eli5 what exactly does it mean when a car has a sport mode or model, when in reality its not a sports car and was not made for sport ?
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To add to everyone above, it also depends on the type of car. Apologies for any formatting mistakes, I’m on moble.
A family sedan with sport mode changes the “feel” of driving. It changes shift points to higher rpm, holds gears longer before downshifting when you release the throttle, and makes the throttle more sensitive. The car feels sportier, but still is a family sedan with limited performance, nothing major has changed.
Now the sport mode in say a Bentley Continental GT (which is my specialty at the repair shop I work at) changes much more when in sport mode. The suspension does not use springs to support the weight of the car, it uses an airbag, which can be inflated or deflated to adjust the height of the vehicle depending on speed, number of passengers, heavy luggage, or it can be adjusted manually with a switch on the console. Also the shock absorbers can be adjusted, meaning they can be very soft for a comfortable and soft ride, or they can become very stiff for better performance around corners or while on a race track. So when in sport mode the car gets lower for better aerodynamics and the suspension becomes more stiff which increases cornering performance and gives the driver a better “feel” of the road.
Also the engine “map” will change to prioritize power over comfort and fuel economy. Also a flap in the exhaust will open, which increases exhaust flow which increases power, but also makes the exhaust louder since part or most of the muffler is being bypassed.
The “Sport +” mode in a modern Porsche 911 does even more because this mode is specifications designed for track use ONLY. In this mode the AC system will be restricted or completely disabled to ensure the engine is sending all the power it generates to the wheels, the transmission will only function in manual mode and it will not shift unless you command it to. Even the engine mounts are dynamic, normally they are soft and absorb the vibrations of the engine and transmission to give the driver a smoother ride, but in sport + mode they will become very firm and “lock” the engine/transmission to the body of the car which ensures as much power as possible is being transfered to the wheels and not “lost” through vibration and physical movement of the engine/transmission. In this mode you feel every bump, every vibration of the engine, and every shift which would be very uncomfortable and unpleasant during day to day driving.
Sport mode in a “normal” car usually just makes the throttle more sensitive and the transmission shifts later, and holds the gear it’s in for longer before downshifting when you release the throttle.
Sports mode in a high performance car changes much much more depending on if it’s a high performance luxury car like a Bentley, or a high performance sports car like a Porsche 911.
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