[jwblue]

Since I bought my vehicle, I have never used the ECO button and never gotten less than 23 mph.

For the first time I drove in ECO mode when I was in the city and got a little over 21 mph. 85% of the driving was in the city.

Driving in ECO mode improving gas mileage never made sense to me. ECO mode keeps the engine a lower gear longer which puts more strain on the engine which uses more gas.

 

[Andre4548]

My wife and I both have base 6MT's w/1.6 engines . . . She keeps her ECO on just about all the time. However, when the car is loaded with stuff (like when we take our son off to college) you really need to turn the ECO off, otherwise, the car just doesn't have any pick up.

I have played around with the ECO mode a bit and will leave it on for driving around town, but usually turn it off when I get on the highway. I want to know I have that extra bit of power when an 18 wheeler is barreling down on me from behind. I think the ECO-on mode does give me better fuel economy, but it definitely comes at a loss of power. Not sure how noticeable this is with an AT . . .

As far as fuel economy is concerned, the one thing I absolutely LOVE about having the MT, is the ability to just slip it in neutral and "coast" whenever possible. I have been averaging 35-36mph from the get-go.

 

[Neanderthal]

I noticed a bit of an improvement when I tried the eco at about 3000 miles. Even in eco mode, if you floor it it kicks out of eco and acts normally.

Actually, eco keeps the car in a higher gear. I doubt the computer will allow the engine to lug. Main thing I notice is it upshifts much earlier.

 

[Breeves002]

Two things. First, I noticed much lower milage with Eco mode as well. When you are used to cars with 200+ HP, then the soul in Eco just doesn't move at all.

Secondly, for the guy putting it in neutral to coast, I am fairly sure that actually uses slightly more gas. If you leave it in gear and let the engine braking happen, the ECM turns off the fuel injectors (fuel cutoff decel mode - when the misfire monitor completes). So you use no gas if you leave it in gear with your foot off the pedal, and you use a small amount if you just let it idle in neutral while you coast. As far as I know at least. I know it works this way for automatic transmissions. Not sure if it applies to manuals, but I would assume so!


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[TechnoMage]

The day I bought my Soul (1.6L, AT) the little salesman pointed out the ECO button and said to leave it ON for better gas mileage.

I've tried it both ON and OFF while driving and watching my Scan Gauge II, and I don't see a lot of difference between the two settings.

Coasting? You don't need a MT for that. There's a neutral setting on the range selector for the AT as well, and it works the same.
With my tires at 42psi, my little car will coast for miles with only a slight downgrade.

I don't dispute anyone else's experience with the ECO thingy, but I've just not seen it on my own car.
Apparently, all Souls are not the same.

Since the ECO controls the shift point on an AT, I really don't understand how it would work at all on a Manual Transmission car,
where the shifting is all controlled by the driver. :think

Cheers mates! Y'all have a great day now, Y'hear?

TM

 

[Breeves002]

Coasting? You don't need a MT for that. There's a neutral setting on the range selector for the AT as well, and it works the same.TM

Except by putting it in neural you then consume fuel. By leaving it in gear you consume no fuel as the injectors turn off. So you use less fuel by coasting in drive with your foot off the gas.



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[conwelpic]

on my unscientific test, I found that driving without the ECO on and with cruise at freeway speeds (110 kmph) I get better fuel economy (about 0.7/100km better). Have yet to do a similar test at slower speeds in more city type driving to see if it makes much difference.

 

[mountain_soul]

Since the ECO controls the shift point on an AT, I really don't understand how it would work at all on a Manual Transmission car, where the shifting is all controlled by the driver. :think

Active Eco controls more than the transmission. From my understanding, it modifies throttle response, engine timing, etc. See the following from the Kia Powertrain website. I do think 11% is a high estimate and it may not help at all in some driving conditions.

"Active Eco System: The Active Eco System proactively controls parts of the engine, transmission and air condition system to realize optimal fuel economy. The Active Eco System raises fuel economy by minimizing fuel consumption from unnecessary acceleration, limiting the torque from rising when accelerating and optimizing the AC compressor’s duration of operation. Tests show that the Active Eco System enhances fuel economy by around 11%."

Source: Kia Powertrain | Kia Motors Global Official Site

 

[Andre4548]

With my tires at 42psi, my little car will coast for miles with only a slight downgrade.

TM

You keep your tires inflated to 42 PSI??? Are you talking about the OEM tires that the Soul comes with?

 

[jdmartin]

Since I bought my vehicle, I have never used the ECO button and never gotten less than 23 mph.

