Advantage: Cheaper for the manufacturer Disadvantage: Expensive to replace Basically a win-win for manufacturers

So, CVTs are cheaper for the manufacturers to produce vs traditional a/t’s, but more expensive for the consumer to replace (& maintain) when it goes out. Got it

Watching all these prices skyrocket and "supply chain issues" makes me want to get a base model civic with a manual transmission and just call it done

I just bought a 2024 Civic Sport with a 6 Speed Manual. It's a gorgeous gearbox!!!

If CVT's are cheeper to manufacture, why are they so expensive to replace?

I have a 2018 accord LX with 125k miles on it so far. I have no problem with the way the cvt feels when driving. Accelerates nice and smooth. I do my cvt fluid changes every 30k miles with Honda OEM fluid only and oil changes every 3k miles. Hardly any debris on the magnetic cvt drain plug when I remove it too. 7 more payments and it’s paid off!

The biggest reason for cvt is fuel economy but yet they get the same gas mileage as a late 90’s model with a manual. Makes sense

I have a 2018 accord 1.5t with a cvt and I appreciate that it is smooth most of the time and that it simulates gear shifts even at partial throttle . I don't always like the noise it makes when you want to get on it though and that is a little sluggish off the line but so far it is doing great and the car is amazing on gas.

I live in Singapore and have been driving my 2015 Honda Vezel (HRV) for 8.5 years now. I have been changing my CVT transmission fluid ( Original Honda CVT fluid, HCF-2) religiously at every 40,000km and the cost of the fluid and labor is only SGD100 which I honestly think is not expensive considering that Singapore is the most expensive place in the world when it comes to cars and anything related to cars. My car has clocked about 104.000km to date and the engine and CVT transmission is still smooth and nice.

I am an old guy, 75 years of age. Bought my first manual car, an English made 1948 850CC Morris 8 Series E at the age of 15. Have had many Manual cars and Automatic cars since then. The 2nd to last car I bought was a 2007 Honda Jazz Sport with a CVT. I looked at a number of smaller cars at that time and decided that if it was not a CVT then I was not interested. I have now done 250,000 Kilometers . The engine is still like new. The CVT is the one with the auto clutch, not a torque converter. Hence it does have that slight shudder problem sometimes, but apart from that it is performing extremely well. When I go to pass a car, I just put the accelerator to the floor and off it goes, no drama and I hold up no one. With a normal automatic I am not game to do that. You are correct about the cost of that Oil. Really expensive. However I have only had to have the CVT Oil changed twice so far. The last car I bought was a 2nd hand 2013 Honda Accord 3.5L i-VTEC VCM with 180,000 Kilometers. It has a 5 Speed auto. CVT was not an option on that car. I don't like VCM so I disabled it.

i have 2013 Honda Accord Sport with CVT and 2017 Honda Accord EX with CVT. No transmission problems. I like better than my 2020 RAV4 with 8 speeds transmission. CVT is quieter and smoother and better MPG.

My wife and I both have cvt's in our honda's. Staying on top of the fluid change is the key like noted in the vid. As a side note, if you have the k20c2 matched to a cvt, put it in 'S' and enjoy the vtec range thanks to the cvt.

Thank you for educating me on cvt transmission

I have a 2023 Honda Civic Sport. Coming from a 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid the driving experience has been MUCH better despite both being CVTs. I watching this video did give me plenty of insight on what to keep an eye out for and letting me know what to prepare my wallet for

2010 Honda Insight, 356,200 miles. Original hybrid battery and original transmission oil. Still averages about 34 miles per gallon.

From what I understand an E-CVT that’s in the new hybrid CRV is a completely different beast than a traditional CVT. They even sound potentially more reliable than a traditional transmission but I think it requires a hybrid power train.

