Should You Use D Gear or S Gear for Highway Driving?
2 Answers
Drive in D gear on the highway. Below is the correct way to use a manual-automatic transmission for highway driving: Reasons for using D gear: Highway driving does not require sudden acceleration or deceleration, and it generally involves traveling long distances at speeds of 90-120 km/h. The D gear optimizes the transmission's operation based on the car's driving conditions, making the vehicle more fuel-efficient. When to use S gear on the highway: On the highway, automatic transmission vehicles usually drive in D gear. When the car needs sudden acceleration or overtaking, you can switch to S gear to reduce the time required for acceleration or overtaking, thereby increasing driving safety.
When driving an automatic transmission car on the highway, I prefer using the D (Drive) gear. It allows the transmission to automatically select the appropriate gear, keeping the engine RPM at a low level, resulting in smooth and fuel-efficient driving. If the road is flat and the cruising speed is steady, the D gear is completely sufficient; switching to S (Sport) mode would increase fuel consumption and engine noise, making it less cost-effective for long-term use. Occasionally, when I need to overtake, I can temporarily shift to S mode because it delays the shift points, providing faster and more responsive acceleration, and then switch back afterward. Overall, the D gear is suitable for daily driving, reducing fatigue, while the S gear serves as an auxiliary tool only in specific scenarios.
