What Is Mazda Hill Launch Assist?

If you’re shopping around for a new Mazda or are simply browsing the features that your current Mazda has, you may come across something called Hill Launch Assist. The name of this feature certainly sounds exciting, but what is it and what can it actually do? Let’s go ahead and take a look.

The basic idea behind this system is simple. Hill Launch Assist helps keep your vehicle from rolling forward or backward when shifting from park into drive or reverse while on a hill. If you’ve ever driven a vehicle that doesn’t have such a feature, you’ll notice that when you shift out of park and remove your foot from the brakes while on a slope, the vehicle will begin to move down the hill.

How Does Hill Launch Assist Work?

The Hill Launch Assist system counteracts the laws of physics simply by keeping the brakes applied just a little longer after you remove your foot from the brake pedal. Once your foot is removed, the feature will hold the brakes for an extra two seconds. This will allow you just enough time to move your foot from the brake pedal over to the accelerator pedal, meaning the vehicle won’t have time to start rolling in an undesired direction before you apply the accelerator.

When your vehicle is facing down a hill, Hill Launch Assist will go into action when the shift lever is in the reverse position. When the vehicle is facing up a hill, the system will operate when the vehicle is shifted into drive.

As you can see, the Hill Launch Assist system may not be quite as exciting as the name makes it sound, but it really is a convenient feature to help you avoid hitting any objects while parked on a slope. Be sure to return to the Mazda of Lodi blog for more tips with your Mazda.