Lots of modern cars have drive modes.
These include usual suspects like 'eco' and 'normal', and maybe a 'custom' or 'individual' setting. However, the most exciting is usually sport mode for obvious reasons.
But what does sport mode actually do and what does it change? Keep reading to find out!
What does sport mode do in a car?
Ask your car's manufacturer what sport mode does and they'll probably say something like 'sport mode sharpens the car's responses'. What does this mean in the real world?
For almost all cars with sport mode, the biggest change is that the accelerator pedal becomes more reactive. Press it halfway down, for example, and the car will accelerate harder than if you did the same in normal or eco mode. This gives the driver the impression the car is more powerful in sport mode.
On many cars, sport mode also reduces the amount of power steering assistance, so the wheel feels heavier to turn. This, in theory, simulates the feeling of driving a traditional sports car with heavy or unassisted steering. If your car also has adjustable or adaptive suspension, sport mode will usually make the ride firmer to reduce body roll through corners.
How does sport mode work?
To make the accelerator feel more reactive, sport mode changes the 'throttle mapping'. This is the relationship between how far you press the pedal down, and how hard the engine tries to accelerate.
Modern cars use throttle-by-wire, so there's no mechanical connection between the pedal and the engine's throttle valve. The on-board computer decides how much acceleration you get for a certain amount of pedal input, and adjusts this amount based on the drive mode you've chosen.
This line chart illustrates the difference between how far you press the pedal and how hard the car tries to accelerate across sport, normal and eco modes:
(note – this chart is illustrative and not based on real-world data)
Does sport mode make your car faster?
In almost all cases, sport mode doesn't actually make your car any faster. It simply makes you feel like the engine is more powerful by getting it to work harder through the accelerator pedal's travel.
The reason your car's sport mode isn't actually any faster at a race track or drag strip is because pressing the pedal all the way down always gives you full-throttle acceleration, regardless of what drive mode you're in. In other words, flooring it in any mode will always give you maximum acceleration.
There are a few exceptions to this, however. Some cars – for example, the Abarth 595 – go further and actually restrict how much power or torque the engine makes in normal mode, and only give you the full beans in sport mode. A handful of high-performance electric cars also let you select how much power the car makes in different modes.
Does sport mode use more fuel?
Since most cars don't actually get more powerful in sport mode, there's no mechanical reason they should use more fuel.
However, in practice, you probably will use more fuel in sport mode. That's because you're simply more likely to be accelerating harder and enjoying the car's performance, causing you to use more fuel.
When to use sport mode
Thankfully, there's no rules on when you can use sport mode. If you enjoy driving your car in sport mode, you can leave it on all the time, or you can save it for times when you're driving on roads you enjoy.
On the other hand, if you've had a long day at the office and you just want to get home, you might not fancy sport mode's manic throttle response and heavier steering.
Pros and cons of sport mode
Pros of sport mode:
- Makes your car feel more powerful
- Makes the handling more lively, especially on cars with adaptive suspension
- Lets you optimise the setup for spirited driving or for casual cruising
Cons of sport mode:
- You'll probably drive the car harder and use more fuel
- Can make the car feel a bit hyperactive
- Purists might prefer a car with one good setup rather than fiddling with modes
Can I change to sport mode while driving?
Yes. You can change your drive mode on the move. Most cars include a physical switch or button to cycle or swap modes, while others put it in an on-screen menu.
Can I drive in sport mode all the time?
Yes, if you want to. You'll have to put up with heavier steering and the quicker throttle response in your day-to-day driving, but there's no reason you can't drive in sport mode all the time.
We think this makes the most sense on sporty cars, where the extra engagement you get in sport mode is more appropriate.
Can you add sport mode to a car?
Broadly speaking, no – you can't add sport mode to a car that doesn't already have it. This is because the different drive modes are built into the car's computer and your car might lack the physical switch or the software needed to access them.
Very clever DIY owners might be able to retrofit the software and hardware needed to add sport mode, but this'll almost certainly void any warranty left on the vehicle.
