the only concern i have at all with CVT is reliability. now i dont know if they are reliable or not but that is what you hear. could care less about if they are fun to drive or whatever. reliability is all that matters .... who cares how much more efficient they are if all your saved gas money is going to repairs and maintenance.

I don’t know why all the whining about the CVT transmission. I have a 2012 Subaru Outback with 192,000 miles. Do you know how many it’s been on the dealer for ANY kind of repairs??? 0000. Did you read this right?? ZZERO REPAIRS including the CVT. If you don’t like it then buy something else, like an Audi?.. well my neighbor have an Audi S4. His car is always at the repair shop and every time he gets hit with thousand dollar bills.

Its all you reviewers complaining about CVT's for the last 10 years that made them add fake gear changes

you didnt explain why CVT are horrible, the only thing you complained about was fake gears. btw the CVT transmission isnt just a little bit smoother, its a lot smoother than your traditional automatic transmissions. In the end if its just fake gears and a too smooth of a transmission for you then saying its horrible is an overstatement, its a low budget luxury sedan after all so cant expect much.

own this exact 3.6. THe CVT acts like a cvt under low and medium acceleration, holding the revs at a certain point. Then when you do close to full throttle, it simulates shifts to prevent it from droning. It gets the job done and I never feel like its sluggish. Plus I average 27 mpg in an AWD sporty sedan.

"I guess you could consider Subaru as known for their AWD" he says while they literally only make AWD cars

My beef with cvt went away after driving one. I hated the feel in the beginning because the car felt like it was stuck in first and revved at 3500 all the to 70mph but now It kind of grew on me

CVT is great. I think you might be missing the point. Who cares what it does in automatic mode. The paddle shifters are great for when I want to keep it at high revs for either fun or torque. A great solution for a slightly sporty general vehicle.

I mentioned this on the Regular Car Reviews video recently, but I have a coworker who *swears* by his Outback 3.6R. And he is a BMW enthusiast - used to have a ZHP 330ci. He's trying to save up for an M240i or M235i supposedly... But anyway he says the steering is pretty good and the engine sounds good. Which, I agree, flat sixes do sound awesome. And the Outback is huge inside. I totally get why he got it for the family, seeing as how the Legacy and Outback are based on the same platform.

From an Audi S8 (V10) owner: Update just leased 2019 Legacy 3.6R. Got another 3.6R because of 2016 experience and no 3.6 Boxer 6 available on 2020 upcoming model... 2019 much more refined suspension and idle over 2016. What we love about this car : >3.6L Boxer 6 cylinder = Porsche 911. The 911 had this same engine 3.6L from 1990-2012. Only Subaru and Porsche do Boxer engines. This engine is made in Japan (high quality), Regular Gas and NON TURBO.....90-94 this same engine had same HP and Torque ratings. >This is Subaru's "HIGH TORQUE" Lineartronic CVT and this thing pulls like a champ all the way up a monster hill. FYI: CVTs have been banned by Formula 1 racing.... >On Driving Experience: This 2019 Subaru is wonderful when dealing with potholes. Steering and braking are tuned very well. Engine, transmission, steering and braking all in harmony. >No carbon build up on valves with Port Fuel Injection.. >AWD and Regular Gas. Fully loaded ~ $35K. > A hidden Gem if you are coming from experience with much more expensive high horsepower European Cars.

We have two Subarus with CVTs. We love them. Great gas mileage and smooth acceleration. We don't don't need to feel every shift point. It is a car not a amusement park ride. But, i understand that some people need to get there jollies from their car.

I have 2020 ascent and taking it to dealer to look at similar issues. The can shifts to 2nd gear very early and looses power, unless I step on it more, or wait it out to reach RPM. Then at higher speed 30 or so, it also does not have power and i need to add more gas , then it downshift and then upshifts, its very jumpy . Is this normal for the CVT?

I’m assuming that he bought a car that he couldn’t afford, instead of letting the bank taking it back He came back to his senses and traded it in for a car he could actually afford lol There is a theory for everything

I went from an Acura TL (3.2 auto) to an Outback (2.5 cvt). Down on power substantially, and the cvt is a different experience for sure.. But the Outback gets 31mpg avg, and has pushed 10+ inches of snow over a 9000ft pass many times without a wimper.

