Audi Drive Select Effectiveness

[Zig]

How effective is Audi Drive Select (£220 option on SE model), is it something that people tend to use, or is it something that having set it once it is just left alone and it is thus a feature that can lived without?

Also is drive select another of the features in which all the hardware is there and it is just a matter of enabling it (like the SD Sat Nav)?

 

[Neesh]

Honestly I think its a great feature to have In Dynamic mode its comes alive the steering tightens up and the throttle becomes more responsive taking corners becomes addictive(I dont know if its me or not but the dump valve sounds a bit louder in dynamic as well)...I dont feel much of a difference in the comfort and efficiency modes though.

 

[UKPonchoMan]

Honestly I think its a great feature to have In Dynamic mode its comes alive the steering tightens up and the throttle becomes more responsive taking corners becomes addictive(I dont know if its me or not but the dump valve sounds a bit louder in dynamic as well)...I dont feel much of a difference in the comfort and efficiency modes though.

Agreed - in 'Economy' I'm sure it would have better fuel consumption but there feels like there's a thick piece of rubber between your foot and the accelerator pedal!! I've tried 'Auto', 'Dynamic' and 'Economy' and have stuck with 'Dynamic'...

I guess it depends what the 'standard' setting is if you don't have Drive Select?

 

[Zig]

I suppose the standard version (non Drive Select) will lie between Comfort and Dynamic, it will not be a slugged response like Efficiency.

 

[number3]

Honestly I think its a great feature to have In Dynamic mode its comes alive the steering tightens up and the throttle becomes more responsive taking corners becomes addictive(I dont know if its me or not but the dump valve sounds a bit louder in dynamic as well)...I dont feel much of a difference in the comfort and efficiency modes though.

I'm sure it states in the manual that it changes the sound of the engine ? So you could be right !!

I keep mine set to auto most of the time... Mostly lol dynamic can be a mpg killer !!!

 

[Ceebee]

Have drive select including the dampers on a SE Technik, means sports suspension, ie lower similar to S-line, but with the benefit of a comfortable ride when not in dynamik. Best of both world.

 

[STERLING VOID]

Does anyone know precisely what happens in each mode?

Does the car go lower when in dynamic mode?

 

[cemerson]

The suspension changes only if you have magnetic ride - and it gets stiffer but doesn't lower in any way as far as I know.

I would imagine the default is auto. I keep mine in individual which has everything in dynamic except the steering, which is in comfort. If I want to work a bit harder and tighten that up I can just go to dynamic mode

 

[pat15312]

The economy mode will save you more than the cost of the option in fuel over your period of ownership; it's worth it just for that feature.

 

[cemerson]

Do you think? Often the economy mode actually uses MORE fuel as you are always flooring it to get it to go anywhere. I've seen that reported here, and with other car models as well.

 

[Joetidman]

The different modes (unless you have mag ride) affect throttle responsiveness and steering assistance, so in dynamic mode the throttle response is as sharp as it can go, an in terms of immediacy of engine response to pedal input, and on comfort/eco the least, thus ensuring a more relaxed ride and less chance of the engine adding fuel unneccessarily. I imagine to cemerson's point, this may be correct, but depends on your car. I should think that an S3 in eco will be quite fast enough under gentle throttle. Steering 'weight' is electrically delivered, so you get no more 'feel' through the steering but decreases the amount of lock needed at higher speeds and thus increases stability and reduces twitchiness at speed

If you have stronic, it will also affect how quickly, or not the gears change up and down thus affecting revs and responsiveness as well as fuel consumption. In eco mode it also affects a 'coasting mode' which saves fuel

 

[pat15312]

Do you think? Often the economy mode actually uses MORE fuel as you are always flooring it to get it to go anywhere. I've seen that reported here, and with other car models as well.

My car stays in Eco mode 90% of the time and I average 30mpg, more if I'm going anywhere out of town. The auto-coasting feature with the s-tronic gearbox makes quite a bit of distance I think.

 

[Daveotto]

80% of the time mine (2.0TDI 150 BHP) sits in Dynamic (enjoy as much and as often as possible) mode and you certainly feel the difference in steering and throttle response.

Have used auto mode occasionally when fully loaded up/ Mrs is onboard / or stuck going round the north circular and have used comfort mode on a couple of occasions when it's been very wet / icy to give a bit more traction control and take the edge off the throttle to stop a bit of wheel spin

 

[The Challinor]

How effective is Audi Drive Select (£220 option on SE model), is it something that people tend to use, or is it something that having set it once it is just left alone and it is thus a feature that can lived without?

Also is drive select another of the features in which all the hardware is there and it is just a matter of enabling it (like the SD Sat Nav)?

Did you go for it then?

