Engine braking on auto Auris

[Egregious]

I have just traded in an Auris Hybrid for a new Auris automatic which is not a Hybrid. A retrograde step some might think!  On the Hybrid there is a B setting on the gear selector which gave engine braking, e.g. when descending a hill, although it was not very effective.  The new auto car does not have a B setting.  Instead it has an M setting which I am told can be used for engine braking in conjunction with the + or - paddles attached to the steering wheel.  Has anyone got any tips on how these can be used effectively for engine braking?  The salesman was fairly dismissive about it saying that this feature was not really needed.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Presumably you need to change your profile to include the petrol(?) Auris. Moved to the Auris club.

[FROSTYBALLS]

One can download the full owners manual from https://www.toyota.co.uk/tme#/my-toyota/eManual

If you download manual OM12M54E and look at pages 224 and 226, this gives some information on using the CVT for engine braking.

[Devon Aygo]

As you now have a conventional petrol engine in your car you will also by default have a degree of engine braking which was intentionally designed out of the hybrid to increase fuel efficiency.

You can if you wish use the gear selector in "M" ( The gearbox control unit creates 7 simulated forward gears for "manual" control via the shift lever or paddles ) mode to change down through the "gears" and increase the engine braking however in "M" mode you will need to shift both up and down, you can if you wish leave the car in "D" let the CVT box choose the gearing then use the - paddle to temporarily shift the box down a "gear" the gearbox will then switch back auto mode after a short period.

[Poll]

When you want to use the engine to brake the car whilst in 'D' just pull the - paddle towards you and the gear will change down, and slow the car down. Each pull in the paddle will reduce the gear by 1.When you apply the accelerator again or stop the gearbox will return to auto.

If you wish to accerate quickly whilst in 'D'pull the - paddle towards you and press the accerlerator at the same time it has the same effect as changing down to acelerate with a manual gearbox

Edited March 19, 2018 by Poll

[Egregious]

Thanks for the useful responses on my query.  

[nielshm]

No matter what you do, engine braking will be less efficient than with regular manual transmissions. When I use engine branking, I put the gearstick in M-mode, and uses the +/- with the gearstick. I fell that's more natural feeling, rather than the shifting paddles on the steering wheel. To get a decent amount of engine braking, revs must be at least 4000 rpms, if the revs are lower, thare's a chance that the car wil go faster and faster.

How do you like the CVT compared to the hybrid? And why did you decide to go for a non-hybrid, when you were used to drive to old car?

[Egregious]

Thanks for your response.  I have only had the new car a couple of weeks so it is difficult to tell how it will work out, especially with the recent bad weather.  I downgraded from the Hybrid because my wife was scared to drive it, if she had to in an emergency.  She didn't like the "spring back" gear selector shaped like a small inverted golf club and the way the petrol engine would cut in and out without warning.  Hopefully the conventional auto "gate" in the new car and the continuous running of the engine will not be the same deterrent!