Smart vs Comfort Mode-what do you use and why?

[Tigerlaw]

Our sales rep. set our telluride up for smart mode before i understood comfort mode was the default mode. Is one setting preferred over the other and if so, why?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[DarkMossJustin]

Our sales rep. set our telluride up for smart mode before i understood comfort mode was the default mode. Is one setting preferred over the other and if so, why?

Thanks in advance for the help!

The Telly default mode is "Comfort" which is supposed to be somewhere between Eco and Sport but doesn't really do either one as well as the more defined modes.

Smart isn't smart enough for my type of active driving. I haven't used it since February.

After playing around with all the modes for the first 7,000 miles or so, you'll figure out which mode suits you the best and how to best switch between them.

I've settled into Sport Mode as my go-to drive mode on the Telly selector.

In Sport Mode the Telluride really comes alive, feels the most planted and agile, and gives me the immediate feedback and responsiveness I need. It also requires input from you the driver, so make sure your foot is on the gas pedal.

The other mode I use is Eco Mode for when I want maximum coasting after getting up to speed. When the freeways have light to no traffic and I have no uphill sections or I'm coasting downhill at speed, this mode functions as advertised. I'll often Sport Mode to launch onto the freeway and for lane changes in order to create distance and get my Telly where it needs to be then rotate two clicks from Sport directly to Eco to coast and maintain a certain freeway speed. Will switch back to Sport in case I have to pick a line to negotiate traffic and make safe lane changes with maximum distance from other cars.

 

[Christi]

Our sales rep. set our telluride up for smart mode before i understood comfort mode was the default mode. Is one setting preferred over the other and if so, why?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Smart mode adjusts between Eco, Comfort and Sport depending on your driving.

Eco is about fuel economy - I haven't selected this mode yet

Comfort is soft driving. I leave it in this mode for my casual driving.

Sport Mode is more reactive and firmer control. I will pop it in Sport when I am being a more aggressive driver or dealing with traffic where I want to know the Telly is going to respond fast enough for that left turn.

I have used Smart mode when in bad weather and on freeway. I like Smart on freeway as it switches to Sport when I am accelerating to pass or to Eco when I am just cruising along.

I agree with Justin that playing around with the different modes in different situations will help you learn what you like.

I did use Sport exclusively for my first 700 miles to help keep the RPM in the 2k - 4k for the break in.

In the manual drive mode is section 5 page 49.

 

[Amati5]

Just curious about sport mode. What does it change? Which one these? Engine response, transmission shifts, steering, brakes, suspension.

thx

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[Jaggrey]

My understanding is it mainly adjusts the transmission shift points and firms up the steering some. I’m sure someone will correct me.
I usually use Comfort mode. On road trips I’ll put it in Smart mode since it’ll alternate between Comfort and Eco modes. I haven’t seen Smart go into Sport mode yet. I’ll use that especially when getting onto the highway.

 

[ActionJackzon]

I use Comfort (default) around town.

If I'm getting on the highway, I switch to Sport. Need the faster acceleration in Sport for merging onto the highway, etc with the aggressive drivers around here.

 

[vinylhaircut]

Like some others, I manually switch between Comfort (mostly) and Sport (occasionally). I use an app to record the details of every gas fill-up and calculate actual mpg (as opposed to the approximation that the car provides). I did try Eco for awhile and didn't see any significant mileage benefit, so don't use that mode at all. I will drop into Snow mode in the winter at times, but that's an entirely different discussion.

 

[ottoSXP]

another + for utilizing Comfort & Sport depending on the situation/road etc.

Smart (i've discovered after 10k) is anything but, & has left me both hanging awaiting passing power or surprised when it comes on too heavily with wheel slip/neck snap when not needed.

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[Amati5]

Does sport mode still upshift to proper gear immediately once you get to speed and maintain throttle, or it keeps holding low gear for awhile? I ask because my current car’s sport mode is useless, unless maybe you are racing on track. It’s too aggressive, holding on to the lower gear, keeping the high rpm way too long even after I back off the throttle. On normal mode, huge delay before you feel any response from the engine. The only way to avoid this is to drive the car aggressively so it keep the memory for the next time. But with a few slow starts from the light it goes right back to the delay. My experience, many Japanese cars do this and I hope Kia is not doing the same. I am not talking about slow acceleration from a stop, it’s the non responsiveness from the engine when you try to accelerate from slow speed, like after a turn, etc…

 

[Bridge4]

I only use comfort and sport. comfort hanging around town or cruising on the rural highways around here. Sport a few seconds before I smoke some slow pokes! Then back to comfort.

