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“Auto steer” available?
I am interested in buying a Sportage Hybrid. I test drove an SX Prestige trim level. The main feature I am looking for is something like autosteer on highways. Seems like every manufacturer calls it something different. I just want to have the car do the steering when I am long trips. I rented a Hyundai a few months ago and it had that.
So the dealer is telling me I only get the auto steer if I get the Prestige trim with HDA. I am not sure that is accurate and I am hoping you can tell me. I am having trouble finding a Prestige in blue and would consider the EX if it had the features I want. Thank you.
So the dealer is telling me I only get the auto steer if I get the Prestige trim with HDA. I am not sure that is accurate and I am hoping you can tell me. I am having trouble finding a Prestige in blue and would consider the EX if it had the features I want. Thank you.
Replies
I have a 2023 Sportage EX Hybrid. (It happens to be Vesta Blue, but the only reason I chose that color was that the light-colored interior I wanted was only available in black or the blue.)
In any event, it has something called "Lane Keep Assist," which I have no intention of ever using and so I don't know much about it. I assume this is not a full self-driving setup.
When I picked up the car, the "Lane Departure Warning" was enabled, and my first priority when I got home was to turn that off. So now, I have all "Lane Assist" features turned Off.
Wayne
In any event, it has something called "Lane Keep Assist," which I have no intention of ever using and so I don't know much about it. I assume this is not a full self-driving setup.
When I picked up the car, the "Lane Departure Warning" was enabled, and my first priority when I got home was to turn that off. So now, I have all "Lane Assist" features turned Off.
Wayne
My 2024 Sportage HEV has the lane assist feature. I tried to see if it would steer for me, but it kept nudging to the left then the right then back and wouldn't stay centered, then I got a warning to keep my hands on the wheel. After the first week I shut off the nudge, as it was annoying me when it tried to argue with me about my lane position when I'd go around potholes.
I believe the feature you are looking for is the Lane Follow Assist (LFA). The EX is supposed to have it, but not sure how well it works on that trim. On my SX, its the "steering wheel between w/diagonal lines" button on the right side of the steering wheel that turns it on and off. Works great on my SX. The LKA is more of a safety feature that doesn't allow you to cross lines. That feature is awful and I turned it off w/no warnings in Settings immediately after I picked up the car!
On the window sticker of my 23 EX, it lists "Lane Departure Warning & Lane Keeping Assist", so I think those were standard on the EX for 23. Both Lane Keeping Assist and Lane Following Assist are covered in the owner's manual, so I suppose each was included on different trim levels. My EX also has the "steering wheel between lane markers" button, but it appears that it turns Lane Keeping Assist off and on. I have no interest in trying it.
From reading the owner's manual, I do not think either Lane Keeping Assist or Lane Following Assist are the kind of self-driving feature the OP is apparently looking for.
Wayne
From reading the owner's manual, I do not think either Lane Keeping Assist or Lane Following Assist are the kind of self-driving feature the OP is apparently looking for.
Wayne
Well that sucks for the EX '23's. According to this, both the '24 LX & EX Hybrids now DO have LFA:
https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/sportage-hev/2024/features
And yes Wayne, the LFA feature is the one that affects steering and keeps the Sportage centered in the lane on the highway. But it's not strong enough to deal with tighter turns on side roads. The SX combines this feature with the Smart Cruise Control into what they call HDA, to fully automate highway driving. This HDA feature also now includes NSCC to use map data to adjust speed for curves, etc. SO to get fully-automated highway driving, the SX Prestige trim is necessary. But if the OP's concern is just w/keeping the Sportage centered in the lane for highway driving, then the EX trim "should" work just fine. But it's much more relaxing to have the SCC/full-on HDA, as well!
https://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/sportage-hev/2024/features
And yes Wayne, the LFA feature is the one that affects steering and keeps the Sportage centered in the lane on the highway. But it's not strong enough to deal with tighter turns on side roads. The SX combines this feature with the Smart Cruise Control into what they call HDA, to fully automate highway driving. This HDA feature also now includes NSCC to use map data to adjust speed for curves, etc. SO to get fully-automated highway driving, the SX Prestige trim is necessary. But if the OP's concern is just w/keeping the Sportage centered in the lane for highway driving, then the EX trim "should" work just fine. But it's much more relaxing to have the SCC/full-on HDA, as well!
I stand corrected. I dug through the literature that I collected before buying a car last year and I find that “Lane Following Assist” is listed as included on all trim levels of hybrid for 23. Not sure why it was not also listed on the window sticker. So maybe my EX hybrid has this feature. Highway Driving Assist is shown as standard for the SX-Prestige for 23, also.
