10 Of The Fastest CVT Transmission Cars You Can Buy

Whether its producing the most hair-raising sports cars or the most practical SUVs, each area of a manufacturer's car has to be fine-tuned to not only sell them, but build a reputation. While the engine under the hood is, of course, incredibly important, equipping a car with the right transmission can make or break it. The transmission types that have long since been familiar with buyers are the manual and automatic, which are still well and truly alive today. However, while these transmissions offer a more engaging driving experience, the CVT, or continuously variable transmission, brings its own host of benefits.

Countinuously variable transmissions don't use traditional gears; Instead, they use a pulley along with a belt or chain to send power to the wheels. Instead of focusing on performance and overall driving dynamics, a CVT transmission can sometimes significantly help achieve better fuel efficiency ratings, an area of the industry that has become increasingly competitive. You'll also see many hybrid models, such as the Toyota Camry, utilize an eCVT, or electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. This type of CVT also harnesses the power of the electric motors that come with hybrids, which we haven't included in our list below. If you're looking for a car with a conventional CVT that also offers decent performance, here are the fastest models to feature a CVT in 2025.

When it comes to the manufacturers known for outstanding performance, Toyota isn't the first that springs to mind. The Japanese brand still produces cars such as the GR86 and the GR Supra, which offer an unsurprising amount of value for money, but it's the more affordable, practical models that lead the charge for the manufacturer when it comes to sales. Like many other performance-focused cars, the two aforementioned models are available only with manual or automatic transmissions, leaving it to one of the most affordable cars on sale from Toyota to come standard with a CVT transmission.

The Toyota Corolla is one of the oldest models in the lineup, dating back all the way to 1966. In 2025, its philosophy of being a small, affordable yet practical car remains, with the base trim starting at just $22,325 for the sedan and $23,780 for the hatchback, excluding the $1,125 delivery charge for both. Powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine, the 2025 Corolla only produces 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, allowing for a top speed of 111 MPH. It's certainly not the fastest car on the road, but performance isn't the focus. Thanks to the CVT transmission, which is the only available option, you get an impressive 35 MPG combined, according to the EPA. Not quite the same as the 47 MPG rating in the hybrid sedan, but impressive nonetheless.

Along with smaller sedans and hatchbacks, SUVs use CVT transmissions to be as efficient as possible. While many of the most popular SUVs make good use of automatic transmissions and achieve impressively efficient ratings, some brands still go for the smoother transmission type in a bid to offer a more relaxing experience behind the wheel, and hopefully one-up their competition on the fuel economy side. One of these brands is Kia, which put a CVT in many of its cars in 2025. It's called the Intelligent Variable Transmission in these cases, which is Kia's version of a CVT, designed to be more efficient and engaging, and even includes a manual mode.

The 2025 Kia Seltos is one of these models — a compact SUV starting at a mere $24,690  along with a $1,375 destination charge, which we enjoyed driving last year. Only the Soul SUV and K4 sedan manage to come in at a lower price. As you might expect, a small SUV this cheap isn't incredibly fast, with its 2.0L inline-four cylinder engine providing an output of 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. This gives the Seltos a top speed of 118 MPH, which is actually quite competitive in this packed segment. A turbocharged 1.6L engine is available for the higher trims, but the CVT is replaced with an eight-speed automatic. The EPA gives the base 2025 Seltos a rating of 29 MPG combined, but the S trim unlocks a front-wheel-drive configuration, improving the combined rating to 31 MPG.

Toyota isn't the only Japanese automotive giant to have long-standing models remain in its lineup. Neighboring brand Nissan also continues to build on the legacies of its various cars in production today. Focused on both the sedan and SUV segments to appeal to as many customers as possible, the Nissan Sentra was first introduced in 1982 and remains a popular choice this year, seeing a 39.8% increase in sales in 2024 compared to 2023. The sedan has seen its fair share of changes throughout its eight generations, but its $21,590 starting MSRP makes it one of the most affordable new cars on the market. Not as low as the Versa at $17,190, but still a great base price overall. Note that this price doesn't include the $1,140 destination charge for the Sentra. 

