Does a CVT Ruin a Subaru? - 2014 Subaru Impreza | AutoMoments
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- For 2012, the Subaru Impreza got an new engine and transmission, mainly to increase it's fuel economy. We took this 2014 model for a spin to see how it does out on the road. With auto enthusiasts constantly complaining about how Continuously Variable Transmissions ruin cars, we wanted to see if that was actually true. You'll be surprised at what we find out.
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"The same could be said about car enthusiasts." - Agreed 100% Whiny and hard to deal with. HAhahahaha
Some of them, haha. Maybe not ALL of them... Thanks for watching!
Shots fired! Shots fired! :-D :-D
Diwa Galvez
it's not about whining, is just the truth, cvt is really fucken boring. That's the reason mazda doesn't have it on their fun to drive cars
i guess you like rust.
As a former 2015 Impreza ( now 2017 wrx manual owner ) I love the hell out of that Impreza, I constantly got around 34-38 mpg, and had great acceleration even though the Impreza is incredibly under powered to cars now at days. Love driving stick in the WRX, but having that car for two years, I loved it.
Save the money from your gas savings so you can pay for another cvt after the original fails.
At what 300,000 miles? This car seems damn indestructible to me. Maybe that’s because I’ve only ever had old cars before this but I abuse the shit out of it and performs like new (I have the hatch btw)
@@86davy mine failed at 160,000 miles, had to put in another one from a wrecked Subaru, AUD$3000 all up in a 2011 Liberty about 4 years ago. The oil pressure module thing broke and the torque converter wouldn’t lock up. CVT’s are smooth and that’s about it, no other benefit if you keep cars long term. They also say they don’t need servicing, that’s the stupidest thing ever
Or, buy a 5MT and enjoy the car for what it is.
I'm actually annoyed that Subaru put in fake shift points even when you don't have the car in manual mode and using the paddle shifters. This crap got hoisted on me because of "Car Enthusiasts" who are really just ignorant people who like to whine a lot about nothing. The car would be faster without these fake shift points.
I wish they still made the wrx hatch.
please, they killed it... don't reopen the wounds.
It hurts.
Jay Kae STi hatch
New Subaru cvt transmissions are guaranteed to break right at 100 k miles.....don’t buy a Subaru!!!!
Mine went out 5,000miles didn’t even get my first oil change yet
I have a 2010 and the CVT seems to be screwed already with 50,000 miles. It doesn't seem to down shift when I stop so it trys to start out in high and jumps. I'm going to try and get it to the dealer. No more Subarus. My first, my last.
Subaru has a new 10 year or 100,000mi, whichever comes first, extended warranty on the CVT since 2018. I should know because my 2012 Subaru Outback 2.5i with CVT is at the dealership getting the torque converter fixed right now!
@@mckohtz CVT's don't have a torque converter
@@OZBIE NC Consumer Reports: Subaru Issues Extended Transmission Warranty Program for Certain Vehicles: The extended warranty program applies to failures of the Continuously variable transmission (CVT) assemblies, March 19th 2018. "Examples of such part replacements include but are not limited to the torque converter, control valve body harness, sensors and switches." www.ncconsumer.org/news-articles/subaru-issues-extended-transmission-warranty-program-for-certain-vehicles.html You don't know what you are talking about!
@@OZBIE NC Consumer Reports: Subaru Issues Extended Transmission Warranty Program for Certain Vehicles: The extended warranty program applies to failures of the Continuously variable transmission (CVT) assemblies March 19th 2018. "Examples of such part replacements include but are not limited to the torque converter, control valve body harness, sensors and switches." www.ncconsumer.org/news-articles/subaru-issues-extended-transmission-warranty-program-for-certain-vehicles.html
David sorry I was incorrect about Honda’s, Honda doesn’t use one
My 2014 Forester 2.5 with CVT just averaged 36.3 miles per gallon on a 5,711 mile trip.
The MPG was calculated by gallons used and miles driven over the entire journey. The CVT is great under light to moderate throttle but hard/full throttle makes the engine rev
needlessly and uselessly. Most people will not notice the CVT's shortcomings about
95% of the time..... I would buy another Subaru Forester 2.5i in a heartbeat!!!!!
+Amerigo Vespucci That's pretty impressive mileage for a Forester! Looks like the CVT is doing what Subaru wants it to!
+Amerigo Vespucci Why on earth would you need heavy throttle in normal traffic? From what I get from your story, CVT is great (and I know it is).
