Do the Focus Mk4 driving modes actually make a difference?

[Dark Andy]

I've got a Mk4 Focus estate with the standard (non-adaptive) suspension. It has a button to select between 3 driving modes - normal, eco and sport but does anyone know what parameters these different modes actually effect? I have the standard (non-adaptive) suspension, so one thing I know it doesn't effect is the suspension. The manual makes reference to the eco mode effecting engine performance, other than that, it doesn't really give much of an insight into what the different modes do. Any ideas?

[PLB]

45 minutes ago, Dark Andy said:

I've got a Mk4 Focus estate with the standard (non-adaptive) suspension. It has a button to select between 3 driving modes - normal, eco and sport but does anyone know what parameters these different modes actually effect? I have the standard (non-adaptive) suspension, so one thing I know it doesn't effect is the suspension. The manual makes reference to the eco mode effecting engine performance, other than that, it doesn't really give much of an insight into what the different modes do. Any ideas?

I started a thread back in April and although it specifically refers to the ECO mode setting you may find it of interest to you.

 

[Dark Andy]

1 hour ago, PLB said:

I started a thread back in April and although it specifically refers to the ECO mode setting you may find it of interest to you.

 

Thanks, I didn't see that when I had a quick look earlier. Some interesting observations there - think I'll give sport mode another go tomorrow to see if I notice a difference.

[sparkymatt]

10 hours ago, Dark Andy said:

Thanks, I didn't see that when I had a quick look earlier. Some interesting observations there - think I'll give sport mode another go tomorrow to see if I notice a difference.

Sport mode increases throttle response, turns off start/stop and also tightens up steering feel.

I mostly drive in sport mode in my 1.0 125 ST Line X.

You should definitely be able to tell the difference between eco and sport. As a test, put in in eco and drive along. Keeping foot steady on gas pedal,  put into sport mode and you should feel the car surge forward slightly as the throttle response is increased.

[Guy Heaton]

S keeps the engine in lower gear and higher rpm for longer.

[Dark Andy]

4 hours ago, Guy Heaton said:

S keeps the engine in lower gear and higher rpm for longer.

Sorry, thanks for the info but I forgot to mention it's a manual gearbox.

[Dark Andy]

8 hours ago, sparkymatt said:

Sport mode increases throttle response, turns off start/stop and also tightens up steering feel.

I mostly drive in sport mode in my 1.0 125 ST Line X.

You should definitely be able to tell the difference between eco and sport. As a test, put in in eco and drive along. Keeping foot steady on gas pedal,  put into sport mode and you should feel the car surge forward slightly as the throttle response is increased.

I've not tried it in eco mode but compared to normal, sport's throttle response does feel crisper - I guess it's got a different response curve. I noticed the stop/start de-activated but I'm not sure I could feel a lot of difference with the steering - should it feel heavier in sport mode? Compared to my previous car (SEAT Exeo - a rebadged Audi A4 B7) the steering on the focus in all modes is incredibly light, as are the brakes.

[Jason Gledhill 71]

Hi

 

I have a focus ST and I am not sure if the car should stay in whatever mode I have selected as currently it reverts back to manual mode when I turn the engine off

[ProximusAl]

I have the MK4, and I always pop it into Sport mode every time I start the car.  Just so used to it now. (And it kills the stop/start which is ace)

I can definitely tell the difference between Normal, and Sport.

My car has only done 800 miles and 795 of them in sport mode 🙂

The digital dash is way too blue in normal mode, so drive in sport mainly for the better black instrument cluster.

[Stoney871]

The drive modes on my ST definitely make a difference.
I have the Mountune M330 map on it and all modes are much better, the wet road mode used to dumb everything down but now it's basically track mode but with abs etc still on and goes like stink.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[Stoney871]

Hi
 
I have a focus ST and I am not sure if the car should stay in whatever mode I have selected as currently it reverts back to manual mode when I turn the engine off

It reverts to normal mode as standard.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[Dark Andy]

6 hours ago, Stoney871 said:

The drive modes on my ST definitely make a difference.
I have the Mountune M330 map on it and all modes are much better, the wet road mode used to dumb everything down but now it's basically track mode but with abs etc still on and goes like stink.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
 

I've been contemplating a remap myself and was wondering if there are any differences between the Mountune and Superchips remaps?

