CVT vs. Automatic Transmission: What’s the Difference?
Photo by Maxim Hopman on Unsplash
The first automatic car, the Oldsmobile, first rolled off the factory floor in 1948. And by the 80s, automatic vehicles began to overtake the stick shift as the transmission of choice, and their popularity has only continued to grow over the past 40 years.
Since then, the hot debate between drivers has been all about automatic versus manual vehicles. Purists want everyone behind the wheel of a stick, and many other drivers prefer the convenience of a clutch-free vehicle.
But did you know that there is more than one kind of automatic transmission? Car enthusiasts will tell you all about the new this versus that battlefield: CVT vs. automatic transmission. If you don’t already know, let’s get into their differences, advantages, and downfalls.
CVT vs. Automatic Transmission: What’s the Difference?
Traditional AT and CVT are both automatic transmission designs that require little to no intervention from the driver (that is you don’t have to push a clutch down.) But the way each design works differs significantly.
Automatic Transmission
Traditional automatic transmission works in a similar way to a manual gearbox. In a stick shift vehicle, the driver can select from 5-6 different gears based on what they need in the moment. Lower gears are best for downhill or highway cruising, while higher gears give you more power for fast acceleration or mountain climbing.
In a traditional AT, a hydraulic system within the vehicle automatically selects the ideal gear for the situation based on driving conditions and pressure built up in the engine. The major difference is, while the driver in a manual has control over which gears to engage when, the car is in control of gear selection in a traditional AT.
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CVT
A Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) is nothing like the traditional gearboxes most of us are familiar with. In fact, a CVT has no gears at all, and is instead made up of a system of pulleys which shift depending on engine power and resistance.
Because there are no fixed gears in a CVT, drivers have access to an “infinite number of gear ratios,” which the vehicle will automatically apply during driving.
Another kind of CVT, known as a Toroidal CVT, features “rotating discs along power rollers” which produce the same effect as the pulleys.
A less common version of this transmission system, Toroidal CVTs are most commonly found in high-powered vehicles as they can take higher torque loads than their pulley-based cousins.
CVT vs. Automatic Transmission: What’s in Your Car?
How do you know what’s in your vehicle? Well, if you’re at the dealership, you can always ask. But here are a few tell-tale signs that will let you know what kind of transmission system you have under your hood.
- Your model might tell you. While CVTs have gained popularity in recent years, they are still a novelty compared to their more conventional counterparts.
So, when they’re included in a vehicle’s specs, that will likely be called out in the name of the car. Toyota’s Synergy Drive, Honda’s Multi Matic, and Nissan’s Xtronic all indicate a CVT. * The feel of your drive will tell you what you have. Take a look at your tachometer the next time you’re accelerating your vehicle. Does it steadily rise and then drop suddenly once you ease up on the gas? That means you have a traditional AT, and that drop happens when your vehicle changes gears.
Alternately, does your tachometer rise steadily with no sudden drops or lurches? This means you have a CVT. * Check out your owner’s manual. While a vehicle manual might not provide you with every car spec down to the last detail, it should tell you what kinds of systems are installed in your car.
So looking at the transmission specs section in your manual is a quick and easy way to tell whether you have a CVT vs. automatic transmission.
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The Pros and Cons of Automatic Transmission
Here are a few of the pitfalls and benefits of traditional automatic transmission.
Pro: A familiar driving sensation. Many drivers prefer traditional automatic transmissions because it’s what they’re used to. This is especially true for drivers who started out on manual vehicles and still want to know what’s happening when the car changes gears.
While it’s not the seamless transition offered by the CVT, feeling the gear shift into place does allow you to be more in tune with your car.
Con: Traditional ATs are less fuel efficient, heavier, and more difficult to control. Because they have a limited number of gears, chances are your vehicle won’t be operating at peak efficiency at all times.
You can encourage your vehicle to get into the right gear with tricky acceleration and “feathering,” but you will never have as much control as you would in a manual, and your vehicle will never be as economical as a CVT.
Pro: Traditional ATs are inexpensive and long-lasting. Because they are so common and so popular, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to finding inexpensive and high-quality maintenance for your automatic gearbox.
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The Pros and Cons of Continuous Variable Transmission
Here are a few of the pitfalls and benefits of CVT.
Pro: CVTs are fuel efficient. The pulley system is much lighter than a traditional gearbox, so it takes up less space in the car, and contributes less weight which the engine then has to pull.
Plus, the lack of specific gears means that the CVT is able to maintain optimum efficiency at any speed or road condition, so engine power is never wasted.
Con: CVTs wear out faster. Where traditional ATs need service about every 72,000 miles, CVTs require upkeep closer to 60,000.
Plus, they’re more expensive to maintain as there are fewer certified technicians who work specifically on CVTs, and thus their prices are higher.
Pro: CVTs are smooth to drive. One of their major appeals is a ride free from the bumps and jolts of a traditional automatic transmission. Because there are no gears, you will never feel the shift happen, and major acceleration will feel as effortless as cruising down an open highway.
Admittedly, this can be unnerving for drivers who are used to feeling specific engine transitions, but we think it’s worth a try.
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