I have the 2016 subaru legacy and live in the pocono mountains and I love it. Smooth driving up and down hills and 30 mpg. In the summer. This car only does the fake shifting when you want to use the paddles which I almost never do. Cvts are awesome if you like a smooth ride.

I have a 2016 2.5 Limited and like it overall. Acceleration from a stop sucks if you gun it, get it rolling to about 30 at 1/2 throttle then floor it. I personally like the simulated shifts just the feeling of 'Normalcy' imo. Of the CVTs out there some are better than others, and Subarus kicks the crap out of Nissans by not feeling as rubbery. Overall quality is nice, and it is very spacious compared to the Fusion. Speaking for the 2016 model with the 18 inch rims, the ride can be a little harsh compared to the Fusion (Using that as a benchmark, they ride very nicely), Personally I preferred the handling of my 2015 Fusion 1.5 over my Legacy, infotainment in the 18 Legacys and up are on par with Sync 3, but Sync 2 has the old Starlink infotainment system beat imo (I like having the home screen with the mix of info). Brakes on both the Fusion and Legacy need some help. I like the Fusions firm pedal, but smooth stops are near impossible, the Legacy is very spongy, but easy to stop smoothly. Eyesight in stop and go traffic is a godsend. As for mileage, I get better mileage out of my legacy (26-27 average) versus my Front drive 1.5 Fusion (19-21 average) ever got. I am a spirited driver, but most of my drive is stop and go, bumper to bumper BS so having a Turbo is more of a hindrance. I suspect the 2.0 Ecoboost would have gotten better mileage with my daily drive just because it would have more non turbo power to use from go. I wont go into looks, since they're subjective.. but both look good(not offensive) to me .

FYI- I have a 2015 Subaru. I love my car but I feel like everyone should know that the 2011-2015 CVTs are covered with an extended 10 year/100,000 mile warranty because they have a ton of problems 😬 But Subaru fixed it very quickly with no argument 💕

Weird. I went from Audi S7 to homely Toyota Highlander AWD limited. Similar move to practicality. It was nice to trade in a car and get money back though. Anyhow... there is something pleasing about driving in a car that nobody notices but is supremely practical. I never worry about my vehicle now... so it's liberating in a way.

I put 36000 miles on a 2009 6 speed 370z. Then I had kids and got a 2010 civic si that now has 179000 miles on it. Then I had another kid and they got big. Now I have a 2017 outback with 40000 miles on it. The CVT is great to daily drive with. My sports cars are way more fun to drive. My outback get 35mpg on a good day 28 on a bad one. The CVT is way better than any regular auto I test drove in the 5 months it took me to decide on a car.

so please tell me if cvt sucks what other car or suv transmission please that we can rely on specially in Canada & winter situation, thanks

You didn't really seem to talk much about the failures in CVT's which is what I was looking for... I just bought myself a 2015 legacy and I do really love it though. wish I could have afforded The 3.6 l

i own a 2015 legacy 3.6 and its on its 3rd version of tuning the motor along with the cvt and also the after market exhaust . The car does 0 to 60 in 6.1 seconds down from the factory 7.3 seconds and getting better with every tune update .

I own an AP2 S2000 with one of the best manual transmissions ever made (according to journalists and the Internet anyway), and my 18 Subaru with CVT feels just fine to me, it's quite a stretch that they're a "nightmare". I would like to see a defeatable fake shift program, but at lower revs the controller does make it work like a pure CVT. The paddles are useful for forcing higher revs in anticipation of a tricky merge, just like they are on a conventional automatic.

Ive driven a Toyota and Mitsubishi CVT and both were really good to drive. Both were quick enough and I like the fact you dont have gears so there is no constant sudden shifting up and down of gears which I find uncomfortable in some traditional auto boxes, and often found autos to be slow to respond to quick changes of speed or inclines, so have preferred manual transmissions most of my life so far. Im in the UK, and apart from the BRZ, all Subarus are CVT only. Not a problem. Great sounding, nice and relaxing, plenty enough power for normal daily use. Ive seen a number of Subaru CVT POV videos and even the 1.6 new shape Impreza picks up speed easily enough without any fuss. If people need tons of power to enjoy a car, they obviously don’t understand what Subaru is all about these days.

