Jeep Continuously Variable Automatic

[Festy46]

I am looking at getting a newer Jeep SUV and I ran across a transmission option - Continuously Variable Automatic. I did some searches for reviews on it and they were not very good. Does anyone have any "hands on" experience driving with one of those transmissions for longer than a demo drive? What did you think of it?

[bhazard]

CVTs suck.

[FestYboy]

^ bingo.

[KingFish]

The ones in the Ford world had doubts about the new tech and cost, Ford nolonger runs CVT any any new vehicle as far as I am aware.

[Bert]

The Dutch invented these about 50 years ago. DAF (Dutch Aaningwagen (Trailer) Fabriek) sold a gutless little RWD econobox called the 'Dafodil' during the 60s with a continuously variable automatic transmission. It was novel and convenient for housewives and non-performance folks but one of the 'big boys' inherited it up via buyouts of Volvo or Saab or some such, who had picked up DAF when it foundered years ago.
Realize that it is an automatic tranny and that choosing rpms upon demand, by my thinking, is even harder/slower with something like this. Remember this car drives you, you don't drive it.

[Rocketman]

I drive a 2012 Jeep Patriot for work (40-100miles a day)... it's terrible. It's one of the worst vehicles I've ever had the displeasure of driving...

Notable points:
-Way too peppy off the line, seems like a spring loaded throttle. Too touchy
-Lots off the line, but once you're moving there's no power... trans is *very* sluggish to respond to call for power
-Deceleration is unpredictable. Sometimes the car will coast fine, others it'll cut fuel to engine brake but it's never consistent and really screws with me

TL;DR: JUNK

[DriverOne]

I had a Dodge Caliber SXT? I think it was an SXT. Either way, it had the CVT. Let me put it like this: I sold it to CarMax two months later.

CVT is HORRIBLE! Punch the throttle, and the car would sit there, and then moderately accellerate, then blast to 6K RPM. IF you had to get out of the way of a train, you'd be better off jumping out of the car! Take my advise and walk away.

[Nerd Racing]

My girlfriend has a CVT in her Nissan Juke and it is pretty peppy and gets up to speed pretty quickly. The turbo could have something to do with that though. It has a "sport" mode that makes it fake like it is shifting, but you can tell it's bs.

[Festy46]

Thanks for all the input guys. When I read the description of the CVT, I thought it was probably like having a snowmobile clutch in a car. Rocketman, could you get a regular automatic in your Patriot or is the CVT the only automatic option? I really like my '94 Cherokee Sport, but the road salt has taken a toll on the floor. I replaced a section about 6" wide the whole length of the car on both sides, but now it's starting to go again along with other areas. I hate to get rid of it. It's like a Festiva and seems like it would run forever if the stupid body didn't fall off.

[crazyrog17]

I know it's not quite the same but the C-max has an eCVT which uses two electric motors to vary the ratio of a single planetary gear set.

[Lannis]

Thanks for all the input guys. When I read the description of the CVT, I thought it was probably like having a snowmobile clutch in a car. Rocketman, could you get a regular automatic in your Patriot or is the CVT the only automatic option? I really like my '94 Cherokee Sport, but the road salt has taken a toll on the floor. I replaced a section about 6" wide the whole length of the car on both sides, but now it's starting to go again along with other areas. I hate to get rid of it. It's like a Festiva and seems like it would run forever if the stupid body didn't fall off.

My wife's got one in her 2012 Outback and it seems to do fine. The thing gets 30 MPG overall, accelerates up to speed fine, isn't jerky or anything.

It's not sporty at all and sounds like a big scooter, which is why some people don't like them, but from a practical standpoint, just hauling you up and down the road, it works great.

Lannis

[deathegg]

^ this. For basic transport, and if you're not an enthusiast, they're fine. And Subaru has been using them for years. I believe the Justy had one way back when. I'm thinking that the manufacturers have finally figured out how to make them reliable, because just a few years ago, they weren't. GM had one in the Saturn Vue, and it was a hot mess; the failure rate was incredible.

[schads]

I think there the worst trans ever made.not a fan at all.

[crusher773]

I had a Dodge Caliber SXT? I think it was an SXT. Either way, it had the CVT. Let me put it like this: I sold it to CarMax two months later.

CVT is HORRIBLE! Punch the throttle, and the car would sit there, and then moderately accellerate, then blast to 6K RPM. IF you had to get out of the way of a train, you'd be better off jumping out of the car! Take my advise and walk away.

that kind of makes me glad we bought the 5 speed in our caliber