[TupperBMW]

I usually drive in EcoPro mode unless I'm in the mood to have fun, in which case I will switch to Sport mode.

That aside, I figure I get better gas mileage in EcoPro. Which leads me to this question:

What is the point of Comfort mode? Isn't EcoPro mode simply the same thing as Comfort Mode, but more efficient?

If so, are there any advantages at all to driving in Comfort mode?

[SteveinArizona]

I don't use either (I mostly drive in adaptive and sometimes sport) but in Eco mode your AC is reduced, and there are other changes as well.

[P_Leotardo]

I used Bimmercode to make the car start up in Eco Pro. My reasoning is that unless Im in the mood or have open road to open the car up I might as well save on mpg.

[Paul Moran]

Originally Posted by TupperBMW

Do I usually drive in EcoPro mode unless I'm in the mood to have fun, in which case I will switch to Sport mode.

That aside, I figure I get better gas mileage in EcoPro. Which leads me to this question:

What is the point of Comfort mode? Isn't EcoPro mode simply the same thing as Comfort Mode, but more efficient?

If so, are there any advantages at all to driving in Comfort mode?

When I had my X3M40I in eco pro you're not playing with a lot of horsepower. With comfort mode you have more horsepower to play with and sports mode……..

[TupperBMW]

I appreciate the responses but I guess my core question remains unanswered:

If I can instantly switch to Sport mode for 'Play' time, then is there any point to driving in Comfort mode?

[RigaTony1982]

As mentioned, Eco Pro throttles down the climate control and things such as the seat heaters (as well as engine performance). If these things don’t bother you or you don’t notice there’s not much of a difference.

[mslevin]

You can set up Eco Pro Individual and tell it to not throttle down climate control and seat heaters. This is how I have mine set up, max engine efficiency, max interior comfort.

[TupperBMW]

^ I like that idea

[RigaTony1982]

Originally Posted by mslevin

You can set up Eco Pro Individual and tell it to not throttle down climate control and seat heaters. This is how I have mine set up, max engine efficiency, max interior comfort.

Did not know that. Do you just configure it as an Individual configuration?

[mslevin]

Originally Posted by RigaTony1982

Did not know that. Do you just configure it as an Individual configuration?

Yep! Hit Eco Pro, and scroll to the right on the drive mode screen and select "Customize Individual", same as you would for Sport mode.

[RigaTony1982]

Originally Posted by mslevin

Yep! Hit Eco Pro, and scroll to the right on the drive mode screen and select "Customize Individual", same as you would for Sport mode.

Thanks. This is helpful. That was my biggest issue with Eco Pro, was the throttling of the seat heaters.

[oz555]

Originally Posted by TupperBMW

I appreciate the responses but I guess my core question remains unanswered:

If I can instantly switch to Sport mode for 'Play' time, then is there any point to driving in Comfort mode?

Originally Posted by TupperBMW

I appreciate the responses but I guess my core question remains unanswered:

If I can instantly switch to Sport mode for 'Play' time, then is there any point to driving in Comfort mode?

Comfort mode is way different from Eco-pro. Eco-pro has much more wheel spinning and almost no engine braking. Very dangerous for bends unless You drive way too slow. Than, acceleration in Eco-pro is like You have half of an engine potentional. There is such a difference between two modes. I use Eco-pro only in traffic jams.

[Yossi123]

Originally Posted by oz555

Comfort mode is way different from Eco-pro. Eco-pro has much more wheel spinning and almost no engine braking. Very dangerous for bends unless You drive way too slow. Than, acceleration in Eco-pro is like You have half of an engine potentional. There is such a difference between two modes. I use Eco-pro only in traffic jams.

For me eco-pro on my 330xi is so sluggish on acceleration it becomes annoying, if not dangerous at times. You constantly need to floor it to keep going which completely misses the point. On the other hand I can get very decent mpg on adaptive mode when cruising around, and when I need to push it it just goes

[SteveinArizona]

At the risk of attracting lots of critics, I don't see the point of getting a BMW and then driving it in Eco-Pro. What you have then is a luxury vehicle that will need expensive repairs that drives like crap. Get a Lexus if that is the goal.

[Binny]

Agree with the observations.

