Drive Quality in Normal vs Eco

[twmarquez]

Hey everyone!
Just recently got my 2024 Ford Ranger XLT about a month ago and at first I was driving exclusively on eco mode. However, I have been driving in normal for the past ~600 miles and definitely can feel a difference. Does anyone else feel like the drive quality just feels a little worse in normal mode? It definitely has more power but I skip 2nd gear almost every time I accelerate and if I’m going slow it can be a pretty aggressive shift from 1-3.

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[Elgin_Ranger]

Bought the truck 2 weeks ago and been driving in eco mode as well. It feels a bit smoother compared to the normal mode I think, but again I've not been driving a lot. I was driving uphill today and switched to normal immediately because the lack of power is very noticeable.

 

[Freedom Beast]

Too be honest, I haven't paid much attention to it (4500 miles). I've gone back and forth. I do notice a slight kick in Normal mode though. As far as gas savings, I might get an extra mile or so on mpg in Eco. I just typically leave it in normal. Seems like I'm firing up a jet with all the buttons I have to push to get going so putting it in Eco is one less.

 

[AlpineBike]

With my 23 Transit van, eco mode has more to do with transmission shifting and HVAC settings than actual engine power output.

I never noticed enough of any gain in MPG’s to warrant using it.

 

[SubaruRaptor]

The difference you are feeling is because the tune is changed slightly same with the throttle response. So instead of a quicker dump of fuel it smoothes it out, which is why normal feels a bit jerky.

 

[Hootbro]

Unless I am doing long interstate drives with cruise control on, I cannot stand ECO mode. Just feels like the truck is sandbagged with it enabled. I get the intent of it, but the in practice leaves a lot to be desired for me.

 

[Clay6GRanger]

Eco mode also limits the use of the turbo during acceleration which helps lower fuel consumption but also lowers the power. In the 2.3L engines, they need boost to feel like they’ve got any power. It also makes the transmission find the highest gear it can as soon as it can and doesn’t let it downshift until it absolutely needs to. Normal mode gives you a moderate amount of boost everywhere in the rev range with a transmission that still tries to find the highest gear possible as quick as possible but lets it downshift a little more freely, Sport mode gives you the max factory boost allowance and also keeps the transmission in lower gears for a lot longer for quicker accelerations and downshifts very quickly for the same reason.

Not sure how all the off-road modes affect engine and transmission but I do know from playing around with it that Sand mode will try to stay in 1st and 2nd gear as much as it can. It’s very reluctant to shift any higher than 3rd or even into 3rd.

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