Eco mode coasting

[Q102]

Is there a way to select "eco mode" on the gearbox without have the coasting function?

 

[100andthirty]

Q102....The main benefit of ECO mode is coasting. It's not really woth bothering with, even if it can be done.

[simichoil]

What exactly is the benefit of this Coasting function ? It is something like the car is in Neutral gear - when i do not press the pedal of the gas. The only benefit that i see is - that during the coasting the gearbox is not rotating (if it can be said this way) - and there are less rotating and killing speed car parts - which allows the car to drive more on its own inertia - compared to the situation when the car is for example on 4th (or any other speed) gear.

Is this the only thing that is different compared to the Normal and Comfort mode ? 

[Q102]

Yes I agree the coasting function has saved me many miles of fuel. Sometimes I like the fact that it wont kick down as readily as normal, so uses a bit more engine torque. Quite often find that driving through a 30mph limit, gearbox is in 5th, slightly touch of throtle will kick down a gear, makes the driver a bit jerky

[Matchman55]

I buy into the fuel saving but find I have to brake more often when coasting in eco mode. Much more so than in normal mode and off the throttle as the gearbox is breaking the car for you. Over time I think brake pad wear will be an issue.  Time will tell.

[unclerichy]

42 minutes ago, Matchman55 said:

... but find I have to brake more often when coasting in eco mode.

 

If you have flappy paddles then pulling the change up paddle re-engages the clutch without changing gear so no need to use the brakes so much.

 

I use it on my commute to work. If I go to the city office (7 miles) it doesn't make a lot of difference as it's bumper to bumper for a lot of it, but my other office is a 14 mile motorway trip with variable speed limits (typically 60) and it makes a difference on the short downhill stretches.  On the way home it's mainly downhill and very steep so I can get up to 50mpg before I exit the motorway and about 40mpg by the time I pull into my driveway.  Overall it's improved my fuel consumption by about 50 miles per tank.

[Ootohere]

Coasting Function does not require more braking, just put your foot on the accelerator and the car engages gear again.

tap the brake if nobody is behind and it is in gear. no need to brake, and with DSG it is an Automated Manual, drop a gear or 2 if you want.

 

Doing familiar / regular longer trips where you brim a tank and use Coasting Mode and another time not using coasting mode soon shows you if there is any fual saving.

For me it can be 630 miles a tank not keeping the toe off the accelerator and 730 miles doing the same travelling at the same average speed but 730 miles for the same fuel used, brim to brim.

Edited 17 October, 2018 by Offski

[daveo138]

I’ve only used eco mode a couple of times.

 

The last time I tried it, I was on the M1 and the variable speed limit was 60mph. At the next sign, it had dropped to 50. I lifted off, but the car didn’t slow down.  There was a lot of flashing from the cameras, although everyone was travelling at the same speed. 

 

I never heard anything, but it was a worrying couple of weeks. 

 

Needless to say, I haven’t used it since!

[Penpusher]

Mine's set to E nearly all he time.  I think it's a bit like steering assist, ACC, etc in that they're strange when you first use them but they're great once you get to know them and understand how they work and what you're gong to get when sat behind the wheel.  I'm old enough to remember driving two-stroke cars with lockable freewheels which give the same coasting when you lift your foot off the throttle, so I knew what would be happening when I selected E on the Superb.

 

It's probably more useful around where I live as they aren't the traffic levels that you have in much of the country.  When you're approaching a roundabout or junction, you can lift off and coast well in advance and, if you time it right, you're nearly to a stop when you arrive.  It's not good to do this when there is traffic behind you however as they don't expect you to slow down slowly as you approach a junction etc.  Another place it's useful is descending from the Brecon Beacons when I can coast for two or three miles where the gradient is not too steep and the road is straight.

[Baggins]

if you have DSG knock it left into manual and it will slow through the gears whilst still in eco, or if coasting just tap the brake then it will keep you in a gear until you accelerate again.

[peter_k]

In eco mode my car goes from coasting at 45 - 50 to 5th on a left hand bend where the downhill gradient sharply increases to 12.5% -  steering angle and body angle are "looked at"?