+Amerigo Vespucci Awesome and understandable. Once I had small Nissan rental car equipped with CVT and it was awesome. Managed to undercut mpg official figures. Only people with exaggerated and artificial expectations will get disappointed...
+Ronald de Rooij , playing too much need for speed video game, in real life no reset button, it's straight to game over
+Luseei Exactly!
I find the CVT works fine in my 2015 Impreza. What I don't like is that they made it a sealed unit and the average guy can't change the fluid. No fluid is permanent.
For me, Subaru's Trannys are the deal breaker. An outdated 5 Spd Manual without overdrive in high gear? A CVT auto with dual shift modes? The Competition offers 6 Spd Manuals w/Overdrive or efficient 6 Spd Automatics. Add the fact that Subaru offers the manual 6 spd w/overdrive on Impreza's, but only on overseas models? Think I will go elsewhere.
Coupydog It really would be nice if US Imprezas offered a 6 speed manual.
Car reviewers are ruining cars for everyone. They want cars to be like plush sofas with muscle car engines and 60 inch plasma televisions with game systems. A car needs four tires, a seat, an engine and a windscreen. That is an automobile. That is driving.
exactly, i also hate when they moan about "scratchy plastics" the car is to drive, not have a touch testing session!
Agreed 100%, too much automation in modern cars
CVT's are a bit odd to get used to, but you know what I love? Not having the drive manual in Toronto traffic.
when i was learning i used to hate driving on 401 but now getting used to of it. plus keeps me awake.
yeah losers cant handle manual
You still haven't tasted Big cities traffics/hills/stops since you would think twice about getting a manual they eat ur left leg giving cramps and pain.. (IF you drive daily and 2-4 times a day same road.)
Tomas, So i guess military all over the world are losers too cause they only drive automatics. Only loser in life is you.
If they were "odd" to get used to, they would be out of business. My first Subaru was a stick shift and my other two were CVT and I enjoyed them all!
Just rented Forester with the cvt, drove me nuts, wanted to stall every time I had to pull out of a parking lot into traffic.
It destroys Subaru. My 2015 Legacy's CVT already gave up on me. Trading it for a Toyota with a real transmission.
MrRedskins0021 holy shit. how many miles before CVT gave up
I'm guessing you never changed the transmission fluid every 30k miles as required?
This is the main reason why so many failed, they need to be changed, those steel belts need fresh and clean fluid to work properly and to get them to last.
I had this 2012 CVT model and it did very well in ~16" of freshly fallen snow. I was safely passing 4WD SUV's on several neighborhood uphills. Great car, great mileage, impressive handling for $22k (brand new in 2012). I got rid of it and now have the 2015 wrx CVT and love it even more.
JustAnotherPerson That's awesome! Subarus sure are hard to beat in the snow.
My main concern is reliability and repair costs. CVTs tend to fail before 100000 miles and when they do you have to replace the whole gearbox.
I rather drive a slightly less fuel efficient AT with virtually no reliability issues where the worst that can happen is needing to replace the worn out clutch plates which doesn't cost a bomb.
Or for the utterly bombproof transmission, get a manual
Bah, automatics are shit. My 2014 with a 5 manual gets 7.4L per 100km in light city traffic. That's about 31mpg US in the city. My previous one was a 2008 with the 2.5L engine and it got about 8.0L per 100km, which is about 29mpg in the city. I have never seen an automatic transmission get better mileage than a manual. It just doesn't happen.
If you live in a golf course, CVT is perfect for you.
I have had 5 Subarus and the fact that they gone to cvt makes me nervous. friends of mine with cvt Nissans have all had problems not mention all problems with minis. I also dislike the way cvts feel.
THELIBERAL Yeah, it is a big change for Subaru, but so far it seems to have worked for them. That said, it may take 10+ years to find out how reliable they really are.
THELIBERAL Nissan has learned from mistakes, and other brands (including Subaru) has learned from those same mistakes. CVT is getting noticeably better every year and I definitely see that being the future for economy cars and some sport cars. I don't see CVT being practical for anything bigger than a crossover.
Once again Subaru has stated they will NEVER put cvts in STI. and ONLY IF specially requested for WRX. They have made it clear they won't let a cvt ruin their sweet models. So, you have nothing to be worried of.
Thats what she said.
