Ask the Car People.SM


Midsize Sedans 2.0

18220 messages,  Last post on May 24, 2013 at 7:58 AM

You are in the Sedans Forum.

What is this discussion about? Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Volkswagen Passat, Mazda MAZDA6, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Kia Optima, Car Comparisons, Sedan

Messages Page 1694 of 1822

#16931 of 18220 Re: CVT pro/con [ctl] by cski

Sep 26, 2012 (10:03 am)

Replying to: ctl (Sep 25, 2012 4:50 pm)
You know the CVT didn't get off to a great start. It was supposed to be revolutionary when they first came out. Unfortunately most folks didn't buy one, and they were relegated to almost exclusive duty in economy cars. The Subaru Justy comes to mind (shivered ). The only CVT I have ever driven was in a Dodge Caliber I had to rent. That 2.0 and the CVT was a double-kill for the Caliber. It was just bloody awful.
 
Nissan aims to change all that. They reduced friction/wear by 30% as compared to the outgoing model. CVT's also have far fewer moving parts. I really want to drive this new Altima. There is a 2013 on my street and I really liked the styling from afar and close up. It's gotta nice **S.

#16932 of 18220 Re: CVT pro/con [cski] by m6user

Sep 26, 2012 (10:27 am)

Replying to: cski (Sep 26, 2012 10:03 am)
I recently rented a 2012 Altima for trip Chicago/Dallas r/t. I really like the CVT for low revs at speed, good mpg and good pickup from 50-80mph. However, was in a right lane at light and didn't realize the lane ended right after going through the light and had to get into the left lane quickly. Decided to floor it and holy crap was there a racket(basically I think it redlined) and it really didn't have the accompanying surge forward but just kind of sat there. I quickly slowed quickly and let the other cars go ahead and meekly pulled in behind. I thought that my little Mazda6 auto with much less power would have been more than adequate for what I tried to do. The CVT...not. I decided that I didn't want a CVT right there. I'll keep trying them from time to time to see the improvements they make but for now I just don't like certain ways they respond.

#16933 of 18220 Re: CVT pro/con [m6user] by roho1

Sep 26, 2012 (1:59 pm)

Replying to: m6user (Sep 26, 2012 10:27 am)
Maybe we will have more courteous drivers if everyone had cvt. I'm so sick of a-holes punching it across my front bumper making me backoff because they weren't paying attention. Pulling behind the vehicle wasn't a meek maneuver it was the way your supposed to drive,

#16934 of 18220 Re: CVT pro/con [roho1] by m6user

Sep 26, 2012 (8:23 pm)

Replying to: roho1 (Sep 26, 2012 1:59 pm)
Well, it would have been different if the roads in Texas had some signs like we have in Illinois. You know, something like "lane ends" or "merge left ahead" or something. I didn't realize the lane ended until I was setting at the light and it would have been no skin off anybody if I just wasted a little gas and jumped in. I didn't try to push my way in either. But they could have noticed my out of states plates and realized I didn't know the lane was ending. They were probably all a-holes that refuse to let anybody in like some posters in this forum. I waited until all 5 or 6 cars went by me. If I know a lane ends at the intersection I'm the first one to wait in line in the lane that is not ending but I do let people merge within reason. I pay a lot of taxes but I don't own the road.

#16935 of 18220 CVT by nyccarguy

Sep 26, 2012 (8:32 pm)

I'm concerned with the long term durability of the cvt. I know the sample size is small, but I know 2 people who owned 2 cvt equipped jeeps (1 patriot & 1 compass). The guy with the patriot had the cvt replaced under warranty 60,000 miles. The new cvt failed & had to be replaced (on his dime) 120K miles. The guy I know with the compass had his cvt fail 65K miles.
 
I have more faith in the engineers of the Japanese makes. How long are the cvt altimas lasting?

#16936 of 18220 Re: CVT [nyccarguy] by benjaminh

Sep 26, 2012 (11:08 pm)

Replying to: nyccarguy (Sep 26, 2012 8:32 pm)
nycarguy: I think some earlier Altimas with the cvt did have trouble. Specifically the belt, which as you might imagine has big stresses placed on it, could wear out. As you know, it's not a regular belt, but a very high tech "super belt." I think the Nissan CVTs are now more reliable.
 
Honda has developed a new and supposedly better belt for its new earth dreams CVT. Here's a short link to a Honda site with a press release about it:
 
http://world.honda.com/news/2012/4120405New-CVT-Midsize-Vehicles/index.html
 
"....Key features of new CVT for midsize vehicles
 
    The newly developed high-efficiency electric oil pump, high-strength belt and exclusive CVT oil raise transmission efficiency to enhance fuel economy.
    The wide ratio range offers cruising with enhanced torque in the lower rpm range, thereby enhancing fuel economy. At the same time, the wide ratio range increases drive power during off-the-line acceleration to help realize an exhilarating and sporty driving feel."
 
Honda's "G-shift" design and software apparently much reduces the acceleration lag that you can get with Nissan's cvt. In other words, if you floor it in a 2013 Honda Accord cvt it's supposed to respond pretty quickly.
 
Honda has probably spent a billion or two dollars developing this transmission. The belt on the new Honda unit is supposed to be something of a breakthrough for strength and durability. Right now I think they are making the belts in Japan, but they are about to start producing them in Ohio.
 
I think the Honda CVTs will be quite durable, but I would probably buy an extended warranty just in case....

#16937 of 18220 Nissan video on their Xtronic CVT by benjaminh

Sep 26, 2012 (11:07 pm)

Kinda cool:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze06Hxem2PU
 
I think Honda's CVT is probably fairly similar.

#16938 of 18220 article on Accord cvt by benjaminh

Sep 27, 2012 (4:15 am)

http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1079054_2013-honda-accord-attention-to-g-fo- rces-yields-a-better-cvt
 
While that itself impressed us, what's the most noteworthy in the Accord's CVT is how quickly it can respond and bring revs up when needed. For instance, a number of CVTs (including the one in the 2013 Nissan Altima, surprisingly) will feel completely flat-footed and off their game if you roll around a corner at 15 mph with your foot off the gas and then accelerate at full throttle. The time to tap into full thrust is delayed for a surprising time. But in the Accord, it very quickly raises revs all the way up to the Accord's 6,600-rpm redline. Pull off the same test, dipping into half throttle out of the corner, and it very quickly finds the right ratio for the throttle opening—feeling a lot like downshifting and with no slow, muddled ramp-up.
 
How did Honda achieve this far better (we think) CVT calibration when rivals like Nissan have been working at it for so long? According to the project leader, Honda's CVT isn't much different in the mechanical design, but Honda put a lot of time into oil pressure control and electrical systems, along with the control software.

#16939 of 18220 Re: article on Accord cvt [benjaminh] by m6user

Sep 27, 2012 (8:10 am)

Replying to: benjaminh (Sep 27, 2012 4:15 am)
Appreciate the info and enthusiasm for Honda you provide but could you bold or italicize and add quotes when you are directly cutting and pasting. Really would like to differentiate between your actual comments versus copying of reference material. Tks.

#16940 of 18220 Re: article on Accord cvt [m6user] by benjaminh

Sep 27, 2012 (10:07 am)

Replying to: m6user (Sep 27, 2012 8:10 am)
Sure. Usually do add quotes but forgot that time...

Messages Page 1694 of 1822

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement