Page 462 of 685

5-14
Driving your vehicle
R (Reverse)
Use this position to drive the vehicle
backward.
Always come to a complete stop
before shifting into or out of R
(Reverse); you may damage the
transmission if you shift into R
(Reverse) while the vehicle is in
motion.
N (Neutral)
The wheels and transmission are not
engaged. The vehicle will roll freely
even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or service brakes
are applied.
D (Drive)
This is the normal driving position.
The transmission will automatically
shift through a 6-gear sequence, pro-
viding the best fuel economy and
power.
For extra power when passing anoth-
er vehicle or driving uphill, depress
the accelerator fully. The transmis-
sion will automatically downshift to
the next lower gear (or gears, as
appropriate).
The DRIVE MODE switch, located on
the shift lever console, allows the driv-
er to switch from NORMAL mode to
SPORT or ECO mode.
For more information, refer to
"Drive Mode Integrated Control
System" later in this chapter.
NOTICE
Page 489 of 685

5-41
Driving your vehicle
5
D DR
RI
IV
VE
E
M
MO
OD
DE
E
I
IN
NT
TE
EG
GR
RA
AT
TE
ED
D
C
CO
ON
NT
TR
RO
OL
L
S
SY
YS
ST
TE
EM
M
Hybrid vehicle
The drive mode may be selected
according to the driver’s preference
or road condition.
The system resets to be in the ECO
mode, when the hybrid system is
restarted.
Information
If there is a problem with the instru-
ment cluster, the drive mode will be in
ECO mode and may not change to
NORMAL mode or SPORT mode. The mode changes, as below,
whenever the DRIVE MODE button
is pressed.
When NORMAL mode is selected,
it is not displayed on the instrument
cluster.
ECO mode (Active ECO)
When the Drive Mode is
set to ECO mode, the
engine and transmission
control logic are changed
to maximize fuel efficiency
When the ECO mode is selected by
pressing the DRIVE MODE button,
the ECO indicator (green color) will
illuminate.
Information
The ECO mode will provide best effi-
ciency for customer driving habits
that are not aggressive in accelerating
and in conditions not involving many
rolling hills to drive through. Under
situation of aggressive driving style or
driving conditions involving rolling
hills causing frequent gear shifts you
should try NORMAL mode instead as
it may actually yield your best econo-
my and drivability. Compare between
the 2 modes.
i
i
NORMAL
ECO SPORT
OLF054021N
Page 490 of 685
5-42
Driving your vehicle
When ECO mode is activated:
The acceleration response may be
slightly reduced as the accelerator
pedal is depressed moderately.
The air conditioner performance
may be limited.
The shift pattern of the automatic
transmission may change.
The engine noise may get louder.
The above situations are normal
conditions when ECO mode is acti-
vated to improve fuel efficiency.
SPORT mode
SPORT mode manages
the driving dynamics by
automatically adjusting
the steering wheel and
hybrid system for enhanced driver
performance.
When SPORT mode is selected by
pressing the DRIVE MODE button,
the SPORT indicator (yellow color)
will illuminate.
Whenever the hybrid system is
restarted, the Drive Mode will
revert back to ECO mode. If
SPORT mode is desired, re-select
SPORT mode from the DRIVE
MODE button.
Information
In SPORT mode, the fuel efficiency
may decrease.
i
Page 491 of 685

