Eco or power

Use whatever feels the best to you. Each is good. Normal mode is also an option, which you get when neither ECO or PWR is selected.

All the modes are capable of full power. The accelerator will feel more sluggish with ECO, but if you stomp it the power is there.

Other than the accelerator pedal mapping, which changes the feel, the only real difference is that ECO tries to save gas by going easy on heating and cooling, and shutting down the engine as much as possible.

Tom

 

Because you are located in Arizona, and I am going off a whim here, it might be better for you to drive on normal mode. Like Tom said, ECO mode inhibits your heating and cooling capabilities as well as causing your engine to be a bit more sluggish. Because of, I am hoping I am right here.., the extreme weather conditions in Arizona, namely hot, I would recommend leaving your car in normal mode. And there is also a upside to leaving the car in normal mode, you can also control it just as efficiently as selecting the different affecting modes.

 

After having my car for over a month I finally tried ECO today and I like it. My background is more performance oriented than the average Prii pilot. I move the controls to get a desired result instead of moving the controls a fixed distance like I was operating an appliance.

Finer throttle control at low power, same ultimate performance. What's not to like? I have built mechanical linkages to do the same thing on a couple of performance cars I previously had.

I also like the AC being quieter while still doing an adequate job, although it was only 98F outside.

Power Mode feels like the cheap trick some car manufacturers do to make owners feel like they have more power than they really have by making the throttle more sensitive at less than full power.

 

I'm a new Prius driver too. I've been experimenting with the modes on the long highway part of my commute (60-75mph, rolling hills)

My take is:

They are worthwhile tools.

I strongly prefer eco mode for highway cruising. It not only gives me finer control, and helps me be more disciplined. But it also does something else: gives more comfortable ride on rolling hills because the transtions between ICE and EV (and blends) are smoother, less "lurchy" sense of inertial shifts going on in the drivetrain.

I prefer Normal for 'round town, where my mpg's are already easy to keep above 50+, and when it's really hot the AC does crank better.

I find PWR useful for merges, etc. Althoughl somebody told me all it does is makes 1/4 throttle PWR = 1/2 throttle Eco (thus effectively giving you a heavier foot), I'd swear there's more to it than that. It feels like both ICE and EV "hook up" right away so you git up an go with what is really very good performance vs. a standard camry/accord etc.

 

i have found i really like power mode in the city. i also have not noticed any difference in mpg. i ran a tank using eco mode and compared with other tanks and saw nothing worth noting. i generally run normal and use power when needed, and use EV when i'm able to in residential areas.

 

I tried ECO for a while, but I found the best response for driving habits is to leave it in NORMAL mode.

 

I have been using Eco since I bought my car the first of May but then I saw the discussion of using normal. Like several other owners, I didn't realize there was a "normal" by not selecting any of the options of "Ev", "Eco" or "Pwr". My last tank of gas I decided to do "normal" and I really like the feel. I was getting great mileage around town according to the HSI. It was showing 55-57mpg.
Sadly, I made a trip out of town on a very windy day in the Texas hills and wrecked my mileage but I still like the feel of "normal" better than "Eco".

 

Cyndi,

For my tastes, I typically run in NORMAL mode. However, PWR shows up periodically.

I probably shouldn't say this, but the Tri-State Tollway is a cross between Indianapolis 500 and a demolition derby. PWR mode, combined with the Prius' size, enables one to perform some truly amazing "banzai" runs, were one so inclined to do so. And, I might know someone who found a whopping 10% reduction in FE (~50 to ~45 mpg) with the cruise set at 85 mph vs. 75 mph. when running to Champaign to visit his sister.

I would certainly never advocate exceeding the speed limit, but I have *ahem* "heard" the Prius could hypothetically be the fastest car up the Edens when returning home from the City late at night.

 

AHA!! I remember the good old Tri-State Tollway. (Used to live in Des Plaines). Happily, I don't have to drive that sucker anymore. Drive like hell--jam brakes--throw money in hopper--drive like hell again, etc, etc.:yell: Plus, all that salt in the winter to ruin your car. YUK! I'll take the Southern Cal Freeways any day.

 

I drive all Eco, all the time (city, highway, interstate, etc.).

 

I do most of the time. If the AC is too weak when I first start the car I will put it in Normal until the car gets cooled down, then back to eco.

When I get too old and feeble to push the throttle far enough to get the power I want, I will go back to normal or power on a regular basis.

 

I enjoy driving in Power Mode and I have been getting around 52-54 MPG. THe thing that bothers me is having to engage the button every time I restart the car. If you leave the car in ECO or Normal modes and go to restart the car it will remember your last mode. My question is there anyway you can have it stay in Power mode for each restart until you disengage it with the button? Thanks for the help.

 

No. You have to press it each time.

Tom

 

Hey Tom,

Funny you should reply. I was just reading another thread where this question came and you advised the poster of the reasoning behind this. I understand it was done on purpose but I don't agree with it. Either way thank you for your response. Take care, Anthony.

 

I don't agree with it either.

Tom

 

Does Prius remember the mode state for the next power up in...

PWR mode? No
EV mode? No
ECO mode? Yes
normal mode? Yes

Anyway, my favorite is the normal mode, but I sometimes drive in PWR mode for pulse and in ECO mode for glide.

Ken@Japan

 

I wish there was an ECO 2.... It is difficult to keep the ICE off when operating on the edge between battery/ICE since there is a lot of nonlinearity built into the control as load and rpm change. Normal and Power are worse if you are trying to keep the MPG above 60. This car is capable of great mpg, in 15 tanks I have not dropped below 61 HSI, 59 by the pump. Working on 65 mpg for this tank, and this is real world conditions, avgmph>40, hilly terrain, start and stop at same elevations, no fancy routes at 4 am... just real world driving. Great car. Ted

 

It is not good to keep the 50% area of the HSI screen.
Please refer to my post.

Ken@Japan