If you’ve shopped for a modern vehicle in the last 10 years, it might be easy to overlook the CVT automatic line on the feature list. But what does that mean, and how does it compare to a traditional automatic transmission? Well we’re going to take a look at the two types of transmissions and take a deep dive into the CVT meaning, that way you know what you’re buying.
What Transmission Do I Have?
Question one: What is a CVT transmission?
To answer this question, let’s start with the CVT meaning: Continuously Variable Transmission. This means that there are no gears in the transmission. It doesn’t shift from 1st to 2nd and so on. Instead, it has a metal band that is suspended between a pair of pulleys and the two sides of the pulleys can either pull apart or squeeze together in relation to one another. This means the V-shaped metal band can move up and down depending on the position of each pulley. As a result, a nearly infinite number of gear ratios can be achieved.
One of the CVT pulleys is attached to the engine, while the other one is attached to the drive wheels. This allows for a much more compact design, which allows automakers to put CVTs in a wider range of vehicle types. Most buyers will hardly notice the difference between a traditional automatic transmission and a CVT. However, there are rather significant differences in the way that they toperate. For example, when accelerating from a stop, the computer may determine that 3700 RPM is the ideal spot in the power band needed to achieve acceleration goals. This means those pulleys will adjust themselves to keep the engine in the power band until you let off of the gas. So the entire time you’re accelerating, the engine will drone on at 3700 RPM, sort of like it’s stuck in gear. Then when you let off the gas, the pulleys will adjust themselves again to reduce the engine RPM and increase the fuel economy.
A CVT transmission can take some getting used to, but the fuel economy advantages are quite enticing. Many mainstream automakers from Subaru to Honda have started to use CVT transmissions in many of their vehicles. Nissan is one automakers that has fully embraced the CVT, and their xTronic CVT can be found in everything from the Nissan Sentra all the way up to the Nissan Murano. If you have a number of problems however, should we like to learn about the most common Nissan CVT transmission problems, click here.
Question two: What is a traditional automatic transmission?
A traditional automatic transmission will have been a set number of gear ratios that the computer can choose from, depending on the driving conditions. So basically it has 4 – 10 gears that it can use depending on how much acceleration the driver wants, matched against the prevailing road conditions. This technology has been around in one form or another since the 1940s, and it works quite well. Granted, it’s not as efficient as a CVT, but it makes up for that with familiarity of operation.
So from a dead stop, a traditional automatic transmission will start out in a low gear like first. Then as the RPMs increase, the transmission will shift to the next gear, reducing the RPMs while increasing speed. This is a very familiar feeling that offers both audible and tactile clues that the transmission is doing its job. Of course the limited number of gear ratios does mean that the fuel economy will not be as good, and the engine might not be kept in its ideal power band for as long.
CVT vs. Automatic Transmission: Which is best?
Quite frankly, the answer to this question boils down to the application. In a small, efficiency focused car like a Honda Civic or Toyota Prius, a CVT transmission would be absolutely perfect. It can get the vehicle up to speed when needed, then settle down and focus on getting the best fuel economy. This formula also works well in small SUVs like the Honda CRV and Nissan Rogue.
But as the vehicle weight and engine performance increases, a traditional automatic transmission is going to be much better suited for the job. Those individual gear ratios allow for much higher torque capacity, and reliability.
What Transmission Do I Have?
So there you have it; if you drive a efficiency focused vehicle, then a CVT transmission might be right for you. But if you drive a heavier, more performance oriented ride, then a traditional automatic transmission will be the way to go.
