Eco / Normal / Sport here’s my take

[bigcat]

geez... came to this thread to learn some best practices on drive modes , couldn't be any more confused. I think I'll keep the thing in Normal and forget the other two exist

 

[ultane]

Real mpg killer is eco & cruise control. Highway I drive in sport & don’t use adaptive cruise.

Miss Daisy has returned 30+ MPG two or three times driving ~200 miles (secondary roads and interstates) to Murfreesboro on several trips, using ECO mode, AND cruise control.

 

[legacycruiser]

Another anecdotal observation. When I first start driving there's really no point in trying to get the electric motor to help out. I've found that when I drive like a normal human being, not being aggressive at all but not trying to get the electric to kick in either, it allows the battery to get up above 3 bars. Once it's into 4, the electric motor is able to contribute more sustainably. Trying to sap the battery out of the gate isn't helpful.

I think driving in Sport mode might help get the battery up to that productive level faster, but I have no support for this theory, personally, yet. For the sake of simplicity I pretty much stay in Normal mode and have all my fun with the gauges and throttle. Just hit 3k miles so there's much more for me to learn.

 

[DubDub]

Miss Daisy has returned 30+ MPG two or three times driving ~200 miles (secondary roads and interstates) to Murfreesboro on several trips, using ECO mode, AND cruise control.

Indeed. All of my 24-26mpg tanks have been when using eco and cruise control while maintaining <5mph over speed limits. To each their own I guess.

 

[cruiser_ss396]

Been trying out ECO around town and short trips in the Arizona summer heat. We have been getting 105-108 and monsoon moisture………..nope ECO mode will not do it for me in this weather. The A/C really takes a hit. I have found that after the inside is completely cooled down running normal or sport that ECO can somewhat maintain but I eventually need to switch back for maximum comfort. I have a 1958 so no cooled seats……which in my Tundra were just ok.

 

[DubDub]

Been trying out ECO around own and short trips in the Arizona summer heat. We have been getting 105-108 and monsoon moisture………..nope ECO mode will not do it for me in this weather. The A/C really takes a hit. I have found that after the inside is completely cooled down running normal or sport that ECO can somewhat maintain but I eventually need to switch back for maximum comfort. I have a 1958 so no cooled seats……which in my Tundra were just ok.

This is valid. I just make the climate change in settings while staying eco everywhere else when temps climb above mid-90s

 

[GR8Santini]

In the LC & Tundras I occasionally gain 2-3mpg ‘driving’ versus using cruise on highway on a trip. I reset trip mpg each trip to monitor. For all my efforts a headwind will eat up all mpg efforts pretty quick, as well as going over 80mph. I use cruise for assistance, but find driving makes for a better active drive & I don’t feel as fatigued as just sitting there steering. I can anticipate for grades, etc. the cruise can’t until it senses a load.

Technology is great, but often do the same thing hand flying approaches over using AP. Old school.

 

[lc27]

I haven’t used sport mode yet…

First thing I did was put it in sport mode lol. GAME CHANGER. Talk about smooth operator

 

[bigcat]

Not sure why, but I've been driving in ECO mode for 1.5yr (25k miles), recently changed to SPORT and OMG its a different car, steering is tighter, acceleration is better and there is no more clunk when i slow to a stop. I really really love this truck now and an extra bonus is the mpg's are a little better...cant explain it.

I tried Sport for the first time today. Yeah, I liked it. I noticed the setting goes back to Normal after powering off. It doesn't do that for Eco, which sticks (at least for me). If I am reading the manual correctly, that appears to be by design. Kind of annoying if one wanted to use it full time.

 

[MSINAL]

I tried Sport for the first time today. Yeah, I liked it. I noticed the setting goes back to Normal after powering off. It doesn't do that for Eco, which sticks (at least for me). If I am reading the manual correctly, that appears to be by design. Kind of annoying if one wanted to use it full time.

Reaching for the mode knob is second nature for me now, i use sport when i need to do a short merge ramp or overtake. Then i spin it back to normal. It really improves the driving experience utilizing the modes on the fly, rather than set it/forget it. Give it a try.

 

[pdizzle]

Has anyone noticed if Sport mode changes gear selection at higher speeds? On my previous Toyota (2019 RAV4), I pretty much lived in Sport mode, but noticed that it never shifted into overdrive gears (7 or 8) even at cruising highway speeds, so the highway MPGs took a pretty big hit and I learned to go into Normal mode when doing any extended highway driving.

I haven't taken the time to determine if the LC operates in the same way, since I tend to stay in Normal mode more often...but was curious if anyone had made such an observation?

I've also seen too many posts from folks who claim that Eco mode doesn't provide much, if any, fuel economy improvements, so I don't even bother -- I don't need my performance throttled.

Driving 70 miles an hour down the freeway, regardless of which mode you have it in the RPMs will be the same.
Once it gets into eighth gear, throttle response is the only difference between sport and normal. With the exception of low end torque, it always feels like a four banger. But the last four banger I owned was also almost 2000 pounds lighter..
And minus the minuscule gas tank, the Land Cruiser toes way better than my fifth gen 4runner.

 

[bobsbigblue]

Normal mode: 89 octane from Marathon around 55mph to house: 16.3 miles, 25.4 mpg. Pretty damn good. I dont drive like a maniac.