Similar to the likes of the Corolla, the Nissan Sentra isn't built for speed. Powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder, an engine size you'll see quite frequently in this list, the 2025 Sentra produces 149 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. This puts it below others in its segment when it comes to power, but Nissan still says that the compact sedan can reach 120 MPH. Opting for CVT transmission, efficiency is once again the focus to keep running costs down alongside the initial purchase price, being good for 34 MPG combined.

Stepping up the price tag by some margin brings us to one of Honda's most popular cars, the Civic. Available in both sedan and hatchback forms, the hybrid variant of the model makes a much-anticipated return for the 2025 model year and is already competing with the industry's best within this segment. Like most hybrids in the same area, the Civic hybrid uses an eCVT. In the non-hybrid model, the Civic features a standard CVT transmission, offering competitive performance for a starting MSRP of $24,250 for the sedan and $27,450 for the hatchback, excluding the $1,150 destination charge.

Under the hood of the 2025 Honda Civic is a 2.0L four-cylinder producing a respectable 150 horsepower paired with its CVT transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, but it still manages to reach a top speed of 124 MPH despite losing out on acceleration. You'll also be able to hit 36 MPG in the 2025 Civic sedan and 34 MPG in the hatchback, remaining competitive in this vital area of these cars. Comparing this with the hybrid model, you won't get the outstanding 49 MPG rating that the new sedan can achieve, but this model will cost you a notably higher $28,950.

Matching the Honda Civic for top speed is one of Kia's latest entries to the lineup and one of its direct competitors, the compact K4 sedan. Introduced onto the market in 2024 as the replacement for the outgoing Forte, the K4 is still incredibly fresh compared to some of the well-established models it goes up against, but it certainly has all the capabilities to hold its own on paper next to the likes of the Civic and the Corolla. At the time of writing, only a sedan is available for the nameplate, starting at just $21,990, but a hatchback version is set to join the fleet towards the end of 2025. The destination charge sits at $1,155 for the 2025 K4.

Not only does the 2025 K4 look pretty stunning, but it also has the components under its shell to be more than worthy of consideration if you're in the compact sedan market. Following suit with the segment norms, you get a CVT transmission in the K4, using Kia's IVT technology that features in the Seltos. Another car powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder, the K4 produces 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, which is comparable to its direct rivals. The similar power output allows the new sedan to achieve a top speed of 124 MPH — a solid show of specs for its first year on the market.

When it comes to the most iconic cars in the world of rally, very few can hold up to the legendary Impreza. The Impreza won a total of three World Rally Car manufacturer and driver titles throughout its time in competition. Introduced to the U.S. market in 1992, the Impreza continues to impress. In 2025, the model took on a different role in the company's lineup while maintaining fundamental aspects of the original, such as being the entry-level car for Subaru, starting at $24,360. However, to unlock its full potential, the RS trim costs $29,250with a destination charge of $1,170. The Impreza is only available as a hatchback, with the Legacy and WRX being the two sedans from the brand in 2025.

Powered by a 2.5L flat four-cylinder engine, the 2025 Impreza RS produces 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque. With a CVT transmission as standard, the Impreza also comes with Subaru's beloved all-wheel drive feature, which maintains the rally-esque driving dynamics that the nameplate has become synonymous with. Despite front-wheel drive models usually being the better choice for efficiency, the Impreza still manages to achieve 29 MPG with the 2.5L engine, which is lower than some key rivals but not by a huge amount. It makes it up in outright performance, however, with a decent top speed of 125 MPH.

Keeping on topic with Subaru, the more expensive Legacy sedan shares hardly any similarities with the smaller Impreza hatchback, ultimately topping it when it comes to performance. Being on the market for slightly longer than the latter model, the Legacy made its debut onto the U.S market in 1989 and remains one of the key models in keeping Subaru competing in as many ultra-competitive segments in the industry. Starting at $26,810, excluding the $1,145 destination fee, it's a little more expensive than the Impreza, but that's not surprising, given its larger size and more powerful engine.