5-43
Driving your vehicle
Plug-in hybrid vehicle
The drive mode may be selected
according to the driver’s preference
or road condition.
The system resets to be in the ECO
mode, when the hybrid system is
restarted.
Information
If there is a problem with the instru-
ment cluster, the drive mode will be in
ECO mode and may not change to
NORMAL mode. The mode changes, as below,
whenever the DRIVE MODE button
is pressed.
When NORMAL mode is selected,
it is not displayed on the instrument
cluster.
ECO mode
When the Drive Mode is
set to ECO mode, the
engine and transmission
control logic are changed
to maximize fuel efficiency
When the ECO mode is selected by
pressing the DRIVE MODE button,
the ECO indicator (green color) will
illuminate.
Information
The ECO mode will provide best effi-
ciency for customer driving habits
that are not aggressive in accelerating
and in conditions not involving many
rolling hills to drive through. Under
situation of aggressive driving style or
driving conditions involving rolling
hills causing frequent gear shifts you
should try NORMAL mode instead as
it may actually yield your best econo-
my and drivability. Compare between
the 2 modes.
i
i
D DR
RI
IV
VE
E
M
MO
OD
DE
E
I
IN
NT
TE
EG
GR
RA
AT
TE
ED
D
C
CO
ON
NT
TR
RO
OL
L
S
SY
YS
ST
TE
EM
M
5
OLFP055021N
NORMAL
ECO
Page 492 of 685
5-44
When ECO mode is activated:
The acceleration response may be
slightly reduced as the accelerator
pedal is depressed moderately.
The air conditioner performance
may be limited.
The shift pattern of the automatic
transmission may change.
The engine noise may get louder.
The above situations are normal
conditions when ECO mode is acti-
vated to improve fuel efficiency.
Driving your vehicle
Page 532 of 685
5-84
Driving your vehicle
Highway driving
Tires
Adjust the tire inflation, as specified.
Under-inflation may overheat or
damage the tires.
Do not install worn-out or damaged
tires, which may reduce traction or
fail the braking operation.
Information
Never over-inflate your tires above the
maximum inflation pressure, as speci-
fied on your tires.
Fuel, engine coolant and engine
oil
Driving at higher speeds on the high-
way consumes more fuel and is less
efficient than driving at a slower,
more moderate speed. Maintain a
moderate speed in order to conserve
fuel when driving on the highway.
Be sure to check both the engine
coolant level and the engine oil
before driving.
Drive belt
A loose or damaged drive belt may
overheat the engine.
i
Page 538 of 685

5-90
Driving your vehicle
Two labels on your driver’s door sill
show how much weight your vehicle
was designed to carry: the Tire and
Loading Information Label and the
Certification Label.
Before loading your vehicle, familiar-
ize yourself with the following terms
for determining your vehicle’s weight
ratings, from the vehicle’s specifica-
tions and the Certification Label:
Base Curb Weight
This is the weight of the vehicle
including a full tank of fuel and all
standard equipment. It does not
include passengers, cargo, or option-
al equipment.
Vehicle Curb Weight
This is the weight of your new vehicle
when you picked it up from your deal-
er plus any aftermarket equipment.Cargo Weight
This figure includes all weight added
to the Base Curb Weight, including
cargo and optional equipment.
GAW (Gross Axle Weight)
This is the total weight placed on
each axle (front and rear) - including
vehicle curb weight and all payload.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
This is the maximum allowable
weight that can be carried by a single
axle (front or rear). These numbers
are shown on the Certification Label.
The total load on each axle must
never exceed its GAWR.GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
This is the Base Curb Weight plus
actual Cargo Weight plus passen-
gers.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating)
This is the maximum allowable
weight of the fully loaded vehicle
(including all options, equipment,
passengers and cargo). The GVWR
is shown on the Certification Label
located on the driver’s door sill.
V VE
EH
HI
IC
CL
LE
E
L
LO
OA
AD
D
L
LI
IM
MI
IT
T
Page 542 of 685

5-94
Driving your vehicle
Certification label
The certification label is located on
the driver’s door sill at the center pil-
lar and shows the maximum allow-
able weight of the fully loaded vehi-
cle. This is called the GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR
includes the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel and cargo.
This label also tells you the maxi-
mum weight that can be supported
by the front and rear axles, called
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).The total weight of the vehicle,
including all occupants, accessories,
cargo, and trailer tongue load must
not exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) or the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR). To find out
the actual loads on your front and
rear axles, you need to go to a weigh
station and weigh your vehicle. Be
sure to spread out your load equally
on both sides of the centerline.
OBH059070
Overloading
Never exceed the GVWR for
your vehicle, the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle
and vehicle capacity weight.
Exceeding these ratings can
affect your vehicle’s handling
and braking ability, and cause
an accident.
Do not overload your vehicle.
Overloading your vehicle can
cause heat buildup in your
vehicle’s tires and possible
tire failure, increased stop-
ping distances and poor vehi-
cle handling-all of which may
result in a crash.
WARNING