Was transporting blood and platelets emergently to a city hospital for a young teen in postpartum hemorrhage.
Trying to enter and exit red intersections as quickly as possible to get out of cross-traffic’s way, I placed the RX350 in SPORT (Illegal foregistered tree-huggers and Greenies)
It seemed thathengine received more fuel than the same throttle position in ECONO MODE.
Not justaying in lower gears longer.
The Letsuck dealer does not know?
Thank you.
My understanding is it’s just like the Power mode on mom’s 2010 Prius, gives you quicker throttle response compared to normal or eco but we’ve only used it for the giant hill to get to my brother’s house where you at least feel like you’re getting more power but it doesn’t seem to make a real dent in the MPG overall for the 300mi round trip. `
Yeah, basically. It remaps the throttle to deliver more power earlier in the pedal travel.
But you get the same power output with it floored whether you’re in eco or sport mode.
Here’s a chart of how throttle modes change throttle response. It’s not for your Lexus, but the principle is the same:
More air and fuel proportionally, the air/fuel ratio remains 14.7 to 1.
The relationship between the accelerator pedal and the throttle angle changes. Throttle control is electronic, changing modes is no different than a video game, choose the control you want. This vehicle has the same engine as the Lexus RC350, performance doesn’t have to be restrained.
While in eco mode I need to press the accelerator pedal more the halfway to accelerate with city traffic, this is more of a nuisance than a feature. A sacrifice in performance to save 1 MPG.
Eco mode changes the shift schedule and the air conditioning blower speed to save fuel and to help you sweat more during summer months.
Thank you, both!
Have never floored it. (For a Greenie the.oligcal implications of such would be staggering.)
To save fuel I use the air conditioner onlyvhenecessary. (Wife orders.) Nopen windows which would impose more drag than the air conditioner.
I accidentally put my transmission in sport mode leaving work this last week. The engine was awfully loud and I noticed that the engine was revving at about 2500 RPM. I switched to drive and the RPMs dropped to about 1800. I think there is also a difference in transmission programming on my car. 2017 Accord 4-cyl with CVT. BTW, the sport setting is through the transmission, PRNDSL. ECON mode is engaged with a button and changes programming for the engine, transmission, and cruise control.
Cruising along at a nice 105, the hospital called asking “Where are you?”.
When I answered: “Can you speed it up?”
Gently attaining 130 on the level dry Interstate, the throttle was not much advanced - seemed thathe Rx350 could go faster buthere were vehicles ahead so I started coasting down to a safer speed.
The hospital personnel, waiting in the parking lot, were very thankful.
(When they called, I should have asked them to wait athe laboratory’s firescapexterior door. I could park on the street right nexto the door and the blood and platelets go directly into the lab.)
Wondering if the speedometer was exaggerating, I reviewed the dash cam video.
It read 213 kph.
Maybe sport mode is for autocross and off-roading but not flat ground driving and not for speed.
How similar is an rx350 to a Toyota Highlander? Our Highlander doesn’t have sport mode. It does have “snow” mode. Pressed the button a time or two just to see what happens. It basically seems to do the exact opposite of what a sport mode would do to the throttle. It makes the car feel like a gutless wonder lol. Kind of interesting what throttle mapping/tuning does for power perception.
Modes: ECO | NORMAL | SPORT (Usually in ECO) (In ECO at 130)
SPORT when many intersections.
AWD turns off above 25 mph.
I don’t know about your car specifically, but on many cars snow mode causes you to use second gear to accelerate from a stop to reduce the chance of spinning your wheels.
I don’t know either. I don’t think I’ve ever tried the snow mode from a stop. Rarely ever snows here and when it does, I generally drive my older junk. Easier to replace one of my 17 year old vehicles than my wife’s 9 year old one 
Sport mode also changes the electric power steering assist. Vehicles with “F-Sport” package change the shock/strut tuning in sport mode. Not for off road racing.
Since I had full attention on traffic, I did not.ice!
Wilhave to discern if the Rx350 changesteering feel.
In most cars it increases throttle response and holds the gears noticably longer between shifts . Thats the way it works on my 2020 Durango . Also slightly stiffens up the steering .
Thank you. Thoughthathe throttle may give thengine more gas, but was not sure.
The only time I use it is in emergency runs through cities, otherwise always in ECO as a Greenie in good-standing should.