Driving in the ECO Mode?

I get 61 mpg

 

Mine is always in Eco, too.

 

No, but then it won't give you more torque to turn it off either, so you might as well leave it on.

 

I think ECO mode is good to use while you are learning or getting used to the car, but after that I don't see the advantage. I can control the gas pedal myself and am not a lead foot, so I don't need ECO mode to decrease the sensitivity for me. And I also don't want or need ECO mode taking over my HVAC controls.

 

For me, I want to be in the lower ranges anyway, so ECO mode gives me finer control of that range. Then if I want, I know the rest is there if I put my foot down.

Also during our summer I need its influence over the HVAC. That's the only reason my economy has remained vaguely acceptable! I'm actually looking forward to the temperatures coming down here so I can get off the air con.

 

I recently purchased a Prius C Four and seem to be getting better MPG on normal mode. I thought Eco mode would result in better MPG, so I've had it in Eco mode since purchasing. But I switched it to normal, and the MPG immediately started going up. I will continue to test it out. I haven't gotten over 52 mpg since I drove on the first tank of gas the dealership provided. I wonder what type of gas they used :/

 

ECO modes pedal travel seems excessive. In theory increasing pedal travel needed to get a reaction from the engine might save you gas. But in practice I've found Normal mode's pedal travel is not at all touchy, very easy to modulate. ECO mode is good for exercising your right leg muscle, I guess.

 

I have only had my prius for less than a week. I have not experimented with the ECO mode. Would the freeway (I95) be a good place to try it out? Thoughts anyone? I'm thinking city limits would not be good.

 

it makes no difference, try it anywhere. you'll feel a difference in pedal travel vs acceleration. it also affects your hvac, in the city or on the highway. the difference insn't earth shattering though, go for it!

 

It really seems that it depends on your driving habits and where you are driving. Myself, I have noticed that I get the best MPG in ECO mode. My commute is 50/50 City/Freeway.

 

I wasn't sure whether Eco mode affected the heat as well as the AC, so I did a little experiment: Start the car in Normal mode, put the climate control on Auto, turn the temperature all the way up to "Hi." As the engine warms up, the fan gradually increases its speed until it is running at its maximum. Then switch to Eco mode. The heater fan immediately goes down two or three levels.

I'm still experimenting with Normal and Eco mode, and haven't figured out which I prefer. But I don't like being cold! I've learned to wait until the cabin has started getting comfortable before shifting to Eco.

 

AC controls cold and hot... so it would work the same way for both, just depends on what temperature you set it at.

 

For all practical purposes just leave it in Eco mode. ECO mode reduces throttle response to help you accelerate slowly and smoothly. It also changes air conditioning response to reduce the drain on engine power. Driving in this mode will improve fuel economy.

 

I find normal just fine. With third gen, the pedal travel in ECO, at least for me, is too large a motion to be comfortable. I actually found myself aggressively tromping the gas to compensate when in ECO, turned it off about 6 months after purchase.

 

Jennifer, welcome to the forum!
Off-topic, but with a 2011 Aqua, you might have one of the oldest "Prius C"s around here.
Back on topic: I mentioned in my previous post about turning it off in order to get maximum heat. Since then I've narrowed it down a bit; so long as it is above freezing outside, I find that I am okay with the level of heating that one gets in Eco mode. When it is much colder than that, not so much. So for now, I think I will be running in Eco except when it is too cold.

 

Ditto. My MPGs went up when I turned off ECO.

 

Eco mode changes the climate control too. On the Gen 4 Liftback you can set Eco mode for climate control separate from drive mode.

 

The above comments are my experience with 3rd gen. OTOH, it's been reported that throttle response has been shifted towards the aggressive by roughly one mode, in the 4th gen. Then maybe with 4th gen I would be an ECO mode fan.

Bottom line, I would try them, see how they fit.

 

The Prius c is 3rd Gen anyway.
On the Gen 4 I prefer Normal mode because drive mode also affects Radar Cruise control responsiveness. Eco is too sluggish.