A thermal management system and method for a vehicle includes a cooling system having a variable cooling capacity and which is connectable to a heat-producing system of the vehicle. A control system is configured to increase the cooling capacity of the cooling system to a first predetermined level in response to the at least one input indicating an increase in the future heat load of the heat-producing system when a temperature of the cooling system is at least a predetermined temperature and the cooling system is operating below the first predetermined level. The control system is also configured to inhibit increasing the cooling capacity of the cooling system to the first predetermined level in response to the at least one input indicating an increase in the future heat load of the heat-producing system when the temperature of the cooling system is less than the predetermined temperature.