Same here. The big advantage of CVT's is that they are always in the right gear(ratio) and you can get better fuel milage with them while at the same time driving a heavier vehicle. Putting in the shift points defeats the purpose of the CVT really and the flappy petals under the steering wheel are a waste.

Pretty much everyone, whether we are auto enthusiasts or just Jane or John Does trying to choose from the bewildering options we face when shopping for a new vehicle, is faced with compromises. If you have pots of money, you can stop reading now and just look in your six car garage and decide which of your half dozen vehicles is the least compromising for what you want to do today. I've reached the golden age of 80 without having to to sell my winter home in Mexico to add five garage/parking spaces - and cars - to my home in the frozen north. A neighbour in our condo building up north owns somewhere between six and eight cars at any time, and rents spaces in or out of the building so he can decide whether he drives the Aston Martin DB something or other today, or if the snow outside requires another choice to get to Costco for the wine and groceries. My compromises have been that to keep the home in Mexico, I choose one vehicle that does most of what I want at a high level 95% of the time. And that's no different to any of the rest of you who make choices like having to finance and operate two cars so you and you partner can commute to work, get the kids to daycare and school, dance classes, and hockey, all the while feeling safe and not going broke at the same time. Since 2010, in my case, that's meant driving a not so horrible Subaru CVT, two in fact - a 2010 Legacy Sport and then a 2013 Outback and soon a virtually new 2018 Legacy which I pick up when I get home from Mexico. Before 2010 we drove other Subarus too, but but with standard transmissions and sometimes even without AWD. In all those vehicles, the compromise has never been the reliability and safety that came with Subaru engineering, their reliability and warranties, and their dealer network. AWD when it became standard only added to that reliability and safety, and the Boxer engine improved too over time. Then along came CVT's - in my experience with the 2010 Legacy - which I found uninspiring at first. Subaru improved that on the go with software changes to the CVT and I got used to its quirks. A couple of years later, because I needed more cargo space, I moved into the 2013 Outback which had the same 2.5L engine as the Legacy but a newer better CVT - which was also tweaked with software improvements on the go as the years went by. And while reliability and safety in the Outback were also improved, so to my surprise was performance - gas mileage stayed the same. I've long forgotten by now that I'm driving a CVT (don't confuse that with dementia, it's not) I drive differently with the CVT and don't experience difficulty merging and passing. I drive a lot and in often very challenging conditions - weather (snow and heavy rain), traffic (LAX and narrow Baja roads) - and when I move into a rental car in similar conditions, I find driving a non CVT, neither as smooth, predictable, or comfortable as the CVT. If there is a compromise with Subaru, it's engine power - the lack thereof, in the 2.5's and the smaller 2.0 Subaru engines I've driven. I do like the Boxer engines and wish Subaru had come up earlier with a smaller turbo for use on all it's platforms. So this time, I'm leaving the Outback for use only in Mexico, but will drive the newer Legacy up north, I'm opting for the 3.5R, which of course comes with an even bigger CVT, and overcoming some of the power deficit at the expense of some gas mileage. But I am keeping everything else that Subaru offers and adding a whole lot of Safety features that are important at my age to help me avoid those of you over stressed on CVT folks who aren't paying attention to what really matters!

So let me try to understand.......you hate CVT’s because they don’t feel like they are shifting because the engine just revs at a high RPM and stays there until you lift off. You also hate that Subaru put in paddle shifters to help the CVT feel like a DSG by giving you the feel of shifting. So you hate CVTs lack of shifting and you also hate that they made them feel like shifting. I guess you didn't notice that when accelerating hard the transmission also pretends to shift 6 times but I guess that's something a professional car reviewer would be expected to pick up on. If you were really taking this seriously you would have noticed that the car gives a very comfortable ride. The only Audi I've ridden in that's even close is the A8. I love how biased your review was right from the start. You own an Audi and you can’t understand your friends reasons for getting a reliable practical car.....really WTF is wrong with getting something that’s not going to spend all it’s time in the shop? The Legacy and Outback is also designed to get though deep snow and go off road, can your Audi do that?

