Flappy Paddles!

[PaulWhitt20]

Anyone use them? When and what for?

Never used mine apart from playing when new. However I prefer to waft down the road rather than drive like a racing driver.

[rayaans]

Used it once for engine braking - but thats it.

Not really worth having them, just a bit of a gimmick really.

[dutchie01]

must have been on request of the marketingdepartment, cannot sell a car without communicating it is sporty or sports or racy or tested at the nurburgring and so on.

i never use them.  flappy paddles on a cvt box is complete nonsense. 

 

 

[200h]

2 hours ago, rayaans said:

Used it once for engine braking - but thats it.

Not really worth having them, just a bit of a gimmick really.

i'm with rayaans ,why use the paddles when you can just keep accelerating

[steveledzep]

Useful in snow with a conventional auto box.

[wh05apk]

I use mine regularly for engine breaking, rarely using the brakes, also fun occasionally to pop into sport, turn the boy racer sound generator up and accelerate away from lights/roundabout.

[Rabbers]

Near where I live is a long and steep hill with a speed camera at the bottom where the limit, preparing you for a hairpin bend, is 30km/h.   It

can be difficult to observe this limit using the brake alone but, once you have slowed to 40km/h or so, flicking the paddle down to #2 enables

you to get past the camera with impunity and safely negotiate the hairpin.   As a matter of fact I look forward to using this bit of road because

it is one of the very few where I get to use the paddles and appreciate them.   Occasionally I also use them on stretches of twisty road because,

at the back of my mind, I still harbour the thought that they were put there in order to enhance driver involvement rather than as a mere image-

booster, but, alas, I am always disappointed.

[RichyRich]

It's a shame there isn't a complete manual mode which actually forces thr driver to use the paddles or the gear shift.   A shame but still think it's a nice feature that other cars in this class don't have so we should be thankful for that at least :) 

[wh05apk]

17 hours ago, steveledzep said:

Useful in snow with a conventional auto box.

I would be careful using them in slippery conditions, as engine braking will only be on the rear wheels, and will be less sensitive than using the brakes, could cause loss of traction quite easily.

[rayaans]

57 minutes ago, wh05apk said:

I would be careful using them in slippery conditions, as engine braking will only be on the rear wheels, and will be less sensitive than using the brakes, could cause loss of traction quite easily.

I think you'd use it for setting off in 2nd rather than engine braking in slippy conditions 

[wh05apk]

9 minutes ago, rayaans said:

I think you'd use it for setting off in 2nd rather than engine braking in slippy conditions 

just use the winter setting for that?

[darrude]

Only time I have found them useful is for getting the engine revving high for a quick overtake. Probably used them a total of 4 times in 15,000 miles of ownership.

[Rabbers]

6 hours ago, wh05apk said:

I would be careful using them in slippery conditions, as engine braking will only be on the rear wheels, and will be less sensitive than using the brakes, could cause loss of traction quite easily.

This is absolutely right.  Unless your speed is low, say <30km/h, downshifting on snow or ice or any other seriously slippery surface whether or

not you are gently applying the brake can cause a disconcerting rear wobble signalling the risk of the 300h going into a tailspin.  In such conditions

I find it safest not to make the next downshift until the braking effect of the previous one is complete.  And, incidentally, in this kind of scenario the

paddles are preferable to the stick because they allow you to keep both hands on the wheel.

[steveledzep]

On 14/08/2016 at 6:08 PM, steveledzep said:

Useful in snow with a conventional auto box.

I didn't have engine braking in mind when I made this post.  I agree it wouldn't be ideal in snow.

I was thinking more of controlling the shifting of gears so that you can travel in as high a gear as possible.

[200h]

i have found that when in EV mode if you have to go uphill slightly to stop leaving EV

a click on the - paddle will help you stay in EV

[DJP]

They do work in other modes but I tend to agree with you, a bit gimmicky really. Like the ASC, but good for a laugh when you want to pretend you are a boy racer for 2 mins [emoji3]

Sent from my Iphone using Tapatalk

[RichyRich]

Think these are a good feature as others have said useful for slowing down in a bit but points noted about using or not using in icey conditions.