Just drove almost 400 miles today from Philly to Mt. Kisco, NY and back with the ECT Snow setting on. 95% interstate (NJTP/95, 287, Saw Mill Pkwy) averaged 82mph, so I was not driving modestly at all, just staying with traffic, not too aggressive. I maintained 26.7 mpg for the whole trip with 4 hours of city stop & go as well. AC on the whole time. Next time I will keep the speed to 65 and re-evaluate. Overall I am very pleased with this mileage and still one of the nicest looking cars on the road, IMHO.

 

you should try to be without snow mode and do the same route at 82mph too, i bet the gas mileage is going to be more or less the same?

 

yeah I get about the same when I am driving from Miami to Orlando (about 240 miles) and I keep it on regular mode...

 

note he's awd

 

True, I didn't notice it was AWD... Is it that much of a difference ?

 

I was about to say, I get more than that when I do mostly highway on my GS300, but then I noticed you're AWD. Pretty impressive for AWD. I think generally the GS300 gets 2-3mpg better than the GS350. If you're AWD you lose about 1-1.5mpg. And if your A/C is always on, you lose about 1-1.5mpg too. Roughly.

 

For the AWD, that was better than the last time (stayed in normal mode), got about 24mi/gal, and drove a little slower. Even around atown now, I am getting improved mileage with ECT on.If it saves a couple of dollars, I think it's worth one switch press. Performance is reduced, so that may be a factor for some.

 

I would think the snow mode would not make much diff. on the highway since you are on top gear most of the time. In the city, the snow mode might save a few bucks, but then again, if I want to save a few bucks on gas, I would buy a Honda Civics

 

the snow mode does retard the throttle response, so for those with heavy feet and don't know how to ease off on gas for better fuel efficiency, i can see how the snow mode can help. but again, if driven correctly in the normal mode, i don't think snow mode will help much

 

I drive from hartford ct, to boston ma all the time. I avg about 27.4 most of the time. I drive on normal mode and also I have a gs350 awd. If i used the snow mode would i save more gas?

 

If you can save a few bucks on gas, why not? You're still driving the same Lexus, why not save some money on fuel if you could easily?

 

I didnt notice any change neither in driving or fuel economy. The only thing I do believe it starts from 2nd gear...

 

I tried the same thing and have noticed only a slight increase in fuel economy while driving city/highway. small = tenths of a mpg

 

That's enough for margin of variability. Probably only work well with people with a heavy foot.

 

My brother has a 2006 Gs300 and he puts it on snow mode everyday. the best he got for avg is 37 miles per gallon... and he drives 65mph on cruise control on the freeway...