I personally think that all the Auto makers should be trying to make DSG gearboxes. I've got a new volkswagen golf with DSG and my brother has a new subaru with cvt and when i showed him this video he said that's exactly how it is. A lastic effect which makes you feel as if the transmission just isn't helping the car move along as it should and the engine is always over revving. He drives my golf occasionally and absolutely loves it. He says it feels 200% better than his cvt.
"...they complain that CVTs are whiny, stubborn, and difficult to deal with... the same could be said about car enthusiasts." APPLY COLD WATER TO THE BURNED AREA
Hahaha. We're glad you enjoy our sense of humor. Sometimes it does seem like CVTs get a lot of undeserved hate.
Lmfao
(When you realise, this is KSP (Kerbal Space Program) background music...)
it still sucks, wish my Legacy had at least a standard auto trans!
I have a 2015 impreza hatchback and im not going to lie i was a little nervous about the CVT so i was hesitant about subaru in general since i hated the previous impreza and i once rented a old nissan rouge with a TERRIBLE cvt but this one suprised me its not noisy at all and the rubber band effect is only promient under high speed and acceleration and fuel economy is great for all wheel drive. I live in Buffalo and this is just a great car for me and my needs and this is from an enthusiast who is very typical about driving dynamics. I wish more people would give the Impreza a try its a great car!
+Don Sperrazza See! That's kinda how we felt. It's certainly not an enthusiast's transmission, but it doesn't ruin the car, like some CVTs do.
here is the bottom line. you take great care of your car. maintain it perfectly
8 years and 11100 miles later the service manager says you need a new cvt. that will be ten thousand 400 dollars please! ! your new looking perfect running car you paid 30 grand for is now also worth nothing. even if you have the money it doesn't make sense to repair it period
I have been thru this. average repair cost for automatic Trans repair 3500. 4500
that's a huge difference
or how about this, you buy a used car 7 8 years old . 20 30 thousand Iles later same scenario.but maybe you financed this car. now you have payments and a car you can not fix!!! when cvt fails out of warranty. your car is done
off to junk yard
no more cvt for me. my new car is automatic
word to the wise
.
.
These CVT's are not loud!! I cant even hear mine. I don't know what they are talking about. Metal belt....ITS A FRIGGIN CHAIN!
It’s still a goddamn wimp shift.
I would just like to point out to all English writers on earth that "it's" is a contraction of "it is". The possessive form of "it" is "its".
If they fix that damn lag I'll consider. But damn are they good, I could bearly keep up with my mom's rouge during a family vacation.
Ruined? Destroyed them. Mpg went up, fun went down.
Although subaru needed to do this, its hard telling my customers (subaru, nissan, and other CVT owners) why they need a new transmission at like 90K or 80K. I had a subaru owner (2013 outback) that the CVT went out at 53K, the warranty picked up the tab at the time, fast forward to 107K and it broke again, nissan's are way way worse, a local florist got a fleet of NV200's, within the year, had to get rid of all of them and got ford transit's because they basically lived at the dealer because of transmission issues.
Not trying to go all anti CVT, just they have a long way to go to be reliable as a clutch type transmission, and i think Toyota is leading the way with that in there new CVT with a first gear.
Just my 2 cents from a technician's point of view.
2:55 "long country lane in Western PA..." Home sweet home! :)
It's a great place to film, that's for sure!
Owned over 70 cars, all makes and models. I rebuilt engines, gearboxes, diffs. Did panel beating, spray painting, even some racing. Especially at traffic lights. The 2.5 CVT is faster 0-100 than a 2005 3.0/3.5L Subaru Outback. I am now 67 years old. My 2009 Subaru Outback 2.5 CVT is BY FAR the best drive ever!....BUT...It took me the whole first year to get used to it. I had to unlearn 50 years of driving the wrong way. The second year I learned that I could take risks and do highway manoeuvres that would be absolute suicide in manual or automatic cars. Now in my 3rd year I am now trying "defensive driving", to see what that is all about. There is no "rubber band" effect. The CVT is absolute precision - you are ALWAYS in the exactly right gear, at exactly the right revs. In other words, you are always in EXACTLY the right power band = reliability. If you want to do wheel spins, the CVT is not for you. If you want absolute driving perfection; then the Subaru+CVT=driving heaven+economy+reliability. The engine never gets overloaded = reliability. The CVT never yerks when changing gears up or down = less damage to engine mounts=reliability. The CVT even slows down the car when going downhill, when using the cruise control=amazing. It is just brilliant, it is DRIVING HEAVEN! My Outback now has 200,000 kms on it, drives brilliantly, and still looks brand new. No repair bills ever. Spoke to another owner of a similar car - he has 280,000 kms on it - same story - no repair bills. A friend of mine has a 1998 Outback going over 700,00kms now. Great cars, Subaru. Even when towing a trailer full of bricks, this car is just amazing - no engine revving to get going at all. Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant. JMS.
