# Drive Select mode, what does it do?



## mogbat (Jul 14, 2015)

Can anyone break down what changing the drive select modes actually do to the car.

I have a MK3 S-Line 2.0 tfsi , manual


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## jryoung (Feb 8, 2015)

On your car spec, it should change the throttle response, sound, steering ratio/response. S Tronic and mag ride is also affected where available


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## noname (Aug 20, 2015)

-efficiency reduce the power engine, has a slowly response with the pedal and the cruise control, and when you are over 30km/h and release the pedal, the car switch to neutral to save fuel and recover energy..also the A/C has half of its power.
-comfort put engine and gearbox response, exhaust sound, quattro, magnetic ride, steering wheel soft for a relaxed ride.
-auto will change engine and gearbox response, exhaust sound, quattro, magnetic ride, steering wheel depending of your type of driving, checking speed, how quick you use the steering wheel, the road surface ecc.. it's the option for everyday as Audi says
-dynamic will put engine and gearbox response, exhaust sound, quattro, magnetic ride, steering wheel in the nervous mode!! you can get the maximum that your car can offer!
-individual is the option that let you decide the state of any parameters.

the available options for any parameter are comfort, auto, dynamic


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## kipiyami (Sep 15, 2015)

After playing about with it, this is what I noticed:

1) Steering - maybe a 1% difference between comfort and dynamic. Still not sure I can feel any difference, it might be my imagination. It could use a stronger effect - the steering is far too light!

2) Engine - Only difference I noticed is the throttle response. On "comfort" it dampens the throttle on/off response so you don't get a jolt, whereas on dynamic it responds instantly when you touch the throttle (which makes the car jittery in traffic!)

3) Engine Sound - Quite a noticeable difference on our TDI. A bit of a drone at constant revs but sounds much better when accelerating.

I always have it in individual with dynamic steering & sound, and comfort engine settings.


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## noname (Aug 20, 2015)

Yes Audi made a lot of settings but resuming there are only two options, dynamic or not!


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## no name (Feb 16, 2014)

Agree with above ^

I switch between eco and dynamic.

There really isn't much difference economy wise unless you are doing a long journey. Lucky to get near 30mpg even in economy around town.

Comfort and steering are barely different, not that I can feel anyway.


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## deeve (Apr 5, 2004)

Comfort makes the steering too light for my liking, Eco is better, Dynamic is tightest of all


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## StevesTTS (May 16, 2015)

Kipiyami said:


> 1) Steering - maybe a 1% difference between comfort and dynamic. Still not sure I can feel any difference, it might be my imagination. It could use a stronger effect - the steering is far too light!


Interesting because in my TTS I notice that steering tightens noticeably in dynamic mode, to the point where I would not describe it as light.


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## noname (Aug 20, 2015)

like I said,only dynamic could make the difference.. The other options are the same more or less
I've read somewhere, probably S5 forum that if we think,efficiency is like comfort, auto is variable so it doesn't count then we have dynamic..2 modes in fact.
Comfort is very soft but in the city drive and parking is useful.


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## 6andy69 (Jun 7, 2010)

Does anyone drive round all the time in efficiency mode? 
My thought was, when the car is switching into neutral when you lift off to coast and then reselects the gear when you press the accelerator would this put extra strain on the clutch? 
Its ok when you coming to a standstill but maybe not when on the motorway


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## Barmybob (Nov 4, 2015)

*Audi drive select*
_
The Audi drive select dynamic handling system allows drivers to experience different setups in their Audi. Choosing one of the modes auto, comfort, dynamic or efficiency changes the characteristic of important drive and suspension components from a comfort bias to distinctly dynamic or particularly fuel-efficient. In individual mode, drivers can configure the setup according to their personal preferences. Audi drive select influences the engine characteristic and steering. Optional equipment features may extend the number of tuning parameters (depending on the model).
They are_

_automatic transmission_
_quattro drive_
_suspension with damper control_
_dynamic steering_
_Matrix LED headlights and HD Matrix LED headlights_
_automatic air conditioning_
_In some particularly sporty models, the system also controls the exhaust flaps._

more details on the steering...

_Progressive steering_
_
The electromechanical progressive steering enhances both handling and ride comfort. Its specially toothed gear rack varies the ratio as a function of the steering angle. As steering wheel turn increases, the ratio decreases and steering becomes more direct. This reduces steering effort in urban traffic and when manoeuvring; in tight curves the car is even more agile. Here, progressive steering provides for sporty handling. It also adjusts the power assistance level as a function of driving speed. It is increased at low speeds for easier manoeuvrability. The steering characteristic can be varied between a number of modes in the Audi drive select dynamic handling system._


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## Barmybob (Nov 4, 2015)

The press release for the 2015 TT & brochures all state that the car has progressive steering, from base model up. But on the link above it suggests the MK3 TT has dynamic steering. Not sure if these are the same thing, though they do seem very similar?




*Dynamic steering*

Dynamic steering varies the steering ratio by up to 100 percent based on the driving speed, steering angle and selected mode in the Audi drive select handling system. The central component is superimposition gearing in the steering column, which is driven by an electric motor. Known as strain wave gearing, its construction is compact, lightweight and torsionally rigid. It is free of play, precise and exhibits low friction. The gearing can transmit tremendous torques extremely rapidly and achieves a high level of efficiency.
The strain wave gearing performs its task with just three key components. An electric motor turns an elliptical internal rotor, which deforms a thin-walled sun wheel via a ball bearing, which is connected to the steering input shaft. At the vertical axes of the ellipse it meshes with a hollow wheel that has a sprocket and acts on the steering output shaft. When the internal rotor turns, the large axis of the ellipse shifts, which brings it into the tooth engagement zone. Because the sun wheel has fewer teeth than the hollow wheel, the two exhibit a relative motion to one another – they are superimposed. The large gear ratio of the fast-running electric motor makes it possible to build up this ratio quickly and precisely.

