Hi. Just picked up my new 2017 mini clubman this weekend. Am curious if anyone hasnderstands the green Gage that runs below speedometer when driving in green mode. I can't seem to find anything that clearly explains the data showing on the green Gage. Is there a simple explanation?

 

I don't think it's particularly scientific, just telling you if you're driving aggressively or gently. The one on the speedo is essentially a mini version of the fish in a bowl that's on the big screen in green mode. Like driving with an egg taped to the gas pedal, it's really just meant to provide some feedback from accelerometers in the car, to encourage you to drive more gently. There's another place in the iDrive interface where you can set a few different parameters that will also determine your overall "green score" - for example whether or not you have green climate control activated (runs the AC less), whether you have intermittent stop/start activated, and whether you set a speed warning/limit (and how high that limit is). Also, I find the speedo is already crowded and I like the numerical speed readout, so I prefer to use the center instrument (the light ring around the center screen) to display real-time green-ness info.

I've not found the green mode to be paricularly useful by itself - it's not doing anything fancy like cylinder deactivation (hey, there's only 3 pots to begin with!) On the highway with cruise control on, not surprisingly there's no difference in fuel efficiency between regular and green mode. It gives a readout of how many extra miles you got for that particular tank of fuel by being in green mode, but on the highway that number is minuscule in my experience (maybe an extra 8-10 miles on a full tank crusing at 75 mph in 6th). It's just mapping the acceleration differently in the drive-by-wire, so with cruise on maybe it takes a bit longer to react when you come to an incline - that's where the savings are.

Overall I find just keeping it in regular driving mode with stop-start activated is a better compromise than keep switching modes. For a short commute where stop/start is annoying (and probably detrimental to the battery before the car has really warmed up) I can switch it off. Being in regular mode still allows some "pep" for beating the odd stop light. The car also forgets green mode when you switch it off, so it's something you have to reactivate every drive if you want it. But, it doesn't forget stop/start mode each time.

 

There are some of us who have played a bit with Green Mode, but quickly grew bored. Not sure the data is reliable -- more of a relative comparison type of thing.

And, Green Mode sort of defeats the purpose of owning a MINI -- gotta motor!!

As someone on a different thread noted, in a traffic situation where you suddenly need to hit the accelerator, do you really want to be in slow mode?

 

Thanks for the responses. The salesman had said to use green mode on the interstate and was wondering if that would help. I don't care a lot for the feel of the stop-start at lights. Was just wondering if there was some actual info the little gage was providing and what it meant. I usually use the mid range. But fun to zip around town in sport.

 

Green mode is only used by me if stuck in a crawl or non moving traffic jam. It is great for that purpose. Beyond that I don't have a use for it. Chest thumping macho men will yell at you for even talking about the subject. Very tiresome.

Did you check out the info in the owners manual? Seems to tell a good amount about it.

 

I use the Green Mode only on the highway. Sport 98% of the time. Mid 2% when she who must be obeyed is in the car.

 

I know there's a bit more control for those of you who have stick shifts. You can do a quick down shift and get moving, even in Green, I imagine.

For us slush-boxers, the first thing that is noticed is how the automatic shifting algorithm changes in Green Mode. When coupled with the changes in throttle mapping, it can be very unresponsive, especially in a gotta-have-power-now situation.

I figured I'd use Green a lot for highway. But it really was a little spooky when, cruising along at about 70, I pushed down a bit on the gas as I encountered a slight incline and, n-o-t-h-i-n-g happened for a looong time. Also, I do not like the way the car lugs at low RPM in high gear on the freeway. Just doesn't feel like the drive train is working in an optimal way -- it wants to rev a bit more than Green will allow.

I just keep tabs on the MPG and, frankly, whomp this fun little car around, mostly in Sport, because it's such a fun little car to whomp around.

In stop and go I occasionally use the auto engine stop. But I rather dislike the juddering when it restarts. And, when the stop light turns green and I'm the first car, it is rather enjoyable to rocket off in Sport Mode and listen to the drivetrain wail and feel my little Clubman pullin' hard as the turbo kicks in and the Dinan flogs the computer for mo' boost.

And I'm an old, old guy. With a new, new MINI.

 

Hmm, our Countryman has the manual trans, and I can DEFINITELY say that in Green Mode, City driving can be a problem when you need to accelerate quickly to stay out of trouble. This has been posted already in other posts, so not new news... I don't notice the same fairly severe lag with my Auto equipped Clubman, and I don't know why the throttle mapping seems so different between our two cars while in Green mode either.
More on the Green Mode calculations.... My car TOTALLY changed after I got the Software Update for the Rear Barn Doors.... Not sure why the gas gauge and Green Mode Counting changed , but it has....
I used to struggle to get any build up of Green Miles before the update, stuck in single digit Green Miles, now I'm into double digits with the same driving style and routes. I show 2 more miles to my Average MPG as well AND I average about 5 more miles driven before I lose a bar on the Gas Gauge... Weird, but welcome....
Both of our cars are 4 cyl. S models, Both All 4s too. Strange..........

 

Thinking about it, I haven't used Green Mode since the software updates. Maybe I'll give it another try just to see if I can notice the difference you describe. Also, I simply look at the average MPG readout on the instrument cluster, which I reset using the button on the end of the turn signal stalk every time I fill up the tank, along with resetting the trip odometer every tank full, so I've never paid attention to the green miles data.

 

I just did a quick 400 miles trip. 200 miles each way, mostly interstates. I used green mode on the way down and sport on the return. The difference in mpg was only 3 mpg. That could have been attributed to terrain, wind or ???. But I like the throttle feel and steering much better in sport. Probably will never use green again.

 

Sport mode is not gone on the 3-cylinder models! I owned a 2009 2 door basic Cooper (Automatic Transmission) and then traded it in on a 2016 basic Cooper (3-cylinder Automatic Transmission). Both had Sport mode and I enjoyed using it every once in a while. Fast forward to this past Saturday. I traded in the 2016 for a brand new 2023 (3-cylinder Automatic Transmission) model. I was dismayed at the absence of the Driving Mode toggle switch. I did an internet search and came upon this thread. Well after speaking with the Service Manager at my local dealer I am happy to report that Sport mode is still there it is just apparently an un-documented feature.
Here is how to engage Sport mode on an Automatic Transmission car .........Just pull the Automatic Transmission shifter over to the LEFT just as if you wanted to enter manual shifting. Do not push the shifter up or down to shift! It is now in Sports mode and will shift automatically. Just as before the steering tightens up and the throttle response is quicker. I tried it out and it works perfectly. I don't know if it was always here since 2019 or something they just brought back so try it out with caution. If you pull the shifter into manual mode and don't shift up or down and it doesn't start shifting automatically in Sport Mode they I guess you don't have the feature on your car. I am thrilled to have Sport Mode back!

 

I drive a lot on the freeways for work and use green mode only at freeway speed. It saves me an avg of a gallon of gas per tank. Around town I am in midrange. On windy back roads in sport mode.

 

I have a 2022 JCW Clubman. I find that the Green mode increases mileage substantially, even on a highway with Adaptive Cruise Control on. On a trip last November, it increased the range by a good 30% (according to the "miles until empty" gauge. I switched back and forth a few times to double check that it wasn't giving me a false reading. And even without the normal turbo boost, the car still has good pickup when needed.

 

We use green mode when cruising on the freeway because it also puts the adaptive dampers into the softest setting and makes the car marginally quieter. I've never noticed any real fuel savings over sport mode, though.

 

I've got a 2023 JCW Clubman on order and I have to ask what kind of fuel economy are you getting if you're easy on the gas pedal?