Subaru developing CVT for all models

[SilentRacer]

"According to a Japanese business rag, Subaru is planning to add the gearless transmission into every model they make by 2010. The first Subie to mate a boxer engine to the CVT is rumored to be the updated 2009 Legacy, and a 2.0L diesel with a CVT may follow shortly there after. While the CVT will be available with every model, we're assuming (and hoping) that manual transmissions will be offered as well.

CVTs are usually a bit quicker off the line than automatics, but in our experience fuel economy savings are a mix bag. While the Sentra's MPG improved with the CVT, in the 2006 Ford Five Hundred, the FWD CVT version got two less MPG on the highway than the auto-equipped SEL model. As far as the driving experience goes, CVTs take a little getting used to since the transmissions keep the engine in the optimal rev range at all times and the transmission feels like it's slipping, but most drivers may never notice the difference."

-winding road

[MCarp22]

I didn't particularly care for the CVT in the caliber, except when accelerating at full throttle.

For non-enthusaists, a magic transsmission that just goes is probably the ticket though.

[oskar_subaru]

my parents have a honda HR-V with a CVT,

whell, it is a good concept, i mean you are constantly holding the engine on the optimum rpm therefor i should be better on mpg and power dilivery than a automatic.

whell, honda at least haven´t quite got it, for example when driving off a stoplight, you either accelerate like an old woman or with more throttle it jumps away with horrible jercks.
And when you´re driving uphill, 3-4 minutes of constant 6-7000rpm just feels like torture. :lol:

personaly i hate it, and for me to buy a subaru with one, it would have to be damned good ! :roll:


Óskar K.

sorry for my spelling, remember english is not my mother language

[auspex]

...you spell better than 99% of the native English speakers......

[oskar_subaru]

...you spell better than 99% of the native English speakers......

:lol:

thanks :grin:

[Reason]

...you spell better than 99% of the native English speakers......

Fat's cumpete billshit.

[Plays_with_Toys]

I test drove the new lancer just to try out the CVT. I can't stand it. Feels like a slipping clutch all the way to 40mph. But I prefer the most direct connection between me and the tires.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Not surprising. I knew Subaru would get back to the CVT eventually.

[subyluvr2212]

They were the first to have it in the US after all :)

Forgive me for saying this though, but I'll bet Subaru won't be 100% responsible for the CVTs they build.

Now, I hope that when they say "every model," they mean "every model except the STi"...

:-?

[TRUBLU]

for nonlikers of the CVT...go test a new V6 Altima or Maxima...then jump into the Murano.

[Khanhfucious]

How the F does the CVT even work?

[SilentRacer]

How the F does the CVT even work?

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cvt.htm

[shazapple]

How are those things setup in terms of controllability? At least with an auto you can stick it in 1st 2nd 3rd. Is there a high low or whatever gear?

[SilentRacer]

How are those things setup in terms of controllability? At least with an auto you can stick it in 1st 2nd 3rd. Is there a high low or whatever gear?

Judging by this id say no, since your shifting gear ratios instead of gears.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2007/07/Nissan_Altima_CVT-1.jpg

[TRUBLU]

Yes, if they don't have the simulated gear ratios then they have a simulated "2" and a simulated "L"

[Wiscon_Mark]

Now, I hope that when they say "every model," they mean "every model except the STi"...

I think when they say that, they are talking about the base cars. The STi isn't really a model, it's just the performance Impreza. (at least here, the STi is also a Forester in Europe and Japan and a Legacy in Japan)

So they'd be talking about the Impreza, Legacy, Forester, and Tribeca.

[Jonathan]

Forgive me for saying this though, but I'll bet Subaru won't be 100% responsible for the CVTs they build.

Now, I hope that when they say "every model," they mean "every model except the STi"...When they say "every model", I think they mean "Impreza", "Forester", "Legacy", "Tribeca", etc...

Models such as the Impreza WRX STi typically arent available with an automatic (CVT or otherwise), and arent likely to become available this way any time soon.

The original production DAF CVT cars produced in Holland in the mid-50ies through the 1970ies featured an expanding diameter pulley that was sensitive to centrifical fource with a rubber belt. This technology was then aquired by Volvo when they bought up the DAF car company in the early 1980ies, leaving the previous owner of DAF free to market his improved technology metal belt CVT setup on the free market. Fiat, Nissan, Subaru, and Ford (and a few others?) all bought in to the technology in the mid 1980ies.

While I am sure the other companies also had working versions of the CVT used for prototype testing, Subaru was the only company to offer this technology for production, in part (I suspect) because few of the other companies had a "microcar" in anticipated large-scale production, and the CVT technology was (at the time) not well suited for cars weighing more than 2000 pounds, and there were all sorts of durability issues with this new technology even with the lighter weight cars.

While it is an open secret, if not common knowledge, the Subaru's 4EAT automatic transmission was in fact a Nissan design "shared" with Subaru, I do beleive that Subaru has spent much of its own money on design, development and testing of their own CVT technology, so it is (IMHO) likely that Subaru's CVT transmission will be their very own, although there is absolutely nothing wrong with sharing development costs of technologies of this magnatute with other manufacturers.