eco v standard

[davewilliams000]

I've actually been playing about with this recently. I always use individual settings and never take it out of that mode. I still prefer the sport throttle map (engine setting as has been discussed) when I am driving the car manually. However, over the past week or so I've had my ACC set to ECO mode, with engine in sport and everything else normal. I think I am seeing a small improvement in MPG overall.

As someone mentioned setting the ACC to ECO makes it back off quite a bit earlier rather than driving right up to the distance set from the vehicle in front and then jamming the brakes on. I've now gone back to the using the ACC rather than the speed limiter (through the seemingly never ending 50mph avg cameras on the M74). I also tend to use ACC all the time whenever I'm on the motorway, which makes up about 80-85% of my 22mile journey to work (1 way).

Am doing well this week with my consumption, despite not driving like a nun all the time. I've used just over a 3rd of a tank so far and the car said avg since refuelling is 49.9 this morning, which I consider to be pretty good. I actually got over 60mpg avg showing on a trip last week for the first time.

[Talk-torque]

Surely on long motorway journeys Eco is better?

...... but you can reach, or maintain, a desired steady state in the manner you desire, ie. fast or slow, in any mode, so I'd say eco doesn't have the overall control, it's just a nanny, between you and the controls.

[p3asa]

As someone mentioned setting the ACC to ECO makes it back off quite a bit earlier rather than driving right up to the distance set from the vehicle in front and then jamming the brakes on.

Mine doesn't jam the brakes on in any setting! The problem I find with eco is it takes too long to fill the gap between you and the car in front which infuriates drivers behind so they end up overtaking and then force their way between me and the driver in front which is too close for stonechips. So the car pulls back a wee bit and then the cycle begins again LoL

[Jackie Treehorn]

Strange how some cars perform differently, I get a very noticeable difference between eco normal and sport when using ACC.  if in eco I can squeeze the accelerator to encourage a quicker pick up and lift off again, or set the ACC far higher than I wish to travel in traffic as this also encourages a quicker return to designated speed.

some further info I posted in the past.  don't take it as gospel, but just as a guide

Normal mode


Eco


Individual


Sport

[davewilliams000]

As someone mentioned setting the ACC to ECO makes it back off quite a bit earlier rather than driving right up to the distance set from the vehicle in front and then jamming the brakes on.

Mine doesn't jam the brakes on in any setting! The problem I find with eco is it takes too long to fill the gap between you and the car in front which infuriates drivers behind so they end up overtaking and then force their way between me and the driver in front which is too close for stonechips. So the car pulls back a wee bit and then the cycle begins again LoL

Maybe 'jam the brakes' on was the wrong way to put it. Eco ACC setting certainly backs off earlier and seems to use just a little less fuel. If it doesn't catch back up to the car in front quick enough I intervene by pressing the throttle pedal (don't turn of or suspend ACC) and then when it's at the right speed take my foot off and ACC resumes. Not sure if it's more fuel efficient to do a quick burst of full power (via my right foot) to get the speed back up or a longer period of slow acceleration (with the ACC) - I suspect it makes little difference to the average mpg.

[corgi]

I know I'm in the minority on this site... but I use individual with the "engine" - throttle map - in ECO and everything else in Sport.

The reason for this I prefer a long throttle and not for any perceived economy benefits... I know I can have 100% "thottle" at 100% peddle depression in ECO but I don't want it at 50% peddle depression. I have the same performance as in the other modes, but I have more control of the delivery of the power.

Maybe it is because I have come from a long line of fairly to very powerful, mainly rear drive, road cars without traction control, as well as racing and rallying, and the ability to carefully meet out the power delivery is something that was/is required to make effective progress with less need to be correcting the attitude of the car...

For example, some on here might find a TVR has a soft throttle, but with high power, no traction control and a shortish wheel base a long action throttle peddle is a godsend...

Others, perhaps, like to set everything to the max and let the electronics sort it out... each to their own.

In reality, the Golf develops the same power in which ever mode... and it is what you get used to/are happy with 

[Watts]

I gave eco a go today on my commute home. 19 miles on mostly busy motorway with short town drives at each end. Whilst cruising the only thing I noticed was the cabin being quieter with presumably the soundaktor off. I like the soundaktor but not all the time and it was a pleasent change. Also, with the traffic being busy the slower throttle response was absolutely fine and not an issue. Fuel economy, it was very good, a steady run of around 70mph and an average return of 46mpg, better than usual but not the best I've had but on that occasion I was doing more like 55 due to slow traffic. I've got a holiday coming up in a couple of weeks to Yorkshire so I may try it out then on a approx 250 mile trip (each way) and see what the economy is like, last time was about 40 but the car was still new then and only on 2000ish miles, now just topped 9000 so perhaps that will make comparison difficult.

[monkeyhanger]

Corgi: If your engine is stuck in "eco" mode, aren't you getting about 70% throttle response unless you press into the clicky zone? Sport gives full throttle across the progressive pedal travel range without having to prod the clicky zone.

I guess your perception of full pedal throttle depends on whether you consider the clicky zone as part of pedal travel or merely a button at the end of it which overrides normal/eco to give you a jump to 100% response from 70/80% of what you'd see with Sport at the end of natural travel. For that reason in Eco mode, i'd say you have less control than in Sport, not more.

Eco = 0 - 70% across pedal travel + a press of the pedal click to get you to jump to 100% from 70%
Sport = 0 - 100% across pedal travel + nothing more given with the pedal click.

Sport mode isn't akin the 100% response stuck within the first 50% of full pedal travel like a pedal box.

Certain cars may try and kill you if you do something daft in the wrong conditions, but unless you're driving on sheet ice with a heavy right foot, you'll have a hard job of doing a James Dean in a MK7 Golf with all the electronic aids on it to keep you out of trouble.

[Jackie Treehorn]

I know I'm in the minority on this site... but I use individual with the "engine" - throttle map - in ECO and everything else in Sport.

The reason for this I prefer a long throttle and not for any perceived economy benefits... I know I can have 100% "thottle" at 100% peddle depression in ECO but I don't want it at 50% peddle depression. I have the same performance as in the other modes, but I have more control of the delivery of the power.

Maybe it is because I have come from a long line of fairly to very powerful, mainly rear drive, road cars without traction control, as well as racing and rallying, and the ability to carefully meet out the power delivery is something that was/is required to make effective progress with less need to be correcting the attitude of the car...

For example, some on here might find a TVR has a soft throttle, but with high power, no traction control and a shortish wheel base a long action throttle peddle is a godsend...

Others, perhaps, like to set everything to the max and let the electronics sort it out... each to their own.

In reality, the Golf develops the same power in which ever mode... and it is what you get used to/are happy with 

I agree, a longer throttle peddle does suit.  I found sport throttle too much like and on/off switch, nothing progressive and controlled out of tight corners, especially with TC off.  But unlike yourself I can't stand the heavy, and to me, dead steering when in sport mode. 

Good job they gave us all choices, even if I think this mode lark is naff.  I am of the school that they should just make the car how the engineers felt it should be, and leave the modes/menus out of cars, we don't know best

[corgi]

Good job they gave us all choices, even if I think this mode lark is naff.  I am of the school that they should just make the car how the engineers felt it should be, and leave the modes/menus out of cars, we don't know best

I agree with this... and the fact that the car is much more refined in ECO... no soundaktor... another example of investing time and money in engineering out nvh... an then spending 10p to ruin it...

I don't mind genuine engine noise, my XKR sounds fantastic... pops and bangs on over-run, some supercharger whine, V8 rumble... but it is all natural, not some cheap speaker rattling away under the dash. But as I said, it is all down to personal preference