What does 'SPORT' mode do in your car? (2024)

Today, many new cars have driver-selectable modes that can be toggled at the touch of a button to change the vehicle’s attitude, feel and personality.

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One of the most popular of these modes is SPORT mode, which typically promises increased power and response once activated, giving the driver a more thrilling ride.

SPORT Mode Simplified

At its simplest, engaging SPORT mode makes the vehicle’s throttle more sensitive, for hair-trigger response. The automatic transmission may respond similarly: downshifting earlier and holding higher revs for longer periods to keep the engine’s power output within striking distance.

Finally, SPORT mode commonly summons a heavier, quicker feel from the steering system, for a more go-kart like sensation.

That’s SPORT mode at its simplest. Turn it on, and your car feels feistier. Turn it off, and it goes back to a more ‘all-purpose’ setting.

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Let’s look at some of the more advanced SPORT mode functions you’ll find in today’s high-performing rides.

SPORT Mode Suspension

In addition to a sportier feel from the vehicle’s transmission and throttle, the vehicle’s suspension may also participate when SPORT mode is activated.

Most cars have a fixed suspension with a single setting designed to evenly balance what its creators figure is the best mix of agile handling and ride comfort. These two attributes are generally enemies—though various adaptive suspension technologies can allow them to peacefully co-exist.

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Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride Control system has long been one of my favorite uses of an adaptive suspension technology. At a button-press, drivers can summon a soft and creamy highway ride; or something much sharper and more responsive. With the ability to electronically control the behavior of the vehicle’s suspension with millisecond precision, systems like Magnetic Ride Control can give the sportiest cars a more comfortable ride; and make the most comfortable cars handle like something much smaller and more athletic.

Use the TOUR drive mode on a highway road trip, and the TRACK mode for weekend lapping, losing virtually nothing in between.

In SPORT mode, the vehicle’s body tends to feel more planted atop its wheels more of the time, even during intensive driving at high speeds on a circuit. This improves vehicle stability, reduces driver workload, and makes the experience of pushing of pushing the vehicle feel more laid back and composed.

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Observant drivers will notice the system working to keep the body of the vehicle surprisingly flat and stable on the wheels.

“Cadillac offers the world’s fastest-acting, latest-generation Magnetic Ride Control active suspension system (also described as Continuous Damping Control CDC), standard on V-Series model and available on Sport models for certain global markets,” explains Oshawa, Ontario-based Harry K. Ng, Cadillac Product Manager.

“This system delivers precise body motion control, ‘reading’ the road every millisecond. That’s 10 times faster than the blink of an eye. It can change damping response in just 10 milliseconds.”

In simple terms? This technology allows individual shock absorbers to optimize ride and handling characteristics against the preferred drive mode with lightning speed. From the driver’s seat? It amplifies the characteristics the driver expects in each available drive mode.

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Plus, with the ability to make big adjustments to the suspension in fractions of a second, the system also uses functionalities like Pothole Mitigation and Pitch Control to help smooth out the ride in some situations.

SPORT Mode AWD

Use of SPORT mode can also alter the behavior of the vehicle’s AWD system. In models with this functionality, more power is typically sent more quickly to the rear wheels during hard driving, helping turn in a more precise handling feel and allowing drivers to more effectively push the car around corners with the throttle during spirited driving.

“Torque distribution between front and rear wheels, and also from left-hand to right-hand wheels, can be changed to enhance the sport characteristics in the vehicle’s handling,” Ng adds.

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SPORT Mode Sound Effects

Drivers may also experience a more dynamic engine sound in SPORT mode, too. Some vehicles use synthesized engine sound, pumped in through the vehicle speakers, to enhance the audible experience of full-throttle acceleration. In SPORT mode, this effect can be increased.

Other vehicles use mechanical flaps or ducts in the air intake system or exhaust system that open and close to generate a more muscular and menacing sound when SPORT mode is engaged.

SPORT Mode Turbocharger Pre-Spool

Elsewhere, we’re seeing more models that can even pre-spool their turbocharger(s) at idle when SPORT mode is engaged. In vehicles like the Porsche 911 or Mercedes E53 AMG, use of higher-performing drive modes triggers electronic changes within the engine management system that allow the compressor to generate positive boost, even from the idling engine. This pre-emptively eliminates boost-lag that typically occurs when the throttle is first applied. The result? Easier access to the fastest possible off-the-line starts.

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SPORT Mode Extras

Some models, including higher-performing Lexus and Audi machinery, can even trigger changes to the style, colour and animation of their instrument clusters, immediately displaying a race-car inspired readout when SPORT mode is selected.

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Other SPORT mode functionalities found in some models include the ability to ‘tighten’ the driver’s power seat bolstering, lower the vehicle’s height-adjustable suspension if equipped, and even reduce stability control intervention thresholds to prepare the vehicle for a more dynamic driving experience.

Some models even offer specialized ‘TRACK,’ ‘COMPETITION’ or ‘SPORT+’ settings, taking performance levels even higher with specialized system calibrations that aren’t intended for use on public roadways.

LISTEN: It’s been 10 years since the Nissan Leaf charged onto the world stage, and since then nearly half-a-million of the all-electric five-door hatchbacks have been sold. Nissan’s Francois LeFevre is responsible for most things Leaf in Canada, and he joins us to talk about the early years of selling and marketing the EV in this country, lessons learned, and about an all-new and coming-soon electric vehicle from the Japanese automaker.

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