General Eco button

[weirdf1sh]

I've had the TA a few days now & only driven around town so I've put it in Eco mode. Is it best to leave it in Eco mode all the time?
I know it reduces the torque & HP giving better MPG around town, but will this Eco mode make any difference when sat at a constant speed on dual carriageways & motorways?

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Is this a manual TA or Dualogic

If dualogic then the eco button is to do with the gears changing up earlier and not the power available.

Not sure if its a manual with it though, as the TA might be different to the other engines

 

[bgunn]

Manual or not, it makes the engine feel softer and smoother as it flattens off the torque peak - so generally this'll make you drive more economically as the car feels less zippy because you're not climbing a torque curve 'bump' with that 'shove' feeling you get when the engine comes on boost.

If you're truly on the flat, it should make very little difference, as when you're not accelerating at all, the boost level will fall off, and thus the fuelling will lean out. In real life driving, though, you're unlikely to be on the flat for very long at a time..

In reality, the TA engine is only super economical in a very small rev/load band, and is averagely economical for the rest of the time - but it is rather fun

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

bgunn do all TA's have an Eco button then

 

[bgunn]

Yes...

 

[ludzy]

Regarding the eco button when pressed or 'switched on' it says eco on the dash readout I've also noticed it says CITY as well but it has never come on. How and when does this come on if it does at all?

 

[jrkitching]

Regarding the eco button when pressed or 'switched on' it says eco on the dash readout I've also noticed it says CITY as well but it has never come on. How and when does this come on if it does at all?

I suspect the multifunction display is common to the TA & the 1.2; the 1.2 has a CITY button in place of the TA's ECO button. So you'll never see it illuminate on the TA.

On the 1.2, all it does is to lighten the steering - on the TA, the mapping & throttle response is also affected.

 

[FloJo]

I drive in eco mode pretty much all of the time, town and A/motorway roads (I light the slightly lighter steering). The only time I take it off is if I'm wanting to do some quick acceloration It's really down to driving style - I find that I get slightly better mpg readings as I'm more careful in eco mode. It's nippy in town in either mode really though!

 

[TrevC]

My experience ties in with what BGunn says above - I don't bother using ECO unless I'm trickling around town a lot, when the smoother/softer response is helpful.