My new car has a dial to select Eco, Normal, or Sport mode. I can clearly feel the difference in acceleration when I change modes, and see the difference in the mpg, but I know nothing about engines and was wondering what the modes are actually doing. Camry Hyrbid if that matters.
In: Engineering
Your car’s engine is most efficient when the motor is run at low RPM and high load. However, this doesn’t deliver the most responsive performance, so automakers have take advantage of computer control systems to provide different “modes”.
In normal mode, the computer will balance efficiency and responsiveness to deliver a good balance.
In eco mode, the computer will cause the transmission to shift sooner, which keeps engine RPMs lower, but reduces responsiveness. The net effect is diminished performance, but better fuel economy.
In sport mode, the computer will cause the transmission to use lower gears, which increases engine RPM, but improves responsiveness. The net effect is better performance, but worse fuel economy.
Latest Answers