The only thing I've found it does is make for a horrible driving experience. The car barely gets out of it's own way in ECO.

 

No. all Eco mode does is change the programming for the environmental system (A/C), as well as the steering, the shift points, and throttle mapping. The shift points come sooner, and therefore feel a bit smoother. Under harder acceleration, it reverts back to normal (or even aggressive) shift points. Steering has a little less weight, so it’s easier to turn, but it’s also speed sensitive. The faster you go, the more weight it adds. The throttle is interesting. All it does is make you push the accelerator more to accomplish the same feeling of acceleration. It makes the throttle less responsive, and doesn’t change anything else. It’s easier to avoid hard acceleration, which of course is the ECO part. I’ve been told it doesn’t change mixture or timing at all. Even if it did, it, the computer adjusts everything back to normal when load and demand (throttle) require more power.

The good news is that when you get used to ECO, you adapt to the throttle response. You either change your expectations for acceleration, or you learn to push the accelerator harder. Either becomes second nature. I use ECO mode 99% the time, because it DOES help the trans shift more smoothly under most conditions. When I want or need to be more aggressive, I simply push the accelerator harder. The car goes faster, the shift points improve automatically, and the car feels faster. Plus, because I’m used to ECO, I get what feels like neck snapping acceleration in sport mode. I’m sure it’s because I’m not used to the throttle being so responsive.

 

Thanks So much. The reason I ask is it says in below picture in manual that Normal mode brings quietness and nothing on that word in eco mode.

 

Interesting I happened to take a peek in the LS forum and noticed similar complaints about jerky trans shifts including the obnoxious 2nd - 1st downshift thump when coming to a stop. They have a TEN speed I believe.