John Sadie Now here is somebody who really loves his Subaru! That's impressive. Thanks for watching!
Hey, thanks for your comment. I just bought a 2013 Maxima with CVT and I gotta say I love it. It was weird at first not hearing gears shifting when I punched it, but damn is it smooth. Doing quick powerful passing maneuvers brings a smile to my face every time. People hating on CVTs clearly haven't had a chance to enjoy them.
I'm jealous. My CVT (Honda Fit) doesn't automatically downshift to provide braking when the car is going downhill. Same whether the Cruise Control is on or off. If you want to downshift and have engine braking when the car is going downhill you have to shift into S or L. Fortunately this does not change the CC setting.
Total agreement. I am also a third age man, civil mechanic engineer. For more than 50 years I owned and repaired by my own hands, at least 25 cars. Most of them were Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Lincoln, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Studebaker.
My actual car is a 2011 Nissan Teana 250 XV, 2.5 lt, equipped with CVT. I consider this, the best car I ever owned and drived, in fuel economy, acceleration and top speed. It reaches in a few seconds and totally effortless 120 miles per hour. On open roads, this car consumes only 8 lt in 100 K,m. using Cruise Control.
With great respect, people who hate CVT does not know any thing about mechanics or they are very bad drivers.
John Sadie i got the corolla e170 cvt 1.8 and its really great
"Does a CVT Ruin a Subaru?"
Not only does it Ruin a Subaru; but just about EVERY automobile out there that has a CVT; sooner or later. Oh indeed.
Sorriest automatic transmission that we have ever had. Following a long:
In 1950 I chose to use as my "term paper" in HS, to be "Gearless Automatic Transmissions". I used the Chrysler theory about a way to get a smooth automatic transmission without gears. Yes it used two variable pulleys and one belt and NO gears (except to back up). The idea was awesome; as was the theory.
Sadly, Chrysler abandoned the idea. And for years NO body had one. They used their awesome "planetary gears" automatic transmission; which is THE best way to do it that ;any one has come up with since creation. But wait...
A few decades ago, Nissan decided to resurrect the worthless Chrysler theory (but only make it better). And the rhetoric to this day dazzles the world. "CVT" (Continually Variable Transmission). Wow, doesn't it ring in our ears? WOW! Truly we are led to believe it is better than sliced bread! "Sho nuf!"
Millions have bought into it. Sadly so did I. And I have hated it from the day I drove my brand new 2007 Nissan Maxima out of the showroom, WITH a CVT. Yes, it has a built in problem that can NOT be fixed according to Nissan. Can you believe that. Get this, NOT all of these cars has it, but MANY do!
Worse: the "war stories" about every car that has this worthless transmission; permeate UA-cam and forums. "But don't you know it has NO gears and it is so smooth?". Yep that may be, but it will break down all the time in MANY cars; and it cost 1,000's of dollars to replace it; cuz they "caint" fix it. And it is happening all over the world today. Just imagine be on a interstate hwy and the belt breaks (common). What do you do? You cry when you find out the dilemma you are in. Etc, etc and ETC!
Do the research. "TWO pulleys and a BELT" is NOT the answer. Yes it is cheaper to build but then it can NOT be fixed of most of its problems. Yes some have not had the problems. But millions have. Go to "UA-cam" and see how many videos on that damn CVT problem; all over the world. Google it and you will be swamped with stories that are heartbreaking over this man-made horror.
Finally: If you are wise, do NOT ever buy a car with CVT. Buy one with a standard automatic transmission; that will last for a very long time before it needs fixing; except for a very few that have a problem. Believe it or not.
End of story.
I have cvt on my Subaru crosstrek and now it's 0-60 time is over 12 seconds- it's actually slower in "manual" mode than "drive" mode
I like the idea of CVT. Technically you should get more power to the wheels in a good CVT vehicle than you can get out of a vehicle with a shaft trans or a dual clutch because you will always be at your most powerful RPMs and transfer evenly to a higher gearing. But if your going to talk about driver experience an automatic has a peddle for go and one to stop not much experience or technique there. If you really want to talk about an experience learn to drive a standard transmission.
