On my S3, efficiency mode is always in a high gear but doesn’t it use more fuel in high gears as there is more load? I’ve been trying to do one day of driving in D and one day in E to see if there is any difference in mpg. It also does the coast mode thing in all drive selects i think, so that’s not specific to efficiency mode
How does efficiency mode save fuel….
- Thread starter Jason1987
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Off the top of my head, efficiency mode:
a) softens the accelerator response (ie you have to push the pedal down further to accelerate harder);
b) switches the aircon into Eco mode (easily overridden);
c) dampens the response of cruise control (ie the car accelerates more slowly).
I use it on longer motorway stints and also when using auto-cruise in start/stop traffic (along with max following distance) to make the car drive more smoothly.
a) softens the accelerator response (ie you have to push the pedal down further to accelerate harder);
b) switches the aircon into Eco mode (easily overridden);
c) dampens the response of cruise control (ie the car accelerates more slowly).
I use it on longer motorway stints and also when using auto-cruise in start/stop traffic (along with max following distance) to make the car drive more smoothly.
I mean is it better to just use D on normal work commutes etc? And efficiency for motorways etc?
Yes. You've bought a performance car - trying to be a bit more efficient on the fuel isn't going to save you that much in your wallet. I only ever use efficiency on long motorway drives. Day to day I'm wither in auto or comfort with a big of sport mode on the gear box when required.
Had to try efficiency to test something once and have never gone near it again it was horrible - Like you say you've bought a high performance car so worrying about fuel saving does seem a little pointless really