I have a '12 Sentra with a CVT and it's pretty slow and when I drive my truck it's so weird because the CVT doesnt shift like my truck lol. The CVT is okay if you dont care about having a normal trans, but I do.

I own honda accord with CVT it's so much better than regular Transmission the car now has 186k mile and it's still going better than any car I have ever own even manual cars

Where was this video shot? Like which city?

Good review. Thanks!

Eddie bro we need an update on the M3 from ur ig sll

What the reviewer doesn't understand is the legacy CVT is one of the best in its class for a cvt. You may not like the feel, but it does a good job and subaru should be commended for tuning it well. If you don't like the CVT paddle shifters, don't use it. And while it's not a speed demon, it's still hold its own as a 0-60 mid 6sec car (youtube legacy 3.6 vs lexus is200t.

It kind of seems like you answered your own question about why they put a "manual" mode on a CVT. You mentioned how you floor it and the rpm's hover weirdly and what not, so the manual mode I would think would give you more control over that. I did test drive a crosstrek with the CVT recently, and I appreciated the "manual" mode for times that I might want to drive a little silly and also for situations when I would like to get a little more acceleration, since the transmission is no longer operating for peak efficiency.

I’ve got a 2009 Subaru with a CVT. I prefer the CVT for pretty much all driving except initial acceleration from a complete stop. I find regular autos are significantly better at accelerating from a dead stop. Maybe newer CVT’s are better or perhaps mine needs a service, but I can feel the ECU limiting the throttle until your going about 25km/h and then there’s a sudden surge of power, but it’s quite annoying if your at a busy intersection. If it wasn’t for that I’d say the CVT is way better for drivability, but the initial acceleration thing makes it only slightly preferable to a standard auto, all things considered.

I've driven CVTs in USA when i rent the car there. At home in EU i drive stick obviously. Driving around, it's mostly ok, but the one thing at wich CVT (and auto transmissions in general) suck, is that you can't really decide when to decelerate. you always have to use your brakes. That's why i would like to have paddle shifters on an automatic, at least i can decide to engine brake like i do with manual.

I agreed. I installed pedal box ( sprint booster) it made my crossteck take off really torque but cvt cannot compensate with the cvt. But I get good mileage with cvt. I guess it has ups and down.

I have a 2013 Forester with the 5-speed manual transmission. I hate automatic transmissions regardless of whether they're conventional, CVT, or automated manual. When my starter went out (over 170,000 miles), I kept driving it daily while I shopped for and ordered a new starter. A clutch-pedal manual is both more engaging to drive and more reliable when you start getting up in mileage.

Eddie. How about when compared to the Ford fusion sport? Thanks as always - mike

How much rotational noise is normal? Mine , something is making noise. Road noise balance tires a loose cover something. I hate driving it. Subaru said my noises are normal.

I have a 2016 3.6R and it's not that bad. If it had a stepped automatic, that would win from 0-30mph, but the CVT version would win 30-60mph I bet. Of course it seems awful if you're used to driving Audi S class.

Subaru CVTs are one of the best around. You buy a Subaru because of the need to daily drive without the hassle of babying the car. It is somewhat rugged, durable, low and ease of maintenance and overall gives a lot of value. Safety wise Subaru is one of the best around. With the boxer slung low and having lesser vibration due to the horizontal piston movement coupled with the symmetrical AWD, I can't find any other brand that offers so much technology at that price range. Sure, the CVTs aren't to be better than a ZF 8 speed auto, but they get the job done. Whereas the high torque CVT variants in the WRX, Forester XT, Ascent and the new Legacy is quite a unique CVT, being able to handle much higher power output from turbo charged engines, giving the driver a lot of torque when he wants them. I have the Forester XT, and her speed and acceleration is really quite good. It blows away even entry level Mercs, BMWs, Audis easily....what more the NA engine Japanese brands like Toyota or Lexus......

