[dontfret]

Hi all - new here, just traded in my Cmax Energi PHEV 2 days ago for a 2018 Niro PHEV EX Premium. Spent the last 5 years learning PHEV tech and best practices on the Energi forum, now moving here to learn from you all.

My questions are on Sport mode - I understand it changes the shift point on the transmission and utilzes the ICE more. From your experiences,
1. is it substantially different from driving in Hybrid D mode as far as MPG economy?
2. if I don't manually shift, will the car continue to automatically shift regardless?
3. do most use it just to jack rabbit off a red light, then shift back to D to continue?

Dontfret, new Niro PHEV driver in San Diego

 

[lrpavlo]

Some will say, using sport mode really reduces mpg.....I find I use it when I need to pull into traffic quickly or accelerate up an overpass but then I shift to Drive and my mileage is not affected! If you don't shift, it will shift automatically....the car uses different shift points in sport mode but I think it combines the ICE and the electric to give that magic 195 ft/lbs of torque!!!

 

[yticolev]

Well, I'm an mpg freak. 8,300 miles and I've shifted into Sport twice for 10 seconds. Can't tell you what the reduction in mpg might be for long term Sport mode use, probably the same as an ordinary car for lead footed drivers versus little old ladies.

Yes, Sport mode is still automatic unless you shift manually. In the PHEV you can use the paddles to get into Sport temporarily, or to shift manually while the shift lever is in Sport.

 

[charlesH]

Hi all - new here, just traded in my Cmax Energi PHEV 2 days ago for a 2018 Niro PHEV EX Premium. Spent the last 5 years learning PHEV tech and best practices on the Energi forum, now moving here to learn from you all.

My questions are on Sport mode - I understand it changes the shift point on the transmission and utilzes the ICE more. From your experiences,
1. is it substantially different from driving in Hybrid D mode as far as MPG economy?
2. if I don't manually shift, will the car continue to automatically shift regardless?
3. do most use it just to jack rabbit off a red light, then shift back to D to continue?

Dontfret, new Niro PHEV driver in San Diego

I stayed in sports mode for a 25 mile errand are got about 35 MPG. Different car in sport mode but I rarely use it. EV mode performance is good enough.

 

[Arizona Mike]

I really used Sport mode only once. I was coming down off of a mountain, and had 20 miles of steep grades and sharp switchbacks. I was able to stay off of the brakes most of the time. Sport mode stayed in 3rd and went down at about 30mph. No strain on the brakes, no heat issues, no white knuckles. It worked well. I do a lot of trailer towing in the mountain west, and that is how I get safely down mountains towing a 5000 lb trailer.

 

[PAULRIDES]

NO OFFENSE Intended and is not an answer to the question of MPG difference (that I don't know). It is just my opinion of sport mode (based on my needs).

Don't see a need for sport mode or manual, that likely depend on your area's terrain, traffic, or performance you desire.

I am in a mountainous area (East TN near Knoxville, Sevierville, Dollywood). That said, most of our driving is not in the mountains, but in the valley with moderate changes in elevation. Traffic also varies from minimal to a lot (depends o time of day and tourist visitors - high tourist area).

Most of our driving is on county type roads at 35 to 55 MPH and some in town (say town VS City as not too many stop lights and moderate traffic on most of our visits to town).

Also, seems Normal Mode has plenty of power for my desires. Need hot rod with big HP that gets 18 to 25 MPG -- go buy one. Again -- no offense intended.

 

[FiddlingNiro]

I use Sport mode on an uphill cloverleaf on-ramp where I have other cars flying in behind me to reach the off-ramp. It's really helpful.

yticolev, I'm not sure what you mean by "paddles" to get into Sport temporarily. I pull the center shift lever to the left to get into Sport then push it back when I've safely merged into traffic.

 

[Griswald]

I use sport mode at every start. Been using it since the day I bought my Niro (1 year plus 4 days ago).


With the Touring model, I am averaging 45 MPG, which is over what KIA states.


