I haven't switched in the Sport button unless I really wanted to "play". I was wondering about its effects on the MPG. Since my last tank fill I have been making it a habit to switch on Sport everytime I start the car. I'm about 3/4 of the way through the tank and it looks like it may be a little less than 1 mpg lower. That level, to me, seems like it is down in the noise margin because my avg mpg varies that much or even more from tank to tank. So far it looks like there is little to no effect. Does anyone else have any data, or would anyone be willing to do a similar test?

 

My MPG runs 29 to a high of 32mpg. I was probably babying it at 32 without much 'sport'. 29-30 is my typical MPG. (note, all MPG quoted is by calculation, not OBC)

I've gone as low as 27.5mpg.. A lot of sport. (but not 100%). Personally (my opinion) the effect of the sport button is more on how you chose to drive when you turn it on than some technical effect. ie: if I push the sport button, I'm gonna ride that accelerator peddle! Of course, it does deliver more fuel for smaller travel on the peddle, so that is a real (or 'technical') effect.

 

I turn it on every time I start the car. It's more of a function of how you drive than anything else. My understanding is that it just increases the throttle responsiveness. You could get the same effect by simply pressing the gas pedal down further and faster with the sport button off (in terms of the throttle response).
It's more an attitude adjuster.

 

I agree there!

 

In theory the sport button should have no effect whatever on mileage. Activating the sport button simply remaps the accelerator travel, programming less total movement from idle to WOT, and thus needing less movement of the foot per increment of acceleration. This makes the car seem livlier and more responsive to accelerator input, although in fact the engine's power characteristics and curve remain completely unchanged with the sport button engaged. The sport button also reduces the electric steering boost, making the wheel feel heavier.

I drive my MCS with the sport button on constantly. Non sprt-button mode, which takes a lot more foot travel for a given accelerator input, seems sluggish - it's just a question of perception, muscle memory and habit. I do think the sport button encourages a livlier, more aggressive driving style, and this may result in lower fuel mileage. But with the sport button engaged, my car still turns 38.5 MPG on the highway using cruise control. So it seems clear that the sport button is not influencing fuel consumption with the accelerator steady. The button's main effect, I believe, is on the operator's driving style, rather than the engine's performance.

 

While demo'ing the car I ended up buying, my MA had me hit the sport button (regular Cooper, non-S) to see what it did. I noticed the rpms went way up and the steering wheel tightened. I asked him about the effect on the mileage and in his words, it "drops like a ton of bricks." I'm not a very sporty driver so I almost never use the sport mode. I wanted the MINI as much for the fuel economy as the drive, so I feel no need to decrease the former to improve the latter.

 

I have noticed no difference in mileage. Initially, I almost never used the sport button because, compared to what I was used to, the Mini was plenty responsive without. As I got more used to the car, I started using the sport button more. Now I engage it unless there is snow or ice on the road.

 

Diploman is correct.

It's like saying by putting a "wide-mouth" opening on your beer bottle - you'll drink more. The volume in the bottle is the same, but you now are able to have a wider range of control over the rate of flow...of beer or fuel (which for some are one-and-the-same). If you tip the bottle to less, you'll get the same flow rate as if you had a narrower opening and tipped the bottle a little more.

 

Sport button takes you to red line before shifting and aggressively down shifts.

It's the equivalent of staying above 4 or 5,000 rpm with a manual. This _will_ effect gas millage as the best gas millage will come from keeping the RPMs way down.

If you are cruising in 6th gear on the highway at ~3,000 rpm then it won't matter if sport mode is engaged or not. You are still at ~3,000 rpm.

If you'd normally shift at red line (which some people like to do) then sport mode won't change your mpg. If you normally shift at ~3,000 rpm then sport mode will effect mpg because you'd no longer be shifting at ~3,000 you'd be shifting way beyond that point.

Sport mode does not effect mpg but the driving style of the car does. You could also put the thing in manual and get the same mpg as sport mode. You could also put the thing is sport mode and manually shift at 3,000 and get the same mpg as D.

 

What RPM you shift at depends on how far you press the pedal before shifting. There aren't shift points in a manual transmission, so the sport button can't affect that. I don't have an automatic, but, according to Mini, the sport button does not affect transmission shift points, but only sensetivity of the gas pedal (and steering). In any case, you are likely to get worse gas mileage with the sport button on because you are likely to give it more input (= higher revs) before you shift.

 

This is specific to the Auto tranny.

I have an AT too, and my preference is sport-button w/manual shift. This gives me the same gains as a manual transmission -- steering feel and throttle responsiveness.

 

That's kinda what I was thinking, and it seems to be verified by my initial check. It's like they give you more rope, but it's up to you to hang yourself or not...bad analogy?

Thanks for the info!!!

 

On the automatic transmission engaging the sport button definitely does effect fuel economy.

This is because with the button off, the transmission does not make use of first gear and keeps RPM's almost obscenely low. While with it on the transmission does not allow RPM's to drop below 2K (besides of course at idle), first gear is used for all launches and sixth gear is not used at all.

