Driving on hills
The steeper the grade, the lower the gear that must be selected. Lower gears increase the braking effect of the engine. Never coast downhill in Neutral (N).
x Reduce speed.
x Switch to Tiptronic mode by moving the selector lever from Drive or Sport Drive (D/S) to the right
into the Tiptronic position ⇒ Shifting with Tiptronic®.
x Downshift by pulling the selector lever back briefly (-).
x OR: Downshift using the paddles on the steering wheel ⇒ Using Tiptronic with the shift paddles behind the steering wheel (if equipped).
If you stop and start up again when going uphill, you should use Hill Hold ⇒ Starting assistance systems as long as the engine is running.
Vehicles without Hill Hold: If you stop on a hill with the vehicle in gear, you must depress the brake pedal or engage the parking brake to keep the vehicle from rolling. Do not release the brake pedal or
the parking brake until the vehicle has started to move forward ⇒ .
Kick-down acceleration
The kick-down feature permits maximum acceleration when the selector lever is in the Drive (D), Sport Drive (S), or Tiptronic mode.
If you push the accelerator all the way down, the vehicle will automatically downshift, depending on vehicle speed and engine speed (rpm). This feature lets you take advantage of the full acceleration
capacity of the vehicle ⇒ .
With kick-down actuated, the transmission will stay in the current gear longer and not upshift until the engine reaches maximum rpm.
Launch control program
The launch control program lets you take advantage of maximum acceleration from a standstill.
x Switch off the Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) ⇒ Braking and parking.
x Depress and hold the brake pedal with your left foot.
x Move the selector lever into Sport Drive (S) or the Tiptronic position, or in vehicles with Driving
Mode Selection, select the Sport driving mode ⇒ Driving Mode Selection.
x With your right foot, depress the accelerator pedal until the engine reaches about 3200 rpm.
x Remove your left foot from the brake ⇒ . The vehicle will accelerate from a stop at the maximum rate.
x Once you have accelerated, switch ASR back on again!
WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause skidding and loss of traction, especially on slippery roads, resulting in a loss of vehicle control, collisions, and serious personal injury.
x Only use the kick-down feature, Launch Control Program, or fast acceleration if visibility, weather, road, and traffic conditions permit and other drivers will not be endangered by your driving and the vehicle's acceleration.
x Always adapt your driving to the traffic flow.
x Note that the drive wheels can spin and the vehicle can swerve when ASR is switched off, especially when the road is slippery.
x Once you have accelerated, switch ASR back on again.
Driving mode Recommended driving situations
Normal Balanced setting for everyday use.
Sport Gives the vehicle a sporty driving feel and is suited for a sporty driving style.
Individual Individual systems can be adjusted to suit your personal requirements
The effect on the vehicle settings in the individual driving modes depends on vehicle equipment.
The driving mode can be changed while the vehicle is stationary or when it is moving. After selecting a driving mode, the vehicle settings (excluding engine settings) are switched to the new driving mode immediately.
When traffic conditions allow, briefly take your foot off the accelerator to activate the newly selected driving mode for the engine.
Steering
In Sport mode, power steering is reduced and the effort required to steer the vehicle increases. The vehicle's driving response becomes more agile.
Powertrain (engine and transmission)
The engine and transmission will give either a more dynamic or more balanced response to the movement of the accelerator, depending on the selected driving mode. In vehicles with an automatic transmission, the shift points and the coasting mode will also change. Active cruise control can affect the acceleration response.
Adaptive front lighting system (AFS) and Light Assist (if equipped)
AFS and Light Assist give either a more dynamic or more balanced response to the current driving situation, depending on the selected driving mode.
Displaying the driving mode
x Switch on the ignition.
x Press the Driving Mode Selection button
WARNING
Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text messages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result in a collision and serious personal injury.
x Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.
x Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
In vehicles with an automatic transmission, the system automatically switches to Sport (S) mode when the Sport driving mode is selected.
The driver can adjust certain vehicle functions, regardless of the selected driving mode. For example, the driver can shift the selector lever to the Sport (S) mode, even if the Normal driving mode is selected.
Adjusting the driving mode
