What does the S gear mean?

[DeMila]

S gear stands for Sport mode, where the transmission can shift freely but with delayed shift timing, keeping the engine at high RPMs for extended periods in lower gears to achieve faster acceleration. Generally, when encountering uphill driving, engaging S gear provides greater power, making the vehicle easier to drive. During overtaking, it can quickly boost power output to achieve the overtaking purpose. The advantage of S gear is that it can increase engine load in a short time, which helps remove carbon deposits inside the engine. Sometimes, S gear is used specifically for carbon cleaning. Situations where S gear is not suitable: 1. Starting off: While S gear can reduce transmission wear in traffic jams, using it during normal starts will cause the gear to remain in 1st or 2nd for too long, preventing speed buildup. 2. Highway driving: Switching to S gear on highways defaults to downshifting for acceleration, which increases speed but also raises RPMs, resulting in louder engine noise and higher fuel consumption.