills your gas mileage. The DS mode is extremely smart though in knowing when to shift while doing some aggressive driving, it can shift more efficiently than I can while using the paddle shifters. It seems to know exactly when I want to downshift or upshift.

I only use my paddle shifters to make abrupt passing maneuvers. Its nice being able to downshift even in normal automatic mode.

 

DS mode is not intended to be a day-2-day driving adaptation.. that is what "D" mode is for. DS should be situational and designed toward SPORT driving only, I think they have done a very good job in implementing, it would be poor if DS could adapt all the way down to D mode, defeating it's purpose.

 

Paddles not attached to the wheels is better the attached to the wheel. Look at any high performance car and they are set up this way.

 

i don't think DS mode shifts into 5th gear. It is always in 4th gear no matter how high the rpm is on the freeway. Can some one confirm that please?

 

When you shift over into DS, it automatically downshifts to 4th gear. However, you can easily just upshift to 5th gear.

Of course, if you don't shift into 5th gear, and you redline 4th, it won't upshift for you. This is a good thing. Try driving a Lexus GS where their semi-automatic shifter works like cr*p because it basically cannot ever hold any gear.

 

So, no matter how high the RPMs, it will NEVER upshift automatically in DS mode?

 

DS will shift into 5th... Eventually. It just takes longer. I have tested and confirmed this though.

 

My method of shifting is a bit more advance then what people here are doing, I generally depress the accelerator all the way to the floor, and that works for me.... I rarely shift I just floor it and go!

 

I use my paddle shifters sparringly. For performance driving, DS mode seems to know exactly when I want to shift so I just let that do the shifting for me.

Only time I really use it is when I'm attempting to pass and want to downshift. Sometimes for fun I'll use it on the straights.

 

am i the only one that noticed?

My paddles shift with only a couple tenths delay in the shift...

i tried the shifter down on the console the other day, it took alil over half a second to shift fully.

tried the paddles again, back to a few tenths delay.....

then the shifter for one last time to confirm what i just experienced, over half second delay....

I love the paddles and how quick they are to shift the car. It is the WHOLE reason i picked up the 5at sport after i visited the dealer ready to buy the 6mt in nov 06.

 

i dunno i felt there was a delay when i first got the car, but no delay anymore for me

 

I thought I'd be using the paddles more, but I rarely do. I've found that DS mode actually shifts about when I was going too anyway. When I drive in DS mode, it feels a lot like I'm driving the manual cars I've driven for years. I'm only at about 2500 miles and I'd like to get used to using the paddles so when I do get a chance this spring/summer to do some more spirited driving in the mountains, the movements are natural (and safe).

Lately, during my commute, I've found myself switching back and forth between DS and D a lot. I'll use DS to get up to speed because I like the way it accelerates, then I shift into D when I'm at the speed I want for fuel efficiency. I do the same when I slow down for a stop or go through a neighborhood or parking lot. I shift back into DS to get the engine braking.

 

here is where i find myself using the paddles during normal driving....

i am driving in traffic behind a slow car and i plan to pass them but there is traffic on both sides....i see a gap in traffic & plan to jump out when the gap opens up. regardless of whether the car is in D or DS...when i stomp on it to move over & go...there is always that split second where the car is shifting gears & it feels like it will never GO!!! then BAM...the car gets in gear & you are gone!!!! so what i do is just before i want to move over, i will bump the downshift paddle a few times....get the car in the right gear...and then when the gap opens up, i just accelerate right over. then as things settle down...the car drops back into D. & i never had to take my hands off the wheel....(or never had to set down the beer in my right hand) ha ha ha