I just think this guy does not have the lifestyle of a subaru owner. Most of the owners live in the northern us where there is harsh weather and mountains. Or they live in areas where they may go camping, fishing, you know outdoor stuff. Personally I got mine cause my wife works in healthcare and needs awd or 4wd to get to her job and I am the number 2 guy at my work so I have to be at my job. #2 It is huge and comfortable. Took a 12 hour trip with my fiance and best friend to nashville and really our only reason to stop was for gas. #3 it was a H6 that had enough power but was not too terribly harsh on gas for the size of engine. #4 the limited version I have is really really nice place to be for the money. Got it for 15k when it was 4 years old and It was the 3.6r limited. #5 I hate trucks and wanted snow capabilities since I live in the mid atlantic and we get snow a bit. My only regret with it is the sheer amount of fluids I have to change in it being I drive 15-20k miles a year now and It takes a ton of fluids for a midsized sedan. BTW never had a head gasket issue. Some abnormal tire wear but thats cause they have poor rated tires that were slapped on by the dealer. Getting new wheels and tires for the summer here soon.

Probably your friend ran out of money and had to purchase something that's cheaper in the long term 🤔 That's the only legit reason I can think of on why you would compromise on something that cheap.

This guy has no idea on suby CVT. I've had one for years and no problems. And paddle shifts on CVT have their use such as gearing down when going down a hill like you would in a standard auto or manual.

I have a legacy is a pretty good car... very smooth.. a beast in the snow...

Brah! They are not kind of related to their awd, Subaru's ARE their AWD. Look who is buying them. It is mostly people who have to get to their job (emergency personnel) no matter what the weather is. Also they are extremely well known for their safety (soccer moms). Also for the overall package, the buyer gets some good value. Yeah they are boring, but so is toyota, and they sell hella lot of great cars.

That G80 early in the video would make more sense to get for a former Audi owner. I’m a BMW guy but that G80 is very very nice.

I don't think I would want to go back to a normal automatic transmission after having my Subaru XV CrossTrek CVT. I prefer the way they drive. If not the CVT I would be just as happy with a standard transmission VA traditional Automatic.

CVT and efficiency, drive mode seems to shift to 5 or even 6 in town when it's not needed showing less efficiency, and strain at 2000rpm or less, seems once your at 2500rpm it's less strain and more efficient with Manual paddle shifters where you can select 3 and 4 in town, its definitely got a mind of its own, maybe Amsoil or Redline fluid in CVT anyone have any suggestions on fluid brands that are CVT rated? And you can bet your bottom dollar seniors and soccer moms are using D mode 99% of the time instead of M, if ever.

A friend of mine has this exact same car... I will agree with the CVT rant to an extent. Overall; would be a much better experience with a different transmission with typical shift points.

I want reliability,older CVT's were not.Are these??

Thought this was the Scotty Kilmer channel as I clicked on it... he really hates them too, hahaha.

I have a 2019 Legacy and over all, i love it. I agree with the CVT thing. Im not wild about it but i get great gas mileage. I have the 2.5 so its not fast, but i was well aware of that going in.

I got a Subaru legacy 2.5l and boy i can drive from san francisco down to LA and back without having to stopping at any gas stations off a $60 fill up ... i normally drive 80-100 mph , you wont get the fastest launch with this car and will lose races lol , not made to race but once ur pushing u can happily go 140 150mph no wobbles and great gas saver!

Did you experience blinding glare from the top of the infotainment unit?

Many words, little to nothing said!

Cvt is only as good as it programming/setup. With twin scroll turbo it's way more responsive no matter what rpm your at. Intelligent mode is for fuel economy. Sport raises the idle rpm of the engine. Less delays when going on off the throttle. Paddle shift are to prepare the cvt for and impulsive driving style. Without it can't be sporty and economical at the same time. Cvt's for racing keeps the revs high at all times. Not optimal on a road car.

Check out the CVT on the WRX. The drive modes make it a ton more responsive than what’s in the Legacy. It’s 2/10th of a second slower than its manual counterpart, but you can’t tell in normal spirited driving.

This guy sounds like a very anaylictical chap that should be ASE Certified. I admire his thoughts as my own. Quickstat from Maui.

How many miles before the CVT belt fails?

Manufacturers are forcing CVT onto the consurmer for one reason only. They are cheaper to produce. However, don't wait for the price to come down. The manufacturer pockets the savings.