At low driving speeds – in city traffic and in manoeuvring – the dynamic steering operates very directly; all it takes is two full turns of the steering wheel to travel from end stop to end stop. The power steering boost is also high, making parking manoeuvres very easy. On country roads, the directness of the steering response and steering power assist are reduced progressively. At fast expressway speeds, indirect gear ratios and low power assist are used to smooth out unsteady steering movements to enable impressive straight tracking.

Dynamic steering works closely with the electronic stabilization control program, ESC to achieve sporty handling and driving safety. If necessary, it counter-steers slightly; its slight interventions, most of which are unnoticeable to the driver, reduce understeer and oversteer due to load alterations in the vast majority of situations. When braking on road surfaces with split friction coefficients, the system helps by means of stabilizing steering interventions.
Dynamic steering takes less time for its corrections than the brake system needs to build up pressure at the wheels. In many situations, it handles the primary work – brake interventions either become unnecessary or they just serve a dampening function that reduces driving speed. The advantages in terms of driving safety and sportiness are especially noticeable at high speeds and on slippery surfaces such as snow.


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## Master Yoda (May 18, 2019)

Just remember to reselect the drive mode you want e.g. Dynamic, if you switch your car off / on as it lies and just pretends it's in the last selected mode, but it's not.


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## Drift (Jun 14, 2020)

Master Yoda said:


> Just remember to reselect the drive mode you want e.g. Dynamic, if you switch your car off / on as it lies and just pretends it's in the last selected mode, but it's not.


Are you sure that's the case for all cars? Maybe firmware-dependent. Pretty sure mine keeps the setting I last left it on. The feeling of the steering is very obvious between Dynamic and Efficiency.


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## Master Yoda (May 18, 2019)

Drift said:


> Are you sure that's the case for all cars? Maybe firmware-dependent. Pretty sure mine keeps the setting I last left it on. The feeling of the steering is very obvious between Dynamic and Efficiency.


You have to reselect it - it's not proper Dynamic mode. Audi forces it to do this to make the car quieter in residential areas and to make it greener / more eco-friendly


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## kevin#34 (Jan 8, 2019)

yes, every time you start the engine, the drive select it's in AUTO (despite it displays the last select mode)



Drift said:


> Are you sure that's the case for all cars? Maybe firmware-dependent. Pretty sure mine keeps the setting I last left it on. The feeling of the steering is very obvious between Dynamic and Efficiency.


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## KevC (Jul 12, 2016)

When we had the petrol shortage last year I ran in efficiency for a week or two and every time I started the car it was still in that mode because it's the only one where lift and coast works.

Was it actually efficient?
Yes. You have to think a bit more about lifting off and coasting down hills, I used stop-start more than I had ever done and I eeked out the fuel much more than I normally would have.
Using efficiency on a longer motorway run I easily added at least 2mpg to my average.


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## MrOCD (Feb 9, 2021)

I find comfort the most economical … 44mpg yesterday in fact. Efficiency annoys me with the disengagement and I land up pushing the throttle harder anyway.


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## RobinHelsby (Mar 24, 2018)

I tried "efficiency" setting for the transmission for a while and hated it. Firstly the highway code in the UK says you should NOT coast with the clutch disengaged: and how many people would do this with a manual car...? Secondly losing the engine braking effect when slowing down just feels weird - never quite sure if it's engaged or not, even if pressing the brake then engages the clutch. Thirdly thinking about fuel economy, if you coast with the clutch disengaged then the engine requires fuel to keep it turning (it won't turn the engine off) but if you have the clutch engaged then the momentum of the car keeps the engine turning without needing fuel.


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## Master Yoda (May 18, 2019)

Not sure if it bugs anyone else, but one of the things that stops me using efficiency mode is the way only one exhaust outputs on that mode. Other cars that have fake exhausts are so embarassing and sad IMO and it's just something I can't accept on my TT. When it's cold and you can clearly see the exhaust gas visibly coming from just one exhaust I find it hilarious and far too embarassing - I never use it for that reason lol. Just one exhaust outputting is humiliating. This car was designed for Dynamic mode and it's the only mode I use


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## RobinHelsby (Mar 24, 2018)

Master Yoda said:


> Not sure if it bugs anyone else, but one of the things that stops me using efficiency mode is the way only one exhaust outputs on that mode. Other cars that have fake exhausts are so embarassing and sad IMO and it's just something I can't accept on my TT. When it's cold and you can clearly see the exhaust gas visibly coming from just one exhaust I find it hilarious and far too embarassing - I never use it for that reason lol. Just one exhaust outputting is humiliating. This car was designed for Dynamic mode and it's the only mode I use


Thought that when following a colleague's Golf with four pipes but vapour only coming out of two...


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## Gnasher (Oct 21, 2020)

That's one of the bonuses of the RS - always uses both exhaust tailpipes whatever the exhaust setting.


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## kevin#34 (Jan 8, 2019)

on TTS and S3 you can code the exhaust valve as always open, in this way you will have both the pipes working !


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