CVT (constantly variable transmission) or Manual?

[Alex]

Fellow BBers, I need a back-up car for Search and Rescue so I'm probably looking for a smaller SUV hatchback w/either AWD or 4WD. I've never liked automatics. I learned on an old manual Morris Minor in the U.K. and that's my preference for what I've driven ever since. But it's getting to be impossible to find manual transmissions. Do you really save that much gas w/the CVT trannies? I'm a pretty conservative driver. Do CVTs break down less than manuals? The dealers simply tell you whatever you want to hear and it's getting really, really tiresome....

[Racetrackreject]

My previous Jeep had the CVT transmission. I never had any issues with it, but I only had that Jeep for about 3ish years, I think. It did get decent gas mileage for an SUV, but it also had a small engine.
My new Jeep has a 9 speed transmission and I can get close to the same gas mileage if I don't drive like a crazed person, but the new Jeep is so fun to drive, it's hard not to drive like a crazy person..lol. It has a bigger engine as well.
I think the responsiveness in my new Jeep is much better than the old Jeep. The Jeep with CVT felt like it really took forever to get momentum going and I had to be pretty careful when merging or pulling into traffic scenarios because I didn't feel like I had the power to just jump in. The new Jeep is punch and go, like a little race car. It also has the option where you can shift it like a manual transmission, which might be something you would like??

[Mareless]

Never owned anything with CVT, but my DH is an auto engineer who has done alot with engine calibrations, shift patterns, fuel economy, etc and he doesn't care for the CVTs. Not that there is anything horrible about them that he has experienced, he's just said that he doesn't plan to ever own one, he'd rather go with a manual.

[orono]

I love driving a stick, so am not prepared to give it up. As you know there is the supposed fuel savings, but not worth it to me.

[Literiding]

Are you looking for an off road vehicle or a highway vehicle with a bit more ground clearance and four wheel drive?

The two requirements are best met by completely different vehicles and IMHO, the engine design is much more significant than the transmission. Engines with a higher torque curve at low engine speed (usually caused by a relatively long piston stroke) are much better for "walking" the vehicle through rough ground than the typical "highway" engine.

Now having said that, I've found that the automatic is superior to the manual transmission for off road driving except in a single situation. When crossing rough ground, the auto gives superior control of the torque to the wheels across a greater range of speeds. Yes, when defeating nature on a stretch of ground in front of your friends, the manual does great. But when you are going somewhere and need to be there sooner rather than later, the auto is much better. When "de-sticking" a vehicle in deep snow or mud, the auto is two or three times more efficient when "rocking" the vehicle. On slick or icy surfaces where wheel traction is poor, the automatic has a greater range of conditions that the transmission can shift without totally losing traction (what in my day was called "wiping it's feet"). The short powered shift ensured there was less torque change to the wheels causing a loss of all traction. The one condition that manual transmission was superior to the auto was when going down a grade greater than 8 or 9 percent in "Low Transfer Case" speed. The torque converter wouldn't allow you to control your speed down hill by engine compression so you had to ride the brakes. But on the other hand, going up a grade, the torque converter allowed for a smooth start without spinning your wheels which even the best "heel and toe" artists occasionally did.

I've never owned a CV vehicle except tractors with Hydrostatic transmissions. For an off road vehicle, I think that the CV would be even better than the automatic because of the no shift change in speed while being able to accurately control the torque to the wheels with the accelerator. But again, the torque converter can help with a lot of things, and it can get in the way. It would interesting to see if a CV transmission would help a "highway" engine with short stroke do better in the off road environment.

[piedmontfields]

The new CVTs are supposed to be good for performance and efficiency.

I can't comment though as we have 3 basic manual vehicles. Call us control freaks---it's what we prefer. But there are not many choices in the US if you want a straight shift AWD/4WD.

[Chisamba]

I grew up driving manual trannies. I am a convert. Modern transmission are so much more efficient and effective that I think my friends who like manual really do have control issues lol.

[heddylamar]

I'd happily get a modern automatic, but the cvt's I've experienced (including one in a new Toyota today) are like riding in a manual with a new driver -- clunky, early shifts, thumps, clunky ... did I mention weird clunks?

[LeoApp]

I have a Prius with a CVT that is 9 years old. Never had a problem. I don't understand clunks in a CVT?? The whole idea is that it doesn't clunk because it doesn't "shift gears". Mine is smooth as silk. But it's a Prius so we're not talking about a high performance vehicle that does 0 to 60 in 3 seconds!

[piedmontfields]

Modern transmission are so much more efficient and effective that I think my friends who like manual really do have control issues lol.

We do and we admit it.

[Chancellor]

I have a Prius with a CVT that is 9 years old. Never had a problem. I don't understand clunks in a CVT?? The whole idea is that it doesn't clunk because it doesn't "shift gears". Mine is smooth as silk. But it's a Prius so we're not talking about a high performance vehicle that does 0 to 60 in 3 seconds!

I have a CVT Nissan Versa and don't have any clunking either. I WILL say that I've had some minor problems with a hesitation in it though. Like when you are trying to "roll through" a stop sign? Take your foot off the gas, press the brake quickly and then press the gas, there is a hesitation there. But other than that? It's been really good.

[heddylamar]

Based on everyone else's experience, I'm going to presume there was something wrong with yesterday's Prius. Well, I hope so anyway!

[Chisamba]

Modern transmission are so much more efficient and effective that I think my friends who like manual really do have control issues lol.

We do and we admit it.

thats why i said friends, cause they have a sense of humor too, lol

[LeoApp]

I am ashamed to say I never learned how to drive a stick shift.