Eco Mode Varies

[kithmo]

Is it just me or does anyone think that ECO mode feels less responsive when they first switch it on ?

I've been using ECO mode all the time for the last couple of months now and it feels responsive enough normally. The other day I briefly switched to POWER mode to climb a short steep hill then switched back to ECO at the top. For the next half a mile or so, back in ECO mode, the gas pedal felt really dead, then it perked up. I was wondering if the Prius ECU adopts itself to the drivers style of driving like many other cars do and if you fiddle with or change the modes it starts again from basic settings. This may be what put me off using ECO mode for the first 18 months.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

I use all three modes all the time (four if you include EV but that doesn't really count). I don't find a difference when I change between them and think you experience the initial 'shock' of having more power in 'power' mode and then find the dullness of 'eco' when you switch back.

I think once you get used to the accelerator mapping you don't really need the modes as much. I used to use Eco all the time but now hardly bother because of the effect on heating and/or a/c.

[Jan&tone]

I'm pretty much the same as GC, rarely use ECO but I do use EV when possible partly to scare pensioners in car parks but mostly to save petrol in traffic jams!

(in jams the car would probably use EV only anyway, but I just help it along a bit :) )

[B&J]

I used to use Eco all the time but now hardly bother because of the effect on heating and/or a/c.

I've taken to using Eco all the time; it seemed to me that it helped mpg a lot when driving short distances through town. I'm intrigued by your comment - would you explain your thoughts about the effect on the heating and/or a/c more fully , please?

Thanks

B&J

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Eco does help in town as the duller accelerator 'feel' means that it's harder to inadvertantly switch the engine on between two sets of lights say. Eco also lowers the speed of the heating or a/c when in Auto mode and also the engine will switch off sooner during the warm up cycle. In short journeys that's good for economy - try it at the lights when the engine is warming up - switch off Eco mode and the engine will fire up and vice versa.

But in more extremes of temperature I found it too restrictive - very cold mornings and very hot summer days in town driving, where the a/c wasn't quite enough - whereas on a steady run it would have been.

I just don't find that Eco mode makes that much difference to economy once you have worked out how to drive the Prius/hybrid to its best.

[kithmo]

I don't think it's an initial difference thing, there is definitely a difference in accelerator feel when I first change back to ECO mode compared to the feel after say half a mile or so later.

I do a lot of short journeys, my commute to work is only 3 miles, so ECO does make a difference to my mpg by dumbing down the heating and turning off the engine earlier. Whenever I go on a longer journey I revert back to NORMAL mode.

GC, I'll take on board your very cold mornings advice and try switching back to NORMAL if it's cold, it may speed up the demisting.

I don't think I'm doing too bad re working out how to drive it to it's best (economy wise) with an average of 54 mpg over the last 20 months with over 70% of my journeys being my short 3 mile commute.

I always manage well over 70 mpg when I go on a trip from Rotherham to Skegness in the summer, my best being just under 75 mpg.