CVT was a good move for SUBARU they produce a unit that is light weight weak and cheap to build and then screw costumers when the unit fails and it is not re buildable like regular multi speed automatic units .These gen 2 units cost between 8 to 10 thousand Canadian with your old broken unit to be shipped back to SUBARU to study failure .Why put a unit out to costumers if it is not properly field proven getting costumer stuck with huge replacement costs? Also re building would take hydraulic seal kit bottom and top pulleys and a chain and roller bearings kit pretty sure it would cost no more than 500 dollars on cheap end 1000 high end if bought from reputable after market transmission parts suppliers but no body up to now supplies re build kits for SUBARU CVT I had and have Subaru cars as my main drivers up to now when this model runs its coarse WHICH STILL HAS RE BUILDABLE 5 SPEED AUTOMATIC time to look for different manufacturer that hasn't gone FULL RETARD with toy transmissions that has no durability.
It sucks
CVT.. Actually most technologies involved in modern cars.. are great if you view your car as nothing more than a fast thing that takes you from one place to another.
If you don't want to be involved with your car, if you don't want to be bothered with the way it sounds, the direct raw feedback it gives you when you handle and shift it, if you don't love your car like it's a living thing, then yes, all you've been hearing here in this video was positive.
But for me, it's bland.. sad... and lacks spirit.
You can call car enthusiasts as whiny and hard to deal with as you want, and as a matter of practicality yeah we might be so. But you can't deny that this is a passion that is slowly being killed off.
I really miss the way car designers used to think in the 90s and before. I really miss the car scene back then.. every make.. every model.. every single car was unique and quirky in its own way. Now all cars of the same class look like identical copies of each other.
I like subarus, haven't driven one since 2004. Don't like CVTs. Too many issues. Too expensive to fix.
My Impreza cvt gave up at 70,000 mls.
Who’s here because a CVT ruined your Subaru by failing way too early and costing you way more money than any fuel savings you’ll ever get?
I rented an outback with CVT in Alaska and I thought it was superb. it hauled my family along some really shitty roads and got 37mpg doing it-- I am actually thinking of buying one now. lineartronic is a great transmission
Man, I love CVT. Pure CVT. I dislike this "simulated gears" stuff. It's just a matter of getting used to it, and understanding how it works...
See which Impreza is still on the road at 250,000 miles, the manual transmission or the CVT.
Any car can go 250 k miles on a few engines and transmissions.... Subaru CVT will last 130K and that if its driven gently, the FB engines wont go 200K , not to mention how much oil they burn, axle shafts and wheel bearings they eat..
Woopty-doo for your Stupid-ru!
I have 2011 Legacy, 100,000 miles on it I love it. Wife has 2015 Legacy. 36 MPH on highway driving. Love CVT.
CVT ruins the power transfer of the engine to the drivetrain.
The CVT does not transfer power to the drive train. It IS the drive train, part of the drive train. Not sure what you mean by "ruins" - that was a terribly vague statement - but vehicles with CVT's accelerate faster and getting better fuel economy than identical vehicles with a manual transmission or planetary automatic. CVT's ruin the driving experience for people who have closed-minded expectations for what the experience should be like.
what the hell is a partial zero emission vehicle? it's been quite a while since ive heard such a meaningless and slippery Marketing term
PZEV means "when the car is parked and off, it is not releasing any gasses or pollutants." Basically everything is sealed and there will be no evaporation of fuel, coolant, oil.... exc..
Subaru is made for transportation and good gas mileage not hot rodding. You want tire burning power, buy another brand of car that will burn rubber and gas.
CVTs ruin whatever vehicle they’re installed in, CVTs suck.
Better off with the outback plenty of ground clearance. Impreza owner I know tore their front fairing off. Its too low. I haven't noticed any real problems with the 2014 Outback (CVT as well) however I am concerned about the longetivity of these things. Thinking of getting a Forester with manual transmission next.
Wait, I though car enthusiasts like to hear engine noise while acceleration. So why not like the CVT whine?
Call me back in about ten years when you work out all the bugs. Maybe by then I'll have paid off my car and paid to rebuild the crappy ass CVT. In the mean while I guess it will sit in my garage while I make payments.
How much worse is the maintenance of a CVT compared to a discrete transmission?
And now that a few years have passed, the problems are popping up left and right.
I love my 2014 Impreza/CVT, very nice, smooth ride. Plenty of pickup.
Hows the cvt doing now? I just bought a 2020 forester with a cvt in it and I'm hearing very mixed reactions from people. They either claim that they love them or that they're trash and break down at 50k miles.
