Honda Insight Mk1

[benlovesgoddess]

Ha ha - the missus wouldn't be impressed! I'd want an Insight as a keeper rather than an investment. It is so far down the list of things we need to do/buy first though as to be highly unlikely...
Looking forward to your first tankful. I got another computer estimated 83 mpg on an 8 mile run tonight (but just 66 on my drive home from work).

[Draigflag]

That's pretty good Ben. I've no idea what I'll get in the Honda yet, not sure how accurate the readout is, but so far I've done 300 miles on half a tank, about 67.4 MPG average according to the computer. Been doing a fair amount of buzzing about town.

There are actually 5 MPG readouts, trip A, trip B, point to point MPG so you can reset mid journey if you want, lifetime MPG (currently 69.1 over 97,000 miles) and instant mpg which is a horizontal linear graph at the bottom of the instrument panel with light up squares ranging from 0 to 150 MPG. The big FCD (stands for fuel consumption display) button can turn all of these off if you want. I love the dash, it's so interactive for its age!

[benlovesgoddess]

Yeah - sounds like you've got pretty much what I've got now Paul! I have a lifetime mpg trip, trip A, trip B and a current journey trip. The instant bar has last 15 minutes, minute at a time as a bar graph, up to 150 mpg, scrolling away.
The Rev counter is an eco curved line. Maybe the only difference is the energy monitor. Ooh - I have an eco diary too, each days mpg and miles travelled is saved for the last 30 days. I'm with you on all the tech and interactive dash, feels cutting edge, really enhances the whole driving and economy experience.

[Draigflag]

It's a great way to get people to save fuel. I don't know why it helps so much, but it somehow becomes a game when you can see your fuel usage all nicely presented in front of you, makes you more aware of what's going on, and encourages you to want to save fuel. Every car should have some sort of basic chart/graph like that, it helps.

[trollbait]

I don't know if you got any of the Ford hybrids overseas, but their eco dash is supposedly the bomb for such things.

I'm just going to have to live with my scanguage for now.

[Draigflag]

Not seen the Ford one, but the Renault graphs are pretty cool too, they give you a score out of 100. Even though these are not hybrid vehicles, it still encourages effecient driving.

[14Corolla]

Another vote on the computer screen. It has done much to motivate me in eco driving.

[benlovesgoddess]

Never seen a Ford Hybrid - in fact the only Hybrid I actually looked at was the Prius. The ScangaugeE really helped with the useless Hyundai, but is now gathering dust as the Toyota has all the info itself (plus i wouldn't want to clutter the awesome dash!). Wish I had the Scangauge for all the old cars I owned that had an OBD socket (if any, they were old!), bet I could have seen at least 10% improvement in economy. The HUD really helps with the Prius, would be ace if there was room for the live mpg feed there too, that's a glance away to the centre console.
The score over 4 categories (acceleration, cruising, braking and air con) are fun, but I only have them appear at the end of each trip, I prefer other info screens when driving (energy monitor).

[trollbait]

Ford calls it SmartGauge with ecoguide.


It is two LCD screens to the either side of the speedometer with user selectable displays. The vine one will grow more leaves with more efficient driving.

This article is about the SmartGauge in the first gen Fusion hybrid. The basics of it haven't changed much with the new one.
In Efforts To Be Green, Ford Receives Patents For SmartGauge With EcoGuide | TechCrunch

[Draigflag]

I wish they'd drop the "leaf" theme and stop linking it to economical driving. Same with the Renault display, and others no doubt. I know they are trying to make you think you're somehow giving back to the environment, but cars are man made machines and trees and plants are trees and plants. I see them as entirely different things personaly.