I Like Power Mode

Seems pretty close ECO verses PWR mode in your test. If you could keep at it a few more days and see what the averages are then, it would average out any minor differences.

Justin, could you do some tests like these also? It'd be good to have some data on different roads or conditions to see if there are any trends.

Once I get my car I can do the same tests on our basically flat roads.

Mike :tea:

 

Mike, I'm looking forward to hearing your results. Minnesota roads can be our 'scientific' control. When are you (supposed to be) getting your car?

-N.

 

The ship is scheduled to come into port Monday at 7pm West Coast time My sales lady said it can take 2 to 4 weeks to get it from the ship thru the accessory installation then to arrive in Minnesota. She said expect it late this month. I want it now though out:

No doubt I will have lots of test data on the same roads as I pick my son up at school that is 18 miles away on all flat roads. Most of it is two lane country road running 55 mph. About 12 stop signs and stop lights combined one way.

Mike

 

Your delivery date is drawing near! I hope the wait is no longer than projected, but it will be well worth it

 

Power mode feels a bit sharp or jerky if that makes sense. A bit too abrupt may be a better description. But if it is proving to get high mpg numbers, I'm all for that

Mike

 

I try to remember to hit the Power button -- but I forget.

When the car is in ECO -- you have to be careful because the car will really lag. If you use the car exclusively maybe you get used to it but it was tough for me in mixed driving even after a week with it.

I wish the car was just a bit more responsive in the regular mode -- that would be perfect. The Power mode is a bit touchy -- the car will jerk a bit depending on he traffic.

They kind of missed on the pedal mapping -- all of our newer Lexus vehicles are a bit off also ... I guess a Toyota thing.

I'm not seeing any difference in MPG -- would be interesting to see what the effect really is

 

I only use PWR mode when I need to pass someone from a red light... Most cars are pretty suprised when a Prius smokes them haha. I tend to leave it in normal mode as the car seems to have no problem switching back and forth through the modes.

I'm CONVIENCED that the reason that people get pissed off around prius drivers is because they stay in 'ECO' mode... i find ECO mode to be dangerious and annoying... like with most tools, if used correctly can help.

I've made the mistake of switching to ECO and forgetting... then when needing power having major lag (as opposed to normal or PWR).

I might have to mess with PWR a bit more now... but I leave mine in Normal most of the time and EV if there is a reason I want to keep the ICE off for a short time.

 

That's why I would like to have a paddle on the right side of steering wheel just to switch to PWR and then back to any other mode that car was before...

I agree with a lag in ECO, but it's only experienced if you are below center of the HSI.

 

I've had my Prius 3 for about 4 days so far (120 miles), and mostly drove it in normal mode (no Eco or PWR buttons activated). Coming from HCHII, it felt slower, less responsive and also much more difficult to maintain constant speed even on a slight grade. I'd let it stay in the left half of the display bar and just end up coasting way below speed limit. Then I switched to PWR mode. What a change- a much more immediate response, pretty much just like my HCHII did when new, and keeping up with traffic speeds became very easy. I accelerate at the same rate as cars behind me, and do not have to continuously push gas pedal to make it stay at the same speed. Mileage seemed unaffected, but I'll run a full work and back loop tomorrow to see what i get. I do have to say, that Toyota's hybrid system is definitely superior to that of my old Honda- I get 49-50 mpg with a 35F temperatures, rain and a hilly road. That would translate to 39 on HCHII (once it felt like warming up and actually leting me use the battery for any assist).

 

Re: I like Power Mode, too

Six days later... I've kept driving mostly in PWR and I'm consistently getting more than 53 mpg on every trip (20 miles each, averaging 35-39 mph). This is an improvement.

PWR mode = a very good P&G trainer for this newb.

 

Re: I like Power Mode, too

+1
Left Power mode on while picking up Pizza last night. 3.5 mi trip, took residential back way to pizza shop- quite a few 3 and 4-way stop-signs along the route with pretty long stretches in between. Perfect trial for Power mode P&G with no traffic behind me. Accelerated to 40-42mph pretty quickly then backed off and maintained 40ish mph and glide to next stop sign. When I got home- the "this trip" indicator displayed 58.7mpg. Best mpg I've ever gotten on a short trip. I've done the same exact route in ECO mode and have struggled to reach 50mpg at the end of the trip. Seems like power mode can give excellent results under the proper conditions...

If there was a way to have the car default to Power mode- I'd choose it.

 

Will the ScanGuage II change the default mode?

Mike

 

Mike - No. As of yet, no one has come up with a way to default power mode as far as I've seen. I don't even think it's possible with TechStream, either. It's definitely something a lot of people on here would like, the ability to change the default mode.

 

Is there a program and interface that will allow read & write to the car's computers? Something along the lines of HP Tuners that allows unlimited control over a GM vehicle's computers. There has to be some gearheads working with Toyota's that have cracked their way into Toyota computers. Time for some serious research

Mike

 

It may have to be a physical mod, some ideas are currently being formulated here:
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...how-make-power-mode-default-driving-mode.html

 

The same kind of mileage difference can be achieved in the new v when in the Power mode. I consistently average in the mid 50s and can average in the 60s when the route is right. I'm not sure why Toyota didn't make it the default mode.

 

Proof of concept. It can be done

 

You got to give that designator guy half credit. The v is lower case alpha and V is the roman numeral. Guess the mix up is roman numerals and the alpha system? Perhaps they should have done what Ford did. They spelled out Five Hundred on that model

 

I have no idea, just kinda throwing this idea out there. Could constant and heavy use of the PWR mode possibly be a little harder on the ICE? Given that the ICE is obviously a fairly low power unit, to continually rev it to near full capacity might be slightly damaging in the long run. This is the only reason I can think of why Toyota wouldn't want it to be "sticky".