Hated the idea of CVT, but i've gotten to where i like it fine. its nice and smooth if you arent in a hurry. if you are, well, its a little noisy, but it does go. i've got the crosstrek.
i wont drive one just because im stuborn but yhey are a wonderfull piece of engeneering
dont be stubborn.... and dont drive a nissan, cause theirs are awful
This is a bad review. Driven my 2012 with the CVT for nearly 5 years now, it accelerates perfectly fine for the little low HP powertrain-dragging car it is. It's pretty competitive with cars in the same HP range.
I honestly hate it, being a speed demon, but for 99% of buyers they would never care. I just want a faster car like a RS3 or Golf R or something. That's just me. I admit there's absolutely nothing wrong with it from an objective point of view.
Had a Subie, never again. Head gasket issues, Subaru, equals poor engineering
regardless, it's still an automatic. Drive it as an automatic, dont use the CVT mode then if people wanna complain. I have the 2017 Impreza as an auto, I mean "CVT" and it's still fun and chill to drive. looks nice.
If you wanted an economy Subaru Impreza, why buy the 2 liter... buy the manual 1.5 liter version and be done with it
How long does the CVT last?
I've owned a 2001 forester automatic, then a 2011 wrx standard, and now a 2013 juke cvt. The forester was my favorite and I wish I never traded it in. I got it used with 60k miles on it and it drove great. It didn't get the best mileage and would never win a race, but I was guaranteed it would get me where I needed to go. The wrx was brash, wild and fun to drive. But a pain because it sat too low, had the wide body design of that generation that did nothing more than hang up on anything and everything. the right side of the front bumper cover was held on by duct tape, I always kept a roll in the car for just that reason. It got snagged on a curb and pulled right off. All the skirting up front was coming apart because while driving it 300 miles in snow, snow and ice accumulated up inside causing it to sag and drag against the front tires and the road. Ain't nothing more fun that being out in 15 degree weather at 11pm, trying to clear out the snow and ice. And finally having to take a box cutter and cut away the inner skirting just so you can keep going home. Also where I live, when it rains, the roads flood just enough that the front bumper will drag in the water, further damaging the body work. That generation of wrx was just not meant for bad weather driving. So that why I went with the juke. Granted it does not have the power like the wrx but it's still a fun drive. But even though it's fwd instead of awd it's still good on bad weather. Plus, the biggest reason I got it, the body design is better suited for the local weather. Down side it only gets about 3 to 4 more mpg than the wrx. But that's because although it's about 70hp less than the wrx, it has more hp per liter. The wrx rated at around 265hp and 2.5 liters for 106hp per liter, where the juke is 188hp and 1.6 liters for 117.5hp per liter. And before you say big deal, the 2017 corvette hp ratings are 455 to 650 hp at 6.2liters. Which is only 73hp to 106hp per liter.
Honestly, for me I like the CVT in my Forester. It's not so noticeably different than the the 4 speed automatics I used to drive. It starts off smartly and when I need to pick up speed I just hit the gas and it goes. Rubber band effect? A little but why nitpick? It's really not that noticeable for me to complain about.
I guess Subaru's principle is - If it ain't broke, break it!
CVT = bankruptcy
My ‘14 Forester has a CVT. No issues. Smooth.
i have always though cvts are great in theory. you get to stay kn the power band for good acceleration (if programed correctly) and stay at almost idle for constant speeds. my problem with them is their reliability.
The performance is also sub-par in the subaru FB engines. They are tuned for very little low-speed torque, so the power band is about 4000 rpm away from idle speed. The CVT has to move across a wide ratio change any time you want power. It takes time to do that. At least with a manual, you can drop 3 gears easily before you need to accelerate (and you can adjust ratio with "paddles" with the CVT), but really, more low-end torque would improve drivability for the manual and CVT models.
It's bad with multi-speed automatics too. I drove a rental truck the other day, a Chevy with an 8- or 9-speed that wanted to stay around 1100 rpm all the time. Even slight acceleration up a gentle incline was nonlinear and laggy because it had to downshift 3 gears to wake up and was clearly programmed to resist doing so. Very frustrating to drive.
Having a CVT mileage has been way under, had a Honda Accord with a four speed auto that got 29 city and 37 HWy, CVTs not cracked up to what is claimed.