For the first time I drove in ECO mode when I was in the city and got a little over 21 mph. 85% of the driving was in the city.

Driving in ECO mode improving gas mileage never made sense to me. ECO mode keeps the engine a lower gear longer which puts more strain on the engine which uses more gas.

The only way this makes sense is if it's holding gear too long or you are using extra throttle to compensate for the reduction in shift point. There's no strain on an engine with an automatic from lugging unless there's something wrong with the system that shifts too quickly to a higher gear. It's unlike a manual, which you can lug because it has a mechanical connection to the drive system - the fluid coupling between the engine & torque converter prevents this (assuming electronics etc are functioning properly).

 

[Neanderthal]

Except by putting it in neural you then consume fuel. By leaving it in gear you consume no fuel as the injectors turn off. So you use less fuel by coasting in drive with your foot off the gas.



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Thanks for explaining that. Again.

You keep your tires inflated to 42 PSI??? Are you talking about the OEM tires that the Soul comes with?

Think buckboard.

 

[Rick Busby]

On my 2011+, 2.0 litre the overall performance, mileage and "feel" of the car are less than desirable with eco on. Used it on and off for a month or so to check it out. That was scientific enough for me. I dont use it anymore. I think this was an instance where engineers oveethought things........

 

[SolarEnergy]

Since I bought my vehicle, I have never used the ECO button and never gotten less than 23 mph.

For the first time I drove in ECO mode when I was in the city and got a little over 21 mph. 85% of the driving was in the city.

Driving in ECO mode improving gas mileage never made sense to me. ECO mode keeps the engine a lower gear longer which puts more strain on the engine which uses more gas.

I really love that ECO mode on my Soul. That said, and I confess that I need to test it much more, my experience so far with this mode goes against what I read about it. I find it adds a very nice touch of torque at lower RPM (between 1800 and 2100 rpm I'd say). It makes the whole experience more lively. I absolutely don't see how this mode could translate into better MPG, therefore I don't use it with that in mind.

All those comments about the ECO mode reducing throttle response etc? My experience goes in the opposite direction.

At the moment, based on the Soul's MPG estimation, my mpg is absolutely terrible. The idling seems to be what throws it off. I drive 99% of the time in City, and I average around 16mpg at the moment...

 

[mountain_soul]

At the moment, based on the Soul's MPG estimation, my mpg is absolutely terrible. The idling seems to be what throws it off. I drive 99% of the time in City, and I average around 16mpg at the moment...

Yep, every vehicle gets precisely 0 MPG when idling at a stop and it doesn't take too many zero readings to bring the average down in a hurry. The Kia ISG (Idle Stop and Go) really makes sense for saving fuel when driving primarily in the city.

 

[SolarEnergy]

Yep, every vehicle gets precisely 0 MPG when idling at a stop and it doesn't take too many zero readings to bring the average down in a hurry. The Kia ISG (Idle Stop and Go) really makes sense for saving fuel when driving primarily in the city.

Worst than that on my end.... I have a remote starter, do live in QC/Canada, and we had a rough winter LOL

That said if that estimator is right, then it could be that I suffer from this remote starter bug that some have mentioned about here on KSF, which sees your car being started automatically by frequencies other than that of your own remote starter. It is not impossible that my car sometimes start, then shuts down after 15min of idling...

For now I don't mind the estimator too much. I only have 300 miles done (in a month).

The other day I noticed that the MPG estimation would rapidly get down to around 24-25mpg as soon as I hit the road for a long trip (45min that is LOL)

 

[dmwagner]

One time when on the way to band camp in my Soul, we turned on active ECO. Then there was this guy, he had a Dodge Charger, it was silver. He smiled a lot and laughed too. I know this because he was smiling and laughing his ass off as he passed us in my Soul.

 

[ChariRN]

How do you turn off Eco? (Said the dumb girl. Lol)


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[dmwagner]

How do you turn off Eco? (Said the dumb girl. Lol)


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2011 don't have active ECO. You guys just have a light that says that you are driving ECO'ishly.

 

[ChariRN]

I thought so. But then when I hit my trip odometer button thing it says "Eco on" and I kept trying to figure out how to make is say "eco off." Hahaha


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[Desert Soul]

Since I bought my vehicle, I have never used the ECO button and never gotten less than 23 mph.

For the first time I drove in ECO mode when I was in the city and got a little over 21 mph. 85% of the driving was in the city.

Do you normally drive in the city? If you chose to use the ECO mode for the first time because you were driving in city conditions when you normally do not, than the variable of driving environment could be more responsible for the mileage than the ECO mode. Were all other variables the same or as close as possible, other than the ECO mode?