crabman

I was surprised that I didn't find a drive mode specific thread in a search. To that end are you using start/stop, what modes are you using, and why?

I'm running individual with steering and engine on sport. This because the steering is IMO too over boosted in comfort for any car, under any circumstances, ever. The sport is for better throttle response. I find the pedal is so soft and slow at feeding in throttle in comfort that it was hard to drive smoothly because I was mashing the pedal more and more trying to get noticeable acceleration and this messed with the shifting algorithms as well as causing it to surge at times. In engine sport it drives much more smoothly and if I may say it, about like any other car in its comfort or default mode. As a bonus that I haven't seen listed it also makes the brake pedal better too which needed some love because it is way too soft in comfort, again,my opinion. As to running it in straight up sport or sport plus this car is awful to me at anything that resembles sporting intent and stiffening up the suspension does little more than reduce ride quality in a car I don't care to thrash.

This is the smoothest ICE car I've owned at start/stop but that said it's not completely smooth so I run with it defeated. I use the start at last mode feature; I don't remember the name of it but the thing that brings up a toast you can select if you want to start where you left off when you get in.

js_cls

I run in comfort all the time pretty much, and never turn off stop start. I will use eco on long highway stretches sometimes though. Haven’t touched sport or have any desire with this car. Definitely a change from my CLS 53 where I drove in Sport+ half the time, but different cars for different purposes, this one definitely gets me in less trouble

superswiss

Drive modes just like the shift paddles are mostly a gimmick with regular Mercedes-Benz models. Gonna have to have an AMG badge on the outside before they make a material difference. It's not just the S Class, but I don't bother with the modes on any regular model when I have them as loaners. Sport and Sport+ is a joke. At best they are a bit less frustrating than the for mpg tuned Comfort mode.

Diesel Benz

In Switzerland you would use the shift paddles for max recuperation (on latest models) to save the very expensive fuel, different driving style in the US?

I have 1000 miles on the 223 and I've switched drive mode only a few times. Changing from hybrid to EL (electric) and perhaps in 2 out of 3 cases the car turns ICE on while been driven on electric! If it works mostly against what I want, I'll leave it.

I'd assume hybrid and EQ Boost controls working the same way but I hardly ever get a message to keep the previous drive mode at start, neither the home charging profile pop-up (why do I need to acknowledge the location dependent selection in the first place). Makes me quit with personal preferences and accept the defaults.

bishop64

I predominately use Comfort Mode.
The engine/transmission(gear shifting) adjustment of the Sport/Sport+ does not interest me as I am not an aggressive driver.
The relatively slightly heavier steering and stiffer suspension also do not fit my style as I want a maximized comfort ride. And, as I drive mostly in an urban environment, even though the road pavement condition is generally good, nasty potholes do exist and Sport/Sport+ with a lowered and stiffer suspension do not seem a good idea.

And, Start/Stop is mostly disengaged. I think it is a gimmick. It might save a little fuel. But I think it is mostly a feature to train owners to get used to electric power as EVs are inevitably coming.

crabman

Just to be clear; I've yet to try the paddles as I've no interest is sporty driving with this car; it's what it's least suited to do and any attempt to make it better at that would take away from what it actually is good at doing.

To make a few comparisons. The throttle mapping in comfort is so soft that it makes the car hard to drive smoothly unless you're going so slow you risk getting shot in Seattle traffic. That isn't completely hyperbole; I made a few people behind me angry driving this car the way it wants to be driven in comfort. When putting it into individual mode with sport throttle the throttle mapping it's still softer than the Honda, Toyota Camry, and BMW X3 I rented when I was in between this car showing up and my trade going away with those cars in their normal modes. Sport throttle is not sporty; it's just enough that you can detect some actual movement when you push on it. That steering, exactly the same: In individual sport steering the steering doesn't get sporty, it gets so it's not uncomfortably floppy and it's still more overboosted than any of those cars I just mentioned. In no way can it be described as stiff, tight, or most particularly sporty, when in sport steering. It's just not quite as stupidly over boosted as it was in comfort. I'd call this car in individual steering sport "Cadillac circa 1973" and trust me, I was there, that aint stiff.

There is a point where you've gone past comfortable and luxurious and moved into ridiculously overdone. Cadillac in 1973 was the way it was because, by and large, we didn't know any better.

superswiss

Personally, I own/drive AMG and other performance cars and I drive them in manual mode about 90% of the time, but not to save fuel. I do that to drive sporty and dynamic. I also use Sport+ and Race modes regularly on appropriate roads. Driving economically, slow or like a grandma is not my style. Even when I'm in Europe in normal rental cars with automatic transmissions, I pretty much don't bother using the modes and paddles for the same reasons.

