Kia Sportage PHEV 2023 Drive Mode Integrated Control User Guide

The innovative Drive Mode Integrated Control system in the 2023 Kia Sportage PHEV is a big part of why it stands out as a leader in eco-friendly driving in the constantly changing world of car technology. This high-tech feature, which is at the heart of the Sportage PHEV’s design, shows how committed Kia is to giving drivers a flexible and exciting ride. With the ability to switch between different 2023 kia sportage drive modes, such as Eco, Comfort, Sport, and EV, this system gives drivers the freedom to make their trip fit their needs, whether that’s maximizing fuel efficiency, making the ride more comfortable, or turning up the speed for a thrill ride. The Sportage PHEV’s commitment to sustainability is shown even more by the fact that it has an Electric Vehicle (EV) mode, which lets drivers do their daily journey with zero emissions. This thorough introduction goes into detail about the 2023 Kia Sportage PHEV’s Drive Mode Integrated Control system. This system is a great example of Kia’s commitment to eco-friendly innovation, as it combines freedom, efficiency, and a fun driving experience.

2023 KIA SPORTAGE Specs, Price, Features and Mileage (Brochure)

Vehicle Auto Shut-off system (if equipped)

If your vehicle is parked and the engine is left on for a long period of time, the engine will turn off automatically to help reduce fuel consumption and prevent accidents caused by carbon dioxide poisoning.

Operating Conditions

Vehicle Auto-Shut Off timer operates when all the following conditions are satisfied:

• Vehicle speed is below 2 mph (3km/ h), and the gear is shifted to P (Park)
• The brake pedal and accelerator pedal are not depressed
• The driver’s seat belt is unfastened
• The passenger seat is empty
• The infotainment system is updating

Deactivating Conditions

The vehicle Auto-Shut Off timer turns off when one of the situations occurs:

• Vehicle speed is above 2 mph (3 km/ h)
• The gear is shifted to R (Reverse), D (Drive) or N (Neutral)
• The brake pedal or accelerator pedal is depressed
•  The driver’s seat belt is fastened
• A passenger is in the passenger’s seat

System Operation

A: Vehicle will be turned off automatically in:
B: Reset
When all the conditions are satisfied, the Vehicle Auto-Shut Off operates and turns the engine off automatically after 60 minutes.
A timer appears on the instrument cluster 30 minutes before the vehicle shut off.
Resetting cluster timer
To reset the cluster timer, do one of the following:

•  Release the accelerator pedal or brake pedal after the Vehicle Auto-Shut Off is complete.
• Press the OK button on the steering wheel while the timer appears on the instrument cluster.

CAUTION
Do not leave a passenger or a pet in the vehicle in hot weather since the air conditioning system turns off when the engine is off.

Drive mode integrated control system

Drive mode

The drive mode may be selected according to the driver’s preference or road condition.
Type A

The Drive mode is activated by turning the knob.

NOTICE
If there is a problem with the instrument cluster, the drive mode will be in ECO mode and may not change to SPORT mode.
The mode changes when you toggle the DRIVE MODE button.

• ECO mode :
  ECO mode helps improve fuel efficiency for eco-friendly driving.
• SPORT mode Kia Sportage 2023:
  SPORT mode provides sporty but firm riding.
• SMART mode Kia Sportage 2023:
  SMART mode selects the proper driving mode by driving habits.
  The drive mode will change to ECO mode when the engine is restarted.
  When changing the drive mode setting, the responsiveness of Smart Cruise Con-trol changes. (If equipped)

  Mode	Characteristics	SCC Responsiveness
  ECO	Improves fuel efficiency for eco-friendly driving	Slow
  SPORT	Provides sporty and firm riding	Fast
  SMART	Select the proper driving mode by driving habits	Normal

SNOW mode
Distributes the vehicle’s traction forces and prevent wheel slippage when driving on snowy or slippery road.

ECO mode

When the Drive Mode is set to ECO mode, the engine and transmission control logic are changed to maximize fuel efficiency.

• When the ECO mode is selected by using the DRIVE MODE button, the ECO indicator will illuminate.
• Whenever the engine is restarted, the drive mode remains in ECO mode.

NOTICE
Fuel efficiency depends on the driver’s driving habit and road conditions.

When ECO mode is activated:

•  The acceleration response may be slightly reduced as the accelerator pedal is depressed moderately.
•  The air conditioner performance may be limited.
• The shift pattern of the automatic transmission may change.
• The engine noise may get louder. The above situations are normal conditions when ECO mode is activated to improve fuel efficiency.

