2016 PRIUS Drive modes questions

There is no difference in torque or power between the modes - the main difference is in the mapping of the accelerator pedal to power requested from the hybrid system to make it feel more sporty in the power setting.

In the ECO mode the heating system is less likely to request the engine run to create heat so avoiding it consuming fuel without doing useful work in propelling the car.

 

That's about it! In other words, it's useless.

 

Not necessarily. With resume on Cruise Control (DRCC), the response in ECO and PWR are poles apart.

Personally, I like the throttle response in ECO if I'm driving using the accelerator, but in DRCC, flick it to PWR.

 

Alan, have you no self control ?

 

You've answered your question?

Myself, whith a 3rd gen, I leave it in Normal. I played around with it for maybe the first 6 months, buying into the "koolaid" that ECO was giving better mpg, and PWR was the thing for freeway entrances.

It's mostly just a distraction. Third gen, you need to take your eyes off the road for way too long, to even find the dang buttons. And I gradually clued in, that ECO was waaay too lethargic, requiring so much pedal travel it made it harder to modulate. Third gen, there's just the ECO and PWR buttons. Leave them off, you're in "Normal".

I understand with 4th gen, the response of all the modes is markedly shifted; all of them more responsive. Still, I'd probably just leave it in Normal.

 

Just going to come back to this and contradict what we all used to believe...

The other day I was stuck in stationary traffic. I was using the Dynamic Cruise Control to more easily move and stop as the traffic did (was in D not P, not pressing brake). Engine was warm. Cabin was at the right temperature. I noticed something interesting while cycling through the different drive modes to relieve the boredom while stationary...

In Eco or Normal, the ICE was off.

In PWR the ICE was on. Pressing the mode button again and the ICE turned off.

I repeated this test several times to be sure, and every time it entered PWR mode, the ICE fired up. It stopped as soon as I left PWR mode.

As I wasn't pressing the accelerator at all, it can't have been anything to do with the mapping. I suspect it likes to try and keep the ICE running so that the power from it is instantly available when in PWR mode. That would improve acceleration time slightly, and make things smoother.

 

What was the State of Charge?

I remember something similar - and I put it down to the ICE trying to charge the (lowish) battery so there would be more EV power for a jack-rabbit start. No idea - was just a random thought at the time. And haven't thought about it since.

Next time I'm bored.