Kia Sportage Hybrid 2024 Owner's Manual page 222

Driving your vehicle
僅 The ECO indicator will appear.
僅 Whenever the engine is restarted, the
drive mode remains in ECO mode.
NOTICE
Fuel efficiency depends on the driver's
driving habit and road condition.
SPORT mode
僅 The steering effort, the engine and
transmission control logic is automati -
cally adjusted for enhanced driver
performance.
僅 The SPORT indicator will appear.
僅 Whenever the engine is restarted, the
drive mode sets to ECO mode.
僅 The engine rpm will tend to remain
raised over a certain length of time
even after releasing the accelerator.
僅 Upshifts are delayed when accelerat -
ing.
NOTICE
The fuel efficiency may decrease in
SPORT mode.
SMART mode (if equipped)
僅 The proper driving mode is selected
among ECO and SPORT by judging
the driver's driving habits.
僅 Gear shifting patterns and engine
torque is automatically controlled in
accordance with the driver's driving
habits.
僅 The SMART indicator will appear.
僅 Whenever the engine is restarted, the
drive mode sets to SMART mode.
Characteristics of SMART mode
僅 The driving mode automatically
changes to ECO mode after a certain
6 26
Drive mode integrated control system
period of time, when you gently
depress the accelerator pedal.
僅 The driving mode automatically
changes to SMART ECO 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
ECO mode.
Limitations of SMART mode
The SMART mode may be limited infol -
lowing situations.
僅 Smart Cruise Control may deactivate
the SMART mode when the vehicle is
controlled by the set speed of Smart
Cruise Control. (SMART mode is not