Question: I always forget to turn it on until I’m already driving, but I don’t want to damage my car by trying to change modes while I’m on the road. Will it hurt my car if I switch to sport mode when the car is in motion?
Answer:
You can switch between normal or eco modes to sport mode in a modern car while driving. It is not likely to damage your car — modern cars have been designed for this purpose.
We reviewed the 2024 Toyota RAV4’s manual and the 2022 Honda Civic manual. We did not find any warning that you’d have to stop your car to change the driving mode into sport mode. We did find one warning that mentioned, “The mode may not be able to be changed when the vehicle is turning.”
What does sport mode do?
Nothing mechanical changes when you go into sport mode. In a typical modern car, switching to sport mode involves adjustments to the engine’s throttle response, transmission shift points, and sometimes the suspension and steering systems.
For instance, the throttle becomes more responsive, allowing for quicker acceleration. It might hold a lower gear for longer so you can get better torque because you are keeping your engine in its optimal power band. Perfect for passing cars on a country road or reducing shifts when climbing up a mountain.
In some vehicles, the suspension might stiffen to reduce body roll, and the steering may become more responsive to offer better handling and precision.
In a classic car, there’s no sport, normal, or eco mode because everything is mechanical. Your steering wheel was connected directly to the wheels and so was your gas pedal to the engine’s throttle position.
However, modern cars have an intermediary that tunes these responses for the ideal driver experience. Today, you have power steering that reduces the strain when turning your wheels, especially when stationary, and with a view towards fuel economy, gas pedals could be tuned to encourage less acceleration.
Sport mode reverses all of these daily driving priorities and instead prioritizes faster acceleration and responsive handling.
Most cars only have a sport mode that prioritizes performance. However, sports cars like Porsche have a Sport Plus mode that is further optimized for track driving by giving you a direct throttle response, the firmest suspension, and the most aggressive shift points.
Will sport mode damage my car?
Sport modes are created by manufacturers for consumer usage so they won’t damage your car.
However, one of the trade-offs of using sport mode is increased fuel consumption. The car’s systems are optimized for performance rather than efficiency, which can lead to higher fuel usage.
It might also wear on you to drive a car that’s noisier because of the high revs and turn a steering wheel that takes more effort to steer.
Switching to sport mode while driving is OK
Switching to sport mode midway through driving is fine and will not damage your car because it was designed for drivers to tune their driving preferences to meet the conditions on the road.
Sport mode is great for driving up steep terrain, passing cars on a two-lane country road or when racing on the track.
Xuyun Zeng is a content strategist with a wide-ranging content background including tech, journalism, cars and health care. After graduating with highest honors in journalism, Xuyun led a newspaper to win eight awards, helped start an award-winning film industry podcast and has written over a hundred articles about cars repair, state laws and insurance. Prior to joining Jerry, Xuyun worked as a freelance SEO consultant with a mission to create the best content that will help readers and grow organic traffic.
Kevin Berry is the Senior Director of Content at Jerry and has been working in the digital content space since 2011 across the car insurance/repair, personal finance, travel and sports industries. Prior to Jerry, Kevin was a content team lead at NerdWallet overseeing the Multimedia Production and Travel Rewards teams. Previously, he worked for NBC Sports, Comcast Cable and Nike. He has a Master`s Degree from Arkansas State and a Bachelor`s from Oregon State University.
