Driving Mode effects

[Sangrail]

Please forgive me if this has been covered extensibely before - I have looked but would be happy to be redirected if I've missed a relevant thread:

 

I have a manual Scout diesel, and as far as i can tell the difference between them (apart from steering) seems to be only that in Eco the accelerator seems not to work very well, in Normal is a bit better and in Sport it works like a normal accelerator.

 

Is it as simple as that, or do the modes really make it easier, for example to drive economically, by altering other perameters of the engine's behavior?

[SC03OTT]

19 minutes ago, Sangrail said:

Please forgive me if this has been covered extensibely before - I have looked but would be happy to be redirected if I've missed a relevant thread:

 

I have a manual Scout diesel, and as far as i can tell the difference between them (apart from steering) seems to be only that in Eco the accelerator seems not to work very well, in Normal is a bit better and in Sport it works like a normal accelerator.

 

Is it as simple as that, or do the modes really make it easier, for example to drive economically, by altering other perameters of the engine's behavior?

 

They also change the AC intensity and something else as well. Basically, not a lot. There is no different engine maps/alterations. 

 

Me personaly? I stick it in Sport and then use my right foot to decide if I want Eco, Normal or Sport. 

[Sangrail]

Just now, SC03OTT said:

 

They also change the AC intensity and something else as well. Basically, not a lot. There is no different engine maps/alterations. 

 

Me personaly? I stick it in Sport and then use my right foot to decide if I want Eco, Normal or Sport. 

Thanks, Scott - Much easier to select via the right foot than to have to press a button on the dash.

If it had been some  mapping alteration, then it would have made sense to select ECO when on cruise-control on the motorway, for example. As it stands, it seems not.

 

Also, if I turn the a/c on, I want it to work as hard as it can until I'm cool enough - at which point the thermostat sorts it out: I'm not in favour of attenuating its ability!

[shyVRS245]

1 hour ago, Sangrail said:

Please forgive me if this has been covered extensibely before - I have looked but would be happy to be redirected if I've missed a relevant thread:

 

I have a manual Scout diesel, and as far as i can tell the difference between them (apart from steering) seems to be only that in Eco the accelerator seems not to work very well, in Normal is a bit better and in Sport it works like a normal accelerator.

 

Is it as simple as that, or do the modes really make it easier, for example to drive economically, by altering other perameters of the engine's behavior?

Tend to agree stick it in SPORT and let your right foot decide how quickly you want to travel (mine is a manual albeit a bit faster than yours) and economy wise I have managed 53.5MPG in sport on a long journey by controlling my right foot!

[shyVRS245]

37 minutes ago, Sangrail said:

Thanks, Scott - Much easier to select via the right foot than to have to press a button on the dash.

If it had been some  mapping alteration, then it would have made sense to select ECO when on cruise-control on the motorway, for example. As it stands, it seems not.

 

Also, if I turn the a/c on, I want it to work as hard as it can until I'm cool enough - at which point the thermostat sorts it out: I'm not in favour of attenuating its ability!

My wife's Karoq 1.5Tsi manual we have discovered is more economical in SPORT than it is in ECO because you seem to have to floor it quite so much to get upto speed.

[logiclee]

Bigger difference with DSG and DCC equipped cars and also effects AFS on the Xenon lights

[ScoutCJB]

Every ones missed the biggest noticeable difference ....... The button lights up 

 

Dont forget the 'Offroad mode' (in the Scout) which changes the ASR / traction and ABS function - i think it increases the time of the ABS as in there is a longer pause between each application of the brakes.  Also The engines limited to about 2500 rpm on acceleration (if you weld your foot to the floor) and you get hill decent control.  

[Sangrail]

1 hour ago, ScoutCJB said:

Every ones missed the biggest noticeable difference ....... The button lights up 

Not on mine it doesn't - not, at least, since I had the light disabled by a clever VCDS-man! It was irritating, mainly because I like the bit of orange in my peripheral vision down there to inform me that the car is locked, rather than to advise that I am in an 'abnormal' driving-mode.

 

My Scout is 2015 and therefore too old for an 'offroad' mode option. I'm not sure that's a huge loss, as it its off-road capabilities and mine are fairly modest, and therefore probably already a good match.

 

I wonder whether ECO accelerator-mode might be handy in snow/ice, though? I might set the settable option to ECO engine and Sports steering for that purpose.

