Updated at: 27-07-2023 - By: Lucas

With gas prices being hard to predict and more people becoming aware of climate change, car companies are always looking for ways to improve gas mileage, make cars more efficient, and reduce emissions. Honda is one of the car companies that came up with a way to solve the problem.

The Honda Econ Mode Assist System was first put on its hybrid cars in 2009. Later, other models were able to use the same technology. The ECON mode is meant to work with the Eco Assist System, which gives feedback on how to drive, and the ECON mode, which saves fuel. To get the most out of your Honda car, you should know what ECON mode is, how it works, what its pros and cons are, and when to use it.

ECON mode optimises the car’s systems so that they use less gas and put out less pollution. Most of what ECON does to Honda cars is change the throttle, climate control, transmission, and cruise control. Engineers at Honda focused on these systems because how they work has a direct effect on how much gas the car uses. By making small changes to these systems in ECON mode, you can find a good balance between performance and fuel efficiency.

How does the ECON mode work

honda econ mode

ECON mode can be turned on or off with the push of a button, depending on how you want to drive. When ECON mode is turned on, the following car systems are automatically adjusted to improve performance and use less gas.

Throttle response

By changing how your car responds to the throttle, ECON has the biggest effect on how much gas you use. When the ECON mode is on, the throttle will feel a little less strong and gentle. At cruising speeds, the throttle opens more slowly to slow down your car’s speed. When you slow down the rate at which your car speeds up, less fuel is used. The feature affects your throttle’s middle range, but not the lower or higher ranges.

Honda made the ECON mode this way because, in most cases, you don’t need to speed up your car any more once it’s at cruise speed on the highway. This is especially true if you are already going as fast as you can. When you accidentally or unintentionally press the gas pedal while driving on the highway, you use more gas. ECON makes sure that the engine gets the right amount of fuel, just enough to keep the cruise speed.

Transmission

ECON mode also changes the shift points of the transmission, which makes the shifts go more smoothly. When ECON is turned on, automatic transmissions can change gears faster, which makes torque delivery more efficient. When ECON mode is on, your transmission shifts to higher gears sooner to save gas. Not only do shifts that are timed perfectly save fuel, but they also make the car run better.

It’s important to keep in mind that turning on ECON mode while driving on bumpy roads might not be the best idea. Because ECON makes it hard to downshift, your car might not have the power it needs to drive on rough terrain.

Cruise control

When you turn on the cruise control, your car is more likely to shift often to keep the cruise speed. To save gas, the ECON mode limits how often the transmission changes gears. When you change gears a lot, you use more gas because the engine needs to burn more gas in low gears than in high gears.

Turning on ECON mode is not a good idea when driving slowly on bad roads or when there is a lot of traffic. Under these conditions, the transmission will have to shift more often, which goes against what the feature is supposed to do.

Climate control

Your climate controls are affected by ECON mode because it controls how your air conditioning system works. When turned on, ECON mode makes the air conditioner use less energy by focusing more on circulating the air than on running at full blast all the time. The engine drives the A/C compressor, which puts a load on the engine when it’s working. In order to save energy, ECON turns the compressor on and off at random intervals. This keeps the temperature inside the car the same.

The best time to turn on ECON mode is when the weather is clear and cool. If it’s hot and humid outside and you turn on ECON mode, the air conditioning may not work as well, which could make the ride uncomfortable. This means that the features of the ECON mode can no longer work together. This means that if you turn off ECON mode while driving in hot weather, you won’t be able to get the best throttle response, transmission, or cruise control.

When to use the ECON mode

When driving on the road

Driving when it’s cooler

Taking a light load on the road

When to not use the ECON mode

honda econ mode

Hot and humid days

When driving in a lot of traffic

Roads in bad shape

Land that is hilly or mountainous

Towing a heavy load or driving with one

Getting ahead of another car

Does ECON mode save gas?

Yes. When Honda engineers made the ECON mode, this is exactly what they had in mind. As we’ve already talked about, the ECON mode controls some of the car’s systems to save fuel and make the car run more efficiently. When there is less work for the engine to do, it uses less fuel than when it is working normally.

Can you leave the ECON button on?

You can leave the ECON button on, but sometimes it’s not a good idea. You will need to turn off the ECON mode to match how you drive and the weather. You should turn off ECON mode when driving on a hot and humid day, on dangerous roads, or when there is a lot of traffic.

Is it bad to always drive in ECON mode?

No, not always. If you have to drive on the highway to get to your destination, where the roads are smooth and there is less traffic, you should start out in ECON mode. However, it is best to turn off ECON mode when you are driving in the city or when the roads are bad.

Should I use ECON mode on the highway?

Yes. On the highway, you should switch to ECON mode. On long stretches of road, you can get the most out of ECON mode. When you drive on the highway, your car doesn’t have to work as hard as when you drive on a rough road or in the city.