Limitation of ECO mode operation:
If the following conditions occur while ECO mode is operating, the system operation is limited even though there is no change in ECO indicator.

• When the coolant temperature is low:
  The system will be limited until engine performance becomes normal.
• When driving up a hill:

The system will be limited to gain power when driving uphill because engine torque is restricted.

• When the accelerator pedal is deeply depressed for a few seconds:
  The system will be limited, judging that the driver wants to speed up.

SPORT mode
SPORT mode manages the driving dynamics by automatically adjusting the steering effort, the engine and transmission control logic for enhanced driver performance.

• When SPORT mode is selected by using the DRIVE MODE button, the SPORT indicator will illuminate.
• Whenever the engine is restarted, the Drive Mode will revert back to ECO mode. If SPORT mode is desired, re-select SPORT mode from the DRIVE MODE button.
• When SPORT mode is activated:
  • The engine rpm will tend to remain raised over a certain length of time even after releasing the accelerator
  • Upshifts are delayed when accelerating

NOTICE
In SPORT mode, the fuel efficiency may decrease.

SMART mode
SMART mode selects the proper driving mode among ECO and SPORT by judging the driver’s driving habits (i.e. Economic or Aggressive (Sportive)) from the brake pedal depression or the steering wheel operation.

• Toggle the DRIVE MODE button to select SMART mode. When SMART  mode is selected, the indicator illuminates on the instrument cluster.
• SMART mode automatically controls the vehicle driving, such as gear shift-ing patterns and engine torque, in accordance with the driver’s driving habits.

NOTICE

• 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).
• When you dynamically drive the vehicle in SMART mode by abruptly decelerating or sharply turning the driving mode changes to SPORT mode. However, it may adversely affect fuel economy.

Various driving situations, which you may encounter in SMART mode

• The driving mode automatically changes to ECO mode after a certain period of time, when you gently depress the accelerator pedal. (Your driving is categorized to be economic.)
•  The driving mode automatically changes to SMART ECO mode after a certain period of time, when you sharply or repetitively depress the accelerator pedal.
• 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.
• slope of a certain angle. The driving mode automatically returns to SMART ECO mode, when the vehicle enters a levelled road.
• The driving mode automatically changes to SMART SPORT, when you abruptly accelerate the vehicle or repetitively operate the steering wheel. (Your driving is categorized to be sporty.) In this mode, your vehicle drives in a lower gear for abrupt accelerating/decelerating and increases the engine brake performance.
• You may still sense the engine braking 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 driving situation, not indicating any malfunction.
• The driving mode automatically changes to SMART SPORT mode only in harsh driving situations. In most of the normal driving situations, the driving mode sets to be in SMART ECO mode.

Limitation of SMART mode
The SMART mode may be limited in the following situations. (The OFF indicator illuminates in those situations.)

• Cruise Control or Smart Cruise Control is activated:
  Cruise Control or Smart Cruise Control may deactivate the SMART mode when the vehicle is controlled by the set speed of Cruise Control or Smart Cruise Control. (SMART mode is not deactivated just by activating Cruise Control or Smart Cruise Control.)
• The transmission oil temperature is either extremely low or extremely high:
  The SMART mode can be active in most of the normal driving situations. However, an extremely high/low transmission oil temperature may temporarily deactivate the SMART mode, because the transmission condition is out of normal operation condition.

Active Snow Mode (ASM)
When the vehicle recognizes frequent wheel slips on low-friction roads, Active Snow Mode improves driving stability by minimizing these wheel slips.
Operating conditions
ASM is activated when all of the following conditions are met:

• Low outside ambient temperature
• Frequent Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation due to wheel slip

When operating
The vehicle’s acceleration response is reduced, which is similar to depressing the accelerator pedal slowly.
Non-operating conditions
ASM is deactivated when one of the following conditions or more are met:

• Increase of outside ambient temperature
• The accelerator pedal is hardly depressed
• Driving in high speed (e.g. highway driving)

Active air flap

Active air flap system controls the air flap below the front bumper to cool the vehicle parts and improve energy efficiency.
Active air flap malfunction

A: Check the Active Air Flap System
The active air flap system may not operate normally if the air flap is temporarily opened due to foreign factors or if the controller is contaminated by snow or rain, etc.
When the message pops up on the display, stop the vehicle in a safe place and check the status of the air flap.
Start the vehicle after performing the necessary work like foreign matter removal and waiting 10 minutes. If the pop-up remains up, have the vehicle inspected by an authorized Kia dealer.

FAQ