How do you use SI Drive?

[BAC5.2]

Do you even use it?

 

I've been playing around with my 09 OBXT during the break-in period. The owners manual suggests I-mode for around town, S for sustained highway cruising and whatnot, and S# for spirited driving.

 

I-mode definitely saves fuel, though since I am still breaking the car in, I can't really tell its impact on performance. It does seem like I-mode makes it more difficult to drive though.

 

On the highway, it seems like I and S get similar mileage (~25mpg at 65-70mph).

 

What does I mode do, other than provide a shift light?

 

What kind of fuel economy are you guys getting? I'm on my first tank, and averaging 24ish MPG.

 

And on an unrelated note, is there a way to get the channel change buttons on the steering wheel to change preset instead of actual station?

[rtbrjason]

I mode restricts requested torque, which in turn restricts boost to about 7-8 psi. I get better mpg in S mode myself.. The only time I use I mode is when road conditions are really poor due to snow/ice.

 

S and S# are essentially the same with S# ramping throttle up a bit quicket.

 

IMO, si-drive is somewhat of a gimmick/joke.

[Throttlejockey]

I use it by hitting S# as soon as the blue light goes off.

All highway I get 27mpg at about 75-80 mph at stage 2.

 

The scan buttons on the wheel piss me off. I wish they would change the preset stations also.

[AV8TORSADF]

I'm still breaking in my 3.0R and the first 350 miles or so I only used I-mode and found the car requiring a heavy foot to get it to go. Then last week as I crossed the 400 mile mark I switched it to S-mode and thought I was driving a different car.

 

I'm finding myself getting between 24Mpg and 25Mpg so far. I'm sure after a few thousand miles and the engine is fully broken in I should see 27Mpg.

[Throttlejockey]

My wife got 28mpg all highway in our 08 3.0R.

[RJS5689]

I use it by hitting S# as soon as the blue light goes off.

All highway I get 27mpg at about 75-80 mph at stage 2.

 

The scan buttons on the wheel piss me off. I wish they would change the preset stations also.

Haha, me too. I used the car in S for the first year, and just recently have decided S# is a MUCH better mode. The pedal travel in this car is WAY too long. Companies need to take lessons from the Germans on floor hinged pedals. I find them much better.

 

I mode restricts requested torque, which in turn restricts boost to about 7-8 psi. I get better mpg in S mode myself.. The only time I use I mode is when road conditions are really poor due to snow/ice.

 

S and S# are essentially the same with S# ramping throttle up a bit quicket.

 

IMO, si-drive is somewhat of a gimmick/joke.

SI-Drive is a silly gimmick. I mode cuts torque and power. The throttle is limited to open no more than 40%. S gives full power and torque and for every 1degree the throttle is opened the vehicle power is increased 1%. In S# it gets doubles. For every 1 degree there's a 2% opening. The money spent on SI-Drive would have been better spent elsewhere. The throttle response in this vehicle is way too slow anyways. The default mode should be S#.

[Platinum_Racing]

I wish my Leggy had all these modes......

 

All I have is "Manual" mode which makes it start off in second gear and lowers all the shift points dramaticly, and Power mode which always makes me smile.

 

*Sigh* I want a newer LGT.......

[fonts]

SI-Drive is a silly gimmick. I mode cuts torque and power. The throttle is limited to open no more than 40%. S gives full power and torque and for every 1degree the throttle is opened the vehicle power is increased 1%. In S# it gets doubles. For every 1 degree there's a 2% opening. The money spent on SI-Drive would have been better spent elsewhere. The throttle response in this vehicle is way too slow anyways. The default mode should be S#.

 

 

[redpill66]

Passengers in my car always ask what the SI-drive selector is for. I always explain it as "It is a horsepower selector knob, which is kinda pointless because I have a horsepower select pedal, too"

 

I leave it in S always. Shame on Subaru for wasting the R+D money on something that every car has had for the last 100 years.

[Code]

I dont feel like searching for the post but someone here once remarked that they should make a mode call "I Drive" and my right foot will select exactly how much hp I need

[RJS5689]

I dont feel like searching for the post but someone here once remarked that they should make a mode call "I Drive" and my right foot will select exactly how much hp I need

Oh God, the dreaded iDrive. BMW would have a fit if someone tried to name a product iDrive.

