General sport button

[white 500]

do all of the 500 sport models have the "sport" button

 

[ensonricky]

do all of the 500 sport models have the "sport" button

The sport button is linked to the 1.4 engine and not the sport trim specification.

 

[John R Smith]

This is something which confuses a lot of people. The Pop, Lounge, and Sport options are levels of trim and are not linked to anything mechanical, which the Sport button is. The 1.4 16v engine comes with the Sport button on all trim options, not just the Sport. It also comes with ESP, discs all round (and ventilated on the front), different front springs, six-speed gearbox, Hill Holder and ASR, all in the price (the extra £1400). Which makes it quite a bargain against the 1.3 diesel, where you pay the £1400 just for the engine (almost -you do get ventilated but standard diameter front discs).

So you have to separate out the trim options from the engine ones.

John

 

[asdarch]

I'm sure I'm being dim asking this question, but does driving in sport mode use more fuel than driving in none sport?

Without sport switched on, my 1.4 feels gutless, and I can't understand anyone wanting to drive in this mode under any circumstances. Are there any?

 

[Littala]

The only time my Sport button is switched off, is when I'm crawling along in heavy traffic (and that's only if I remember to turn it off). It was recommended, either by the dealer or by someone on one of the forums, that I keep the sport button off in heavy, slow moving traffic, as it uses less fuel. There doesn't seem to be too much difference in MPG to to be honest. The 500 is definitely a lot more responsive and fun with the sport button on. Anyway, I'm still getting between 40 to 43 MPG and I've now done 1600 miles+ in the 2 months I've had it.I've never yet tried a whole journey with the sport button off to see if my MPG increases, I guess I'd rather have fun getting to my destination, than possibly save a few pennies on petrol. I might try it out though to see if there is a big difference.

 

[gb77]

I have to turn the sport button in my Panda HP off in town traffic as it feels a little jerky, even with the slightest of touches on the pedal. On the open road I would consider it a sin not to have it on I think other drivers get a wee surprise and the burst of speed when overtaking in the size of car that it is.

In terms of the MPG I have noticed that it only gets better with the engine having more miles on it. I'm on 22,000 miles and am recently getting average of 46.6 mpg based on the last 2000+ miles and that is with the sport button on the most of the time

 

[blashyrkh]

I have to turn the sport button in my Panda HP off in town traffic as it feels a little jerky, even with the slightest of touches on the pedal. On the open road I would consider it a sin not to have it on I think other drivers get a wee surprise and the burst of speed when overtaking in the size of car that it is.

In terms of the MPG I have noticed that it only gets better with the engine having more miles on it. I'm on 22,000 miles and am recently getting average of 46.6 mpg based on the last 2000+ miles and that is with the sport button on the most of the time

The panda sport has 100hp from a non turbo 1.4 engine, right? I don't get what the sport button does. In my bravo, it gives more pressure to the turbo and also tighten the steering and throtle responce but that's just ********! The overboost is what matters the most, and makes all the difference. How about in the panda?

 

[kryten14]

In the Panda it sharpens up the throttle response below 3000rpm and firms up the steering. Does feel like you go quicker though, used to love having ours pressed! I imagine its the same in the 1.4 500 being as the engine is the same?

However compared to the T-Jet equivalent it doesn't hold a torch. Increases torque in that by quite a bit.

 

[DraigFlag87]

It makes very little difference in the 500 1.4, steering and throttle response barely change at all, in the Abarth 500 the difference is like having PAS and no PAS, i could be wrong, but having sport button on adds 20 HP in the A500 as well? Certainly increases torque and throttle response too.

 

[Scorg]

It makes a massive difference in thottle position to me.
Sport mode disabled, and the thottle has to be pressed down 75% of the way to get the same as 25% thottle press when sport mode is enabled.

What I found telling was the need to go to near 90% or full when sport is disabled to get it to shift, while you can get away with half that in sport mode.

I also tried sitting at 70 with sport mode enabled, then disabling it, just to watch the car slow down to 50 with me keeping the same throttle position.
If anything It is a lot more relaxed driving it with sport mode enabled, and if anything, the car should have been set up with that as default throttle and they just include the city button as in other engine specs.

I never have sport mode disabled now.