General Is ‘Economy Driving’ Worth It?

[Marcus Daly]

I just leave the car in ECO mode now. I used to automatically turn it off as soon as I started the engine. After a few thousand miles (and always running on E5), the performance is decent enough and the difference in fuel consumption is worth it.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

An associated question if I may?

Why does the TA take so long to 'run in' before it gives (some ) economy and performance? Is it built to very tight tolerances so initial internal friction and losses are high?

 

[Marcus Daly]

I’ve heard it suggested that there is a specific engine map programmed for the first several thousand kilometres that eventually changes. I’m sceptical of this. But there’s no denying a TA is transformed after a few thousand miles. Mine is unrecognisable in performance and economy from new.

 

[JayAre]

 

[The Panda Nut]

My first contact with this idea was a Toyota Aygo 1.0 hire car that kept suggesting I should change up a gear when climbing a hill in third.

It's obviously nonsense in my opinion.

My sister on the other hand is a convert to this philosophy.

I've given up trying to reason with her and grit my teeth as she tries to drag her Hyundai i10 up a hill in fifth gear on full throttle, holding up HGVs.

I like the cycling analogy, I've used it before. It's much better to choose a low gear and keep spinning.

OK it's different on the level, or with a 3 litre diesel or something where you can rely on low end torque.

But we're not all built like 3 litre diesels.

How polite of you to say so! LOL

 

[The Panda Nut]

I’ve heard it suggested that there is a specific engine map programmed for the first several thousand kilometres that eventually changes. I’m sceptical of this. But there’s no denying a TA is transformed after a few thousand miles. Mine is unrecognisable in performance and economy from new.

The engine mapping is certainly odd and switching ECO on or off at a given speed does not have the affect anticipated for a given speed / gear. I think this may be down to the Uniair affects. I think my current car was faster when new than now, but it does OK now and surely used less fuel. I find using teh ECO on / off to aid going up hill and above c 50mph generally aids economy and I can now control the economy if I want to. All I can say is I much prefer driving the TA which feels like a much bigger engine than the 1.2. If you suggestion were proved to be true it would not suprise me at all. One has to wonder why this eco button is there at all. The car is sold as having an 85PS engine or a P), but in reality its set to default to 70PS. WHY? Id love to know the bassi of the claon to the higher power out put.

If 70PS is default what effect does running at the advertised full power level have long term and why did they choose to set it to default to running at a much lower power out put. All odd at the least. I still love the thing though it seems there are a great many reasons to avoid them second hand.