And so far I don't like hold mode. The hold can be jarring and it *is* using the real brakes to do it. And then it takes more energy and other abrupt mechanisms to come out of hold to get going again.
There is the slightest of ticks when it engages the brake pedal to go from 0.5 mph to a full stop, and the slightest of jolts when the brakes actually apply. They could make the physical pedal application slightly slower to make it smoother, but that would put more wear on the brakes (slipping is frictive) and would also them to implement algorithms to equate that slippage in various conditions of incline, decline, balance it against the motor output... and to make sure there isn't rollback if you're facing uphill... and etc., and etc. I think they went with a simple mild-but-rapid engagement after the motors bring the speed down enough and left it at that, which minimizes the risk of making an error that allows the car to roll into something.
If you don't like that very slight tick and jolt, I understand. It irked me a tiny bit before I got used to it, but I quickly got used to it and now appreciate the ability to hear/feel that faint tick as confirmation that the car is fully stopped.
That having been said - you're mistaken about the idea that it takes more energy and abrupt mechanisms to come out of Hold to get going again. You're stuck in ICE-based thinking, where that would be true - but with electric motors, the easiest thing to do is apply torque from a dead stop. That's where they have the most torque, and where it takes the least energy to get moving. No gearing changes or clutching ever happens, because it's direct-drive with fixed gearing. And the release of the physical brake is just that - a release. No meaningful energy impact or abruptness involved. In fact, everything that has to happen to come out of a stop under one-pedal driving
also has to happen when you're coming out of a stop in Creep or Roll, if you've actually stopped the car yourself. In other words, if you've hit the brakes, you'll also have to let go of the brakes. The only time it's different is if you're in roll and came to a stop without every having to step on the brakes because the road is perfectly level or because you stop in a divot on the road.
If you really want to avoid the "restart" tick of the brakes when you step on the accelerator while in Hold, try this:
1. Turn on Hold mode.
2. Let the car come to a stop; the brakes tick as they engage after the car slows almost to a dead stop.
3. Just before you try to get going, touch the brake pedal with your foot. This will disengage the brake hold, and you are now in Roll.
4. Step on the accelerator... the car will move forward with no tick from the brake, since it's already in Roll.
I also rarely use 1st gear in my manual ICE. Almost always start from 2nd unless it is truly a dead, dead stop.
Yeah, starting up in 2nd makes it easier to be smooth on the takeoff, so clearly that's your emphasis: smoothness... but I'll note that it's bad for the clutch. Your gain in smoothness comes at the expense of clutch wear (you unavoidably have more slippage when engaging from a stop at a higher gear) and in fuel consumption (you unavoidably use more fuel to get going from a standstill because you spend more energy in slippage in 2nd than you would in first.)
An expert in a standard ("manual") transmission can smoothly start with a minimum of slippage in 1st, and then shift from 1st to second with virtually no slippage at all, putting less wear on the clutch, gears, and other transmission components that any expert trying to do so in 2nd.
Before you counter with "but my clutch lasts a long time so it must be fine," I'll give you my standard reply to everyone else who says that: however long your personal clutch lasts, it would last even longer if you'd use 1st gear as designed and available. And it's OK for you to use your car however you like, it's your car.
The "legit" reason for starting in 2nd gear is this: if you're an an extremely slick road condition, such as trying to get started on black ice, starting in 2nd can make it easier to avoid losing tire traction on the ice so that you can get going. This works explicitly because it puts more slippage on the clutch, which make slippage of the tire less likely.