cvt

[NutBucket]

As a hypermiler you should just have an MT. No ECU interference.

 

[Jumpem]

So say if I'm climbing up a hill in D (automatic) and it feels sluggish, and I drop it into "manual" mode where it indicate it's at "gear" 4, and I drop it down a gear to "gear" 3 @ 4700rpm (lets say this is the optimal peak torque for the engine), what exactly is happening? Is the engine really running at 4700rpm? Am I controlling the CVT or the engine? I know these questions probably sound very silly, but I'm trying to wrap my head around what's going on mechanically under the hood.

If I leave it in D uphill, am I already in the most ideal position? Uphill I want the most power I can get, not gas savings.

You are controlling both the CVT and the engine via it. You can pick 4700 RPM, and hold it steady at that the entire way up the hill.