Has anyone that is an experienced hybrid driver compared their mileage with ECO Mode enable and disabled? I took my 450h in for a battery replacement and didn't realize that the swap had turned off ECO Mode. I was driving on a short trip (40 miles one way) this morning and noticed I was averaging around 42 MPG (pretty ideal conditions). Then noticed that ECO Mode was not engaged, so I engaged it and started drifting back down to 31.4 MPG (which is where I would expect it to be). It got me wondering if ECO Mode might have some downside for experienced drivers ... or maybe not. Anyone with an opinion about whether it is helping a little or hurting a little?

 

I've got two years on mine now and 25,000 miles. I drove it mostly on ECO mode for over a year and switched off last winter so the heater would work faster. As far as I can tell all it does re: mileage is retard the throttle (it's drive by wire) advance. You can still floor it and get the same response but it takes more foot action. With the ECO off I can just be more conscious of how fast my foot goes down and get the same mileage. Maybe a little better because I'm more conscious of it but I've gotten excellent mileage since day one.

 

Well if you have noticed, the car will stay in electric mode when the "RPM" needle stays under half of the green part of the circle. As Jim said, all it really does is make the pedal 'stiffer' so that you dont engage the engine as much. I find it to be pretty much the same eco mode or not.

 

I've kept mine in ECO mode since April 2010, even through this past winter. I know, it doesn't help with the heat. But I don't drive far or fast so it doesn't matter. I'll have to turn ECO mode off during the next trip above 20 miles to see how it affects the mileage.

 

I have never seen an average of 42 mpg in my car. I would need to be getting 50 to 60 consistently to get an average of 40.

What do you consider "pretty idea conditions"? No one behind you tooting their horn as you creep away from stop signs on battery? Or going down hill a lot?

I just got my first average of 31 while on vacation in Canada and I think they have special gasoline!!!

I'm jealous of your 42.

I think I'm an experienced hybrid driver, just not an economical one! Yes, Eco changes throttle response and heating and cooling functions. When my wife and I have our little "drive on battery" contests, I turn off radio, lights, heat and air. She still wins. Lead versus non-lead feet.

 

Don't forget to zero the cooling fans/heater in the seats too. That really makes a difference in the draw from the traction batteries. Once late at night I was able to drive all the way home (no traffic at all) from the Publix to our home. It was about 3 miles and a couple of very slow starts. The lights were on of course but everything else off except the radio, it doesn't draw much and the window was open. Highest speed was about 35mph.

 

I was driving from my home in Pleasanton, CA to Stanford, CA. Both locations in the San Francisco bay area. By ideal, I mean that conditions were relatively flat for the bay area, speed was around 40 to 55 and there was not a lot of stop and go traffic. Went over the Dumbarton Bridge at about 70MPH and that was my only stretch of freeway. Hit traffic in downtown Palo Alto. Prior trips to a similar location resulted in about 34.4MPG. I drive normally with the flow of traffic, but I usually am driving by myself. I drive with my shoes off and have a very good feel for the hybrid system. I do not creep away from intersections or impede traffic ... my driving is normal, but I take full advantage of the hybrid system once the car is moving. My normal driving (less than ideal conditions) lately is giving me anywhere from 30 to 32 MPG in ecoMode. I plan on experimenting a little more in the months ahead to see if running with ecoMode off is a better match to my driving style.

If I had to guess why I hit the higher numbers, it would be that my light touch on the gas pedal allows me to drive on battery power longer, more frequently and at higher speed.

 

RX is now at about 2100 miles. Switched to ECO mode a few tankfuls ago. MPG is now above 26.5; it was 24 or below before that. It's been very hot in upstate NY this summer; the A/C has worked fine in ECO, usually on first or second fan settings.