Thanks for the overview on mechanical CVTs. Except for your love of shifting, I pretty much agree on all points. I think this is simply personal taste. I recently bought a Maverick hybrid (compact pickup) that has an eCVT, which uses a planetary gear train like the Prius to combine the engine with a motor to drive the wheels. When the engine speeds up the motor slows down. Reverse is engine off, motor only. The gear case is so simple it should last forever. I really like the way it works (and the 45 MPG I get). Ford did consider folks like you though. You can put it in "Sport" mode where the engine runs all the time and the tranny simulates traditional shifts! It's all in software now. I'm amazed it works as well as it does.

Just the cold hard facts. Thanks for the video!

It all depends on the change interval. Original owner of a 2014 Honda Accord at 198.5k on the original CVT transmission. Do CVT drain and refill every 25k miles. It’s quicker than an oil change since you’re just draining the fluid and filling it back up. Run through the ‘gears’ after of course.

I have been driving for 23 years and I do like the way a CVT feels.

recently purchased an Accord Hybrid. recently did an oil change and i use synthetic oil for all my cars. Also did the trans service with the oil change. I love the fact that you are just draining the fluid on the trans which is on the opposite side of the drain plug for the oil. I bought the recommended fluid for the trans and it was not expensive plus you only need less than 3 quarts to fill it. 3 quarts is not going to be expensive so i plan on just doing both services at the same time as i already have it on ramps / 2 birds with one stone as they say.

2016 Civic EX with 130K on it. No issues either but since car was bought serviced the trans every 30k sometimes 25k. Always at the dealer. Yes you change the fluid a lot more in these but the dealer I go to I pay about $200 - $230 parts and labor so its well worth it compared to cost of one breaking and getting a whole new one in. plus it takes us about 3 years to go 30k so 20-230 every 3 years isn't bad.

Great video when my sister told me 6 months ago that she wanted to trade in her RAV4 with 160,000 for a car she asked me for advice. I encouraged her to stay away from a CVT. She drove a 2017 Camry with a real tranny and a 2017 Carolla with a CVT. She said she did like the Camry better and went with that. Another great video from you Guys keep them coming!

I have a hunch, that Honda can make good CVTs is because they used to make scooters, and scooters usually comes with CVTs

In the early 2000s Honda made racing bicycles with CVTs. Once perfected, to the point of no more failure, they started putting them in motorized vehicles. Don't know if you noticed, but you don't see bicycles with CVTs. The CVT did give cyclists a slight advantage in the amount of overall effort that was required to complete a race, but the disadvantages out weighed the small savings in effort. I have a feeling that the CVTs in cars will some day pass when other more efficient gains are found. I sure hope they don't just figure out how to keep them from failing - I am wrong often - hope I am not mistaken about this.

I have a 2013 Accord coupe with the cvt. Currently with 150000 miles. No problems. I do service it every 30000 miles. The driving characteristics is something you get used to. It is responsive and doesn’t have that rubber band effect some cvt’s were known for. The sport shift using the paddle shifters works well if you want to use specific ratios.

Thank you SO MUCH! I've subscribed now!

Great video, based on facts/engineering. overall message is that all negative side does surpass the ONLY (to me the only, lool) "advantage" that is fuel economy. I keep with the 2.0 , 4 cylinder, 140 cv, no direct injection, no turbo, a very traditional, reliable and low cost mechanic. No CVT, no turbo (on small engines), no direct injection, no 3-cylinder engines, etc

I have a 2008 Mitsubishi lancer gts with a cvt 265,415k miles never had any issues and also have a 22 civic sport cvt imo they can be reliable if you don’t drive hard all the time and beat them up just like with any other transmission change fluid, limit your heavy foot ect lol

$5k to $10k is a big range for a Honda Civic CVT coming from a Honda mechanic. Imagine getting a quote like that 😅

Great work. I've owned Hondas for last 30 years. Currently have a Civic which I've owned for 11 years. No problems at all. Still on same exhaust system

The Honda CVT is fine. It’s probably one of the most reliable CVT’s you can buy and tends to drone a lot less than others. It’s not a performance transmission, that’s why you won’t see one in an Si or type R. But for what it is it should suit the needs of 95% of the commuters out there. As far as maintenance goes I always use OEM Honda ATF anyways because Hondas never run quite as smoothly on third party fluids so buying Honda CVT fluid isn’t that big a deal. Maintain it, don’t abuse it and you should be fine.