I've driven a few CVT's and I agree it is as you describe. A trick is to hit the button a bit harder, get it up to 4.5 rather than the 3k/rpm. It will accelerate so much faster, that your on-ramp attainment speed will be met quicker; At that point, don't let up on the button, just ease off gently, this will keep the RPM up, giving a smoother by-way to hi-way experience.
Which button are you referring to?
The NOS button of course. Do not push the button too much or you will blow the welds on the plastic manifold. I don't know what he is talking about.
@@UniqueManoss I think he means the gas pedal
Do these transmissions feel like a Prius??
The best of the 3 is manual, but a CVT is loads better than an automatic. Even a 9 speed I found was to jerky and unpredictable.
+Tim Borisenko Yeah...we've noticed that with new cars with 8-9 speed autos can sometimes be frustrating because of that...
I have a new '16 Forester with a CVT and love not being bothered by the transmission. They did something to the drive too so that ALL the wheels get power essentially by applying brake to a spinning wheel. I am afraid to think about what it will take to get it stuck. A foot of snow on a hill did not do it. The only bother is that it takes a few seconds to go from forward to reverse, but I'll get over it.
The new CVTs are very good! except... I really wish there was a way to turn the fake shift points on and off...
All these factory mpg stats are lies, just take 5mpg off of the showroom figures and you'll be about spot on.
I averaged 38MPG per tank with a stock, 2016, 2.0L/CVT Crosstrek. I upgraded to just a washable, hi-flow, dry, cotton airfilter and can average 40MPG per tank on my commute if I don't romp on it. I can easily get over 525 miles per tank, and refill with 13-14gal(USA), while it will allegedly hold 15.9gal. The car is only EPA-rated for 33MPG hwy. EPA city rating is around 22MPG.
Use a quart of Duralube (or similar), in the oil, at least every other oil change, after 10K miles. This should reduce potential for the rumored premature consumption issues from mileage on these newer boxer engines with alleged looser manufacturing tolerances.
I could get about the EPA-rated 30-31MPG hwy with my 2008 Suzuki SX4 FWD, but it didn't have cruise, and I had to absolutely baby the throttle to do it. Conversely, my 2016 CVT Crosstrek EASILY beats the hwy rating of 33MPG if I set the cruise at 60-65MPH. At slightly slower hwy speeds, it could potentially do even better than 40MPG.
I currently use the stock tire size and I don't leave crossbars on my roofrails for commuting. My 50mile commute may seem boring to some but I listen to music, languages, news, etc. If I want motoring excitement, I trailride a dualsport moto. Then I'm not creating a huge risk to others or my license.
Trying to address car enthusiast from a non car enthusiast perspective
Was interested in the Forester and the outback. Tried to go in with an open mind about the CVT but I just hated the thing. Even worse on the new models Subaru has actually put in preset pully points and paddle shifters to "simulate" driving a standard automatic transmission, thus completely defeating the whole point of having a CVT in the first place. Sorry Subaru, no soup for you!
damn. this is kinda sad. cause I was just stuck on the new cool 2015 legacy's... 4 trims to choose, but none come stick?? It does make me not want to drive it, lol whats a subie with no 5spd?!
Even if an automatic is easier and more fuel efficient to drive, it just doesn't feel right if Subaru doesn't at least offer the OPTION of a manual trans...
AutoMoments exactly. Not even an option for stick :(
Josh Spain AND YOU ARE A BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!!
..?
Josh Spain I've heard that the problem with CVT is they are prone to breaking chains, have low torque capabilities, and life span due to the chains/wear. Particularly if low fluid occurs with in the transmission.
They should stay away with CVT transmission for cars and use them where they belong to; scooters.
It's a Subaru Civic
Subaru cvt Is a Price of Garbage.
@Misnomer Noter I just saw a video, that was stating the opposite. Just look up the 2013 Honda accord cvt review by "the fast lane". The model with the manual trans. was faster than the cvt model. And btw a cvt car sounds like an oversized scooter ^^
Cvt ruins any car🤦♂️
I had a subaru 2019 crostrek cvt are a lot better than 2014 cvt.
My 2018 Outback is fine
I'm not a CVT advocate. I've seen older vs. newer Subaru's doing some 4-wheeling and the CVT struggles on slow uphill climbs compared to the older models. It's been proposed that they deliberately cut power to the CVT to keep it from failing when high torque is required. Out of all the different available transmissions, CVT's are at the bottom of my list.
I have the 2014 5-door Impreza Sport. I came to pretty much the same conclusion, it does nothing exceptionally but it does so many things adequately that overall it's a great car. The clearance has only been a problem one time when I wanted to get to the upper trail head on Grays Peak.
