Originally Posted by withidl

The transmissioin does NOT start out in a "lower gear"; the transmission always starts out in 1st gear in Drive or Sport mode (it WILL start out in 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear in Manual mode). Sport mode holds the transmission in 1st, 2nd, etc. longer than Drive mode will (it will take it to max red line with full throttle), AND when suddenly releasing the throttle, as you would do moving through the "twisties", it holds the transmission in what ever gear you are in when you released the throttle to allow for engine braking and faster recovery without down shifting as you get back on the throttle. It also more agressively (readily) un-locks the torque converter and/or kicks down the transmission for additional power accelerating out of the "twisties". And yes, it does use more fuel.