I started driving a CVT for the first time 2 years ago after driving for about 40 years. I like it just fine. I fix my own cars within a non-mechanic scope. I never cared about feeling the shift changes so this was an easy switch to CVT. Stop thinking about it and drive and all is fine. I change my own fluid every 30k miles the right way.

Why do you charge more to service a Honds CVT,? I've done it and it's even more simple than an oil change. Remove drain plug, replace exact same amount that you took out. Unless you've had a leak it's INCREDIBLY EASY

I don't put a lot of miles on my '19 Accord (I'm retired) but I actually like the smoothness in operation that it has. And that's coming from someone who's ridden motorcycles since a young boy.

Great pro and con Honda CVT list. I really liked the addition to mention service intervals. I myself am looking for a decent Honda with CVT at the end of the year, so it's useful to know what maintenance to expect. I used to like manual only, even driving tractor trailer for 11 years. But bad legs and knees say Auto only now. I will like the fuel savings in anything Honda I get, with higher reliability.

Many people won't do simple maintenance on their cars, and wonder why they break. $130 CVT fluid service at my dealership is worth it.

I have a 2016, civic, 1.5 turbo with CVT. Nowe at 227000k , no issues, change fluid and filter every 30000k, they are a bit sluggish off The line but fast as a Bunny in sport mode

While performing the oil change on my 2016 Civic EX-T, I accidentally drained the CVT fluid, since the CVT drain plug is located before the oil drain plug. 😂 I put the car in neutral, pushed it to the backyard, and had a friend drive me to a Honda dealership to buy CVT fluid. Fast forward about 5,000 miles, and two months later, and I haven't had a single issue. I plan to change out the fluid every 15,000 to 18,000 miles on the car to safe.

I know plenty of people with 2018+ civics with over 100k miles and no issues. I had a 2021 500hp supra and 2022 jeep wrangler rubicon and i love the feel of the cvt. The best commuter transmission.

Thank you for the video Good to know

Just picked up a 13 civic for the wife, last 5 speed auto civic they made. We have a 05, 11, and 13 civic and the 13 will be our last honda. If I can't get 250000 out of a car then I don't want it, great job destroying the brand Honda as I refuse to ever own a car with a disposable transmission.

I have a Honda 2020 CR-V with a CVT transmission and 25,000 miles. I get the same city mpg as my previous Honda 2011 Accord. On long highway trips the mpg is very good. The CVT is able to respond well from having to accelerate quickly when entering an expressway. I am pleased with my Honda CR-V.

I recently purchased a 2024 Honda Accord EX which has the CVT transmission and 4-cyl turbocharged engine. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised how smooth the transmission operates and how well the car drives as I had previously driven vehicles with conventional auto transmissions. Also I'm averaging 30-32 mpg highway/city. I plan to change the CVT fluid every 30K miles.

Do you have any data that suggests CVTs are less reliable overall than the traditional alternative? There’s lots of talk but not a lot of actual data. Personally, as a “driver” (track, autocross, mountains), I like my Aisin CVT. It always seems to give me the precise amount of torque I want, when I want it, and doesn’t feel like a rubber band.

I watched this video with my wife nearby as she owns a 2019 Civic 2 dr EX turbo already with 175k miles and the cvt is still strong and I want to keep it that way. A tech at local stealership sounded discouraging when I asked about changing the warming/cooling filter on the front of the transmission and the strainer in the pan as he said it was a lengthy, expensive process. I'm intending to change those two filters soon and replace the fluid, but it's her car and her $$$ if she says "no" and the cvt fails....wish me luck! :D

Although I have little experience with CVTs, my one day in a loaner with a CVT, I noticed it created a noise that I've heard others complain about. May or may not be a big deal for everyone.

Great video! 👍 Liked and subscribed.

