I have used power mode when needed, on ramps and to whip around slow moving traffic. But I dont change back till I slow down or stop, going 65 and changing from power to ECO, not real good, seems the system just freaks out for a bit.
Ran today via my normal commute and Power Mode produced HIGHER mileage. 58.6 mpg on the ride to work (uphill). 62.5MPG on the ride home, downhill. Those are the highest I've seen for those runs. I think the Power Mode encourages Pulse/Glide behavior and that is why the higher mileage. Since it gets up to speed faster, more gliding so there is a physical component also. It also seemed to drop into EV mode faster and seemed to keep the battery at a higher average charge rate. Car is definitely way more fun to drive, loving my jackrabbit starts up to cruising speed.
I tried Power mode for the first time this morning on the way to work, wasn't expecting the results. Felt like I was in my V8 4Runner again. Was nice.
Felt like a V8...LOL, your V8 must have been running on 4 cylinders. NOS in a 135 hp Prius wouldn't feel like a V8.
I'm just referring to normal acceleration, not pedal to the floor type of scenario. Should have been more specific. I never really liked to gun the V8. Every time I did, the gas gauge would drop a notch lol. I had some larger tires, and etc. for off road purposes.
Be interesting to hear Sergio (and other's experience). My guess is that EcoMode is good for getting started since it encourages slow application of power, allowing traction without wheel spin. On the snowy, slushy, steep grade and 55 mph road to the slope, I'm thinking Power Mode with the Traction, Stability controls...and my planned for Nokian WG tires.
It doesn't seem to make any difference what mode you are in. Traction control kicks in pretty quick if you try and accelerate too quickly and with studded Nokian tires, it's more challenging to get the back end to slide much... But we haven't progressed to the "slushy" stage yet.
STUDDED Nokian WG's!! Yikes. That's like Vader's Super Star Destroyer Executor vs. your basic Star Destroyer.
I prefer ECO mode in the winter as it helps with traction on loose snow (you're less likely to spin the tyres since the pedal is less sensitive) and it also reduces the heater output, allowing the engine to shut off earlier.
I was driving on the snow (even deep) but on a flat. For me ECO/Normal worked fine. One important thing is to not to floor it on starting. If you let light spin on wheel traction control will modulate acceleration on wheel and go fine. If you floor it wheels will spin and then you get 0.5 second engine cut-off/power loss. I'm driving on Goodyear UltraGrip Performance 215/45/R17 Winter Tires. VSC+ is a bit aggressive but I can live with it. But this year most of the time snow was like this... not too big. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVxf-5Ztzus]Zima w Warszawie, 01.2012 - YouTube[/ame]
I've been doing some driving in the Power mode and I am not noticing any mileage difference relative to ECO. Mileage (around 50mpg) seems to be most dependent on how you drive and the route. It's nice to have the extra power available. I assume that if I were heavily using the air conditioning, the ECO mode would help since it is used to control the air conditioning.
Thanks for the snow driving info, storing it away for next winter. When you say the Vehicle Stability Control is "aggressive", what do you mean?
The same amount of power is available in all 3 modes, but it does feel peppier iin PWR: it's just changing how much the throttle opens with any given amount of gas pedal depression. But floor it in any mode and the result is the same. I've been leaving it in Normal, but interesting to know PWR doesn't effect mileage much.
I'm planning to use Normal mode most of the time for suburbian driving (flat roads, lot of stoplights, 25 to 45 MPH limits). Power Mode is a little too sensitive for the suburbs, but would be great for hills and higher speed roads. But, Power Mode has shown how to get through the intital electric drive fairly quickly and onto the ICE for pulling away from stop lights. How? Use more pedal input in normal mode for leaving stoplights.
Exactly correct. Normal mode isn't too bad in terms of pedal throw in getting there and that's what I use most of the time. Not so with ECO which is why people end up babying the pedal and are surprised when they discover they actually get better mpg in Power mode.
OK, OK, you PWR hungry Prius drivers! I guess I'm going to have to try pushing that PWR button. Will report on that "V8" like response and MPG gains!
First of all I was always driving FWD cars and I like it. Some where without ESP/VSC, others like Alfa Romeo 159 allowed to disable it. In Prius VSC+ system is a bit like babysitter. Any little spin, slide and it kicks in slowing down selective wheels, beeping at you and slowing down car. Most of the time it is desired behavior but from time to time, on an empty, curved road I like to switch to PWR and play a bit with a snow. It's nearly impossible in Prius. It will beep at you, set on the right track and the fun is over In AR 159 ESP (VSC equivalent) was less intrusive, engaged later (it allowed not so little slide of a car) and worked smoother. From time to time you could only notice it by ESP icon on the dashboard. I can guarantee that no one will not notice VSC in action in Prius (even if sound would be disabled). On the other hand it's not a sport car and VSC is not as intrusive as in Renault's family cars. In EU CT200h catalogue Lexus stands that in PWR VSC system is programmed differently. Less intrusive allowing more fun of driving. Today I've tried Normal mode instead of ECO. I can confirm that it keeps battery at 6 bars most of the time and engine RPMs seem (only by ears - no SGII here) a bit higher. It may have some benefits because if you hit real jam battery is full. In ECO you can often hit it with battery low. As mentioned above in some cases Normal and PWR modes may have some benefits in certain conditions. In some there will be no difference between them. (moderate temperatures, country roads) At the end whatever you do, whichever mode you select, Toyota did a pretty good job optimising HSD for wide range of drivers behaviors.
