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2024 Sportage Hybrid SX Prestige
I just found this in:http://webmanual.kia.com/DA_GEN2_V/AV/KOR/English/010_Settings_car.html#:~:text=SMART: This drive mode enables,is optimized for dynamic driving.I have done some internet searching and have not found a useful explanation of Smart Mode. I am not sure what adapting to individual driving styles means. If Kia would share a technical explanation, I would read it and either get an understanding or admit that it was above my head.
I live in the mountains and up and down hills is the normal thing here. I purposely go up hills more slowly for the most part unless someone is behind me. (I try to avoid being a rolling roadblock.)
I find that If I have needed to slow bar below the set speed on level ground or downhill, reengaging the CC is more apt to rely on EV to accelerate back to set speed compared to my pressing the accelerator, however gently. Uphill is a different matter.
Wayne
The explanations are in settings, but not cut and paste able (at least for me)
Replies
Thanks for that. Unfortunately, I still cannot claim an adequate understanding of "Smart Mode."
basically in smart mode, if you floor it, it will put it in sport mode by itself. If you are accelerating abruptly or going up a hill, it will put it in normal mode. If you are cruising along with not much throttle, it puts it in Eco mode. It indicates this by the color of the word smart on the dash.... red for sport, purple for normal, blue for eco.
Thanks.
On mine, a 2023 HEV EX, the 4 modes are ECO (defaults to this on start-up), SPORT, SMART, and SNOW. They are different colors on the dash, but I have not noticed them changing. I am going out today and will experiment.
I used SMART for a while, but have been leaving it in ECO. I live in mountains and am more than satisfied with the performance in ECO. My last car was a Honda S2000, so I know what it is like to drive a truly high-performance car. The hybrid Sportage in ECO mode does very well from a performance standpoint. And I am extremely pleased with the fuel mileage. My last tankful, I drove 464 miles, much of it Interstate, and in 464 miles I used 11.34 gallons, for an average of 40.9 MPG.
Wayne
On mine, a 2023 HEV EX, the 4 modes are ECO (defaults to this on start-up), SPORT, SMART, and SNOW. They are different colors on the dash, but I have not noticed them changing. I am going out today and will experiment.
I used SMART for a while, but have been leaving it in ECO. I live in mountains and am more than satisfied with the performance in ECO. My last car was a Honda S2000, so I know what it is like to drive a truly high-performance car. The hybrid Sportage in ECO mode does very well from a performance standpoint. And I am extremely pleased with the fuel mileage. My last tankful, I drove 464 miles, much of it Interstate, and in 464 miles I used 11.34 gallons, for an average of 40.9 MPG.
Wayne
I drove in SMART mode today. Aside from different colors on the dash, I was not able to perceive any difference in performance or fuel economy compared to ECO mode.
Wayne
Wayne
I'm still experimenting, but IMO, Sport Mode, mimics the general "no nonsense" feeling of a normal gasoline car.
Do I want ECO today?
Well, it's hilly. Should I use Sport for a more authoritative and firmer ride like a race car?
Lots of people buy a hybrid and drive the crap out of it just like a normal car: "Green light = floor it"
ECO is for enviro-weenies.
Do I want ECO today?
Well, it's hilly. Should I use Sport for a more authoritative and firmer ride like a race car?
Lots of people buy a hybrid and drive the crap out of it just like a normal car: "Green light = floor it"
ECO is for enviro-weenies.
My last car was a Honda S2000 that I had for 20 years. It cornered like it was on rails and could do speeds in excess of 150 MPH. It is often literally used as a race car. I aged out of driving it mostly due to its low seat and my arthritis and bad knee.
I am more than satisfied with the performance of the Kia Sportage hybrid in ECO mode. I live in the mountains of WV and few other places have hills like we do. Our mountains are not as high as the Rockies, but they are steeper. The Kia handles them fine in ECO.
I chose the Kia in large part because of its promised fuel economy. I probably would have bought a Chevy Equinox from my local dealer except for the fact that its fuel economy was really little better than my pickup truck.
