On icy roads, 2nd gear is perfect for deaccelerating without braking and for for taking off without spinning. Sport mode is excellent for these conditions except that it overrides my choices when deaccelerating, dropping me in to 1st when I really don't want to go below 2 (1st is great on dry roads, not now).

Obviously this is computerized somewhere in the depths of the beast, what I want to know is whether this can be changedby Honda or aftermarket tools? I love that it downshifts me when I've dropped below the tolerance for each individual gear but 1 and 2 are both safe for idleing/starting so this isn't an issue. I want it to force a shift when something is out of tolerance, but not simply for 'convenience'.

Any thoughts?

 

When it shifts down to 1st, like when stopped, you can hit the + paddle and it will be in 2nd.

In my experience, when I've forced 2nd, it will stay there until I shift it again.

 

You're right, and that works fine in "stop and go" traffic where I won't go above 2nd. But driving residential or industrial streets with stop lights every few blocks but 50km/h sections in between, 3rd becomes a necessity and then the car, once again, pops it in to 1st once I stop.

During the winter, what I honestly would like is to have full control in sport mode, having the car shift only when absolutely necessary (like forgetting to shift out of 4th when deaccelerating).