Now I wouldn't say it "drops like a ton of bricks" but definitely takes about a 3MPG hit. The problem is it's hard to quantify how much of this is the result of my definitely driving more agressively in sport mode (something most will attest to), opposed to actual 'mechanical' losses.

I generally activate it only when I need an extra burst of speed (merging onto the highway, for example) or am feeling in an especially spirited mood. With the auto trans it really does transform the car, I personally love it.

After using it, 'normal' mode seems almost ridiculously sluggish. The first like inch or so of throttle travel is dead, the car always seems to be in too high a gear, manual shifts are dreadfully slow and you have to absolutely floor it in traffic to get significant acceleration. I'd leave it on more often, but given that I do almost 100% city driving, my MPG is relatively low enough...

 

I use the sport mode every time I drive the car. I never get above 4000 rpm, max around 3500 while in 6th. I get 35mpg on each tank. It definitely depends on how aggressively you drive it.

 

Surfblue says: Excellent explanation!
Now, where's my Mickey's Big Mouth!

Me...when I put the sport button on, my driving style changes, and hence the mileage changes. Good times with the button on!

 

I agree with Diploman. I have the sport button constantly on and I hammer the hell out of the car. I still get 30-31 MPG and I do a lot of around town driving in addition to Interstate driving. I am still amazed that this is only a 1600cc engine. My first car was a 1961 Volvo PV544 in 1962. It had a 1600cc engine and pumped out almost 100HP.

 

It all depends if you're driving an automatic tranny (w/o manually shifting) because Sport Mode will shift at higher rpms....and that's when mpg drops. With a manual tranny the effect is negligible.

 

for the last couple months I have been driving with the sport button on 100% of the time. My mileage did drop an average of 3mpg. I have since started a few experiments. I have noticed that I can maximize my mileage and fun factor by turning the sport button off only when crusing on the freeway. As soon as I hit the freeway I turn sport off and my mileage instantly climes a few tenths on the averaging setting. When I leave the sport on crusing the freeway, my average mileage stays the same.
I have also noticed a slight difference in coasting speeds. I down shift at the same spot coming down a small hill into town every day on my way home. with sport on I go from 35 down to 27 and with sport off I go from 35 down to 31.
I know I sound weird for doing such things....but I have a long boring commute on the freeway in the middle of the night and have to amuse myself somehow to stay awake.

I forgot to mention I have a 6spd manual

 

For me, I actually use LESS fuel with the sport button on..
WHY?
Because I feel the car even more, and I can tell the difference between giving it more gas (and not going faster), and riding at a slower, but steadier throttle point.
Anyone agree??? BTW - my MCS is a 6spM

 

I was using the sport button all the time because I just figured it was "better". Today I tried not using it and the steering feel is much nicer. Don't like the artificial boost much. Now this "overboost" thing. Does this only happen when sport mode is engaged? If not I think I'm done with the sport button. Take note that the sport button raises the rpm by 1000 for a fixed throttle position. On a manual it should have nothing to do with mpg. That said I average about 16mpg. :p

 

I'm also not a big fan of steering feel with the sport button engaged. However some love it, so to each their own. Overboost happens regardless of the sport button being engaged or disengaged. Although having it engaged most likely activates the feature sooner/more easily.

Wow and I thought my mid-20'sMPG is bad. And that's with an auto trans

 

I don't really use the sport button much but I was curious so I tried the following:

1. find a flat piece of road.
2. Set the car's speed w/ cruise control.
3. switch the trip computer to instant fuel mileage.
4. toggle sport on / off

My unscientific attempts showed no change on the computer's mileage, so my assumption is that there is no increase in fuel use, at least at 3K RPM.

On my car I don't use it much as I can't tell much difference (maybe because I have the JCW kit?) But has anyone seen dyno results comparing the sport button on vs off? My thinking is this is a gimic. Standard R56's dyno around 170HP at the wheels with a rating at 174HP when there should be more of a loss from the rated figure vs at the wheels. The sport button is supposed to give 20ft/lbs more torque, so is it possible, Mini just over tuned the engine in the standard mode and they sell the more aggressive throttle as more power? Thus no change in fuel use / economy?

Conspiracy or not?

 

I've never understood why people report such low mpg with such an efficient engine! What kind of trip profile do you typically drive? Shift points? Speeds? Is this calculated or OBC?

If I had such poor performance I'd want to have it checked!

As for the sport button/non-sport button debate, I have it on all the time because I find it makes it easier to make smooth shifts in the first 2 gears. I didn't like the steering feedback at first, but now I'm used to it. I turn it on first thing, and never drive with it off. If I forget to turn it on after putting it in first gear, I absolutely love the "rocket" feel I get before 2nd!

Average mpg 33+ calculated.

 

I get 8-12 mpg going up my driveway.

It is a steep switchback.

 

Yeah, but how 'bout that 99 mpg going back down!

I'll bet you don't use calculated mpg figures on your driveway, too, unless it's one heck of a long road. I never pay attention to OBC numbers.