Fuel Economy and Driving Modes

[foghat]

I can say with 100% certainty that my mileage drops if I am in Sport+/Track mode compared to normal mode.

Would make sense given you are auto. In a manual, I have my doubts.

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[Barrel]

It's not like the motor uses more fuel in sport or track, the throttle is just less linear. If you want your car to feel less sluggish in normal mode, push the accelerator more than you do in sport or track.

 

[P4RKER]

I would expect it drops slightly in manual as well but only during acceleration and spirited driving which are already bad and no way to do a comparison. Once you hit cruising speeds it will be the same as normal.

 

[P4RKER]

It's not like the motor uses more fuel in sport or track, the throttle is just less linear. If you want your car to feel less sluggish in normal mode, push the accelerator more than you do in sport or track.

At any give pedal position there will in fact be more fuel used by the engine in sport/track mode than normal mode.

 

[Branden]

It's not like the motor uses more fuel in sport or track, the throttle is just less linear. If you want your car to feel less sluggish in normal mode, push the accelerator more than you do in sport or track.

This may be true for a manual, but in the auto it holds your gear much longer leaving RPMs much higher than in normal and uses engine braking when you slow down. Even a slow controlled stop, it will rev up and downshift (pretty fluidly) for engine braking. Sport+ is consistently in a lower gear than Normal would be in. These things do impact fuel economy.

The OP doesn't indicate transmission type, which would definitely help answer the question.

 

[Mustang Convert]

This may be true for a manual, but in the auto it holds your gear much longer leaving RPMs much higher than in normal and uses engine braking when you slow down. Even a slow controlled stop, it will rev up and downshift (pretty fluidly) for engine braking. Sport+ is consistently in a lower gear than Normal would be in. These things do impact fuel economy.

The OP doesn't indicate transmission type, which would definitely help answer the question.

OP here, I have a manual and I probably shift at roughly the same points no matter what mode I'm driving in. However, I probably accelerate somewhat faster with Sport+ mode given the sensitivity of the throttle, so it seems reasonable that it would consume more fuel due to faster acceleration.

So I guess I was wondering if you were able to shift at the same points and accelerate at the same rate in both modes, would there be any difference in mileage?

 

[Branden]

OP here, I have a manual and I probably shift at roughly the same points no matter what mode I'm driving in. However, I probably accelerate somewhat faster with Sport+ mode given the sensitivity of the throttle, so it seems reasonable that it would consume more fuel due to faster acceleration.

So I guess I was wondering if you were able to shift at the same points and accelerate at the same rate in both modes, would there be any difference in mileage?

Purely conjecture, but I would assume given the same rate of acceleration and similar shift patterns that the difference becomes negligible--especially in the EB.

I would think the Auto GT would see the biggest difference, and between normal driving in normal mode, and aggressive driving in Sport+, the gauge typically drops a couple MPG. Even at that, I consider it negligible when considering how much I'm already spending on the car; payment, insurance, gas, washing, etc. An extra 20$ is just a fraction of overall cost of ownership.

 

[OppoLock]

It's not like the motor uses more fuel in sport or track, the throttle is just less linear. If you want your car to feel less sluggish in normal mode, push the accelerator more than you do in sport or track.

Exactly. If you accelerate at the same pace in either mode while shifting at the same points, the fuel economy will be identical.

Your foot just requires less travel for the same amount of throttle opening.

 

[10splaya22]

Exactly. If you accelerate at the same pace in either mode while shifting at the same points, the fuel economy will be identical.

Your foot just requires less travel for the same amount of throttle opening.

+1.

 

[foghat]

Exactly. If you accelerate at the same pace in either mode while shifting at the same points, the fuel economy will be identical.

Your foot just requires less travel for the same amount of throttle opening.

Agree, if you are in a manual.

 

[OppoLock]

Agree, if you are in a manual.

Right, or an auto while using the manual override to control the shift points.

 

[huachucastang]

I use sport mode all the time and get 25 MG in the city...I'll take that

 

[Sasuketr]

Guys its simple ofcourse sport plus and track mode uses more fuel but it is because you really cant adjust your foot on the pedal that accurate and control how fast the engine revs up!

We can do a case study! Put the car in neutral and normal mode, press the gas pedal down in an instant quarter way from the max point where the pedal meets the metal and record the rpm and how fast it took it to reach that rpm! Do the exact thing with sport plus, track and snow/wet mode!

 

[gundam83]

From my limited testing with my auto with 3.55 gears:

12mpg in sport mode in the city
16mpg driving normally in the city
22mpg in sport mode on the freeway (no cruise control)
28mpg driving normally on the freeway (no cruise control)

 

[10splaya22]

Guys its simple ofcourse sport plus and track mode uses more fuel but it is because you really cant adjust your foot on the pedal that accurate and control how fast the engine revs up!

We can do a case study! Put the car in neutral and normal mode, press the gas pedal down in an instant quarter way from the max point where the pedal meets the metal and record the rpm and how fast it took it to reach that rpm! Do the exact thing with sport plus, track and snow/wet mode!

How about you try and let us know how it goes? Good luck! :frusty:

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