I simply use sport mode to get moving, like an underdrive in 1st and 2nd gear, maybe 3rd if I dont catch it quick enough. I then switch it back to regular mode and enjoy the benefits of hybrid technology.




This car is vastly under-geared at start and I dont want to be "that guy" that makes every other driver hate hybrids.


I have only used the manual shift mode once, and that was to pull a fallen tree into the woods. I needed to keep the Niro in 1st gear for about 45 seconds of really slow driving.


Over to the left to go, over to the right for economy!


My Fusion Hybrid had plenty of power, it didn't need a sport mode. The Kia does...


Edited to add...
I own some recreational property and it has a 1 mile soft sand road to get to it. I use sport mode when driving on the soft sand because you need wheel-speed to keep from sinking. The traction control light comes on when the wheels start to spin and then it quits spinning and just plows on. In regular mode, I get really bogged down in the sand and have to push the accelerator pedal so far that when it does start to spin, the traction control can't keep up and it really starts to dig down, not forward.

 

[tonepad]

I’ve been using Sport mode more often, esp for merging onto our many LA freeways. I’m not getting an mpg hit when using the option in that way. In fact I’d argue that having to punch the accelerator in normal mode using just as much gas...just look at the left gauge on the car, it shoots up into the gray part of the display and you can see the real time mpg bar get very low. The Sport mode shift points get me into the traffic flow more quickly and with less stress IMO. I like it! BTW to the Ford C-Max and Fusion owners past & present, the Niro S mode feels like what Ford dialed into the program’s normal function. I used to always like that torque boost so the Sport mode feels familiar and even punchier when you need it.

 

[yticolev]

yticolev, I'm not sure what you mean by "paddles" to get into Sport temporarily. I pull the center shift lever to the left to get into Sport then push it back when I've safely merged into traffic.

Don't you have paddles on your steering wheel?

 

[yticolev]

I really used Sport mode only once. I was coming down off of a mountain, and had 20 miles of steep grades and sharp switchbacks. I was able to stay off of the brakes most of the time. Sport mode stayed in 3rd and went down at about 30mph. No strain on the brakes, no heat issues, no white knuckles. It worked well. I do a lot of trailer towing in the mountain west, and that is how I get safely down mountains towing a 5000 lb trailer.

Cruise control works really well in that situation. That lost energy will go into the battery instead of just heat. Super low compression engine, very unimpressive compression braking.

 

[brandent]

Just got mine (LX PHEV) 16 days ago and already 3000 miles

1. is it substantially different from driving in Hybrid D mode as far as MPG economy?

I haven't done an apples/apples comparison. The times I've used it is for 2 lane road passing, when I need to pull into traffic quickly (e.g. left turn from side street onto 4 lane). So the times I'm using it would be a big mpg hit anyway and most certainly would kick in the ice anyway. The difference being, in sport mode I can slap into into sport mode a few seconds before passing attempt and when I punch it, the vehicle's ice will already be running and the transmission already ready to go.

Consider another scenario. Speed limit here on the interstate is 80. Most people set it at 84. At freeway speeds, if you have it in sport, that is going to be pretty much identical to D since it'll be in 6th gear with the engine running regardless.

2. if I don't manually shift, will the car continue to automatically shift regardless?

Yes and infinity better. Especially in town/stop and go traffic. Orders of magnitude snappier and holds lower gears longer during acceleration and shifts down quicker when slowing down. This reduces timelag with the dual clutch if you need to punch it.

3. do most use it just to jack rabbit off a red light, then shift back to D to continue?

Sometimes. See other scenarios. Indispensable for two lane passing.

 

[FiddlingNiro]

Don't you have paddles on your steering wheel?

No paddles. We did look at a Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in that did have paddles - primarily for the re-gen braking, as I recall. We liked the Niro better because it didn't have paddles which gave it a more familiar driving feel.

 

[yticolev]

I thought the PHEV came with regen paddles.

 

[morestuff]

No paddles in the Niro, regen occurs when you step on the brake pedal.