I have a Toyota eCVT which is quite different to a traditional belt driven CVT. It uses a power split differential. The feel is a bit better (but not as good as a manual) but I expect longevity will be good. Honda do a similar but slightly different eCVT as well as the old belt CVT and I guess that will be about as good as the Toyota system. Any growing experience of them?

Most commenters here are saying how durable their CVT has been, but they are ignoring the two truthful negatives from this video: that manufacturers are employing CVTs in their "grocery-getter" type vehicles to help meet EPA fuel economy standards while lowering their production costs. If CVT transmissions were as durable as conventional (torque converter) automatics - especially in higher-power applications - they'd be used in luxury or high-performance cars, and trucks - which they are not (except for Subaru, which seems permanently wedded to the things, for better or worse). Mazda, alone among mass-market manufacturers, forgoes maximum fuel economy for greater durability and a more-enthusiastic, more-connected driving experience. For those who don't care, enjoy your "smooth" CVT - and change fluids religiously.

I like how smooth CVT feel. My sister VW Tsao DCT surge from time to time

My 23 Acura Integra CVT is so smooth and quiet, I can’t imagine going back to an annoying automatic.

Samsonite made a suitcase that was so good they dropped it out of a helicopter and it would not break. Why did they stop making it? It was too good? 😊

Had a higher power Nissan with a CVT. Miss that transmission. Fastest, most responsive, no issues. Know several other people with 4 cyl and 6 cyl CVTs. The only one that failed was the not cared for (did not change fluid before 30-60K). Nissan did have issues with the Gen 1 CVTs, but as EVERY single new technology, it needed perfected. CHANGE your fluid. Do not drive it hard when cold and let it cool down when hot. That’s it. Whatever any expert can say, CVTs are the fastest, most efficient and quickest (always in the power band) transmissions, for a given engine! Regardless what they tell you, car makers are NOT in the business of paying for warranty repairs or recalls, but ALL new technologies did have their own issues at the very beginning!

Thanks for your great input , currently searching older model civic , prolly 14 or 15 .

2013 Honda Accord with 112000 miles. CVT serviced every 30k. No problems yet, excluding the starter replacement just after the warranty expired.

The biggest things I don't like about the CVT in my 2014 accord are the amount of vibration it puts off when in drive while idling, the lurchiness when driving low speeds, and how these things are becoming more prevalent at 70k miles. I would have steered away from the CVT in hindsight, but it's been a fantastic car outside of worries and some buzziness that is kind of characteristic of a Honda

I have a brand new Civic Hatch; CVT trans. And… i dont hate it.. but pretty sure now that if i can go back on time , manual trans. Would be a better choice because i do like to hace a good acceleration and more in the first moment you hit the gas. I use to have a manual Honda Fit 2016 and that car i can tell you that the response of Gas was immediately. I miss that . I do like the rest of my civic

I have a 86k 2015 Fit with a CVT that is used occasionally to tow a 1k pound trailer for several thousand miles. It pulls quite easily on flat roads at 70 mph but definitely breathes hard on steeper hills. I change the CVT trans fluid and engine oil before leaving and immediately after returning. It still uses about 1/2 pint of engine oil and the CVT fluid is definitely a medium brown on the long trips with the trailer. I'm assuming that I may not reach the 300k mile mark but would be very satisfied with 200k. No unexpected service performed yet. Three things to note here. 1 - The Pre 2015 Fits used a clutch type CVT. The 2015+ use a torque converter like found in an automatic trans. 2. If you change that CVT trans fluid as needed you will get much better service out of it. 3 - Don't use the paddle shifter on the high end models, it's a trans killer since it stresses the belt in a reverse manner, especially if used to get that cool manual trans sound. I have a 2024 Civic Type R with a manual trans for sport and track driving for that. Love the rev-matching downshifting, much better that the old heel-n-toe since it gives a very precise match.