 

[Tellthemride]

I stay in Smart all the time. Smart is basically 90% driving in Smart-Comfort. Only when you are cruising at a constant speed on the highway or coasting, will it switch to Smart-Eco. It will probably never do Smart-Sport unless you floor the throttle and hold it.

No issues with gears shifting or not enough passing power.

 

[dsmclone]

I noticed the smart setting changes colors based on my driving. I.e. if I accelerate hard, it turns red. I've also noticed times where it completely good off

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[Bridge4]

I noticed the smart setting changes colors based on my driving. I.e. if I accelerate hard, it turns red. I've also noticed times where it completely good off

i’ve never used the other settings, i’ll have to try this next time

 

[HillCountry]

Does sport mode still upshift to proper gear immediately once you get to speed and maintain throttle, or it keeps holding low gear for awhile? I ask because my current car’s sport mode is useless, unless maybe you are racing on track. It’s too aggressive, holding on to the lower gear, keeping the high rpm way too long even after I back off the throttle. On normal mode, huge delay before you feel any response from the engine. The only way to avoid this is to drive the car aggressively so it keep the memory for the next time. But with a few slow starts from the light it goes right back to the delay. My experience, many Japanese cars do this and I hope Kia is not doing the same. I am not talking about slow acceleration from a stop, it’s the non responsiveness from the engine when you try to accelerate from slow speed, like after a turn, etc…

Sport Mode in the Telluride is not racetrack aggressive. I think it's tuned pretty well for what the vehicle is. Shift points obviously get delayed. Once I plateau at desired speed, the transmission finds a gear in the neighborhood of 2200-2500 RPM -- where torque is readily available but not anywhere near engine braking.

Sport Mode does adjust for throttle input. For example, eager acceleration could shift at 3200 RPM, while urgent acceleration waits till 4000+ RPM. I have not floored it yet, so I'm not sure how close to redline it's allowed to go before shifting.

I use Comfort Mode mainly. Sport Mode is deployed when I miss my MDX.

Sounds like your car is yet to arrive?

 

[Bridge4]

Okay, I tried smart mode, and it ain't smart enough. Until it can read my mind and anticipate my passes, it's not getting touched again.


Back to comfort and sport. Will report back on snow in 5-6 months.

 

[dsmclone]

Okay, I tried smart mode, and it ain't smart enough. Until it can read my mind and anticipate my passes, it's not getting touched again.


Back to comfort and sport. Will report back on snow in 5-6 months.

Anticipate your passes? How exactly?

Here is what works for me when I pass.
#1 if I find my speed is not fast enough, press down on the accelerator harder.
#2 if the accelerator is floored, it won't go any further regardless of whether I have sport, eco, or smart.

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[Bridge4]

Anticipate your passes? How exactly?

Here is what works for me when I pass.
#1 if I find my speed is not fast enough, press down on the accelerator harder.
#2 if the accelerator is floored, it won't go any further regardless of whether I have sport, eco, or smart.

Well its downfall is, when I want performance, it can't give it to me on time. There is a difference punching it when its in smart mode vs sport mode. Sport mode jumps out, the other one just sits there for a second trying to figure out what it should be doing. Comfort and Sport are right next to each other, so minimizing it to two reduces distraction along with improving my experience.

 

[dsmclone]

Well its downfall is, when I want performance, it can't give it to me on time. There is a difference punching it when its in smart mode vs sport mode. Sport mode jumps out, the other one just sits there for a second trying to figure out what it should be doing. Comfort and Sport are right next to each other, so minimizing it to two reduces distraction along with improving my experience.

So it's quicker for you to switch from comfort to sport and then punch it rather than just punching it? This would be interesting to measure.

 

[Bridge4]

So it's quicker for you to switch from comfort to sport and then punch it rather than just punching it? This would be interesting to measure.

i know where i can pass around where i live and switch in anticipation. the car doesn’t.

now live on a highway or something, i’m guessing it’s a different story.

 

[Amati5]

Sounds like your car is yet to arrive?

yup! in about one month.

Many reviews mentioned low end torque. Does everyone agree? I meant just for normal driving, normal acceleration to keep up with traffic.