Picture looking up the hill  to show the crest

[Bud]

Buckhaw Brow - It's a while since i've been there road to a playground for bikes

[Gerrycan]

@Penpusher's comments and assessment is pretty accurate about practicality and contribution to economy.

 

I would add that the effectiveness of coasting will vary between vehicles, examples being the 2.0d Superb and the 1.4tsi versions due to the wide variation in engine braking provided by each type. 

That is based on my experience on my current Octavia manual 1.4tsi which is an incredibly free running engine that provides little or no effective engine braking compared to any other petrol/diesel/auto/manual vehicle I have driven.

An example I have used before is a local long ~12% descent with 90kph limits into the outskirts of Adelaide was always easily controlled with 3rd/4th gears and minimal use of brakes on all other vehicles. With the 1.4tsi, even using 2nd gear and engine revving its little heart out, I still have to frequently dab the brakes. I have even turned the air conditioner on to get a little more retardation effect, but even that has hardly noticeable effect.

 

If that hill were a regular part of my commute (not currently) then I would be very interested in looking at future hybrid regenerative braking options.

Edited 23 October, 2018 by Gerrycan

[The Wanderer]

I use coasting all time. I love the way the car glides along silently and it's amazing how far the car retains speed on even the slightest incline. In fact I wish it was available in normal mode as I would prefer to have a bit livelier acceleration/gearing when I'm not coasting. And I can't say I've noticed using the brake especially more than in normal. Perhaps on steep inclines, but then the car often recognises these and engages gear rather than coasting in any case.

[DjEatch]

28 minutes ago, The Wanderer said:

I wish it was available in normal mode

 

Is there any way to do this with VCDS?

[Whenwillilearn]

I quite like the eco mode operation and it's coasting function. In this mode my car is pretty smooth when shifting gear. Also if deft with the throttle it rengages drive from coast with little sensation. 

 

As opposed to the cars normal dsg mode which can jerk or typically any shift from 1 up to 3 is felt quite obviously. But they all do that though its normal characteristic of the dsg in a 2.0tsi. 

 

 

[NetDonkey]

I would have assumed keeping it in gear when on the downhill wouldn’t use any fuel Like most new cars are meant to do whereas coasting needs to use fuel to keep the engine running?

[Ootohere]

Welcome.

Maybe best experience it and not assume. Why would being in gear be using less fuel than the rpm dropping to tickover and the car running out of gear?

Edited 25 January, 2020 by Roottootemblowinootsoot

[NetDonkey]

I had been told that if going downhill etc in gear, that even though the engine was turning, no fuel was being used at this point.

[NetDonkey]

Aka https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.motor1.com/news/183513/less-fuel-in-gear-or-coasting/amp/

[Ootohere]

'Coasting' has moved on just like things changed with ACT / COD & cutting Cylinders,

Coasting can have the engine off and restarting. 

 

You might find VW's showing 200 mpg when Coasting long enough.   But you are not putting a car in 'N' with a DSG the car is disengaging gear as designed to.

You just press the accelerator or touch the brake and it engages gear.

 

Manuals and other Auto's can be different. 

It is not difficult to check if you can use less fuel using Coasting function, if you do the same trips do it sometimes using it and toe off the accelerator when not needed and other times do not use Coasting, maybe switch it off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 25 January, 2020 by Roottootemblowinootsoot

[Ootohere]

An explanation.  

http://pistonheads.com/news/ph-explains/what-is-coasting-function-ph-explains/39081

 

[NetDonkey]

Brilliant thanks!

[AndrewH2022]

On 16/10/2018 at 17:06, 100andthirty said:

Q102....The main benefit of ECO mode is coasting. It's not really woth bothering with, even if it can be done.

I like Eco mode because the lower-rev gear changes make the engine seem much quieter. Would like to be able to select this without coasting as well.

[3phone]

NetDonkey is correct, going downhill at gear, means that the engine is not consuming fuel at all. Coasting, on the other hand, might be more fuel saving, but as per my experience I do use the brakes more often, and when a gear is engaged I feel the gear engagement which is quite annoying.

 

Is there a way to disable the ECO mode, when the car does not have Driving modes as an option?