Don’t Look For Subaru To Drop The CVT Automatic Transmission Even If You Despise It

Recently bought a Forester and even before on the test drive before didn't get what all the fuss was about the CVT. I actually prefer its smoothness.

CVT is great for that - it drops itself after a while.

CVTs all eventually drop themselves, so no worries for Subaru.

Driving 6 Subaru vehicles since the CVT arrived on the Outback in 2010.
NEVER a single hiccup or problem with them in 6 vehicles over 9 years in our family of 4.

I'm a new 2019 forester owner.

Love the CVT transmission. I can get down hill braking instantly, without worry about transmission damage.

The BRZ does not use a CVT for the automatic models. It is actually a Toyota automatic 6 speed named A960E. Hope that helps!

CVT is fine, but darn it.. gimme a manual tranny option. Will you? How difficult is that to understand?

I love a manual transmission, but I actually don't hate the CVT in my wife's 2015 Legacy. Unlike the crazy rev happy Nissans that drone along at 4000 rpm plus (whatever the max power or torque band) and stay there (feels like a constant slipping clutch with no feeling of linear acceleration), the Subaru accelerates smoothly, yet with slightly surging "shifts." I would much prefer a 6M, but this CVT is much smoother acceleration less jolting than the last two 6A we had in our 2010 Escape and 2013 Edge. Honestly, the only issues with any of these three are slight lurching slowing to a stop.

I don't understand why the media keeps insisting that users prefer regular auto transmissions over CVTs.

A good CVT makes the vehicle peppier, more fuel efficient and silent (due to lower RPMs). And last but not least, minimizes the annoying choke when you step on the gas and the transmission decides what to do.

Again, a few years ago it might have been correct, especially after Nissan's and VW's sloppy CVTs (which persist as of today).

Today, Toyota's CVT drivetrains still have room for improvement comparing to Honda and Subaru, but it's gotten to a level that that they 've made automatics obsolete.

Once you drive a great CVT, like the Ascent, Forester, Fit, HRV, Accord, CRV, you're hooked.

The CVT will absolutely keep me from buying another Subaru. I've owned Subarus since 1995, including my current 2012 Impreza with CVT. I said soon after purchase that I'd never own another CVT if I have a choice. I'm in the minority since Subaru is selling cars faster than they can make them. Most people, including my wife, obviously don't mind driving a sewing machine. I particularly hate the hesitation when in a situation where you need immediate power. That delay while the belt moves to a lower"gear" can be dangerous as far as I'm concerned. Thankfully, Mazda is still using "real" transmissions and will likely be my next car.

Subaru is a brand built on durability and a rough tough image. After one year I just traded in my crosstrek because that transmission was a nightmare in the mountains where I live . My old Forrester used to make short work of the hills and shitty roads up here. Another company going for mainstream appeal, and are forgetting where they came from.

I will not buy any vehicle with the CVT transmission. I have three Subarus and deal with their head gasket and ghost walking issues. I do not need another problem added to the headaches. One way I look at it is the automatic transmission has been around long enough to be pretty fool proof. Not so the CVT.

Just ordered a 2019 Crosstrek with a manual, because local dealer didn't have any on the lot. I drive my vehicles until the wheels fall off, so I needed something that would get me to that point. The CVT is highly unreliable and prone to premature failure. We're talking about ~100k mi or less people. Most will not take the steps to perform this research, and find this out for themselves before making a purchase. Of course most also do not keep a vehicle for anymore than just a few years and are stuck in an infinite payment loop, but that's not me. No need or want for eyesight either, trying driving one in the upper midwest in the middle of winter! Constantly disabling itself due to dirty windshield, one would burn through hundreds of gallons of washer fluid just to keep the system happy. No thanks... I'll just keep my eyes and mind on the road as was intended from the get go.

My 2011 Outback was my first experience with a CVT. That year the pulley ratio changed continuously with no shift points, unless it was put in "manual" mode and you used the paddle shifters. Despite having driven manual transmissions for years this CVT didn't bother me. My 2017 Outback, however, is programmed to simulate shift points while accelerating even without using the paddles, so I don't understand why anyone would not like the "feeling" since from the driver's perspective it acts like a multi-gear automatic. Have these pre-programmed shift points been eliminated in more recent models?

As someone who keeps their cars for a LONG time (17 years for one of our Foresters), I just don't trust that CVT's will be trouble free that long. I just upgraded one vehicle to a 2018 Forester because it was the last year to get a manual transmission. Subaru used to be about solid, safe, low complexity vehicles that were simple and safe to drive and that seems to be gone... so yes, probably my last Subaru.

I don't like the CVT in the mountains, and in high speed but high traffic freeway driving. Yes, it is reason I have not bought a new Subaru to replace an old Forester. Could use more power too.

the brz doesn’t use a cvt. It has a 6 speed automatic.

I've had a new 2019 Ascent for about 5000 miles and a few months across a wide variety of driving including pulling a boat on a trailer. I love this vehicle! I see no reason to hate the cvt. It works well. Acceleration is impressive for such a large vehicle. I have not found any reason to use the paddle shifters. Over the last 1000 miles my Ascent registered 26 mpg. The rear braking system has already saved a collision. The CVT has not ever come to mind. I don't care what trans they use as long as it works. And it does.

I will never buy a new subaru then. My 2007 was my first and last subaru. They pushed me to Volkswagen because of there shitty CVT. Ill never own another subaru.