All About Hyundai Elantra Active Eco Mode

With Hyundai’s Active Eco mode, the ultimate driving experience goes eco-friendly—and saves you money on gas.
Written by Andrea Barrett
Reviewed by Brittni Brinn
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Hyundai Active Eco mode allows drivers to improve fuel economy by optimizing gear shifting patterns to reduce fuel expenditure by up to 7%.
Most Hyundai models, including the Elantra, are equipped with various driving modes to improve vehicle performance and efficiency—one of those modes is Active Eco mode. It’s designed to adjust your Elantra’s engine performance to reduce fuel consumption. While Sport mode optimizes performance by increasing driver feedback and engine responsiveness, Eco mode trades in high-powered performance for reduced energy consumption and wear on your Elantra. 
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What is Hyundai Elantra Active Eco mode?

Hyundai’s Active Eco mode is a standard driving mode on most Hyundai models designed to reduce fuel economy and limit hard acceleration that burns fuel.
In general, Active Eco works by:
  • Adjusting the transmission's shifting patterns and altering the throttle response to prevent hard acceleration
  • Reducing your Elantra’s climate control system and dimming interior lights
  • Cutting off fuel supply during deceleration 
By modifying these features on your Elantra, Active Eco mode can reduce fuel consumption and conserve energy—but it does come at a cost. You’ll likely experience more gradual acceleration, as heavy acceleration burns more fuel. You may also notice your Elantra feels less responsive when accelerating up hills or trying to pass other vehicles on the highway—if you need speed and power, turning Active Eco off is recommended.
But the one major benefit aside from reducing fuel consumption? Active Eco mode can extend the life of your Hyundai Elantra! Less braking and safer driving, partnered with regular
basic maintenance
, will help keep your Elantra in tip-top shape!
Key Takeaway Hyundai Active Eco mode adjusts your Elantra’s transmission shifting patterns to reduce hard acceleration and improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle.

Does Hyundai Elantra Active Eco mode save fuel?

According to Hyundai, switching Active Eco mode on can reduce fuel consumption by up to 7%. However, your driving habits and how consistently you engage Active Eco mode will influence the extent of fuel savings you see—as will the time spent in Sport mode
If you want to check when you’re saving fuel, the Elantra has a green Eco indicator light in the gauge cluster that illuminates when you’re going light on the pedal.

Does Hyundai Elantra Active Eco mode charge the battery?

The car recycles its existing energy thanks to the Hyundai Elantra’s regenerative braking system. When hydraulic fluid presses the brake pads against the discs, the friction produces large amounts of kinetic energy that is converted into electricity to help charge the battery. Remember that regenerative braking is only available on the Elantra Hybrid.

What’s the difference between Hyundai Eco mode and Sport mode?

The Hyundai Elantra has three driving modes: Normal, Eco, and Sport. 
Normal mode is the standard driving mode that offers everyday performance and does not alter driving dynamics. Your Elantra will revert to Normal Mode whenever the vehicle is restarted. 
But if you’re looking to burn rubber instead of saving fuel, you’ll want to switch to Sport mode. It offers more spirited driving by increasing steering wheel feedback and engine responsiveness to maximize your Elantra’s driving performance.

How to turn Hyundai Elantra Active Eco mode on and off

Turning Active Eco mode ON/OFF in your Elantra is easy. You’ll find the Active Eco mode button near the driver's left knee, usually between the dashboard light adjustment and stability control switch. Press the button to engage. 
When Active Eco is engaged, the LED on the button will illuminate and you will see an icon appear on the dashboard. If you want to turn the Active Eco mode off, just hit the button again.

Is the Hyundai Elantra Active Eco mode worth it?

Whether Hyundai’s Active Eco mode is worth it depends on your priorities as a driver. 
Engaging Active Eco mode whenever possible is worth it if you’re trying to reduce car expenses and conserve fuel. On the Elantra N, the high-performance model, combined fuel economy is reduced from 35 mpg on the regular Elantra to just 25 mpg on the Elantra N, so flicking on Eco mode could bring major savings—that is, when you’re not driving your car as it’s intended. 
But while Active Eco can conserve fuel, it comes at a cost: slower acceleration, which makes uphill driving and highway acceleration a bit difficult. A true driving fanatic might not appreciate the joys of Active Eco mode, but if you spend a lot of time driving in stop-and-go traffic or at slower speeds, the savings can add up. 
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How to save on Hyundai Elantra insurance

Turning on your Hyundai Elantra’s Active Eco mode is a great way to reduce your car expenses and save money on fuel, but did you know you can also save money on car insurance by shopping with
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And the best part? Jerry users save an average of more than $800 on their annual premiums. Combine that with gas savings and you’re about to get a load of money back in your pocket! 
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