The instrument panel of a Kia Niro, with the “Eco” indicator on the bottom left of the centre display.
Eco Mode – You might know what this means, but what exactly does pushing this button do to your car?
Economical drivetrain setting
Selecting Eco Mode in your vehicle helps you reduce fuel consumption.
In most vehicles, selecting this setting makes the engine and accelerator pedal less responsive to inputs.
You might feel that the car is “slow” because it has become unresponsive.
So, when you depress the throttle pedal, the car accelerates slower than usual.
It takes longer for the engine speed (the revs) to rise. You use less fuel this way.
What else can Eco Mode do?
Apart from retarding your vehicle’s drivetrain response, this setting (in some brands) also reduces the air-con’s throughput.
Doing so means the compressor has to work less, which in turn reduces the load on the engine.
The benefit is improved fuel efficiency.
Should I use this setting? Will it damage my engine?
You should definitely use Eco Mode if you want to lessen your running costs.
It does not harm your engine or gearbox.
However, you cannot reap any benefits by using this setting while driving aggressively (hard acceleration and sudden braking).
Adopt a gentler driving style instead.
