LOOK MA NO GEARS!!
The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is totally different from all of the transmissions available today. There are no gears with interlocking teeth. The CVT uses two sets of opposing cone shaped pullys. One pair at the top and the other at the bottom of the transmission. One cone of each pair is fixed and the other is movable in and out. There is a multi-layer steel belt that wraps around both sets of cones. One set is connected to the engine and the other set is connected to the driveshaft. As the car changes speed the cones move in and out and the belt moves on the cones giving more or less power transfer to the drive shaft.
Is the Continuously Variable Transmission for you?
The advantages of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) are its simplicity and efficiency. The CVT has far fewer moving parts than any of the other transmissions. This makes it less expensive to build. It is also smaller and lighter than other transmissions. The efficiency comes from the computer and the transmission working together to keep the engine operating in it’s most efficient operating speed (RPM). This feature enables the CVTs to deliver significantly higher gas mileage than any of the other transmissions.
LOVE IT OR HATE IT ?
There is also kind of a love-hate reaction to the CVT by drivers. The CVT under easy driving is very smooth. There are no gears to shift creating noise and vibration. They also improve the performance of the smaller engines in compact cars. The downside is that under harder driving they can be noisy and they hold the engine in higher engine speed making even more noise. Under certain conditions it feels like the CVT and the engine are fighting each other for control.
There is also the reliability question. Some people say neve buy one and others swear by them. My take is that they are not much different from the standard automatics. Nissan is the champion of the CVT. They have been using CVTs in all of their cars from the Sentra to the Maxima for several years. If there were significant problems they would have certainly changed by now.
Nissan has used CVTs in all of it’s cars and small SUVs foe several years.
ADVANTAGES
- COMPACT & LIGHT WEIGHT
- SMOOTH OPERATION
- PROVIDES GREAT FUEL ECONOMY
- IMPROVES PERFORMANCE
- NO GEARS TO SHIFT
DISADVANTAGES
- CAN BE NOISY
- WILL NOT HANDLE HIGH POWER ENGINES
- DURABILITY QUESTIONED BY SOME
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