Last Updated on October 5, 2021 Show
CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission. The first CVT patent was awarded to Daimler-Benz in 1886. The CVT concept had been applied to saw mill machinery seven years earlier by an inventor named Milton Reeves. Down through the decades, CVTs have appeared in numerous automobiles, motorcycles and more recently in snowmobiles and ATVs. As you may imagine, all those applications were for relatively low horsepower machines and that trend has continued for automobile applications. Need help with a car problem RIGHT NOW? Click Here to chat online with a verified mechanic who will answer your questions. For example, the first automobile CVT application offered in the United States was the 1989 Subaru Justy. This small Japanese car had “just” 66 bhp and sold for a mere $6,100. How times have changed.
What is a CVT?A CVT is a transmission design that offers, as the name suggests, continuously variable gear ratios. It changes ratios automatically as you drive like a conventional automatic transmission, adjusting the overall gear ratio to account for speed and power requirements. Three basic designs have been used in recent automobiles.
See here to understand how a CVT works and how it compares to other transmission types. Below are the car manufacturers that offer a standard or available CVT transmission in the 2021 model year. Hybrid vehicles (cars powered by a combination of a gasoline engine plus electric motors) may use some type of ECVT.
* Note: PHEV stands for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. Unlike true hybrids like the Toyota Prius, PHEVs require periodic recharging from a wall outlet or charging station. CVT Pros and ConsSome of the advantages and disadvantages discussed here may simply be personal preferences. Others are the practical realities you can expect with today’s CVTs. Pros
Cons
Are CVTs Reliable?They have a checkered history in this regard. Early CVT designs in the late 80s and early 90s were notoriously unreliable. Purchasing a pre-owned CVT-equipped car made back then could be a risky proposition. Additionally, over the years, cars with CVT systems have suffered many factory recalls. During that time, most of the early teething problems have been reasonably well resolved. On the positive side, Honda and Toyota have experienced good durability with their CVT systems. Honda sits at the top of the rankings. Subaru has also produced reasonably reliable CVT-equipped cars. Nissan products, however, have spent more time back in the dealer’s service bay than similar designs by other makers. Nissan has also persisted in offering somewhat higher horsepower CVT-driven cars than the other car makers. Unfortunately CVT systems seem to be more prone to mechanical issues when higher power demands are placed upon them. A number of class action lawsuits have been filed against several manufacturers with respect to CVT problems. Prior to considering any car so equipped, a review of online data in this regard could prove beneficial. Also, use of any of several online automobile reliability sources could shed light on a particular make and model CVT-equipped car that interests you. Sources like Car and Driver, Consumer Reports, Edmunds, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, and others could prove helpful. See Also: Symptoms of a Blown Transmission CVT Transmission Life ExpectancyIn today’s marketplace, new cars with CVTs can be expected to provide reliable operation up to about 100,000 miles. For most cars, overall reliability will be poorer than that expected with a conventional automatic or manual transmission. But excellent owner care can lengthen this projection. Indeed, some owners who keep to the factory-specified service intervals, use the recommended lubricant(s) and avoid abusive driving habits can get up to 200,000 trouble-free miles with a CVT. Does CVT Maintenance Differ From a Normal Automatic?Yes, CVT maintenance does differ in some respects. For example, most CVTs have one oil filter and some have two. Changes of oil and filter(s) and system flushing may be required as often as every 25,000 miles. Normal automatic transmissions generally have only one filter and can typically go much further between the need for this type of service. Are Subaru CVT transmissions reliable?Several older Subaru models commonly experience CVT problems. Stalling, shuddering, and delayed acceleration can be signs of a transmission issue. Subaru has a RepairPal reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5.0 and ranks 14th out of 32 brands surveyed.
How much does it cost to replace a CVT transmission in a Subaru?If you take your Subaru to a Subaru dealership, they'll tell you that the Subaru CVT replacement cost is around $7,500 and $8,600, which is extremely high compared to many other vehicle makes.
Can a CVT transmission last 200 000 miles?How Long Do CVT Transmissions Last? CVT transmissions last just as long as a traditional automatic transmission and are designed to last the full life of the vehicle. The typical CVT has a life expectancy of at least 100,000 miles. Certain models like the Toyota Prius commonly last well over 300,000 miles.
What years did Subaru have CVT transmission problems?SUMMARY: Subaru Corporation is offering consumers an extended warranty on the continuously variable transmission (CVT) on approximately 1.5 million vehicles after concerns were raised about transmission problems that may cause the vehicle to stall on model year 2012-2017 vehicles.
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