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2023 Sportage Hybrid -shift/transmission lag

5050 Views 40 Replies 16 Participants Last post by  Koreanadian
Hey everyone!

Received my 2023 Sportage Hybrid SX-Prestige on June 19. Had to put an order in about a month earlier so didn’t take too long to arrive. Also got it at MSRP which was nice. Swapped my 2019 Honda Insight for it.
Anyway, just seeing if anyone else has had the issue of an almost lag, or pause of the shifting/transmission when pulling away from a stop?
It happens randomly and usually only like once a drive, usually in the beginning.
Scenario:
I leave my house in electric, the engine kicks on at some point…I have a stop sign not far from where I park so I’ll come to it, slow down…and if I don’t come to a complete stop and try to press the gas then after breaking…it feel like it doesn’t know what to do….the electric motor nor the gas engine engages for like a second or two before it is like…OH YEAH I’m supposed to be going! And it almost lurches a bit to make up the delay since…by this point…I’m pressing harder on the gas to actually move!

again, it only happens at those moments of almost stopping but not really but I’m concerned it will do it while trying to merge on a highway or something. Seems very dangerous.

I have an appointment this week to have the emissions done and to fix a squeak with a handle so I’m going to inquire and have them drive it. Could be a software update or something.
Just coming from my Honda and it’s CVT, the electric motor would always engage to get the car going and it never did anything like that. But maybe I’m just not used to driving a car with gears anymore…hah.
Anyway, thanks for any insight anyone!

Besides that, car is awesome. Looks cool. So much tech. Comfortable. Etc etc.

Thanks!
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Felt what you describe in my PHEV when the electric range was depleted and I’m in HEV mode.
Just seems to be a quirk of the vehicle and was noticed when I did a rolling stop then accelerated.
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