UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Hi Guys, just pushed the button and ordered a GTI+ had a test drive and the VW guy was saying that you don't have to cycle modes to get to sport mode. He put the car in eco and just said pull back on the gear leaver when you want sport and it will change it all. Then pull back again and it will go back to eco.

I thought this just put the gearbox into sport mode rather than the car? He was adamant i was wrong.

Cheers!

I'd be pretty sure you were right and he was wrong...I must test out his theory the next time I'm driving.

I think sales person wrong. Email VW UK and confirm.


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You are correct in your assumption that pulling the gear selector only puts the gearbox in sport. To change everything to sport you need to select it from the driving mode menu. This will change the steering firmness, throttle response, suspension, sound aktor etc.

It’s not unusual for a car sales person to know very little about the product range they are selling. On more than one occasion, I’ve had a salesperson try and persuade me to buy certain options when those features were part of the standard spec for the car.

Usually, the majority of car salespeople are only really interested in achieving their sales targets and getting their bonus / commission. Product knowledge won’t rank highly on their list of priorities. There will be exceptions, and I’ve dealt with a few very good, knowledgeable car sales people but generally speaking, I’ve found forum members to be more knowledgable than car salespeople.

Fully agree with SRGTD, most sales staff
know little about the cars, they are only
Interested in sales.

With regard to driving modes(sport, eco etc) only cars that have some kind of active suspension(which is usually a few hundred quid option) does the driving mode alter the suspension/ride. The driving modes only alter throttle response, steering, exhaust flaps(if fitted such as Golf R) and soundaktor(fake engine sound).


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ryanponti wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:17 am Hi Guys, just pushed the button and ordered a GTI+ had a test drive and the VW guy was saying that you don't have to cycle modes to get to sport mode. He put the car in eco and just said pull back on the gear leaver when you want sport and it will change it all. Then pull back again and it will go back to eco.

I thought this just put the gearbox into sport mode rather than the car? He was adamant i was wrong.

Cheers!

The car (excluding the gearbox) was still in Eco mode - that means damped down throttle response unless you floor the accelerator past the click point, active suspension will be in normal mode, soundaktor will be in Eco (quiet) mode, and you won't have the short lock to lock ratios on the variable ratio steering with heavier feel.

What you will have is an auto box in sport mode - more reluctant to shift up the gears while accelerating, holding the lower gears longer.

Most salespeople aren't car enthusiasts and so don't know their range inside and out like a forum enthusiast will. Can't really e pect them to know the ins and outs of 80+ VW model/trim variants.

Cheers guys, i thought this was the case. Kind of glad as it means i still have yet to experience sport mode

driving GTI with manual ... every thing is sport mode if you push pedals hard enough :DDD seriously execpt for exhaust sound and suspension it feels everything the same. I might have faulty polo though

I found the accelerator a bit "dead" for a sport mode, it certainly didn't get any more responsive. Is there an exhaust valve or is the increase in sound purely from the speaker? Either way more sound = more fun!

ryanponti wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 8:26 am I found the accelerator a bit "dead" for a sport mode, it certainly didn't get any more responsive. Is there an exhaust valve or is the increase in sound purely from the speaker? Either way more sound = more fun!

Sport mode doesn't make the response any faster, besides the fact that if you auto box tends to have less "chuncky" gear changes if you push down the accelerator.

I'm not sure if it was a 2018 or 19 model that you've tested but there is a huge sound difference due to the OPF filter. There are little to none pops and bang on the 19 model.

Sport mode doesn't activate any valves systems and it is solely the sound aktor system. Some of us who have gotten the 2019 model are disapointed with the sound of the GTI. Huge difference between the 2018 and 2019.

I would had gotten a used 2018 tbf.

Nevertheless it is a fun little car

EmiLiuZ wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 8:46 am

ryanponti wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 8:26 am I found the accelerator a bit "dead" for a sport mode, it certainly didn't get any more responsive. Is there an exhaust valve or is the increase in sound purely from the speaker? Either way more sound = more fun!

Sport mode doesn't make the response any faster, besides the fact that if you auto box tends to have less "chuncky" gear changes if you push down the accelerator.

I'm not sure if it was a 2018 or 19 model that you've tested but there is a huge sound difference due to the OPF filter. There are little to none pops and bang on the 19 model.

Sport mode doesn't activate any valves systems and it is solely the sound aktor system. Some of us who have gotten the 2019 model are disapointed with the sound of the GTI. Huge difference between the 2018 and 2019.

I would had gotten a used 2018 tbf.

Nevertheless it is a fun little car

The throttle response is definitely enhanced in Sport mode (or dulled in Eco mode, depending upon your point of view) - we have both 2018 and 2019 Polo GTI+ and they both have throttle response variability dependent on whether they're in Eco, Normal or Sport. It's an individual option item for engine response too.

The throttle is so dull in Eco mode, I cannot instigate tramping, it's easy to tramp in Sport mode. The steering is weighted heavier in Sport mode and in a lower lock to lock ratio.

The sound isn't massively different between the 2 years from the inside with the windows up - the bangs and pops are far more subtle than those you'd get on a Fiesta ST or Corsa VRX. Radio on and windows closed, you won't notice them at all. Externally, there is a noticeable difference between the 2 for the passer by. I can only instigate the pops/bangs/DSG farts with a very heavy right foot in 1st or 2nd.

My 2018 model is about 10% more fuel efficient than the wife's 2019 model, and she's had some abysmal mpg when the PPF/OPF has been actively regenerating.

I tried Eco mode a few times but stick to Normal because I found myself unsure of the vehciles response in certain driving situations. It just seems so "dead" when in Eco mode. Additionally I dont enjoy the free-wheeling when coasting... as if the car is in nuetral which it probably is. I way prefer using engine speed to slow the speed of the vehicle on descent.

I had plenty of pretty pops and bangs in France, going downhill in S (2018 Polo GTI)

My Ibiza is a 1.0 115PS, but the Xcellence Lux trim gets the driving modes. The biggest effect I've seen is in the way the ACC works- in Eco it leaves HUGE gaps even on the closest setting, whilst in Sport it can go full on BMW driver

I've also not seen any difference in fuel consumption, but that's mostly because sitting on the motorway at a constant speed (IE, my commute) isn't really where a difference would be seen!