I have a '16 legacy 3.6r and I have zero complaints with the cvt

Worst thing about mine is mpg not the best. But for a car in this segment it will go anywhere. And comfy to drive. But I do want to go back to a suv or truck again. I like to sit up higher. Not the fastest car. But I like mine.

When he said “cvts are in theory better...” it triggered my “hey Siri” 😂😂😂

One of the most non-impactful reviews I've ever seen. I really hope people don't get misled by watching this video. CVTs are proven to be a great option for power transfer as long as you understand what it is. This review is like saying "This banana sucks because it doesn't taste like an apple. And I like apples. So bananas must be horrible."

Relax....the 2018 Subaru CVT's are good. The Legacy CVT is not a sport car. The car is to get place to place for the average driver.

That really isn't a fake gear shift it is literally changing the gear ratio between the pulleys it's not fake at all no dought those cvts are pretty weak

nice video eddie

Progress is scary we should still be using 2 or 3 speed manuals with no syncros. Quick swap out your computer for an abacus then the car will really run properly. When cvt came out people wanted a traditional feel despite it being slower and less efficient. Then they do that and people then complain now there's artificial shifts. Not everyone wants an automated or manual shifting vehicle deal with it. Due to avg mpg requirements cvt is going to become more common it just is. Yeah a manual transmission can if designed right and properly maintained last a long time. However so can an automated transmission, dsg, cvt whatever it may be if the same is done.

It's a Subaru, just relax and enjoy, or buy another choice

Any update on your S4 ?

I have a 2011 Legacy 3.6R and it has a 5 speed automatic with paddle shifters. I wouldn’t have bought it if it had a CVT. The newer ones all have CVT’s tho I think.

I got a 2010 legacy 2.5i cvt i love its way better than my hhr 08 I had I the future I'm not looking for the newest thing but id like to get a upgrade car between 2015 and 2017 like a charger or legacy 3.6R or a WRX cvt I'm not a racer but I would love to get a WRX especially since they have automatic now even though it's cvt but I heard they made them way better than before

Wouldn't the paddle shifters allow you to hold the max torque for longer? The CVT at max revs will provide max horsepower not max torque for acceleration.

at first i thought this dude was wrong but after 2 years with a C V T legacy, i finally got fed up and traded it in for a 9 speed acura TLX. feels good for gears to shift again lol... the legacy did me good in the snow, but i’m in california so it doesn’t even matter. i’m happy to no longer drive a subaru legacy C V T. peace out

This S4 and Ford Fusion review is cool, how's the Legacy?

I have a 2011 legacy with a cvt and yes their terrible the only thing that a cvt does well is fuel efficiency but sucks for performance

wasn't cvt introduced for formula one and they banned it, cause when built right, it actually is better for acceleration ? subaru tunes them for fuel economy, but if they wanted too, they can be tuned for racing and the torque being at max peak for the whole curve, better ? maybe complain to stop tuning them this way and re-build the design to have bit more acceleration characteristics. as others have said, it's the consumer and reviewers that caused the to put fake gears, but don't the ratios in the fake gears, also play a role of somekind ? As long as using them to downshift for engine breaking to assist when needed, works, then I'm good with the fake gears.

CVT in the Forester turbo XT is fine.

Ok, there had to be other outside factors for someone to go from a RS7 to that...maybe from an A4 to that, but seriously from a RS7...??

Transmission slip is overcome with CVTs. That translates to a more efficient process. Reliability is not the best though.

I really like using my Subaru Outback's paddle shifters to slow down in icy conditions. By down-shifting with the paddles and using brakes, instead of using just brakes, it reduces skidding because the engine and drive train slow the vehicle down with all 4 tires gently. Whereas using only brakes on icy roads tend to cause the front tires to skid and loose steering control. And the paddles allow the driver to keep their hands on the wheel and not have to look down to down-shift on the center console. The paddle shifters give more driving options--kinda like having individual gears in a regular automatic transmission, even though they don't represent an individual set of gears. However, most other aspects of the CVT I am not a big fan of.

