What is the difference in fuel consumption between S gear and D gear?

[JamesonLynn]

S gear consumes more fuel than D gear. There are three methods to reduce vehicle fuel consumption: 1. Minimize the vehicle weight: Keep the interior simple and avoid carrying unnecessary items, as every additional kilogram increases fuel consumption by 1%; 2. Avoid excessive vehicle modifications: Adding spoilers, protective covers, or wings may disrupt the original aerodynamic design, increasing wind resistance and consuming extra fuel. Modifying lighting systems increases electrical load and unnecessary fuel consumption; 3. Develop good driving habits: Avoid sudden acceleration, driving at high speeds in low gears, prolonged idling, frequent lane changes, or braking. Aim for smooth starts, steady-speed driving, and reduced braking.

[SanLily]

I've been driving automatic transmission cars and noticed a significant difference in fuel consumption between the S mode and D mode. The S mode is the sport mode, which essentially makes the engine more powerful by delaying gear shifts and maintaining higher RPMs to give you that acceleration feel. As a result, the engine needs to inject more fuel, naturally increasing fuel consumption. Especially in traffic jams or during rapid acceleration, fuel consumption can easily be over 20% higher than in D mode. D mode, on the other hand, is the daily fuel-saving mode. The car is smart enough to shift up as soon as the RPMs rise slightly, making the engine work less and saving a lot more fuel. I tested it myself: driving from Beijing to Tianjin on the highway, D mode gave me around 8 liters per 100 kilometers, while S mode jumped straight to 10 liters. Long-term use would definitely make a dent in your wallet. Of course, S mode is thrilling for racing and overtaking, but if you're purely looking to save fuel, it's better to stick with D mode for daily commutes.

[JoelAnn]

I'm always very conscious about fuel costs when driving, and I've researched the differences between S mode and D mode. Simply put, S mode burns fuel faster because it keeps the engine RPM high, delaying gear shifts to maintain power, which forces the engine to work harder and consume more fuel. In city driving with frequent stops, fuel consumption can increase by 30%. D mode, on the other hand, is much more considerate—it defaults to a gentler driving rhythm, shifting up as soon as the RPMs stabilize, keeping the car in a low fuel consumption range, resulting in noticeably better mileage than S mode. For example, in my small car, D mode averages 7 liters per 100 km in the city, but switching to S mode immediately spikes it to over 9 liters—a significant difference. Remember, driving habits play a bigger role: a cautious driver using S mode might only see a 10% increase in fuel consumption, but an aggressive one could see a 50% difference. The best way to save money? Stick with D mode for daily driving and use S mode only occasionally for a thrill.

[OEmilio]

For friends driving automatic transmissions, the S (Sport) mode definitely consumes more fuel than the D (Drive) mode. The principle is easy to understand: S mode holds lower gears, forcing the engine RPM to skyrocket, which significantly increases fuel injection and thus fuel consumption. In contrast, D mode eagerly upshifts to lower RPM for fuel efficiency. For example, when cruising at 60 mph on flat roads, D mode maintains around 1,500 RPM, while S mode insists on revving past 3,000 RPM—more fuel injection naturally leads to higher consumption, typically averaging 15% more. This is especially noticeable on winding mountain roads or uphill sections, where S mode delivers stronger performance but at the cost of skyrocketing fuel usage. If you're driving an economy car, D mode might keep consumption around 5L/100km, but S mode will easily push it past 6L.