Why sport mode is smarter in traffic—save your transmission
Sport mode in city traffic: protect your gearbox, cut heat and wear
Why sport mode is smarter in traffic—save your transmission
Expert explains why using sport mode in urban traffic reduces shifts, heat and clutch wear on AT, DSG and CVT. Expect 1–2L more fuel, but longer gearbox life.
2025-08-28T10:49:08+03:00
2025-08-28T10:49:08+03:00
2025-08-28T10:49:08+03:00
Most drivers leave the transmission in standard “D” when stuck in traffic. Yet, as automotive expert Dmitry Novikov told 32CARS.RU, the “S” sport mode can be more useful in urban congestion.The key advantage of “S” is fewer shifts. In the normal setting, the gearbox tries to save fuel and constantly hops between first and second. That adds extra load on the friction elements and heats the fluid, especially in DSG units where the clutches work close to their limits. In sport mode, gears are held longer, so the needless 1–2–1 cycle doesn’t occur. The result is less heat and less wear.There’s also the throttle response. In “S” the pedal feels sharper, delays fade, and the car reacts quicker to lane changes and short bursts into gaps. It matters not only for pace, but for safety as well. Engine braking is more pronounced too, giving finer speed control in the flow. In stop-and-go conditions, that steadier control simply feels right.The effect shows up across transmission types: traditional automatics behave more smoothly, DSGs are less prone to clutch overheating, and CVTs stop bogging at low revs. Overall, the car comes across as more responsive and predictable.Yes, fuel consumption in “S” rises by about 1–2 liters, but that’s a small price for extending the transmission’s service life and keeping calm in gridlock. The takeaway, as the expert emphasized, is straightforward: sport mode isn’t just for the highway; in city traffic it helps protect the gearbox—and the driver’s nerves. For urban commuters, that trade-off seems like common sense.
sport mode, S mode, urban traffic, city driving, automatic transmission, DSG, CVT, reduce heat and wear, clutch protection, throttle response, engine braking, fuel consumption, protect gearbox, transmission life
2025
Michael Powers
news
Sport mode in city traffic: protect your gearbox, cut heat and wear
Expert explains why using sport mode in urban traffic reduces shifts, heat and clutch wear on AT, DSG and CVT. Expect 1–2L more fuel, but longer gearbox life.
Michael Powers, Editor
Most drivers leave the transmission in standard “D” when stuck in traffic. Yet, as automotive expert Dmitry Novikov told 32CARS.RU, the “S” sport mode can be more useful in urban congestion.
The key advantage of “S” is fewer shifts. In the normal setting, the gearbox tries to save fuel and constantly hops between first and second. That adds extra load on the friction elements and heats the fluid, especially in DSG units where the clutches work close to their limits. In sport mode, gears are held longer, so the needless 1–2–1 cycle doesn’t occur. The result is less heat and less wear.
There’s also the throttle response. In “S” the pedal feels sharper, delays fade, and the car reacts quicker to lane changes and short bursts into gaps. It matters not only for pace, but for safety as well. Engine braking is more pronounced too, giving finer speed control in the flow. In stop-and-go conditions, that steadier control simply feels right.
The effect shows up across transmission types: traditional automatics behave more smoothly, DSGs are less prone to clutch overheating, and CVTs stop bogging at low revs. Overall, the car comes across as more responsive and predictable.
Yes, fuel consumption in “S” rises by about 1–2 liters, but that’s a small price for extending the transmission’s service life and keeping calm in gridlock. The takeaway, as the expert emphasized, is straightforward: sport mode isn’t just for the highway; in city traffic it helps protect the gearbox—and the driver’s nerves. For urban commuters, that trade-off seems like common sense.