On my M340i, Eco Pro mode essentially feels like driving without the effect of engine braking. I find that it makes sense to drive on Eco Pro only when cruising on the highway where one can allow the car to coast.. for fuel efficiency. When stuck in heavy start-stop traffic, there is actually very little difference in terms of fuel economy between Eco Pro and Comfort mode.

Comfort is still the default driving mode for me. Reasonable fuel economy and performance. In Comfort, there is a palpable delay when mashing the throttle before the car actually kicks down and delivers a wave of torque and acceleration, but it is an acceptable compromise compared to driving in Eco Pro, which feels as if the engine is half asleep and refuses to be roused.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

At the risk of attracting lots of critics, I don't see the point of getting a BMW and then driving it in Eco-Pro. What you have then is a luxury vehicle that will need expensive repairs that drives like crap. Get a Lexus if that is the goal.

Don't you see it's all about choices and options? I see it that way.

If I have to drive 60 or more miles on one of our Scottish A-routes with average speed cameras, there is no 'real' driving involved. Just dialling back and relaxing, is a good option. Then leave the A-route and across the mountains, there is Comfort, Sport, or Sport+, depending on conditions, traffic and my mood.

[m240nj]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

At the risk of attracting lots of critics, I don't see the point of getting a BMW and then driving it in Eco-Pro. What you have then is a luxury vehicle that will need expensive repairs that drives like crap. Get a Lexus if that is the goal.

Couldn't agree more. I bought a BMW for the sportiness and I drive it as such. Car is in Sport+ 90% of the time. It MPG were a major concern, I would have gotten a different car.

[TupperBMW]

^ I bought my M340i for sportiness as well, otherwise I would've gotten a Lexus or some other boring car. But these above comments don't quite fit the picture for me because:

1. I already have a dedicated sports car (Porsche 911) and I find it frustrating to drive it in slow daily traffic, plus I don't want to drive it in winter, hence:

2. I bought my BMW, but since I've been spoiled by the Porsche, I can't have a slow daily driver, therefore the M performance variant was NEEDED. However, when you are stuck behind housewives and grandmas in day to day traffic, driving in Sport mode is utterly meaningless. So I might as well improve fuel efficiency so that:

3. When I find some open roads and I'm ready to have fun, I can switch to Sport or Sport + mode and let it rip, but without feeling bad about fuel economy because of #2 above

[RigaTony1982]

Originally Posted by m240nj

Couldn't agree more. I bought a BMW for the sportiness and I drive it as such. Car is in Sport+ 90% of the time. It MPG were a major concern, I would have gotten a different car.

Only time I actually use Eco Pro is when I do the drive from Chicago to Ohio to visit my family, as it's just a long tollway were you constantly cruise at like 80 mph. Otherwise I'm in Sport/Sport Plus as well.

[TupperBMW]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

At the risk of attracting lots of critics, I don't see the point of getting a BMW and then driving it in Eco-Pro. What you have then is a luxury vehicle that will need expensive repairs that drives like crap. Get a Lexus if that is the goal.

No criticism from me, I totally get your point.

I have taken this car and my other one to very high speeds plenty of times.

I love fast, spirited driving.

But lots of times I'm stuck in the ho hum slog of traffic, and it's during those periods that I'd rather save on gas mileage

[zazzau]

Originally Posted by TupperBMW

No criticism from me, I totally get your point.

I have taken this car and my other one to very high speeds plenty of times.

I love fast, spirited driving.

But lots of times I'm stuck in the ho hum slog of traffic, and it's during those periods that I'd rather save on gas mileage

Eco Pro can be handy for long highway driving or in a gridlock or those painful stop-and-go coupled with the Extended Traffic Jam feature and it doesn't get any better. Mine is on adaptive by default so that does the trick. But I get that not everyone has adaptive.

[NorCalAthlete]

I tend to have a lot of freeway miles, so I use EcoPro a ton. Solid 28 mpg average over 10k miles, and I have a pretty decently heavy foot I just drive smoothly is all.

Around town for shorter trips, I tend to stick with Comfort mode. It's plenty spirited enough for the usual traffic, no need to rip around in Sport+ when I'm already faster than 90% of everyone except motorcycles out there.

The only time Sport / Sport+ gets used on the street for me is when I go for the occasional jaunt through the twisties up in the mountains.