2. Social Media Loves Weird Car Features
Photos of unusual dashboards regularly go viral on platforms like TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram.
Someone posts a picture of a mysterious “E” on a gear selector, and suddenly thousands of people are trying to solve the mystery together.
3. Automotive Nostalgia Is Trending
YouTube channels and car enthusiasts have helped revive interest in vintage automotive technology.
Features that older generations considered normal now feel fascinating to younger audiences who grew up with touchscreens and fully digital cars.
Should You Use “E” Mode If Your Car Has It?
If you happen to own an older car with an Economy setting, it can still be useful in certain situations.
Best Times to Use It
- Highway cruising
- Flat roads
- Long-distance driving
- Situations where fuel economy matters more than acceleration
Avoid Using It When
- Merging onto highways
- Driving uphill
- Towing heavy loads
- Needing quick acceleration
For everyday city driving, most people preferred regular “D” mode because the car simply felt more responsive.
Other Strange Gear Letters Drivers Forget About
The “E” gear isn’t the only forgotten transmission symbol that confuses people today.
Older cars also featured:
- L (Low): Keeps the car in lower gears for hills or towing
- 2: Locks the transmission into second gear
- S (Sport): Improves acceleration performance
- M (Manual): Allows manual gear selection
- B (Brake): Used in hybrids for stronger regenerative braking
Each letter tells a story about how automotive technology evolved over time.
A Small Letter With a Big Story
What I love most about the old “E” gear is that it represents a forgotten chapter in automotive history.
It reminds us that every generation of cars reflects the concerns of its time. In the 1970s and 80s, fuel efficiency became a major priority, and engineers responded with creative solutions long before modern computers took over.
That tiny “E” on an old gear selector may seem insignificant today, but it was once considered smart technology.
And now, decades later, a whole new generation is rediscovering it with curiosity and surprise.
So the next time you see an old car with a mysterious “E” on the dashboard, you’ll know exactly what it means.
Not electric.
Not emergency.
Just Economy — a small mechanical attempt to save a little gas, one gear shift at a time.
