I have a 2010 Clubman (not a sport). I have yet to use the sport button, though I have heard it's quite fun, because I don't know what to expect and I don't really know what driving conditions to use it in. Also, what does it do to gas mileage?

I probably sound ridiculous for not pushing the button...

 

Don't be scared, PUSH THE BUTTON!
Excuse my lack of technical knowledge, but it tightens up the steering and helps you accelerate faster (or at least feels like it). It certainly makes a difference in driving. It will cost you some MPGs, but not too much. I only turn mine on occasionally when I get to fun parts of roads. And off it goes as soon as someone 'slow' gets in my way.

 

PUSH the button...come on you know you want to...PUSH IT!!

As far as the effect on MPG, I haven't seen anything that noticeable, especially since if I engage the Sport mode, I'm going to be driving a BIT more agressively than usual!

 

just make sure everyone has their seat belts on before you push it!

 

It should be call the FUN button.

 

JUST PUSH IT ALREADY....AND HANG ON!!!!!!!!

I have gone entire tanks with the sport button on and entire tanks without it on and at most I see 2-3 MPG less with sport button on.

 

Gee, I think pushing the sport button was the first thing I did as I left the dealer! I pushed it and a bit later, pushed it again, comparing how the car feels with it on and off. It's pretty cool! Try it!

Dave

 

Slapping over an automatic to manual mode makes it shift like sport mode, without the instant throttle and tighter steering..... I prefer that really.....

 

It's the first thing I do after starting the car, I always drive with it on!

 

that must REALLY hurt your gas mileage driving an auto since it doesn't shift until much higher rpm than normal.

unless of course you drive around in manual mode all the time.

 

I can't drive mine without the Sport button on -- it feels incredibly slow and lethargic without it. Sometimes I just like see what it's like without it on and I almost stall when moving from a stop since I'm used to much better reaction time with it on. I always have it on -- I don't even think about it anymore as I push it automatically as soon at I start the car.

 

Personally, I don't really notice any difference for the steering. What I DO notice is that the throttle is more responsive in the sport mode.

When I drive her MINI on the freeway, I can never just dial in a touch more throttle to pass. The motor/auto trans always wants mooooore throttle before it speeds up a touch. By that time I have squeezed on much more throttle trying to find a response, the trans kicks down, and we zoom off with my wife glaring at me.

The SPORT mode allows me to squeeze on the throttle and the motor responds at that time, not a second or two later. (it feels more like my E30M3 or tii)

The down side is that around town the throttle can be touchy in SPORT mode.

 

Yep, it reminds me of me before my 1st Red Bull of the morning!

 

Same here - the go peddle throw should always be the same sport mode or not - adjusting to either way is whack........ Heck I thought something was wrong with the go peddle when we first got the car - having to press it like 2 inches before anything happens,,,,,,

 

I still don't understand why the button is even there for manual cars, I had a rental bmw 318 that had no sport button but the gas peddle felt correct. I never drive without hitting that button, is there any reason you would want the peddle to not be responsive? Even just for normal driving, why would you want the car to hesitate? If I want the engine to rev I hit the gas! I don't want the engine to wait...

Changing the automatic's shift pattern is the only reason I can think of for the button even existing, why is it on manuals? It's not like we have that go fast button under the throttle too

 

I never EVER drive without sport button on. However - my personal belief is that the only reason it is there, is that the sticker MPG look better than it really is (since, hey, I bet that the "sport" button mode is actually what it should have been standard). I've dropped about 20 mpg on a tank

FWIW - In my manual, the throttle is more responsive and the turbo kicks in sooner. It makes a big difference - the first time I used Sport, after getting fully adjusted to the bite point of my clutch, I PEELED away. Like other posters here, I don't notice a huge difference in steering... but hey... works is pretty twitchy already.

 

I try to only push the sport button when my wife is not looking . I don't want her to find out about it. If she finds out what it does, I'll never get to drive.

 

either you meant you get about 20 miles less per tank or you need to stop driving like your throttle is a on/off switch!

dropping/gaining 20 miles per tank is nothing. That's a pretty normal variance depending on how your drove that tank.

 

Oops - yes, latter not former!

I'll blame that on pre-coffee typing

 

Sport mode changes the throttle mapping, which they can do because it's drive-by-wire. So pushing the pedal a quarter of the way down in Sport is like mashing it half way or more in normal mode ... just makes it more responsive to your go foot, both for manual and auto. It also reduces the power steering assist, making the steering feel 'tighter'.

But wait, that's not all ... in automagics, normal mode won't go down into first gear -- it will drive from 2nd to 6th; while in sport mode, it will start in 1st but only go up to 5th. Found that out in the wife's Clubby auto. Me, I got a RMW tune, so sport mode is just a little too insane for the normal commute.

 

Do push the button (as others have said). I use it occasionally for extra fun. I guess that I don't use it all the time out of guilt for perceived lesser MPG.

It is a good stress reliever to help launch into "off time" after a particularly trying day of work. I leave my work parking lot and have one traffic light to endure that leads straight into a nice, long on ramp that heads into two pretty gradual curves before dumping you onto the freeway eventually. Sport button "on", a green traffic light and the office and everything else fades away quickly in the rearview as I do some "zero to 60" therapy.

Sport mode is great on nice curvy roads too. The only problem is that it is hard to show people the true maximum fun of the sport mode. The more people you put in the car the less pickup you have to show off...

TH

 

Yeah I understand what its doing but in my opinion sport mode just feels correct like every other car I've driven while off feels like a giant Mercedes, blah