Wayne
I am more than satisfied with the performance of the Kia Sportage hybrid in ECO mode. I live in the mountains of WV and few other places have hills like we do. Our mountains are not as high as the Rockies, but they are steeper. The Kia handles them fine in ECO.
I chose the Kia in large part because of its promised fuel economy. I probably would have bought a Chevy Equinox from my local dealer except for the fact that its fuel economy was really little better than my pickup truck.
Wayne
hmmm I was thinking the smart mode might make my insurance company smarter about my driving habits... naw
That’s the Kia Connect
Hi, this is very informative. I have the same Lx. But our average mpg is arond 36 overall. Small trips can get around 42, at 45 - 50 mph. Always in eco mode. It had 180 miles on it when we bought it new. It showed accumulated at 32 mpg. We had a long trip & averaged 32 mpg. We have a 2020 Niro averaging around 50. From youd description, we are doing something wrong or something is wrong with the car maybe. What do you think please?I should point out that I'm an experienced hypermiler - I was able to get up to 40 MPG out of a Chevy HHR on back roads at 50 MPH in my highest gear. But it was old and wasn't good for towing, so the Sportage.
Mine is a 2024 LX Hybrid, so the base model in the same line as your SX. It's also just FWD - I had no need for AWD and it dings you 5 MPG.
The first weekend I had my car, I took a back roads cruise of 175 miles or so, with a light foot and keeping the speed around 50. When I got done my accumulated MPG was 47.
Over the next few weeks of driving short trips around town, I was still above 44 MPG.
I've found over the next few thousand miles, several factors that influence my mileage. The first was speed. My back road 47 MPG at 50 MPH dropped to more like 43 at 70, but maybe came back up to 44 at 65 - hard to tell with short samples. Another thing that makes a difference is hills. I live in Tucson where the city is flat, but on a recent trip I found that the mountain passes were having an impact. The last thing is your load. My early readings were with just me and no cargo. Of course I take a major hit when towing my 950 lb. trailer, and you could see a considerable effect from several passengers and their baggage.
But all in all, I've been pretty happy with my fuel economy.
There's also some technique involved in braking to maximize your regenerative recharge. I do not have a good grip on this yet.
I just drove a long highway trip(220 miles) from NY to Cape Cod in smart mode and I averaged 42 mpg. In ECO mode, I usually only average around 37 on a trip of this length. My car is a 2024 EX hybrid.
I think that in SMART mode, the electric is always on and supplements the 1.6 turbo for power on the hiway.
Anyone know for sure how this works?
I think that in SMART mode, the electric is always on and supplements the 1.6 turbo for power on the hiway.
Anyone know for sure how this works?
I, too, would like to better understand the difference between Eco and Smart modes. My 2023 EX Hybrid defaults to Eco when I start it. For a good while, I switched to Smart mode but eventually stopped because I could see no difference in performance or economy. I now leave it in Eco mode unless winter conditions dictate Snow mode. (I am retired and rarely go out in bad road conditions.)
Several months ago, I took the Kia to the dealer for some sort of software update. Since then, the mileage has noticeably improved. I was already getting close to the 38 MPG the EPA predicted. After the update, I am consistently getting over 40 MPG per tankful, often over 42 MPG. If anyone got the letter about the software update and have not taken the car in for it, I highly recommend it, There was no cost for it.
I am especially pleased with the mileage I get because I live in the higher mountains of West Virginia. The mountains here are not as high as out west, but they are steeper. Driving up steep hills is tough on fuel economy.
Wayne
Several months ago, I took the Kia to the dealer for some sort of software update. Since then, the mileage has noticeably improved. I was already getting close to the 38 MPG the EPA predicted. After the update, I am consistently getting over 40 MPG per tankful, often over 42 MPG. If anyone got the letter about the software update and have not taken the car in for it, I highly recommend it, There was no cost for it.
I am especially pleased with the mileage I get because I live in the higher mountains of West Virginia. The mountains here are not as high as out west, but they are steeper. Driving up steep hills is tough on fuel economy.
Wayne