[cobrin]

that slight hesitation is a combination of things:
1. turbo lag - the time it takes from pedal input till the turbo boost intake air pressure...there's a slight delay because the engine needs to create enough exhaust pressure to spin the compressor to compress the intake air for the engine to use.

A way to minimise that is to slightly load up the transmission (so brake pedal pressed and at the same time slightly apply the accelerator) when your opportunity to slot in traffic comes, you let off the brake pedal and feed in more of the accelerator to suit the situation. This all happens in about 2-3sec so don't hang both on it all day.

2. Torque Limiting - In lower gears (I believe 1st/2nd) the torque converter allows a bit of slip to protect the gears and then slowly locks up eventually giving full power flow from the engine (as can be said). Which is why it'll rise to the highs it does and slowly drops. That and having it raise the rpm like that also allows more torque to be had.

It's also a softer delivery or torque which is why you don't feel it. It's all normal and all controlled by the Powertrain Control Module.

I'll have to look into that sensor cause it's too close to see it's general position for what it does.