I’ve not driven one that does that full time. I’ve driven one with Autostick, which sort of makes sense, but is poorly executed. Being able to lock it into a ratio like a manual would gives the driver more control, so hill descents/ascents, you can put it where you want it and keep on chugging. The regular CVT mode…

Hmm.... I design playground equipment, I could come up with something, like a set of swings you jump from onto a slide... it’s a starting point.

I hear it’s being replaced by a slower paced show called CVT.

Perhaps I’ve been misinterpreting those decals all this time...

Subs seem to be an exception... to a point. I have no experience with them myself. Before this thread, I didn’t even know they’s started using them.

Exactly, when they came out with that, even with it being a FWD, I’d hoped for a rebirth of the 240sx.... but no.

my condolences.

yeah, my toyota trans downshifts going down hill when I’m coasting. Not necessarily a problem if i were trying to keep speed down on a long descent (usually drop out of OD for those) but it does it on it’s own... What’s up with that?

When mustang drivers test drive other cars.

You’re allowed to disagree if you like. Thing is, I don’t know how many car buyers really know anything about the CVT, we’re a bit more informed on this horeadous condition plauging our modern cars here at Jalopnik. That being said, Cars that are otherwise not bad, either they’re comfortable, attractive, or economical…

The best auto I’ve ever driven was a torqueflite 907 3 spd in a 75 Dart with a fairly well built small block. Something about a rwd, I’ve never driven a FWD auto I thought was near as good as that old tech.

I expect them to give up on it, it’s the Wankle of transmissions. Sounds great on paper... never really works out.

It sounds like the Sub’s have it together a lot better than most. I’ve never driven one to see. I wonder though, on the Volt, if it’s an advantage of the electric motors. CVT may actually work when you’ve got a constant torque output.

I think no matter what you expect, it’s still going to be surprisingly worse. To me, it’s not just how bad the CVT is by itself, no one drives a Compass or a Versa expecting much, but when they put a CVT in something that should be great, like a Maxima or Mini, that’s when it’s a huge disappointment. I don’t even have…

I have, and without enough power, it still sucks.

Interesting, I wonder how that compares to an E55, My boss was just looking at one a few weeks back, said it was a monster, but that was all highway.

Based on Nissan’s early marketing of it, yes, I had hoped. But also noticing they give a much longer warranty on the CVT than any other part of the car tells me not to expect greatness. Honestly, I hate it for much the same reason I hate sequential shifters and Autostick. When I want to down shift to accellerate, I…

The initial marketing on them made them sound awesome, especially Nissan’s. Once the general public got access, the expectations dropped drastically.

I think you’ve answered your own question “When built well”. They also need to be paired to an engine with the right torque band. Sticking one on a 4cyl with less than 150hp in most cases is just terrible, the “shifting” is in the wrong places to make use of the engine’s power. When you stomp on the gas, you expect…

In fairness, I’ve only driven them in rental cars, never in anything with much power to begin with. Rented a Jeep Compass a couple weeks ago, didn’t expect to like it much anyway, but if you ignore that it’s a “Jeep” and except it as simply a compact crossover, it’s not nearly as bad as they say EXCEPT for the CVT…