[ScoutCJB]

Ah ok - Mines 2016 and has it, just persumed all Oct 3 Scouts had it.  I dont get on with Eco mode, i seem to keep stalling it and the car feels under powered (even though its just a throttle programme).

 

I did use off road this year coming back over Yorkshire wolds when I got to a deep snow drift followed by a steep hill - The hill decent works nicely

[gregoir]

I disagree, using my 1.4tsi in ECO mode by default. The car is in no way sluggish or lacking in performance and gets excellent mpg on long runs. Extra performance can be liberated by pressing the accelerator pedal to the floor beyond the resistance when a click is felt and a surge of power results. I've only needed to use that extra power twice but it is there.

[Sangrail]

1 minute ago, gregoir said:

I disagree, using my 1.4tsi in ECO mode by default. The car is in no way sluggish or lacking in performance and gets excellent mpg on long runs. Extra performance can be liberated by pressing the accelerator pedal to the floor beyond the resistance when a click is felt and a surge of power results. I've only needed to use that extra power twice but it is there.

Have you, perhaps, a DSG gearbox?

 

 

[gregoir]

Manual. Even in 6th gear the surge happens.

[Sangrail]

How interesting! Have you checked whether the long-runs MPG is actually better in ECO than in normal or sport?

 

My own feeling is that if ECO merely attenuates the response to the throttle, then it probably has no effect - and a sensitive right foot would be my economy-device of choice.

[Stonker]

I'm an eco mode driver, however as mine is a DSG box I'm not sure if it is totally relevant, but when on a declining surface, backing off the accelerator pedal puts the car in coasting mode. The revs drop to tick over and thus saves fuel presumably. Is the manual set up the same when in eco?

 

While I have been driving my current 2.0 diesel Octavia estate 150ps, I have never found it to be sluggish or unresponsive, ans as most of my miles are over the Peak District on good A roads, I think that is a fair test. I do find on a few occasions I get the urge to give the gear lever a tickle rearward to engage S mode to get safely past slow moving traffic. However, I simply couldn't get on with it wanting to change up a gear at circa 4000 revs plus. It'd drive me scranny.

 

I can normally return 500 miles on a full tank and on most journeys the car tells me that I have achieved 60mpg or above. I doubt that I would be seeing that return in D or S modes. Although I keep telling myself to try it for a week. 

[SashaGrace]

The manual will stay in gear in Eco. I hated the coast function personally and I have my car set up in Individual with throttle and headlights in Sport, steering in Normal and air con in Eco. The drive mode is one of those things that we get at standard on all Oxty’s above 1.0 here in the UK and it’s a feature I wouldn’t bother to specify if it were an option and it doesn’t make a lot of difference except the headlights as mine are AFS.

[ahenners]

As above, individual mode is the best way, not a fan of the ECO DSG coasting. Headlights and throttle in Sport (throttle response is awful in eco) steering in sport and Aircon on eco.

 

I ran the throttle response in eco for ages and it didn't really provide a major noticeable economy benefit.

[BigEjit]

I just don’t get what benefits Eco mode gives you? With DSG, ‘coasting’ burns  fuel with the engine at idle speed and gets rid of any engine braking benefits in the other modes as in, when off the throttle the fuel is fully shut off and you have controlled predictable deceleration without having to use the brakes.

 

With Eco, you are burning fuel and wearing out the brakes at the same time all of which requires more input from the driver to control vehicle speed. That’s 3 additional actions. 

Edited 8 September, 2018 by BigEjit

[gregoir]

18 hours ago, Sangrail said:

How interesting! Have you checked whether the long-runs MPG is actually better in ECO than in normal or sport?

 

My own feeling is that if ECO merely attenuates the response to the throttle, then it probably has no effect - and a sensitive right foot would be my economy-device of choice.

I tried it a few times in Sport, but did not like the heavy steering. Mpg was noticeably worse on a known journey.

I have no need for a more aggressive throttle response and as long as my car slots in with the existing traffic and can overtake slow coaches, then fine by me. I can get added acceleration in eco by pressing the accelerator more or to the floor. I have a manual gearbox.

I have got an individual option set up, sport with lighter steering. I'll give it a try again on a known journey into the Peak District. 

[Ootohere]

Coasting function without a doubt 'Saves Fuel' if there is momentum in a vehicle and with a DSG it shows 'D' & not D6. (or D5, D7 or whatever.)

