initial thoughts on CVT

[Chicobiker]

2010 Outback PZEV. It was a demonstrator with 6000kms on it when I
bought it, and I just put about 500kms on it on a camping trip last
weekend. Car was fully loaded with bikes on the roof. Otherwise,
just driving around town.

So far, I'm more impressed with it as time passes. It seems to make
intelligent choices such as not changing its gear ratio when I take my
foot off the gas to turn a corner. Gas mileage is on the high side of
what was claimed, but it's still fairly new and I haven't exactly been
driving it gently since I got it. When I stomp on the gas, there is
no kick like you get with a typical automatic transmission, but
acceleration is still reasonable. It is definitely noisier than my
Impreza was when it was new. Lots of random ticking noises, like
thermal expansion noises. My only complaint is a slight delay when
pulling away from a stop. If I ease onto the gas pedal, it feels like
a long delay before the car moves. If I stomp on the pedal more
quickly, the delay seems to be less.

I've tried playing with the paddle shifters. They work well, but so
far I haven't been able to do much better than automatic mode. I've
been trying to downshift coming into a turn so I can accelerate and
pull out of it when I'm done the turn, without having the transmission
change the gear ratios on me. It kinda works, but there's no space in
the city to really try this out.

Those are my initial thoughts. I was looking forward to using this
CVT so I might be a little biased to like it. It's not the most
sporty drive, but it is what it is. I think it needs a "sport" mode,
like I found on the VW Golf's DSG system.

Chicobiker

 

[Bill Radio]

I've logged almost 5,000 miles on my '10 Outback and I must say the CVT is
far better than I could have imagined. We are in the mountains and I can't
tell you how much better it is when climbing from 5,000 to 12,000 feet on a
highway that varies in slope.

A conventional auto transmission (4-speed w/OD in my '04 Outback) would
switch back and forth from 3rd to 4th with the corresponding jerk between
gears and the unintentional windup of the engine in the lower gear: up &
down & up & down, until the top of the pass.

With CVT, the transmission smoothly adjusts the engine speed as needed to
keep the vehicle speed constant. Instead of the jerking, there is only the
noticeable change in the engine revs. The engine isn't quiet, but it rarely
exceeds 4,000 RPM while keeping the vehicle speed at 65 MPH. This is a very
pleasant surprise on our 7% grade roads.

Engine braking going downhill is now a 2-step process with the paddles, but
with experience, is no more effort than the old.

I am off faster at the light than I expected, but I also don't get the
resumption to full speed after slowing in heavy traffic than I expect.
Overall, this vehicle is a noticeable improvement over older Outbacks. Gas
mileage is MUCH higher than expected.

 

[Chicobiker]

I meant gas mileage is on the poor end of the expected range. I'm
getting close to 10litres / 100kms so far, but I bet it can do much
better.

 

[Big Jim]

Do they only have a 5 year 60k warranty on that CVT? Nissan offers 10
year/ 120k warranty on CVT vehicles. That tells me they are more
prone to problems. Subaru is heading in the wrong direction with
design and vehicles. From 00-04 the outback was AWESOME- a great
handling car that goes anywhere in comfort with good mpg

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

Do they only have a 5 year 60k warranty on that CVT? Nissan offers 10
year/ 120k warranty on CVT vehicles.  That tells me they are more
prone to problems.  Subaru is heading in the wrong direction with
design and vehicles.  From 00-04 the outback was AWESOME- a great
handling car that goes anywhere in comfort with good mpg

Doesn't FHI make BOTH those trannies? Or, maybe they come from the
same 'consortium' w'ever in Japan right?

 

[Big Jim]

I dont know who makes them but I'd hate to pay for tranny repair at
61k miles!!!!! The justy flopped and had the same thing

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I dont know who makes them but I'd hate to pay for tranny repair at
61k miles!!!!! The justy flopped and had the same thing

It seems Nissan went their own way on CVTs several years ago. They
also have ignored serious complaints about the CVT and that may be why
they elected to extend the warranty. They even refused some repairs
due to failure by owners to change some fluid - EVEN THOUGH THE
SERVICE WAS NOT ON THE SCHEDULE.IN THE MANUAL. You can find a lot of
complaints about it. Of course, it doesn't mean Subaru won't have just
as many problems with their CVTs. Time will tell.