I think I would love my 2018 Outback alot more if it had a standard hydraulic transmission, I hate the excessive revs. But I do like the 40 mpg economy.
Besides the CVT, I'd also like to see the EE20 (Boxer Diesel) engine sold here in the USA. I'd buy a Subaru if it were available with both. :)
CVT can be an old man's friend. It combines the effortlessness of an automatic gearbox with the fuel economy of a manual gearbox plus better standing-start times than either because it is always in the right gear. CVT is also lighter in weight/simpler than an Auto box, if that sort of thing is important to you.
CVT is a no go.
Give me a stick shift anytime.
yea right, you're still using a machanical dialing phone 😂
+Luseei I don't own a cell phone. Land line only for me LOL. Love my 5 speed Corolla a lot!
Even the most reliable cars of all time Honda has now gone with the shitty CVT transmission, I bought a brand new 2016 CRV that had the CVT and it went kaput at 11550 miles, was replaced under warranty and I IMMEDIATELY traded it for a Toyota RAV-4, and I'm so happy I did, never again will I own a Honda. My 2017 RAV-4 is pushing 190k and going just as strong as the day I bought her.
Nicely articulated. Well done. Your balanced viewpoint and ‘Well is it really that bad?’ coda is quite appealing.
No CVT. Every vehicle I’ve driven that has one was a drone-y buzzy abysmal experience. Example: I was in colorado driving one of those non-Jeep Jeeps. With luggage and mountains the vehicle was clearly shy of 50-80 more horsepower it needed, and the CVT added insult to injury, sapping both actual forward momentum the underpowered engine could possibly give, and the nature of the CVT made sure you were aware of that at every possible opportunity on anything with any upward grade whatsoever. A terrible driving experience, and only the most fuel/mpg-conscious misers would trade any additional mpg from a car equipped with this type of transmission and its poor driving experience, for a regular automatic or manual transmission, and it’s much more responsive powertrain and more rewarding driving experience. And the thing is, one does NOT have to be a die hard “car person” or even a car enthusiast, or even to drive a CVT-equipped vehicle in a way of sporty/speedy inclination to know this.
The CVT is often barely adequate for regular driving, and because of the way it challenges a motor to create forward momentum, I would not at all be surprised to see vehicles with CVTs having motors that aged sooner, lost more horsepower and compression and smoothness, and were more prone to breakage of camshaft chains and belts as CVTs cause engines to race more while accelerating, than engines paired with normal transmissions. Also, I’ll choose to replace parts on a relatively less complicated and more durable manual transmission than the CVT. More complication means more time in the shop to fix, and that’s more repair dollars you’ll spend. Maybe not now. Or tomorrow. But someday.
Down with the CVT.
A CVT ruins every car!
yes CVT killing subaru
Im-pret-za. Not imprezza. >_
im not happy unless i get to shift it myself :) but to each their own i suppose
CVT doesn't ruin a Subaru, leaky head gasket does and it usually break just as soon as factory warranty expires! If you really really want one, lease it and get rid of it in less than 3 years.
I won't complain about CVT's until they stop offering manual transmission cars.
How is the durability of the CVT over time? Any feedback? thanks!
It's best to check out one of the Subaru forums on the internet. www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/
sthier24 cvt transmissions are problematic. $7,000-$10,000 for replacement.
CVT is on its early adoption stages right now. Expect most manufacturers to transition to CVT soon. Nissan CVTs are problematic. Toyota and Subaru CVTs are fine so far.
Expect the transmission to not give you any problems within a 5 year time span as most manufacturers intend modern vehicles to last. CVTs are simpler to manufacture and have no friction clutch packs inside that pollute the ATF so i think we are headed towards a CVT future for internal combustion engines.
After you and your new Subaru's honeymoon is over you will start to notice shuddering and drive train vibration when taking off from a stop and slowing down you will get a (square tire feel) pulse shudder. Subaru fans and dealers will not admit it, but it's definitely there. Also they don't get the MPG advertised, I did better with a 2004 Forester 2.5x - 5 MT. I have always owned Subaru vehicles but the newer Subaru reliability issues (wheel bearing hubs, CV axle shafts, oil consumption, and now the CVT annoyance) have me going to another brand.
@@vs8580 Nope didn't happen to me, have 100,000 miles on my 2013 Outback 4 cyl and it still runs like a top.