I just got a 2019 Honda CRV and have been using Econ mode all the time. Does it actually help my MPG or not? Would it be better to leave it off?
Funny how some people say it’s great, and others say it’s useless.
Frankie said:
Funny how some people say it’s great, and others say it’s useless.
Both are kinda right. I don’t use it because the lag when you need to speed up quickly can be annoying.
Econ mode helps if you’re okay with slower acceleration. But if you’re pushing harder on the gas to make up for it, you’re not saving anything.
Joss said:
Econ mode helps if you’re okay with slower acceleration. But if you’re pushing harder on the gas to make up for it, you’re not saving anything.
On highways, I get better mileage when I set the cruise control to maintain the longest safe distance between cars. It reduces braking during traffic, saving about 2-3 MPG in normal driving.
But Econ mode doesn’t make much of a difference for me. It’s almost useless in S mode. For context, I drive a 2017 CRV 1.5T, and my mileage drops from 32 MPG on highways to 24 MPG in city traffic.
I’ve noticed it’s helpful when roads are icy.
Shan said:
I’ve noticed it’s helpful when roads are icy.
Same here. It’s smoother when the roads are slick.
There’s a decent explanation of how Econ works here: ECON
It’s best for highway speeds around 50-70 mph. For city driving, I’d turn it off.
It’ll save gas, but it makes the car less fun to drive.
Why not try a week with it on and another week with it off? Then you’ll know for sure.
My daughter uses Econ; I don’t. I get 7L/100km, and she gets 6.9L/100km. Not much of a difference. We have an 18’ Civic manual.
I don’t see much of a change with mine either. I drive an older 4th gen CRV, and I get 29.5 MPG or more.
I turn Econ off on highways or when I need to pass someone, but I leave it on for casual city driving.
I use it for city driving, but turn it off on highways. Honestly, the difference isn’t huge.
Benton said:
I use it for city driving, but turn it off on highways. Honestly, the difference isn’t huge.
It doesn’t matter much on highways since you’re mostly driving at a constant speed. Econ helps more in stop-and-go traffic.
I have a manual, and I don’t really see the point of Econ mode.
I’ve gotten anywhere from 28-46 MPG depending on how I drive. With a manual, you control the engine and can be as efficient as you want.
2017 Civic EX-T 1.5T manual, 143k miles.
@Ivan
It still softens the acceleration, even in manuals. I only use it for long highway drives.
Arian said:
@Ivan
It still softens the acceleration, even in manuals. I only use it for long highway drives.
True. It mostly changes the throttle mapping in the mid-range. It works better in automatics since it lowers RPMs and engine load, saving fuel.
In manuals, it’s not as effective because the driver has more control. I’d rather keep my speed consistent manually than let Econ slowly adjust on hills.
Edit: Fixed typos.
@Ivan
Yeah, makes sense. Econ feels pointless with a manual. I just use it for cruise control.
Arian said:
@Ivan
Yeah, makes sense. Econ feels pointless with a manual. I just use it for cruise control.
I use it in rain or snow since the slower throttle response reduces wheel spin.