Kia Sportage 2023 Manual page 245

Driving your vehicle
Characteristics of SMART mode
僅 The driving mode automatically
changes to ECO mode after a certain
period of time, when you gently
depress the accelerator pedal.
僅 The driving mode automatically
changes from SMART ECO mode to
SMART NORMAL mode after a certain
period of time, when the driver
sharply or repetitively depresses the
accelerator pedal.
僅 The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART NORMAL mode
with the same driving patterns, when
the vehicle starts to drive on an
upward slope of a certain angle. The
driving mode automatically returns to
SMART ECO mode, when the vehicle
enters a leveled road.
僅 The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART SPORT mode
when you abruptly accelerate the
vehicle or repetitively operate the
steering wheel. In this mode, your
vehicle drives in a lower gear for
abrupt accelerating/decelerating and
increases the engine brake perfor-
mance.
僅 You may still sense the engine brak-
ing performance, even when you
release the accelerator pedal in
SMART SPORT mode. It is because
your vehicle remains in lower gear
over a certain period of time for next
acceleration. Thus, it is a normal driv-
ing situation, not indicating any mal-
function.
僅 The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART SPORT mode only
in harsh driving situations. In most of
the normal driving situations, the driv-
ing mode sets to be either in SMART
Drive mode integrated control system
ECO mode or in SMART NORMAL
mode.
Limitations of SMART mode
The SMART mode may be limited infol-
lowing situations.
僅 Cruise Control may deactivate the
SMART mode when the vehicle is con-
trolled by the set speed of Smart
Cruise Control. (SMART mode is not
deactivated just by activating Cruise
Control.)
僅 The SMART mode can be activated in
most of the normal driving situations.
However, an extremely high/low
transmission oil temperature may
temporarily deactivate the SMART
mode, because the transmission con-
dition is out of normal operation con-
dition.
NOTICE
僅 When you mildly drive the vehicle in
SMART mode, the driving mode
changes to ECO mode to improve fuel
efficiency. However, the actual fuel
efficiency may differ in accordance
with your driving situations (i.e.
upward/downward slope, vehicle
deceleration/acceleration).
僅 When you dynamically drive the vehi-
cle in SMART mode by abruptly decel-
erating or sharply turning, the driving
mode changes to SPORT mode. How-
ever, it may adversely affect fuel
economy.
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