7 Reasons Why You Should Avoid A CVT Transmission (According To Drivers)

Continuously variable transmissions, also known as CVTs, have become quite common over the last decade. Most automakers use them to some extent, especially mainstream brands. For the uninitiated, a CVT is a type of transmission that utilizes pulleys and belts (or sometimes chains) instead of the traditional planetary gears in an automatic transmission or manual gears in a manual transmission. These pulleys and belts continuously change their own gear ratios, negating the need for hard shifts as you find in other types of transmissions. 

It's a neat idea on paper, and in practice, there are benefits to having a CVT. The biggest by a fairly wide margin is fuel efficiency. Since the transmission is always in its optimal gear ratio, vehicles equipped with one get better fuel economy than similar vehicles with other types of transmissions. That is how most automakers use it, and you'll often find that the cars with the best MPG use some combination of a CVT with a hybrid powertrain. CVTs seem like the best way forward, so why are they so unpopular? 

Well, it's a question drivers have been asking each other since the CVT first came out. While the CVT does have its benefits on paper, drivers feel there are detriments that the CVT is yet to overcome. If you're in the market for a CVT, here are several reasons why drivers say you shouldn't get one. 

The first thing many drivers notice about a CVT is the transmission's famous drone. Technically, it's not the transmission making the noise, but the engine. Since the pulleys and belts keep the car in its most optimal power band — that means when accelerating — the engine stays at its optimal RPM for acceleration with no breaks, as with a regular automatic or manual. Thus, the engine stays at the same high RPM until you reach the speed you want, resulting in a constant drone under acceleration. 

To say that people don't like this is an understatement, as it was the second biggest complaint we found among people on social media. In some cases, people find the drone off-putting, especially older drivers who are used to the fluctuations in RPMs that come with a car that shifts gears. Others find it uncomfortable enough that they will ask if their cars are broken because they don't sound the way they think the vehicles should. I've test-driven a car with a CVT before, and I can say firsthand that it is quite weird at first. It is understandable to think something feels wrong, even if the system is acting as designed.

The problem is bad enough that some automakers program fake shifts into their CVTs to give the illusion of an automatic transmission and reduce engine drone during acceleration. 

Arguably, reliability is drivers' biggest concern about CVTs. Nissan is likely the biggest reason for this, as the automaker's Jatco CVTs have been in use since 2003 and have earned a reputation for being fairly unreliable. Nissan's attempts at early CVTs, much like the early diesel engines from American automakers, discouraged many people for years.

People on Reddit asking about whether or not CVTs have become more reliable is one of the most common questions on Nissan's subreddit, and a common one on other subreddits from brands that have CVTs in vehicles. Barring that, people asking how to make CVTs last longer is the second most common question in Nissan's subreddit. In Nissan's defense, modern CVTs are a lot less problematic than the earlier ones, so with a little extra love, a CVT can last a lot longer than it used to. 

The key here appears to be service intervals. Most owners' manuals say to service CVTs after 30,000 to 60,000 miles, but Nissan faithfuls say to err on the side of caution and do it every 30,000 miles. It adds a little bit to ownership costs over the life of the vehicle, but folks say this has worked out for them pretty well. 

The reason reliability is such a concern is that CVTs are expensive to repair and replace. There are many reasons for this, namely the expensive, specialized tools and parts. Mechanics also need specialized tools to work on CVTs, and may be less familiar with them, which increases the cost of labor. The second reason is that some CVTs, namely those from Subaru, are sealed systems. Thus, when they do break, it's often an all-or-nothing ordeal where you have to replace the entire transmission. 

Drivers have traded many horror stories about CVTs breaking and having to get them replaced out of warranty. Since parts are difficult to obtain, rebuilding a transmission can be costly, and so can replacement, leaving owners with virtually no good options. Getting a traditional automatic rebuild usually costs much less, and older automatics are much cheaper to replace as a whole. 

Since failures can be very expensive, the conversation between reliability and replacement costs often goes hand in hand, but they are two separate issues. In many instances, people with blown CVTs will ask if it's a better idea to just get a new car instead, since the costs are so high and reliability concerns are what they are. In most cases, people responding to those questions tell people to just buy a new car. 