😎 Just sold our first gen 97 Honda CRV and we're going to miss it after having it 26 yrs. It was a very dependable, very reliable but we did not go back with Honda because of the CVT failure rates they dropped from like number one. The number six on customer satisfacts and independability. The only issue we had was with a rear end all-wheel drive but it wasn't major. Another thing to keep the fluid changed in. A first gen ridge line is still on our list because of the four-wheel drive. Not all wheel drive. We did just pick up a third gen Toyota Prius after doing her research and we've been well. Satisfied a little adjustment to the driving habit, but until you drive one you won't understand how much fun they really are and 53 to 61 MPG is great. My wife and I both love the Prius now. Finding a good used ridgeline is like a needle in a haystack. People keep them three and four hundred thousand miles. That alone should make a statement. Good videos.

Honda used to rank around #3 on reliability. I think they are running around # 14 right now. The fall is more than just the transmission.

I’ve driven Hondas for 40 years and their traditional transmissions always had problems. I am the original owner of a Canadian 2013 Honda accord sport it’s got 280,000 km not miles and to be honest never had a problem with it. After living with cvt for 11 year I realize I prefer the traditional transmission. I have a lot of friends who own Hondas and none of them have problems with the cvt transmission so I hope when you said a high rate of failure with the cvt’s you were being completely honest. Even the Honda dealers here said they don’t get a whole lot of people with problems with the cvt.

2016 Civic EX with 190000 miles and zero problems with anything on the car. My CVT has been great. Best car I've ever owned.

Great info. Good job

I don't mind the CVT in my 2019 Civic, but it only has 50k on it so far. And I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will last since I don't plan on buying another car for several years.

We need channel like this to educate the consumers. Manufacturer tries to lower their costs, If car buyers refuse to buy CVT or DCT, car makers would have no choice but switch back to traditional automatic.

Wife's 2016 civic touring. CTV ROCKING, not a single issue. And she RIDES that car HARD!

Great content. Thank you 👍

Toyota has a physical launch gear, which will put less stress on the cvt.

Nowadays, buying cars with traditional transmissions would help to have more choices. Almost all the new vehicles come with a CVT transmission.

Thank you for this and other content in the channel. The question I have is, “how ecvt compares with cvt? ecvt = 2 motor hybrid system Honda uses.

I have a 2014 Honda Accord that I purchased a year ago with close to 90000 miles. The dealer did not provide me a vehicle history as far as CVT transmission service. On inspection I noticed that the transmission oil was black but did not smell burnt. The vehicle drove ok although I did not enjoy the driving response as much as with my old 2008 Accord. Closely following OEM info I purchased HCF-2 fluid and proceeded to drain and refill. I have a question though: my Accord has a transmission oil filter that I did not change so what is the recommended mileage for changing it. I enjoy your videos on U-Tube. Keep them coming. 👏👍👍

I have 2020 civic lx 2.0 NA why is my dealer telling me I have zero filters to replace, when they very clearly have the warmer filter and the pan strainer assembly?!! When to replace those?

I just bought a 2024 Honda CRV. What mileage would you recommend changing the fluid? And would this be a benefit to help eliminate a failure. Thanks love the vids.

I changed the fluid properly at the dealer doing a proper flush and fill at about 170,000 kilometers. It really seemed to improve the driving though there is a bit of slippage at times but overall definitely an improvement. Guess we’ll see if it holds up. Of course it’s a 2013 2.4 liter drivetrain which is considered to be pretty solid. I found the CVT to be just fine but it takes a while to get the hang of driving it if you’re not used to it. The wife has a new compact car with a CVT and I have no problem with it other than it’s slow off the mark but it’s designed for fuel economy not speed and it consistently gets around 5.5 liters per 100 kilometers which is pretty good.

Great info - Thank you!

That is the reason I went with Toyota on my wife's car. I do not like CVT transmissions and Honda not offering an alternative costs them customers. I like Honda and would have purchased an Accord over the Camry had it had the option of a regular automatic. I do know if you service a CVT often like every 25k-30k miles and drive them carefully they can make it to 200k miles got a family member right now with an original CVT in his Nissan Maxima that just hit 200k miles. He has done fluid and filter changes every 25k miles on it. Did the work himself to save money, but its really easy.

