In an effort to soften the blow of increased fuel costs and the gas-hungry nature of my 2017 Lexus IS 300 AWD, I have done the unthinkable. I have set my Drive Mode Select to ECO Mode exclusively for the past two weeks as an experiment.
As a reminder, ECO Mode smoothes out throttle response and acceleration while reducing overall air conditioning output, all to maximize overall fuel efficiency.
Before sharing the results, there are two caveats:
- There has been an unprecedented heatwave throughout Ontario, and air conditioning uses a lot of gas.
- This was not a rigorous scientific assessment by any stretch of the imagination.
As a baseline, the IS 300 has averaged 21.5 mpg over the past year, hitting the official Lexus Canada rating right on the nose. This fuel consumption has been a real shock to the system, as my previous car, a hybrid CT 200h, averaged 45 mpg over three years.
With ECO Mode engaged, the IS 300 increased by a single mile per gallon, up to 22.6 mpg. Even at crazy Canadian gas prices, the difference in cost is next to nothing. In fact, the price I put on instant throttle response and full-blast A/C would be higher than any potential savings.
What’s been your experience with ECO Mode? Do you use it regularly or forget it’s even there? Let’s chat about FUEL ECONOMY.
This IS 300 AWD was made possible by the folks at OpenRoad Lexus Richmond, the premier Lexus dealership in British Columbia and a proud sponsor of Lexus Enthusiast.
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