[rouar]

I do use Intelligent when it is snowing out. Keeps the car under control a little easier when you have a little more light range on the throttle. Never else though. I got no better gas mileage on the highway in Intelligent, and actually worse gas mileage in the city (as compared to Sport).

 

Car stays in Sport unless I'm on an onramp, leaving a toll, or need the power, in which case S#.

 

I average 28MPG over lifetime, mostly highway travel. 30+MPG if using the A/C, for some reason.

[kmfuse87]

I use the Si drive a little differently. Since the car becomes much less responsive in I it deters me from jumping on it for short errands like going to the grocery store and what not. So i drive more like a grandmother, and since i have little to no traffic in my town i can do 50 without interruption which provides good gas mileage (no matter what mode).

 

So where some complain that it shuts off some power, i need that or i would get 5 miles per gallon. This car is so DAMN FUN, especially coming from a 96 accord wagon.

[Fernely]

Used I for about a week then forgot about it. S all the time except for autoxing where I put it on S#

[Bbc84]

I use I-mode probably 90% of the time, I find I have more than enough power with the stg 2 tune I have in I mode. I only switch to S or S# if I need to pass, or need to merge into traffic from a stop.

 

When the car was stock I used the S mode more often.

[BradyCat]

I like I mode for driving in bumper to bumper traffic situations, or other slow speed areas like parking lots. I find it is easier to drive smoother in I and is less jerky. I find S mode a little useless sometimes because for high speed/agressive driving S# is best.

[Murphdaddy]

I use I mode all the time to keep me from driving too fast and it is smoother. The only time I use S# is to pass someone otherwise I just keep it in I mode. I never use S.

[DukeTrout]

I use I mode for residential areas as a self-reminder to keep it civil. Then it goes to S# all the rest of the time. I actually find S# to be more precise than S mode.

[vr4Legacy]

I used to use I mode alot for city driving and S for most everything else, kinda like the manual says .... but as I would drive and forget about I mode, I noticed I diddn't get much difference using it. I think it was because I am a spirited driver, always have been, and while in I mode I just drove harder longer to get to speeds, whereas S gets me there quickly then I can cruise at that speed, so essentially I mode was hurting me.

 

I may try the S# 100% approach for a while.. makes enough sense and with my driving style should at least be more fun....

 

But I do tend to agree, if you're buying a performance car, then you shouldn't expect to save fuel consumption, drive it for fun. ANd let your foot regulate how much fuel you use...

[ece_tim]

SI-Drive is a silly gimmick. I mode cuts torque and power. The throttle is limited to open no more than 40%. S gives full power and torque and for every 1degree the throttle is opened the vehicle power is increased 1%. In S# it gets doubles. For every 1 degree there's a 2% opening. The money spent on SI-Drive would have been better spent elsewhere. The throttle response in this vehicle is way too slow anyways. The default mode should be S#.

This is why they did away with SI-Drive in the 2010 Legacy's. It's worthless. Not missing it in my 06.

[Windy Road]

Used I mode for the first week while learning how to drive my car (first stick shift) Now its always in sports mode during the week to and from work. Friday after work, Saturday, and Sunday its always in S#

[-TT-]

mine goes into S# as soon as it can every day.

[Kylar]

SI drive is annoying as hell, the only thing it does for me is make me wait for the blue light to go off before i can put it in s#, which its in 100% once available.

 

I mode is good if you ever let anyone else drive the car, which i dont, but...lol

[Bbc84]

mine goes into S# as soon as it can every day.

 

 

I dont understand how you guys can drive in S# that often, maybe its my tune, but I find that mode way too jerky to drive around in.

[rtbrjason]

SI drive is annoying as hell, the only thing it does for me is make me wait for the blue light to go off before i can put it in s#, which its in 100% once available.

 

I mode is good if you ever let anyone else drive the car, which i dont, but...lol

 

If you're tuned, you can have the S# table copied over to the S table so that it just defaults to S# mode.