If you need to decelerate / slow down you just maybe change down manually & you are back in gear or just tap the brake pedal, no need to have extra brake pad wear.

Being in coasting mode and the toe off the accelerator can make as much as 100 miles extra range from a tank of fuel doing the same journeys at the same speeds for me.

630 miles is the minimum i get for 63 litres and that can be 730 miles if i use Coasting Mode often. That is with a 2.0TDI SCR 150ps DSG.

 

Technologies move on, not always for the better, but comparing Euro 5, Euro 6, Euro6d emission cars is like Apples & Pears & Oranges.

 

Edited 8 September, 2018 by Offski

[DavidY]

1 hour ago, BigEjit said:

I just don’t get what benefits Eco mode gives you? With DSG, ‘coasting’ burns  fuel with the engine at idle speed and gets rid of any engine braking benefits in the other modes as in, when off the throttle the fuel is fully shut off and you have controlled predictable deceleration without having to use the brakes.

 

With Eco, you are burning fuel and wearing out the brakes at the same time all of which requires more input from the driver to control vehicle speed. That’s 3 additional actions. 

 

VW must have done the maths and overall it will save fuel, otherwise I'm sure they wouldn't have gone to the trouble and expense of engineering it in.

I am perhaps fortunate that my commute includes a stretch of fairly quiet undulating A/B roads, which is ideal for it.
I can see that on other more congested types of road and traffic, someone might benefit less from Eco mode.

I find that using a "lift and coast" driving style I can coast for quite long periods, especially on a familiar road, and it is surprising how far it can go in coast. A slight downhill incline is all you need at 30mph to go a long way with only idle-level fuel usage.  It does encourage you to read the road ahead too, which isn't a bad thing, as the main savings come from using the accelerator less and letting the coast carry you along.

 

As for "Controlled predictable deceleration without using brakes", while there are small savings to brake wear, brakes also give controlled predictable deceleration - it's not a disaster if you use them.

In any case it's easy to take a DSG out of coast mode on the occasions when I want engine braking, so I can have my cake and eat it.

[shyVRS245]

1 hour ago, gregoir said:

I tried it a few times in Sport, but did not like the heavy steering. Mpg was noticeably worse on a known journey.

I have no need for a more aggressive throttle response and as long as my car slots in with the existing traffic and can overtake slow coaches, then fine by me. I can get added acceleration in eco by pressing the accelerator more or to the floor. I have a manual gearbox.

I have got an individual option set up, sport with lighter steering. I'll give it a try again on a known journey into the Peak District. 

Always have everything in SPORT except the steering which I find too heavy like someone has let the air out of the tyres. We have PAS so why not feel the benefit of it. So steering is left in NORMAL using the INDIVIDUAL mode like a lot of you guys I see when you post your economy figures. It works best for me giving sports car responses when I want it (that's why I chose the manual gearbox-more control) and steering not too heavy to enjoy the 14 roundabouts I have to negotiate on the way to work/home.

Edited 8 September, 2018 by shyVRS245
wrong word

[Ootohere]

Petrols from 115ps - 245 or even 300ps plus, and Diesels. of whatever ps. 110-150,-190, Manuals & Diesels are all different kettles of fish.

 

As to VW & Maths, their calculator broke, 2 engineers went rogue, the Doctor was deaf, dumb & blind, and only the EU Test Results mattered, 

now for the WLTP cars they were paddling up stream without paddles or paddlers, so basically up Sh!t creak.

[BlockABoots]

3 hours ago, ahenners said:

As above, individual mode is the best way, not a fan of the ECO DSG coasting. Headlights and throttle in Sport (throttle response is awful in eco) steering in sport and Aircon on eco.

 

I ran the throttle response in eco for ages and it didn't really provide a major noticeable economy benefit.

 

Whats, ECO DSG coasting?

[ahenners]

Just now, BlockABoots said:

 

Whats, ECO DSG coasting?

 

With DSG, if you select ECO drive mode, it will occasionally coast (akin to pressing the clutch pedal in on a manual) so the revs drop etc.

[SWBoy]

5 hours ago, DavidY said:

VW must have done the maths and overall it will save fuel, otherwise I'm sure they wouldn't have gone to the trouble and expense of engineering it in.

VW will have done the maths to see if it lowers the emission figures they have to quote, that's all they care about.