Dear Car Talk:
I have a 2019 Honda CR-V that I love. It has something called an ECON mode, and I tend to just leave it in ECON. Is there any reason not to? I mostly drive around town but take several long trips a year, mostly on interstates.
Does ECON mode really help with gas mileage?
— Amy
Yes, ECON mode can boost your gas mileage slightly. But it’s not a magic button. Its greatest effect may be that it helps you to drive more gently. And that can save you fuel and prolong the life of your car.
And there’s no reason you can’t use it all the time.
Basically, ECON mode adjusts your car’s power delivery to make it a little less “sporty.”
It modifies the throttle response. So, when you step on the accelerator, the engine doesn’t respond quite as quickly. It’s probably unnoticeable to you most of the time. But by accelerating more slowly and gently, you’ll use less fuel. And at high speeds, when you’re just cruising along on the highway, it means that every little twitch of your big toe no longer sends a spray of gasoline into the cylinders varying your speed for no reason or causing a downshift, which is wasteful.
ECON mode also lowers the transmission shift points. In normal mode, your transmission may shift at say, 2,300 rpm. In ECON mode, shifts may happen at 2,000 rpm. Not allowing the engine to rev higher, where it burns more fuel, increases your mileage.
The tradeoff is that your engines produce more power at higher rpm (up to a point). But if you don’t feel like you need more power, why not save the fuel? And if you suddenly need power and floor the gas pedal, you’ll override ECON mode and the car will respond.
Finally, on some cars, ECON mode also puts the air conditioning system in a more efficient mode. Again, if it’s not a heat wave, you probably won’t notice it.
And there’s no downside to any of this, in terms of the longevity of the car. In fact, it’ll probably help your car last longer, because you’ll drive more gently, Amy. So feel free to keep that ECON button fired up.