Buying the 6 speed manual !

I had a CVT Transmission in a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid with 306k miles I bought back in 2015 for only $1800. The owner thought the transmission was going out. I took a risk. When I drove it home, I changed the fluid twice within a 10k range. The car lasted me until I junked it at 429k miles! 😂

I had a Nissan Altima with a CVT transmission and I loved it.

I'd argue Honda cvt is better than some other standard auto transmission, but like you, I have no actual data (numbers) to support my position. We get you don't like them, but would prefer actual failure rates over feelings.

The cons are bigger than the plus, not worth.

I had a Honda hybrid cvt that had a sliding problem, I tell you what mistake people do. Because it’s a rubber steel belts that goes over a round cone. You can’t just gas it your polishing it smooth, you need to let it grab first let it load and start moving, or just let it creap forward Then baby the gas till about 5-10 mph then you can 1/2 trottle it and go flying, it become habit and you never slip the belt.

Thank You For The Pros & Cons Of A CVT.

Like to hear reviews on Toyota and Lexus vehicles.

You can put lipstick on a pig, but the main reason we own Honda's is reliability. Our last new one has 345,000 miles and will be our last. Looking at a Mazda with a 6 spd. automatic non-turbo.

Hello from Australia 🇦🇺. We are a Honda and Mazda family because they make excellent reliable cars. We just updated my wife's 2015 Honda CRV with a conventional auto with a 2021 CRV with a CVT. Although I like the new CRV, I must say the older one drove better. I also worry about the long-term reliability of the CVT.

I'm a mechanic so I wouldn't mind maybe picking up a car at a discounted price and replacing CVT transmission that has failed to get a bargain. But I don't like the feel of CVT transmissions either. But the fact is cheaper production costs are going to be the new norm.

👍🏻 All information is good information thank you. Something doesn't make sense. The increased cost of servicing the CVT, aside from the cost of the fluid. The Honda Civic has a drain plug and a fill hole at the top. No filter to replace, no need to crack the pan. Should be a simple drain measure the amount of fluid and refill. I don't understand the inflated price. I am referring to the 11 gen if that makes a difference.

My wife's Honda Fit has a CVT transmission and I hate driving it. Luckily, I seldom have to drive it.

I put 150,00 miles on mine, never changed the fluid and had zero problems.

Our 2007 Honda Jazz with 365,000 km is still going strong. I've changed the CVT oil twice when it developed a shudder and the problem was solved. It's just like any other automatic to drive except smoother and better at employing engine braking. I like driving with a manual transmission but I can't fault the CVT.

CVTs in SUVs is even a worse idea.

What were the last yrs that civic and accord used a regular transmission?

So you like the feeling when it shifts gears? Your dislike of this feature of a CVT is not a negative thing for other people. Most of my family and friends who have a vehicle with a CVT, love the smoothness and the non shifting that a regular automatic transmission does not have. This is a BIG positive for them. If your intent is to give information about the "Honda CVT reliability", the non shifting of the CVT has nothing to do with that. You gave three postive points about the CVT and really only one bad point, "It is more expensive over the long term". None of this has to do with reliability.

My 2015 Honda CRV I purchased new, has 168,000 miles on it and the CVT is original and still running well. I’ve been changing the fluid about every 40,000 miles myself with no problems. I also own a 2015 Honda Civic we purchased with 35,000 miles on it. It now has over 115,000 miles an again no problems with the CVT. Maybe I just got some good ones but my friends with Honda CVT’s are experiencing the same results, very reliable.

servicing honda cvt fluid is easy. you just take out warmer filter replaced and refill. it takes less than 30 mins. ?

How long can turbo last in Honda 1.5 ?

I've had two Accord CVTs with a combined total mileage of 180,000 miles. Change the transmission fluid every 30K and haven't had a single problem.

Have a 2014 Accord. Changed CVT fluid every 30k, car runs like NEW. Over 150k on it.