POLL: What mode do you drive in and why what percentages?

[MPGen3]

Originally Posted by Jim Calvert

As far as I can tell, there are only 3 modes: EV, ECO, and Power. What is "Normal" mode?

Actually its nothing more than throttle sensitivity setting somewhere between ECO and PWR mode. If you don't see EV, ECO, PWR displayed in GREEN by default you are driving in NORMAL mode.

[windstrings]

Originally Posted by Jim Calvert

As far as I can tell, there are only 3 modes: EV, ECO, and Power. What is "Normal" mode?

Jim, if your looking at it that way, there are 4 modes.

I guess we have been talking about "driving" modes... EV is more for puttering around and is extremely temporary until we get some real batteries and plugin going down.

[brianric]

Originally Posted by windstrings

Do you feel its so during times when you need to run the air "like on hot days", or has that been a non issue lately?

The reason I ask is I'm just wondering if the AC management that eco mode does will make a difference when we need to use the AC allot.

I run my AC all the time.

[windstrings]

So far "eco" wins by far, next "normal most with power mode less" and third just plain Normal mode.


This poll is most interesting to me, and the rational and results people feel they are getting too.
The driving experience in the GEN III is so new, I doubt most of us has honestly tried all 3 different modes too much.. at least on a whole tank of gas.
Usually we quickly find what we like and stick with it.

In any test on mpg, there are tons of variables... but by enlarge all the variables remain consistent when its the same car, driver, location, gas, technique etc etc.. thats what makes this so interesting and valid.

Until now, I"ve been running around in eco mode taking it easy while my wife is running a GenII and pretty much does jackrabbit starts and she still gets 3 - 4 mpg less than I do. Of course her car is broke in..

Yes I can stretch it if I keep my speed down and really try, but for the most part I've just been driving normal with a little attention to take-offs.

I'll try to do the same in normal mode for a while and then on my next tank maybe bump up to power mode and see what happens.

[sstoian]

Considering that I bought my 2010 Prius to save gas, I drive mostly in Eco mode. On freeway merging , I switch temporarily to Power.
Initially, I was unpleasantly suprised by the lack of reaction when depressing the pedal in Eco mode. But, getting 67MPG on my first shopping trip ( 20%hwy ) brought the smile back,and now I'm "addicted" to Eco. Btw, the best record of mine in Eco is 71MPG on 80%hwy (avg speed 60miles/hour) and city.

[jburns]

Originally Posted by Jim Calvert

As far as I can tell, there are only 3 modes: EV, ECO, and Power. What is "Normal" mode?

Maybe the confusion is because no one has mentioned in this thread how you get into normal mode. If you are driving in ECO or Power mode(not sure about EV, never tried it) just push the same button again. The mode light on the dash will go out. The absence of any mode light on the dash tells you that you are in normal mode.

[windstrings]

Originally Posted by jburns

Maybe the confusion is because no one has mentioned in this thread how you get into normal mode. If you are driving in ECO or Power mode(not sure about EV, never tried it) just push the same button again. The mode light on the dash will go out. The absence of any mode light on the dash tells you that you are in normal mode.

Sorry for being vague, but I tried to mention it back in post # 9

Normal mode is basically no mode at all. You don't have eco or power engaged so your "normal".
I think of normal mode as being in between eco and power in the responsiveness of the gas pedal.

[globalcivilian]

I've only had my Prius for about a week and until yesterday was driving primarily in normal mode; however I finally decided to try out Eco for a day. I have to say that I may stick with Eco. Under normal driving mode, I found that I was spending a lot of time concentrating on accelerating slowly and keeping the car in the Eco area or Hybrid Eco area instead of keeping my eyes on the road.

However, when Eco Mode is engaged, I found that I didn't have to concentrate so much on the dashboard and could focus more on just driving without distractions.

[jburns]

Originally Posted by globalcivilian

I've only had my Prius for about a week and until yesterday was driving primarily in normal mode; however I finally decided to try out Eco for a day. I have to say that I may stick with Eco. Under normal driving mode, I found that I was spending a lot of time concentrating on accelerating slowly and keeping the car in the Eco area or Hybrid Eco area instead of keeping my eyes on the road.

However, when Eco Mode is engaged, I found that I didn't have to concentrate so much on the dashboard and could focus more on just driving without distractions.

I tried ECO for awhile but could not get used to a 25K+ car that responded like a late 80s Yugo.

On the lighter side, remember these?

• How do you make a Yugo go faster?
  A towtruck.
• What do you call the shock absorbers inside a Yugo?
  Passengers.
• Two guys in a Yugo were arrested last night in Oakland following a push-by shooting incident.
• The new Yugo has an air bag. When you sense an impending accident, start pumping real fast.
• A friend went to a dealer the other day and said, "I'd like a gas cap for my Yugo." The dealer replied, "Okay. Sounds like a fair trade."
• I have also said for years that the car is named because "Yugo, but it doesn't".
• How can you get a Yugo to do 60 miles an hour?
  Push it over a cliff.

[windstrings]

Originally Posted by globalcivilian

I've only had my Prius for about a week and until yesterday was driving primarily in normal mode; however I finally decided to try out Eco for a day. I have to say that I may stick with Eco. Under normal driving mode, I found that I was spending a lot of time concentrating on accelerating slowly and keeping the car in the Eco area or Hybrid Eco area instead of keeping my eyes on the road.

However, when Eco Mode is engaged, I found that I didn't have to concentrate so much on the dashboard and could focus more on just driving without distractions.

Eco is an excellent too to learn good driving habits.... once your foot gets trained, you may want to bounce back to normal mode.

I drove my GenII for 3.5 years and when I got my GenIII, I too preferred Eco mode.... even thought I felt I was a pretty good driver.

But the GenIII has different software to get used to as its more accurate in giving feedback. Now that I'm used to Eco mode, I like Normal mode better and I feel my foot earned a new degree of training.

Thats why I say power mode would be very difficult to drive economically with unless your foot was very sensitive as very little movement does alot.

When I got used to Eco mode, it didn't bother me until I got back in one of my GenII's as it felt like it had more power than my GenIII just because the pedal was so much more responsive.