Cruise Control On Auris Hsd

[smuddell]

Just wondered whether it's worthwhile using cruise control on the Auris HSD?

I used to frequently use cruise control on my previous car (Honda Civic) but since I've had my Auris I've never used it!!! I've been concentrating so much on my driving technique trying to coax as many MPG as possible that I totally forgot about cruise control!!!

Does cruise control have a positive effect on MPG or is the only benefit the fact that you can have a more relaxed drive?!?!

[Hybrid Harbour]

I use it a bit, seems to work very well and hardly makes any difference to the MPG, although it can't read the road ahead and make the most of hills like I can.

Also only noticed this a few weeks ago, when in cruse if you accelerate to overtake, when you lift off it resumes the set speed, on all other cars I have had with cruse it disconnects if you touch either pedal. Was impressed with that, although maybe I have had some rubbish cars in the past? ....

[ashpole]

Just wondered whether it's worthwhile using cruise control on the Auris HSD? I used to frequently use cruise control on my previous car (Honda Civic) but since I've had my Auris I've never used it!!! I've been concentrating so much on my driving technique trying to coax as many MPG as possible that I totally forgot about cruise control!!! Does cruise control have a positive effect on MPG or is the only benefit the fact that you can have a more relaxed drive?!?!

I use it a lot. Two differences you might not have noticed:

1. If you're travelling at your set speed and start to go down a decline, the HSD will slow you down, unlike normal cruise controls which just lift off the accelerator. That slowing down is used to help recharge the HV Battery (take a look at the "rev" counter.

2. If you're going at, say, 50 MPH using cruise control and want to slow down to 30, 40 or just knock a bit of speed off, hold the cruise activator down - like you were reducing speed on a normal engined cruise control. The HSD will start to gently brake you down to your desired speed when you can release the control. Again, watch the "rev" counter to see this.

The first of these points is really helpful if you're in a 30 MPH limit and set the car at 29 MPH, it will stay at 29 even if you go downhill.

Mike

[ashpole]

Dup.

[ashpole]

Another dup?

[cuius]

Do frequent long trips across Spain and tend to use it on the flatter sections, but revert to manual in the mountains. Ideal in the sections where average speed cameras are now being used, e.g., Madrid ringroad tunnel

[daveybee]

I use it as much as possible on motorways and dual carriageways. Nothing to do with fuel saving, just speed control as I find that it's easy to let the speed creep up (caught myself rolling down hill at lots of MPHes with no sensation of the actual speed - dodgy or what).

[smuddell]

Cheers guys, I'll give it a try! Strikes me as not being quite so easy to use on the Auris being on a seperate lever - my Honda had the controls actually on the steering wheel!

We have a long straight 30mph road in Eastbourne where the police love to hide behind a bus stop to catch speeders - I always used to use cruise control along this road!!!!

Also only noticed this a few weeks ago, when in cruse if you accelerate to overtake, when you lift off it resumes the set speed, on all other cars I have had with cruse it disconnects if you touch either pedal. Was impressed with that, although maybe I have had some rubbish cars in the past? ....

My Honda Civic cruise control worked like that!