For example had a 2022 Audi A6 TDI this summer for three weeks and it was a bore to drive. Although it had a dual clutch transmission, the manual shifts were executed like granny shifts. Totally uninspiring. I'm going back over Christmas and New Years and reserved a rental car with manual transmission this time as not to be bored out of my mind again.

Just saying as I have lots of experience with normal cars and performance cars, these things are mostly gimmicks on most cars outside of the performance models. But as OP said above, the normal modes are increasingly so feathered and neutered that you have to switch to the so-called sport mode just to drive normally. That was also the case in the A6 rental. I had to regularly put the transmission in S, which wasn't remotely sporty, but in D the car just wouldn't get out of its own way.

Sactownmb

Car stays in comfort mode because that’s why I bought an S class. Use stop/start when in traffic & don’t feel any disruption when it starts. I don’t drive aggressively but, am surprised by how nibble the car feels when turning.

crabman

Four wheel steering is great, really helps the maneuverability in the lots. My last car was 4, moving up to 10 doesn't feel much different, although it ups the ante in those really tight spots. It's added complexity but it carries its end of the log. As to not noticing the stop/start; don't know what to make of that. I can see it not bothering but not noticing? Didn't expect to read that one.

JSL555

I use the comfort mode most of the time; I find it suits my creature comfort needs just fine. Having said that, when I am driving back roads with a hilly terrain I do change to sport mode. Much better performance in terms of both shift points and suspension. I rarely ever use the shift paddles, which as someone has already said, is more of a gimmick than a needed function in this car.

Sactownmb

Crabman, life is full of surprises.

SW20S

Can't speak to the W223, but on my W222 there is a noticable difference. The car is much peppier/more urgent off the line in Sport mode, and the heavier steering and firmer suspension make a sizable difference on a twisty road. I also find that the car tracks more solid in Sport suspension mode on the highway, in Comfort it wanders around a little bit.

So I normally use the Individual setting with steering and suspension in Comfort, engine and ESP in Sport, and on a long highway trip I usually put the suspension to sport also in the Individual mode. On a twisty mountain road I will use Sport.

crabman

Been in Porsche for a while now so there is that but sport on the 223 doesn't feel like sport to me; it feels like the bottom end of normal and about what you'd want for everyday traffic when not in a hurry. Comfort is ridiculously soft; I've never felt a softer pedal, even my boat responds better to throttle input. Didn't try sport plus; I've no sporting interest in this car: No chance whatsoever I'd ever put it in economy, I can't imagine moving to something with even worse throttle control than comfort. I'm only in individual with sport engine/steering because they should really be labeled normal. Maybe not even normal normal, more like relaxed fit normal.

I could see putting it into sport altogether if it was wallowing too much on a back road and it made for a more comfortable ride. Haven't encountered that situation yet. Not sure I ever will; this car doesn't exactly encourage hooliganism. Just the opposite for me; I have to watch the speed to make sure I'm not going too slow and risking gunfire from following traffic.

js_cls

I had a chuckle at this, this is the Benz effect. We recently sold our old beater car (E83 BMW X3 3.0i) and replaced it with a W211 E350. The E350 is quicker and has more power, but the throttle tip in is tuned very differently. I've heard that Rolls does a similar tuning, where the power isn't really in the throttle unless you bury your foot deep into it. They want everything to be smooth and effortless, like butter. So even though the E350 is much quicker than the X3, whenever I drive it, I always look down and realize I'm going so much slower than I ever drove in the X3, and it takes more time to reach higher speeds as I don't just wanna slam my foot down. The X3's throttle on the other hand is an overall shorter pedal and much more immediate response upon tip in. Definitely something to get use to. I found it similar on my S at first, as I came from the CLS 53 which also benefits from the electric supercharger to quicken responses, but have since gotten use to it. It's less noticeable on these modern turbocharged engines which make power well below 2k than the older naturally aspirated cars. It does makes sense for the car, its an S-Class after all, its not really tuned for excitement or quick sprints, but to rather be smooth as silk.

crabman

So it is me then; dammit. It feels sorta broken; like I'm having to beg for throttle. Don't get me wrong; I'm liking the car, it pampers like nothing I've owned. I guess I need more time to become acclimated to the new driving style.

shertex

Coded wiper speed slowing down when car comes to a stop.

Coded one-touch closing of trunk from driver's switch (as opposed to holding it down).