CVT transmission – Pros and cons guide

July 23, 2019

What is CVT Transmission?

Many vehicles come fitted with a continuously variable transmission, also known as a CVT transmission. Compared to standard transmissions, CVT transmission works without any physical gears.

Instead, a belt and pulley system work together to simulate changing gears depending on power demands. One pulley connects to the engine and the other sends power to the wheels.

This can change ratios in response to acceleration, achieving any ratio to match your car. The result is a smoother ride with seamless driveability and efficient fuel performance.

CVT Transmission Pros

1. Better Efficiency & Responsiveness

Vehicles equipped with CVT maximise fuel economy. Today, almost all hybrids use this technology because of the high level of fuel efficiency offered. It’s widely found in Japanese cars such as Honda CRV’s, Subaru’s, Mitsubishi’s and Toyota’s.

2. Seamless Acceleration

CVT transmission offers an infinite number of gear ratios for optimised performance. The infinite ratios help maintain a steady cruising speed which keeps your car’s engine in the peak power range, far beyond the ability of the conventional automatic transmission.

Seamless acceleration is achieved because the transmission is always in the right gear. It ensures the engine speed is optimised for the ideal level of power, enabling the car to speed faster in certain conditions.

The 2019 Toyota Collora Hatchback employs the latest twist on the technology with the ‘launch gear’. Similar to the first gear in standard transmissions, the launch gear handles the car’s acceleration up to 35km/h, then the CVT transmission switches over to the belt and pulley system.

3. Lighter Weight

Without gears to maintain the proper driving ratio, CVT transmissions are lighter and smaller than standard transmissions.

They take up less space underneath the car which reduces weight profile and makes a practical option for compact vehicles. A lower weight profile means your car won’t work as hard when you’re driving, minimising stress and premature wear-and-tear.

CVT Transmission Cons

1. Expensive to Purchase & Repair

Unmatched fuel economy and smoother responsiveness come at a price. Running expenses and upkeep is low as there are less moving parts.

However, repairs can be expensive and often require a complete replacement if they fail. Different types of CVT transmissions also come with their own range of unique problems. CVT transmissions also have different servicing requirements.

Special oil, transmission fluid and parts are required for repair and maintenance and should only be completed by a skilled car transmission specialist.

2. Change Your Driving Habits

If you’re considering purchasing a car equipped with a CVT transmission, always go for a test drive first.

Driving will feel different because the throttle response will seem delayed compared to other transmissions, especially if you are used to driving a vehicle with a standard transmission.

3. Opposite of Sporty

Continuously variable transmissions are designed to be practical with great fuel efficiency.

For drivers who want a car that is fun to drive around, the continuously variable transmission is incapable of handling high-torque applications which makes it hard to achieve that sporty feel.

Contact the CVT Transmission Experts!

For all continuously variable transmission questions, contact Automatic Transmissions R Us by calling us on (08) 9240 5449, emailing info@autotransrus.com.au, or submit a contact form!

Frequently Asked Questions

What Cars Have a CVT Transmission?

CVTs have been used in various vehicles for many years and are generally considered reliable transmissions. They are especially popular in hybrids and SUVs because they offer excellent fuel efficiency and smooth, uninterrupted power delivery.

How do CVT Transmissions Work?

A CVT transmission works using a belt and pulley system to constantly change the gear ratio. This is done by having the belt ride on two pulleys, an input pulley and a output pulley.

As the belt rides on the smaller pulley, it moves faster than the larger pulley, which gives you a higher gear ratio. As the belt rides on the larger pulley, it moves slower than the smaller pulley, which provides you with a lower gear ratio.

How Reliable are CVT Transmissions?

      Excellent rating  
 Based on 280 reviews 
    
  
 
 
      I must say, I’m not one to often leave reviews, especially when it comes to services like this. However I was really pleasantly surprised with the service here. I’m quite new to the Perth area and had a whining issue with my 2010 rav4, so did some digging for transmission shops around the area, the review of this one definitely stood out and they didn’t disappoint! I went to the Toyota dealership to get the same issue looked at and they just took my 250$ and told me to completely change the Trans and Front diff and quoted me 20k. I came here for a second opinion. I got a call back from cam, who told me after looking at the car it is indeed noisy but it isn’t something that actually deteriorates the life of the car. He proceeded to tell me he has dealt with a lot of the callbacks for this exact model and problem. He told me if I could live with the noise and couldn’t afford a repair he’d recommend I just drive with it. He told me if you put the noisy piece next to one that isn’t noisy you wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference. I really really appreciated the transparency and honesty here, he didn’t try and upsell me or quote me an expensive repair, he just gave me the god honest truth (you can drive with it, if you want the noise gone only way to fix it is to replace it). If there is any other issues with my car at all I’ll be sure to come back here as I was truly impressed by the transparency and quality of service. Many many thanks to the team and especially cam! Bloody legend!
     
   Obey Summer 
 1 days ago
 
 
 
 
    The team at Automatic Transmissions R US were fantastic. Their service was excellent. Pam and the team made the process easy, especially as I was transporting my vehicle by courier. They were able to book my car in for as soon as I could get it delivered. The service team did great work inspecting and then completing the repairs. They kept in contact with any updates and were fast, reliable and reasonably priced.
Thank you Automatic Transmissions R US
     
   Michelle Te Aho-Woodbrook 
 9 days ago
 
 
 
 
    
     
   H S 
 48 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Came here to check my card transmission, very satisfied with the results and they give me good feed back that I need to do, luckily the transmission is no issue so, no charge for that, thanks very much for best service :)
     
   Faisal 
 55 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Ongoing issues with my car others couldn't fix, they sorted first visit, no issues since. Highly recommended 👍👍
     
   markymark9172 
 56 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Cameron and the team are the go to for transmission issues. I could not be happier with the service provided.
     
   Chris Parker 
 84 days ago
 
 
 
 
    I booked the vehicle in for a noise I thought was coming from the gearbox. Graham inspected the vehicle and found it was not a gearbox issue. Graham pointed out other possible faults that could result in the problem i was experiencing. I felt reassured and can highly recommend this repairer who didn't charge me for the diagnosis. Thanks to Cameron and the team at Automatic Transmission R Us a job well done.
     
   George Doneo 
 84 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Trailblazer/ Colorado TC shudder
Had to fight with Holden for many years for a repair for the TC shudder, offered a band aid fix from Holden that failed on two previous occasions.
The team at Transmissions R us were completely honest, as a mechanic in a previous life the explanation of the common problem made sense. (Phoenix Holden constantly denied this issue)
Had the  Transmission  repaired and drove like new, I literally drove the vehicle across Australia towing a boat. After 10 months noticed some slight leaking of ATF on the bell housing. The team repaired the leak that included removal of the Transmission without question.Highly recommend this business.
     
   Darren Ginnane 
 107 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Took my car in recently on short notice when I was informed of a auto trans issue from my normal mechanic. I was met with exceptional customer service and expertise which lead to a quick diagnosis to confirm my true issue which was a crappy ac compressor making the noise.

Will definitely be returning to these guys in the future for any auto trans work.
     
   luke sampson 
 116 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Was just booking in my car,great conversation very up front with the information I needed to know  very helpful
     
   James Taylor 
 119 days ago