[SDHXIII]

I'm lucky enough to have an ST Line X with all 5 drive modes. They do make a difference. Comfort mode is just that, makes the ride a lot more springy, ideal for speed humps and poor road surfaces. Chalk and cheese compared to the stiffness of sports mode.

Likewise Eco modes are polar opposites to sports mode. I generally have eco mode on for motorway driving, switch on the adaptive cruise control and just leave it.

[Alex.S]

6 hours ago, SDHXIII said:

I'm lucky enough to have an ST Line X with all 5 drive modes. They do make a difference. Comfort mode is just that, makes the ride a lot more springy, ideal for speed humps and poor road surfaces. Chalk and cheese compared to the stiffness of sports mode.

Likewise Eco modes are polar opposites to sports mode. I generally have eco mode on for motorway driving, switch on the adaptive cruise control and just leave it.

I’ve also got a st line x . Registered sep 2019. 
I didn’t know there was 5 options on stx . I thought maybe the active would have. 
I’ve normal , eco and sport. 
so you have comfort mode? And ice mode? 

[Guy Heaton]

I think the extra options are with the active suspension pack.  

[Wino]

I only have 3 modes too on a 2019 ST Line X  Eco normal and sport. Very rarely do Bother with it tbh. Think ive been in sport twice when I first got the car. Not done a long run in a while so not had the need to use eco mode either. 

[Alex.S]

43 minutes ago, Guy Heaton said:

I think the extra options are with the active suspension pack.  

He’s got an STX. Not an active. 

[Guy Heaton]

No I don't mean Active as in the model but there is an active suspensionpack you can specify, active as in you can change the damping rate of the shocks.

[Alex.S]

I see. That must’ve been something else i couldn’t afford at the time..

[Stoney871]

No I don't mean Active as in the model but there is an active suspensionpack you can specify, active as in you can change the damping rate of the shocks.

Part of the ST performance pack

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[SDHXIII]

The five modes on the Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) Suspension are.

 Normal

 Eco

 Sport

 Comfort (extra)

 Eco-Comfort (extra)

[pcaouolte]

Eco-comfort is presumably so soft that you can drive over a great crested newt without harming it?

[Helius]

On 8/10/2019 at 12:54 PM, sparkymatt said:

Sport mode increases throttle response, turns off start/stop and also tightens up steering feel.

I mostly drive in sport mode in my 1.0 125 ST Line X.

You should definitely be able to tell the difference between eco and sport. As a test, put in in eco and drive along. Keeping foot steady on gas pedal,  put into sport mode and you should feel the car surge forward slightly as the throttle response is increased.

Hi, 

 

I have a really important question I need answering before this Monday. I have a ford focus 1.0 125bhp Eco boost 2019 St Line X and I have booked it in on Monday for a stage one remapping. I have asked the company twice in email with no response back. 

I wanted to know if the Sports Mode button when pressed will still work once the remapping has been done. If it doesn't, then I sat why bother doing it. As you might as well drive in Sports mode all of the time.

 

Any help would be cool.

[Guy Heaton]

Sport mode does not give you any extra horsepower. It just makes the throttle response quicker and in auto it holds the gear rather than changing up.

 

[FezMan]

After reading this thread I think its safe to say that any of the modes don't really change the MPG..

Sport mode makes the throttle much more responsive and apparently tightens the steering, the throttle is noticeable the but steering not so much I find, this is the driving mode which makes driving the car more fun anyway

Eco definitely makes the throttle less responsive and the car also seems less powerful. If you're driving along and then put it into eco you can hear and feel the car 'calm' down

I also have the comfort modes but I really don't think they make any difference at all from normal, maybe im just not driving over enough potholes😆

I pretty much always drive in normal as the car defaults to that on start up which is annoying, otherwise it would stay in sport as its a more fun drive

I do use Eco quite a lot though if im on a drive where im constantly start/stopping or crawling through traffic. The clutch being louder and more responsive in sport mode when I only need to edge forward 5 yards in slow moving traffic is quite annoying otherwise 😅