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Do you leave hill start assist on or turn it off?

  • I leave Hill Start Assist on

    Votes: 56 58.3%
  • I turn Hill Start Assist off

    Votes: 23 24.0%
  • Bewbz

    Votes: 17 17.7%

How many of you turn hill start assist off vs leaving it on? (newer models)

27K views 31 replies 22 participants last post by  Jbuss 
#1 ·
Just a curious question, how many of you leave your hill start assist on versus turning it off. When I first got my WRX, I enjoyed having hill start assist so I would not panic when on steep inclines with a car behind me. However, after getting a better feel for the car and clutch, I now prefer hill start assist to be off. I find it is a bit smoother at hills this way and it is also nice to be able to roll back a bit when you want to without having to shift into reverse.
 
#3 ·
My wife loves hill assist on our Crosstrek. I can't freaking stand it...
 
#4 ·
Turning off traction control improves driving, too. Well, as much of it as you can, anyway. I don't recommend this in *any* inclement weather or for driving through any twisties. However, it does lessen the "bog-down" on start and during quick shifts.

(Disclaimer: Turning of traction control is unwise and is dangerous. Do so at your own risk!)
 
#5 ·
Drews said:
My wife loves hill assist on our Crosstrek. I can't freaking stand it...
So what you're saying is your wife has trouble getting it up without assistance? They make a pill for that, you know...
 
#9 ·
Let's slow down here, I'm not as old as Ray....
 
#16 ·
I didn't even know this was a feature of the car until I brought it home. I've never driven a car with this kind of driver aid but pieced it together pretty quickly! :D

I've driven almost nothing but manual transmission cars my whole driving life and I actually like it. Need it or not, it sure doesn't hurt.

I just don't want this to make me forget how to drive cars that don't have it.
 
#17 ·
Not sure if people know this but the hill assist disables any time you engage the parking brake, so you can still leave it on and still do it the old fashioned way with the handbrake if you want to. My wife who daily drives the WRX to work likes it as one of her big fears was stalling it at the uphill traffic lights.

For the past 10 years I been driving a stick shift truck with a foot pedal parking brake so I've learned to just be quick about it as using the parking brake isn't really practical.
 
#18 ·
I used the handbrake method the day I learned to drive stick. I've never used it since.

Even on steep uphills, using the clutch threshold and heel-toe has always worked best for me.
 
#19 ·
I dont know if i like it.... i feel like its fighting me and making me launch sometimes because used to heel toe shifting while on hills
I didnt even know what it was, just picked up my WRX over the weekend and actually stalled, because of previous crazy launch caused by assist
 
#20 ·
The only time I REALLY hate it is when I remove my foot off the brake too early and then decide I need my foot back on the brake. THe brake pedal is locked for like 5 seconds and that annoys me. Never affects me driving through.

I also dont even know how I would turn it off... never investigated how.
 
#21 ·
For the first week I owned my STI (the first car I owned with Hill assist), I was stalling out constantly. This is from someone who has been driving standard for 16 years.

The hill assist makes it difficult to feel the engagement point of the clutch, so I suppose I thought the clutch had grabbed, got on the gas, and conked-out the motor. It was a major frustration point for about a month, then I grew accustomed to it.
 
#24 ·
zax said:
For the first week I owned my STI (the first car I owned with Hill assist), I was stalling out constantly. This is from someone who has been driving standard for 16 years.
As your friend, if I was in the vehicle behind you when you stalled out, I'd have made sure to honk my horn at you :D
 
#29 ·
when i test drove a 2018 wrx i honestly didnt even notice. ive been driving an automatic for a couple years and have gotten used to not needing to think about this kind of thing. i didnt find it strange or difficult at all, i actually didnt stall the car once. we werent on cliffs but there was plenty of verticality on the drive.
 
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