RS7 for a Legacy? I thought April Fools Day already passed

Legacy’s are more safe and I’m pretty sure the rs7 doesn’t have adaptive cruise or lane keep assist. Legacy’s are more car for the price why spend so much on a Audi when you can get more features for half the price with a legacy. Unless performance is your number one reason for buying a car. 3.6 legacy with awd and a cvt I’ll take that anyday!

cvt's are in cars cause they are cheaper to make and car makers are tired of their cars lasting too long....great review, subscribed..

The reality of Subaru is that their cars are not sports cars, they run forever and get you there and back. You want a sports car buy something else. CVT is a trade off for performance to get better mileage.

I think the newer Subaru's cruise nice

Eh, I was never a fan of CVTs. If anything breaks on it, it's going to be a costly repair compared to a regular automatic transmission. Hell, a manual transmission cost less to repair because all that you need to repair is the clutch half the time.

Things to think about with a cvt transmission The cost of the fluid change every 60 k If you're cvt transmission breaks the cost alone will make you want to abandon your car on the side of the road, can you get 200k out of a cvt ? So all that money in gas you save a whole 4 miles to the gallon more than a manual transmission . These transmissions are good for a low mile lease or someone with the money to buy a new car every five years. Just my 2 cents. I'm Leary about getting a car with one .

*Sees three 6ft Asians walking towards him ... look of confusion ensues* lol.

not to mention the early year of the legacys with the first crack at the cvt are all garbage and should of been recalled but subaru refuses to do so. almost all of their cvt's that were put in the 2010 models of the legacy have to be replaced before 100k miles not to mention about 5 grand to replace. sounds a lot like a money making scheme for subaru to me.

CVT's are used in an attempt to improve drive-train efficiency. In theory, they do however those gains are easily erased when coupled with a relatively obsolete motor, fuel management system, and refrigerator-like aerodynamics. Add the questionable reliability and horrible driveability, and it begs the question - why? Fake shift points come from non-car people in marketing who surveyed their non-car customers who said " somethin' feels funny??"

Manual are for weekends (pleasure but to avoid in trafic); automatic are for lazzy ass PPL & finally CVT are for fuel efficiency for your daily drive specially if its in city

Here's another side to the CVT, as a tech, we actually have a bay at our shop dedicated (let me repeat that... DEDICATED) to swapping CVT transmissions only because they are such i problem and go out so often, Nissan is by far number one with the most failures on average, followed by Subaru and Honda. I could fill a dump truck up with as many reasons not to buy a CVT, but i leave you with this, the new Ascent gets 21C and 27H MPG, the new Highlander with a 6speed auto gets 21C and 27H MPG... where's the advantage of the CVT there???? the Pilot with a 6speed auto gets 20C and 27H MPG, But the 10speed gets better then that, the Explorer gets 19C and 27H MPG. All with around the same power and weight. The one that gets me (Yes the CVT gets better MPG here all around with the hybrids) but with the new Accords, the 1.5T with a manual gets 3MPG-C and 1MPG-H better then the CVT, I just don't get the reason for it "cough cough its cheaper to make cough cough" I know auto makers are trying to make them better (took like 12 years, but hey, better late then never right, i'd taken never though) and they are all doing it now, but i'm holding on to my autos, any MPG you gain on the road, you'll lose when the band breaks, pressure unit fails, cones start.... hold that thought, another Nissan just got towed in....

CVTs might suck if poorly driven, ie flooring the throttle at every opportunity, but when driven as they should be the Subaru one is about 200% better than their previous 4 speed auto. A stepped auto may be in the right gear most of the time, but a CVT is in the right gear all the time. The paddles are a gimmick but can be used at any time to pick up a lower gear for some engine braking downhill without shifting to manual mode.

I'd trade an RS7 for a Subaru Legacy any day!!!!!! I also love CVTs they are amazing.

I believe his point is Cvt's are a boring experience when driving. Putting a cvt in a compact/sub-compact is fine for a daily driver but to have a cvt in a car with a 3.6 v6, well you aren't getting the full driving experience because the cvt hampers it.

It’s great for daily driving tho very comfortable

A CVT changing actual, preset ratios (with or without paddle shifters) is not "fake shifting." There may not be a bunch of small gears inside the transmission - just two large pulleys connected by a metal belt - but the shifting between preset, physical ratios is real.