It really is worth having, in dynamic mode it makes it feel like a totally different car, makes the steering much more heavy and direct amongst other things.

 

[glospete]

What settings do you all have for the Individual Mode?

 

[Joetidman]

Gearbox - Dynamic
ACC - Dynamic
Suspension - Auto
Steering - Auto
Exhaust - Dynamic

 

[The Challinor]

Gearbox - Dynamic
ACC - Dynamic
Suspension - Auto
Steering - Auto
Exhaust - Dynamic

ACC as in adaptive cruise control?

 

[The Challinor]

My car stays in Eco mode 90% of the time and I average 30mpg, more if I'm going anywhere out of town. The auto-coasting feature with the s-tronic gearbox makes quite a bit of distance I think.

What's the auto coasting?

 

[vegnomeat]

Stick it in Auto, it's all you need

 

[cemerson]

What settings do you all have for the Individual Mode?

Everything in Dynamic except Steering, which is in Comfort

 

[veeeight]

ACC as in adaptive cruise control?

Yes, the ACC setting, determines how aggressively you accelerate, to make up the gap to the car in front (when a gap develops), and how aggressively it closes the gap to the car in front, when you're flying along Lane 3 on the Motorway approaching a slower car.

Sort of an Audi Sales Rep Motorway mode selector

What's the auto coasting?

For coasting, see here:

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-8v-chassis/212671-drive-select.html#post2160467

 

[oufc1976]

Mine is in Dynamic mode and will stay there!

 

[Pickle1970]

My car stays in Eco mode 90% of the time and I average 30mpg, more if I'm going anywhere out of town. The auto-coasting feature with the s-tronic gearbox makes quite a bit of distance I think.

30mpg, are you saying that's good? i'd be well miffed at only getting 30mpg in eco mode. what engine is yours?

 

[Joetidman]

He has an S3, and I presume that mpg is around town

 

[Pickle1970]

ahhhh that would answer it then thanks

 

[The Challinor]

Yes, the ACC setting, determines how aggressively you accelerate, to make up the gap to the car in front (when a gap develops), and how aggressively it closes the gap to the car in front, when you're flying along Lane 3 on the Motorway approaching a slower car.

Sort of an Audi Sales Rep Motorway mode selector




For coasting, see here:

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-8v-chassis/212671-drive-select.html#post2160467

Why thank you

 

[SilureMark]

I find it hard to differentiate between comfort and auto - I use comfort on the motorway. Dynamic I find annoying in the way it hangs onto gears - I prefer to drive it on the paddles and use Individual, set to dynamic for the steering and exhaust, but left alone for the gearbox so I can make the call on when to change gear - I'll be getting a gearbox remap at some point anyway. If I left my car in dynamic all the time I'd hate the thing, mainly because of the way the gearbox will then behave - I guess on the A3's with low power outputs it could be different I suppose. Efficiency I don't like the lack of engine braking, but the jury is still out on that one as I do see a measurable improvement in fuel consumption when running in that mode. Drive Select? Yeah, If it wasn't standard on my car I would definitely tick the option box.

 

[jonisginger]

He has an S3, and I presume that mpg is around town

If I got that around town I'd think I'd died and gone to heaven.

 

[GSB]

The more systems you have, the greater the impact of drive select. If you have magride it's a must.

I've got drive select slaved to the '*' button on the steering wheel, since it enables me to adjust the suspension firmness, noise etc on the fly.

 

[musicegbdf]

I find it hard to differentiate between comfort and auto - I use comfort on the motorway. Dynamic I find annoying in the way it hangs onto gears - I prefer to drive it on the paddles and use Individual, set to dynamic for the steering and exhaust, but left alone for the gearbox so I can make the call on when to change gear - I'll be getting a gearbox remap at some point anyway. If I left my car in dynamic all the time I'd hate the thing, mainly because of the way the gearbox will then behave - I guess on the A3's with low power outputs it could be different I suppose. Efficiency I don't like the lack of engine braking, but the jury is still out on that one as I do see a measurable improvement in fuel consumption when running in that mode. Drive Select? Yeah, If it wasn't standard on my car I would definitely tick the option box.

Agree 100%.
I think in manual dynamic all the time would be ok , but with stronic the gears are annoyong and not practical , so have set individual with mainly dynamic , except gears amd just flip into sport when i want to accelerate hard. If on twisty roads having fun i use the paddles so i can use engime braking and power cornering...
The effeciency mode is horrid. I get over 30 mpg driving normally and 34 on a run ( S3). I have hit the 400 club on a run. Again if i had a manual i guess i would use dynamic all the time.

