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I have been a proponent of keeping the ECO button OFF while driving as my experience has been that it does not contribute much.
Recently my driving habits have changed from a 80/20 mix of city to highway to a 95/05 mix. I am doing a lot more stop and go, and back roads driving on hilly and curving terrain. I have watched my MPG's decline from around 24 to a low of (my last tank before today) 20.42 (all calculations are according to Fuelly). On my last fill up, I put the ECO button on except for one 12 mile trip on the interstate. At first I was frustrated by the button but over the term of the tank, I have taught myself when to use more throttle and when to use less while in the ECO mode. Here are the results:
Miles traveled w/o ECO: 192
Gallons used w/o ECO: 9.4
MPG w/o ECO: 20.42
Cost per gallon: 3.129
Miles traveled w/ECO: 223
Gallons used w/ECO: 9.37
MPG w/ECO: 23.8
Cost per gallon: 3.139
This is only a single data point and I don't trust it all that much yet. Next tankfull will either help or hinder my analysis but I am beginning to believe that, in my situation, the ECO button may actually be useful. Go figure.
Recently my driving habits have changed from a 80/20 mix of city to highway to a 95/05 mix. I am doing a lot more stop and go, and back roads driving on hilly and curving terrain. I have watched my MPG's decline from around 24 to a low of (my last tank before today) 20.42 (all calculations are according to Fuelly). On my last fill up, I put the ECO button on except for one 12 mile trip on the interstate. At first I was frustrated by the button but over the term of the tank, I have taught myself when to use more throttle and when to use less while in the ECO mode. Here are the results:
Miles traveled w/o ECO: 192
Gallons used w/o ECO: 9.4
MPG w/o ECO: 20.42
Cost per gallon: 3.129
Miles traveled w/ECO: 223
Gallons used w/ECO: 9.37
MPG w/ECO: 23.8
Cost per gallon: 3.139
This is only a single data point and I don't trust it all that much yet. Next tankfull will either help or hinder my analysis but I am beginning to believe that, in my situation, the ECO button may actually be useful. Go figure.