 

[Big Jim]

Maybe CVT's are cheaper for automakers. There is no advantage in mpg
over a 5speed auto and questions of durability always come up. I have
a feeling Subaru is forgetting the type of vehicles that brought them
back and created loyal customers. The new outback is hardly an SUV-
it is nothing but a crossover. I predict they will lose their focus
and become another soulless maker with mediocre products. My 04
Outback is the epitome of Subaru - a great handling car that handles
bad weather effortlessly and can handle moIderate off highway driving
while being comfy to drive and getting 29 mpg on the highway (long
trips). The only shortfall in that year is the lack of a high enough
armrest. I will be purchasing a new vehicle in the next couple years
and sadly Subaru is not at the top of the list of vehicles I'm
considering unless they go back to their roots. The Baja is a prime
example of what I am saying- they came out with a loaded model yet
wanted to appeal to young active people. Most people may not be able
to afford a vehicle with leather and sunroof etc . They then made
changes but the Baja lost its momentum and flopped.

 

[Yousuf Khan]

Maybe CVT's are cheaper for automakers. There is no advantage in mpg
over a 5speed auto and questions of durability always come up. I have
a feeling Subaru is forgetting the type of vehicles that brought them
back and created loyal customers. The new outback is hardly an SUV-
it is nothing but a crossover. I predict they will lose their focus
and become another soulless maker with mediocre products. My 04
Outback is the epitome of Subaru - a great handling car that handles
bad weather effortlessly and can handle moIderate off highway driving
while being comfy to drive and getting 29 mpg on the highway (long
trips). The only shortfall in that year is the lack of a high enough
armrest. I will be purchasing a new vehicle in the next couple years
and sadly Subaru is not at the top of the list of vehicles I'm
considering unless they go back to their roots. The Baja is a prime
example of what I am saying- they came out with a loaded model yet
wanted to appeal to young active people. Most people may not be able
to afford a vehicle with leather and sunroof etc . They then made
changes but the Baja lost its momentum and flopped.

So your biggest complaint about the Outback is that it's getting bigger
and roomier? Oh, the horrors! I still have one of those 00-04 OBW's that
you believe are the "epitome of Subaru", and my one wish for it would be
to have more passenger space, it's got plenty of cargo space, but who
sits in the trunk (other than a dog)? And it gets adequate fuel mileage
in the highway, but it's fuel mileage in the city is abysmal, and I had
the 5-speed MT version, the auto version might possibly have been worse.

As the OBW gets bigger, it gets heavier and the fact it's getting close
to the same mileage as the older, lighter, less-powerful ones is a good
testament to the new engineering. Let's hope the CVT holds up long
enough. Even on a manual transmission you would eventually have to
replace the clutch (had that done this year on my 2000 OBW), or in a
fluid box you'd need to change its clutch plates or torque converter.
Transmission repairs are normal.

Yousuf Khan

 

[Big Jim]

I have an automatic 04 outback and the mileage is fine. Instead of
trying to make it an SUV they could have made a it a larger wagon As
they get bigger they get clunkier and dont handle as well.
Performance also suffers. Th '05's -10 arent aywhere near as comfy
the seats dont go back far enought. I'm not pleased with the
direction Subaru is headed and will likely not buy another for a while
until they slump again and recreate the outback as it should be. You
can buy a CVT but I wont especially after reading the Nissan horror
stories with them. I expect an auto trans to last well over 100k
miles and not require anything but fluid.
..

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I have an automatic 04 outback and the mileage is fine. Instead of
trying to make it an SUV they could have made a it a larger wagon  As
they get bigger they get clunkier and dont handle as well.
Performance also suffers.  Th '05's -10 arent aywhere near as comfy
the seats dont go back far enought.  I'm not pleased with the
direction Subaru is headed and will likely not buy another for a while
until they slump again and recreate the outback as it should be.  You
can buy a CVT but I wont especially after reading the Nissan horror
stories with them.  I expect an auto trans to last well over 100k
miles and  not require anything but fluid.
.

somewhat off topic but, I think there is an armrest extender for your
Outback. If you can't get one from a dealer, or maybe off Ebay, take a
look at raising it yourself. probably need some creative thinking but
I'm sure you could do it.

 

[Big Jim]

There is one for the impreza .I could make something but the car has
93k miles on it and I'm already in new car shopping mindset!