How to use the L gear in the Envision?

[JourneyLynn]

The usage of the L gear in the Envision is: simply push the gear lever to the L position. The L gear is a low-speed gear, designed for climbing or descending hills. In this gear, the automatic transmission will automatically lock the gear, preventing it from shifting to higher gears and maintaining a lower gear without upshifting. Taking the 2021 Envision as an example, its body dimensions are: length 4694mm, width 1839mm, height 1686mm, with a wheelbase of 2750mm. The 2021 Envision is equipped with a 1.5T turbocharged engine, delivering a maximum horsepower of 169PS, a maximum torque of 250Nm, and a maximum power of 124kW, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

[Penny]

When driving my Enclave on mountain roads, I often use the L gear, especially during continuous steep descents. Just press the L button on the gear shift without stopping. It limits the gear to a low range, preventing the vehicle from speeding up and significantly reducing brake pad wear. Once on a winding mountain road with a long downhill stretch, using L gear along with light braking made the car feel noticeably more stable. It's also useful in traffic jams or when entering/exiting underground garages, functioning like 1st-2nd gear in a manual transmission for more powerful acceleration. However, avoid suddenly shifting to L gear at high speeds as it can damage the transmission. In snowy conditions with wheel slip, starting in L gear is more stable than in D gear.

[JasonDella]

Last month, I took my family camping and tried the L gear when climbing hills with a fully loaded trunk. By directly shifting the gear lever to the L position while driving, the dashboard displays the current gear number. In this mode, the transmission does not automatically shift to higher gears, keeping the engine speed above 2000 RPM for more direct power output. On the way back, going downhill with a heavy load, I barely needed to use the brakes with the L gear. However, it's important to keep an eye on the temperature gauge during prolonged uphill climbs, as high RPMs can easily cause the engine to heat up. For city driving, it's recommended to use the L gear below 60 km/h to avoid excessive engine noise.

[Kevin]

When I first picked up the car, the salesperson specifically taught me how to use the L gear: it's actually a low-speed limiting gear. It works exceptionally well on long steep slopes or when towing an RV. I usually switch to it before a continuous downhill to avoid fumbling with the controls midway. After the dashboard displays the 'L' indicator, you can also use the paddle shifters to manually upshift or downshift to control the speed. I remember once starting on a slippery road and experiencing wheel spin; switching to L gear significantly improved traction. However, it's hardly used for daily commuting, and frequent use can actually increase fuel consumption slightly.