So, to the OP: it appears that the salesman was telling you true about HDA being only on the SX-Prestige.
I have no interest in trying any of it. I have been driving for 60 years and if I reach the point that I cannot myself devote enough attention to keep the car in my lane, I will quit driving.
Wayne
So, to the OP: it appears that the salesman was telling you true about HDA being only on the SX-Prestige.
I have no interest in trying any of it. I have been driving for 60 years and if I reach the point that I cannot myself devote enough attention to keep the car in my lane, I will quit driving.
Wayne
This video may help. I think this may even be from an LX trim:
"Don't knock it until you try it!" I found that LFA really takes the stress out of long highway drives.
And OP, I would hold out for an SX, if you can. Take a long, careful look at that feature list. You really get A LOT for that extra $5K. Especially if you plan to keep the car for a long time. I never new I "needed" Ventilated seats. Wow. What a great feature to have in the summer or any place where the car sits outside in the sun. Or a heated steering wheel in the winter. Sucks to have to drive our other older car now without these new-fangled features!
"Don't knock it until you try it!" I found that LFA really takes the stress out of long highway drives.
And OP, I would hold out for an SX, if you can. Take a long, careful look at that feature list. You really get A LOT for that extra $5K. Especially if you plan to keep the car for a long time. I never new I "needed" Ventilated seats. Wow. What a great feature to have in the summer or any place where the car sits outside in the sun. Or a heated steering wheel in the winter. Sucks to have to drive our other older car now without these new-fangled features!
Different strokes for different folks.
I am happy driving the car myself, If I had a choice, I would not drive an automatic transmission vehicle either. I can get far better mileage shifting manually. I learned to drive a standard transmission vehicle not that long after I learned to walk. Neither walking nor shifting for myself is a problem, even at my advanced age.
My 23 EX does have the heated leather steering wheel and I sometimes find it handy because the circulation in my hands and feet is not what it once was. No ventilated seats though. But I held out for the light gray interior and I find that when I leave it in the sun it is really not bad, probably because the back and rear windows are tinted so darkly that it stays cooler inside.
For me, I chose not to look at the SX because it included the Panoramic sunroof, another feature I would never use. My last car, which I drove for 20+ years, was a Honda S2000 convertible, 6-speed standard shift. The reasons I sold it after buying the Kia is that I now wear hearing aids and driving with the top down was incompatible with wearing them and I had reached an age where getting out of it was a problem with an artificial knee.
Wayne
I am happy driving the car myself, If I had a choice, I would not drive an automatic transmission vehicle either. I can get far better mileage shifting manually. I learned to drive a standard transmission vehicle not that long after I learned to walk. Neither walking nor shifting for myself is a problem, even at my advanced age.
My 23 EX does have the heated leather steering wheel and I sometimes find it handy because the circulation in my hands and feet is not what it once was. No ventilated seats though. But I held out for the light gray interior and I find that when I leave it in the sun it is really not bad, probably because the back and rear windows are tinted so darkly that it stays cooler inside.
For me, I chose not to look at the SX because it included the Panoramic sunroof, another feature I would never use. My last car, which I drove for 20+ years, was a Honda S2000 convertible, 6-speed standard shift. The reasons I sold it after buying the Kia is that I now wear hearing aids and driving with the top down was incompatible with wearing them and I had reached an age where getting out of it was a problem with an artificial knee.
Wayne
Well, according to that feature list, the ‘24 EX hybrid no longer has a heated steering wheel. And I also agree that the pano sunroof really isn’t necessary. But one of the main reasons I sprang for the SX, was that SCC/LFA/HDA combo. You would like it if you tried it Wayne!
Would especially help your circulation issues, not haven’t to sit with your right leg always stretched out reaching for the gas pedal, or your hands constantly clutching the steering wheel, and concentrating on making mundane adjustments on long drives. I drove cross country with this feature engaged and ended each leg of the journey barely feeling fatigued at all.
Try it, you’ll like it!
Would especially help your circulation issues, not haven’t to sit with your right leg always stretched out reaching for the gas pedal, or your hands constantly clutching the steering wheel, and concentrating on making mundane adjustments on long drives. I drove cross country with this feature engaged and ended each leg of the journey barely feeling fatigued at all.
Try it, you’ll like it!
My problem in driving long distances is sitting for so long. Old, arthritic and I need to move more, not less. If i were fully relaxed instead of engaged in driving, I would worry about falling asleep at the wheel. One of my other vehicles is a 36-foot diesel motorhome that is 8.5 feet wide. Driving that is work; actively driving the Kia is relaxing.