This is very strange and seems counter-intuitive, but I read a thread awhile back claiming better gas mileage with the car in ECT Power mode. So I decided to check it out. I usually average 23.5 to 25.0 MPG driving on the freeway (normal mode), but yesterday I put my 2006 GS430 in ECT Power mode. I drove for about 50 miles on the freeway (some stop and go) then checked my MPG. To my surprise, the reading was 27.8 MPG!!! It subsequently dropped to 26.7 MPG when I came back home in heavier traffic. I noticed that at 80 MPH the RPM's appeared to be lower than what I am used to seeing. Also, the car down-shifted faster as I braked to slow down and came back up to speed faster with normal pedal pressure applied. It's too early to reach any conclusions, but I have never gotten more than 25.6 MPG max. Could be happenstance or it could be that faster gear changes put less drag on the engine and thus better MPG. So for now, I will continue to keep it in ECT Power mode and see over time if this really works.

 

hmm.. i remember reading that somewhere also. even w/ my '350', avg is only 19 to 20 at the most, both highway and local. my mind is telling me not to do it, but maybe i should give it a go and observe?

 

Doesn't sport mode upshift gears as fast as possible? If so, that's probably the reason why...lots of newer transmissions do this; my SUV is in 6th at 60 km/h already!

 

I thought in ect power mode the transmission shifts at higher rpm (not necessarily quicker) which improves acceleration but decreases MPG.

If it actually improves MPG, that will be pretty nice.

 

Doesn't make sense for freeway driving unless maybe you're doing a lot of stop and go. ECT Power locks out overdrive so your 6th gear is going to waste.

 

I've noticed too that for some reason I get WAY better gas mileage with ECT-PWR on, at least 2-3 mpg more.

The reason I say this is because, when i'm in economy mode,

Example: Driving on the street 45mph, and I slow down to 30, the car stays in the same gear with lower rpm. So when I accelerate from a roll at 30mph, the rpms are so low and I have to step on the gas more to get back up to 45mph, thus using more gas.

When I am in ECT-PWR, the car downshifts to a lower gear from 45mph to 30, and I have to step on the gas less to get back up to 45mph.

Its the same on the freeway, from a 75mph to a 60mph then back to 75mph in ECT-PWR.

anyone else have any ideas?

 

I just dont think that is possible, final drive ratio does not change with ECT.

 

I've tried all 3 modes on my GS 300 AWD, pwr, nrm, snow and the mileage is always the same. Lousy in my daily commute, where I have to stop and go 20 times on a very short trip, about 4 miles. I never see better than 16.5. It goes up to about 27 on the rare occasion i take in on the highway.

may as well have a GS 460, I doubt it could be much worse. The GS 300 AWD has trouble outrunning a Prius.

 

That's correct. There are no changes to final drive ratio or the gearing.

ECT PWR changes electronic shift points to a more aggressive pattern. It also increases the sensitivity of the gas pedal...so you get a more responsive feel to the throttle.

 

Wha? The 2010 prius does 0-60 in like 10 seconds. I find my 300 AWD plenty fast, especially in PWR from a standstill. I think a stock 300 is perfectly capable of something close to 6.5 seconds. Not sure how you can even put them in the same ballpark.

I get consistently around 22mpg in city driving, and mostly just for short < 10 minute trips.

 

I've made it to 7.2liters/100km when doing the best consumtion...

It's about 38mpg if I'm right.... And it was really boring to drive like that.....

 

Interesting finding.

 

32.6 MPG


Longer message....

 

Thanks!!!

 

better MPG with ECT on? but if that's what the real life data is saying, then it must be true