The Official Simpsons Thread

I was just back in Ohio for a few days. Needed a rental car, so I went with the "manager's special," which ended up being a Nissan Kicks. The shifter had all the regular modes, P, R, D, & N. But it also had B. What the fuck is B?

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So anyway, to make this thread-relevant, every time I got in the car, I thought of this

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What the fuck is B?

I suspect that in the Kicks’ case, “L” was renamed “B” for a few reasons. Technically, you’re not selecting a lower gear because CVTs don’t have gears (well, most of them anyway); rather, the “B” mode effectively simulates a low gear ratio, allowing for engine braking when off throttle. This may burn more fuel but, at least when cruising downhill, should keep you from riding that brake pedal. Additionally, Nissan might’ve settled on the “B” name to create surface-level consistency with its EVs, which have similarly laid-out shifters.
 

Yeah, I googled it because I couldn't just drive around not knowing. It was helpful on downhills. I have a Fit with the CVT but mine has paddle shifters. I use them pretty frequently to control my speed on downhills rather than ride the brake.
 
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