The engine in question is Subaru's 2.5L four-cylinder BOXER, which has featured in the lineup since 2020, producing a solid 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. Despite the larger engine, the 2025 Legacy still puts a CVT transmission to use, which helps keep the efficiency ratings higher without sacrificing much performance. The mid-size sedan can reach a top speed of 130 MPH, keeping in touch with the very best in the hotly contested segment. As with the Impreza, the Legacy also comes with all-wheel drive as standard to bolster its handling and on-road functionality. As for the fuel economy, the Legacy is rated at 30 MPG combined by the EPA.

An unfortunate but incredibly common trend followed by American automakers in recent years is the discontinuation of sedans. Brands such as Lincoln and Buick now offer SUVs exclusively, making it much trickier to find an American-made sedan that's worth it compared to the crossovers on sale. Until 2025, Chevrolet was one of the last remaining brands with a sedan on sale; However, the Malibu ended production in late 2024, with no current plans for a replacement. Still, the newest version of the Malibu sedan is one of the standout mid-size cars that uses a CVT transmission, turning on a light before the iconic nameplate goes out this year.

Starting at $25,800, plus a destination fee of $1,195, the 2025 Malibu comes in at a generous price point, costing less than rivals such as the Honda Accord and the Kia K5. In combination with the CVT transmission, the last Malibu comes with a 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder, producing 163 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. A solid combination of the two units, it can reach a top speed of 130 MPH as well as reach 60 MPH in 7.5 seconds from a standstill. You can also drive the 2025 Malibu at 31 MPG combined, giving it another element that stays in touch with more expensive rivals.

Shifting focus back to Nissan, the most expensive car you can buy from the brand in 2025, before reaching the all-electric LEAF, is the 2025 Altima. Another model that has been in the brand's lineup for quite some time, the Altima might not sell as well as the more affordable Sentra, but it still makes a great effort to justify its $27,000 starting price tag. With pricing going up to $33,330 (the delivery charge sits at $1,145 for all trims), it remains competitively priced for each trim, but this is unfortunately the last model year. One of two cars that Nissan is discontinuing alongside the Versa, the Altima will leave the lineup after the 2026 model year.

Despite this, the 2025 model is certainly nothing to scoff at in one of the most competitive areas of the industry. A CVT transmission also makes its way into the largest Nissan sedan on sale. As for the engine, the Altima comes with a 2.5L four-cylinder producing 188 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque, staying close or edging ahead of its closest rivals. When pushed to its relatively low limit compared to other cars on the road, the outgoing Altima can reach a top speed of 130 MPH, becoming one of the fastest cars to use a standard CVT transmission in 2025.

A subsidiary brand focusing on the luxury and performance segments is nothing new to major Asian manufacturers selling in the U.S. market in 2025, but Honda has long since taken a unique direction with Acura by targeting the U.S. primarily. Only branching out into a handful of international markets such as Canada, Mexico, and Panama, Acura has a relatively limited lineup compared to other subsidiaries such as Lexus, but all six models are massively attractive within their respective segments. For the compact sedan segment, the Integra has led the charge since 1986, before returning to the lineup after a hiatus in 2022. In 2025, the Integra starts at $33,000 with a $1,195 destination charge, but as it's marketed as a premium sports sedan, the higher price tag can be understood.

Acura follows up on the premium sports selling point for the compact sedan, powering the Integra with a 1.5L turbocharged four-cylinder, producing 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. Only the Type-S gets a larger 2.0L turbocharged version. Despite being more performance-focused than other cars on this list, the 2025 Integra still uses a CVT transmission to achieve its top speed of 135 MPH. This transmission comes with a manual shift mode, with the genuine manual mode reserved for higher-level trims. The EPA estimates that the Integra can also still achieve 33 MPG combined despite its power.