So, let's say that you get a CVT and it is reliable, what can you do with it? As it turns out, not much. CVTs are arguably the worst type of transmission in terms of capability. You don't get the low gearing necessary for serious off-roading, and CVTs aren't designed for heavier workloads, such as towing. That isn't to say that a CVT can't go off-road or tow. The Subaru Outback, with its strongest engine, can tow up to 3,500 pounds on a CVT. It's just not the best tool for the job. It's like using a screwdriver as a hammer. You can do it, it's just not as good as a hammer. 

It's a less common complaint, but some people question whether it's a good idea to strain a CVT transmission, and the answer is always the same. Most recommend against heavy workloads on a CVT, and the reason is twofold. One, dubious reliability discourages many from towing with CVTs; and two, automatic and manual transmissions are better built for these workloads with superior torque and control. In short, you buy a CVT for fuel economy and a smooth drive. Drivers will tell you not to use them for any of the fun stuff that you can get away with on other vehicles. 

On paper, a CVT should be one of the best transmissions to drive. It smooths out all of the jerkiness of traditional transmissions by eliminating shifts, and always keeps the car in its optimal power band for the type of work it's doing. Thus, CVTs are always doing exactly what they're supposed to be doing. That should make it an easygoing transmission, right? Well, not really. Per drivers, CVTs are some of the most boring cars on the road, especially if you like to zip around and have fun. 

In this case, the CVT's benefits are also detriments. Without gear shifts, you can rarely launch the car from a stop, meaning every acceleration is smoothed over and regulated by the transmission. Once you get to speed, many CVTs exhibit what's referred to as the rubber band effect, where the car's RPMs go up a moment or two before responding to the driver's input, which makes it reminiscent of lag in a video game. 

In short, everything is so smoothed over that the fun of driving is virtually non-existent. This varies from car to car, with some not exhibiting rubber banding and others getting decent acceleration. Despite that, the overwhelming majority of drivers feel that CVTs make the car feel boring, disconnected, and unresponsive to user input, which is not typically a problem in traditional gearboxes. 

CVTs are often paired with the generally low-powered engines, and are rarely ever paired with high-powered performance-oriented engines. This is because of an emphasis on fuel economy and the CVT's inherent weakness for heavy workloads. Smaller engines need less gas, and CVTs help squeeze out every ounce of fuel economy. CVT drivers must resign themselves to slow speeds and lackluster driving experiences. 

We've seen complaints across multiple social media websites. People often think about the old Toyota Prius when they think of CVT performance, and some modern cars still use very low-horsepower engines with CVTs. For reference, this isn't ancient news. The 2021 Toyota Prius went from zero to 60 MPH in a hair under 11 seconds, making it one of the slowest cars on the road. The reputation that CVTs are always paired with slow engines is definitely earned. 

Modern vehicles are starting to turn this around, especially hybrid vehicles. The latest generation Prius can do 0 to 60 MPH in 7.1 seconds, shaving nearly four seconds off of its predecessor. Similar vehicles like the Honda Accord Hybrid put up similar numbers these days, so perhaps the automakers are finally putting an end to this particular complaint. 

The final thorn in the side of drivers is the inability to deal with CVTs at home. A DIY mechanic can usually service their own engines and transmissions. For CVTs, this is much more difficult. In some cases, it's just the automaker being fussy with it, and in others, CVT repair at home is just too pricy. The tools to service a CVT are expensive and difficult to find, so people who want to make DIY repairs are at a disadvantage.

It also doesn't help that CVTs are difficult to deal with in general. It is not uncommon for knowledgeable folks to tell beginners to skip the DIY and have a dealership fix it. It is certainly possible to service a CVT at home, but the process is often complicated, with some vehicles requiring you to warm the engine before changing fluids. Some CVTs, including those in Subarus, are sealed, which presents a bigger hassle than it's worth for most people. 

If you intend to service your own car, you probably don't want a CVT unless you're up for a challenge. Some people do it, and you can find videos on YouTube showing how to disassemble and service CVTs, but it'll be difficult.