 

[GSB]

Agree 100%.
I think in manual dynamic all the time would be ok , but with stronic the gears are annoyong and not practical , so have set individual with mainly dynamic , except gears amd just flip into sport when i want to accelerate hard. If on twisty roads having fun i use the paddles so i can use engime braking and power cornering...
The effeciency mode is horrid. I get over 30 mpg driving normally and 34 on a run ( S3). I have hit the 400 club on a run. Again if i had a manual i guess i would use dynamic all the time.

You probably wouldnt. Especially if you're one of the few mortals to squeeze 400 miles out of a tank on an S3. The drive select has a big effect on noise, fuel consumption, and passenger comfort too. In dynamic the engine noise via the bulkhead mounted sound actuator and the increased theatrics in the exhaust can be a bit wearing on long journeys. The popping and banging on the overrun every time you lift the throttle on the motorway is one example of something that's fun when scratching down some back roads but is a PITA when you just want to be somewhere with minimum fuss, and you do have to wonder how much extra fuel is being combusted in the name of making a few ear pleasing noises. The change in the pedal mapping can also make comfort an issue if you have passengers, as power delivery is not so smooth, with more abrupt changes in torque delivery for comparatively small pedal inputs than in other modes. The effect on Quattro is less pronounced across different modes, you're only really going to notice it when comfort has long ceased to be an issue anyway, but the more aggressive strategy on the torque coupling in dynamic mode will increase fuel consumption.

If you have options fitted, like ACC and Mag Ride, then there are even greater noticeable differences in dynamic mode that you wouldnt want all the time. Mag ride in dynamic mode is very firm, won't make the car a perfect partner on long rides, and won't win you many requests for a lift home afterwards either. ACC becomes a little less relaxing to be with too, later on the brakes, wider on the throttle, and generally a bit more "Audi" on the motorway.

 

[musicegbdf]

You might be right. I find it too much for normal motorway driving in the stronic. 400 , was not that hard on my drive taking youngest to uni. It is a long trip all motorway/duel carriageway with loads of speed cameras. So steady 70 most of the way. Boring so yryimg to get best Mpg was a way to break the boredom ( nobody buys a S3 for mpg).
I use Tesco momentum and avoid using ACC. The cruise burns more than my right foot.

 

[Audi Bairn]

I feel like I'm gonna have so much swatting up to do with all this new tech I'll be inheriting with the S3 (my S5 doesn't have drive select etc).
I can see me spending many an evening in the garage setting up the new car when it arrives.

 

[musicegbdf]

Part of the fun. Setting up the audio will take even longer ...

 

[Gordo77]

I feel like I'm gonna have so much swatting up to do with all this new tech I'll be inheriting with the S3 (my S5 doesn't have drive select etc).
I can see me spending many an evening in the garage setting up the new car when it arrives.

I reckon I need to have a proper think about using the Individual setting on mine. I've been through all the modes in the last week, and not sure what to stick with. I'm also convinced you don't/can't get full boost in Efficiency... which is no use

 

[pburv]

I reckon I need to have a proper think about using the Individual setting on mine. I've been through all the modes in the last week, and not sure what to stick with. I'm also convinced you don't/can't get full boost in Efficiency... which is no use

I have at the mo everything in Dynamic except the suspension..

 

[sve170]

Does anyone know precisely what happens in each mode?

Does the car go lower when in dynamic mode?

If you pop over to the Audi A1 owners forum but go onto the S1 owners section, there was s good description of all the modes and what actually happens when selecting the different options....worth a look.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[steeve]

What a complete waste of money.............
The modes do not change any engine mapping at all, the most it changes is the sensitivity of the accelerator potentiometer. Other than those with magnetic suspension option where it at least changes the damper settings
I don't know why they don't do what motorcycle manufacturers do where the modes are actually different engine maps which even change the engine output.

 

[Simon L]

What a complete waste of money.............
The modes do not change any engine mapping at all, the most it changes is the sensitivity of the accelerator potentiometer. Other than those with magnetic suspension option where it at least changes the damper settings
I don't know why they don't do what motorcycle manufacturers do where the modes are actually different engine maps which even change the engine output.

.........on the contrary for £220 you'd be a total muppet not to spec it

 

[GSB]

Waste of money? It's standard equipment on the S3, where it's definitely changing engine parameters additional to the throttle pedal mapping. Those pops bangs and burbles on the overrun can only come from for the combustion of fuel outside of normal parameters. To do that you need to change to change fuelling, breathing or sparking.

Don't be fooled into thinking there's not an awful lot more going on behind the scenes. We already know VAG can swap maps when the car is being emissions tested, and big league manufacturers, including Audi, are now providing a different engine map for every gear, so it's reasonable to assume your ECU will be swapping maps more often than Phileas Fogg as you drive.