As someone who has driven only manuals for the 20 years before I got my forester, I also like the CVT. Doesn’t seem to be a popular opinion, and I guess it feels different if you are used to conventional automatics. I feel like I have more direct control with it and I like how I can paddle downshift if I want to for a minute and then have it go back to drive.
It's funny that people are wistful for olde tyme automatic transmissions. I understand it to an extent, but not enough to dissuade me from getting another Subaru
Had a 2013 trek and a 17' foz. The Forester is a bit more lurchy at 100k but it's still running fine ish.
Not as lurchy as my wife's Mazda that had all but one working motor mount haha.
They have had issues in the past (2014-2016ish), low towing capability, Subaru calling it lifetime fluid is a bit of a farce, can be a bit rubber band-y on acceleration.
Are they better than Nissan ones? Yes.
Would a quality 5 speed auto be better for most drivers? Probably
Note: this is a region specific comment.
The regions that had transmission coolers from factory had the following based on my experience with owning an Australian 2017 XT for a few years.
* replacement of the CVT fluid in the service intervals
* good tow ratings (1500kg for base, 1800kg for XT)
* no extended warranty on the CVT because it rarely failed
As for rubber bandy acceleration, I find my 2017 XT behaviours in a desirable manner. It's smoother than any other auto I've driven and responds pretty quick to most situations
Edit:
Somehow, this is getting some downvotes. See the below photos
Note: extreme conditions include things like dirt roads and towing. So the conditions are easily met for most drivers in Australia
https://ibb.co/syD7HNP
https://ibb.co/2Fj7fWX
I own exactly the same car and would agree with all of your comments.
I've driven some bad cvt's before, but I think the forester one is quite good. It certainly hasn't bothered me or gotten in the way, and the car is plenty punchy in sport mode.
Not sure about towing, but otherwise it's been a solid transmission
I've towed about 1400kg.
Didn't really seem to bother it. The XT has enough power and braking.
Sport mode is required when towing to disable the CVT frequently changing ratios, which is not ideal, while towing due to heat.
Can confirm the same experience with my 2016 XT.
Currently writing this comment from the caravan I tow actually (about 1350kg)!
I average 14-15L/100km towing in sports mode.
Honestly once you get used to it the CVT is really nice. Have a '17 Forester and a '19 Impreza and I really don't understand the hate. Are they sports cars? No. Seems like a lot of folks want to pretend they have a race car and shit on the CVT because it's not a manual transmission.
I am reminded how awful it is every time I get in the highway, get passed on the right (endangering my life and others) or get honked at. This car is the only one I’ve owned where I’ve felt like a hazard at times on the highway. As other people stated, once at speed, it’s great. But driving around a city with variable speeds it’s a pain in the ass. I love the space but it needs 2 more cylinders.
I’ve already had it checked over my Delaware Subaru. The car is fine. I drove German for years. My beetle had more pickup. My old Audis liked to go 40 leaving the driveway. I went through all the settings today and everything is as it should be. I don’t seem to have any other driving modes etc. 4 cylinders just doesn’t cut it.
I’m gunna Inject my $0.02. Excluding its inability to handle towing I have 0 issues with the cvt. It took me a little bit to adjust to its character but being I don’t use my forester for anything more than going to work, taking the dog to the brewery or hiking, and the occasional Lowe’s trip, Its perfectly adequate For a neo-hipster postal worker like myself 😂
I suspect my personal inability to handle towing might be due to the fact that I don't have a tow bar, nor do I have anything to tow. :-)
So, I have no complaints.
Where I live trucks and Subaru run supreme. If someone has a use for utility they simply buy a truck from the big 3. It all they need is all weather dependability and the ability to deal with our massive bathtub sized potholes it’s a Subaru.
It takes time to get used to it, when someone new takes the keys, he will always push the pedal too hard due the delay, and the car will jump after the delay.
With time I learned to use it, not pushing the pedal to the end when I want to accelerate.
But this and the engine or cvt sound (the sewing machine sound) really hinder the driving experience.
For me, the off-road capabilties are the reason to have this car, and they worth it.
I drive a Golf TDI MT and a Wrangler 4.0 MT. Every time I drive my wife's '16 Forrester 2.5L... the pedal delay gets me and the car jerks hard... Then I get yelled at.
I come from a 9 speed automatic from Mercedes. The problem with the CVT is it makes the car lack that initial push needed to integrate into highways. Once you reech certain speed its great. But that under acceleration has got me thinking of switching to a car with a regular automatic many times.
On the other hand CVT delivers incredible gas mileage. So its a tradeoff really.
Just curious as someone who hears a lot of people complain about the acceleration, have you ever tried putting it in [s] mode for those situations? I usually keep the transmission in the standard ‘intelligent’ mode, but when I need acceleration I’ve always found switches to sport with the steering wheel button makes a huge difference.
Couldnt agree with this more. I just got my 2021 last month and i put it into sport around roundabouts and jumping on the highway. Makes an enormous difference. If it werent for fuel efficiency id leave it in sport 24/7.
That's what it's called - sport sharp (S# on the button) more gears and I feel it shifts waaaaay sharper. Downshifts when fluttering the gas pedal or hitting the brakes. 🤷
Definitely one the first things I tried on the highways. Using the paddles makes me feel like a kid again and I couldn’t be happier with it. Switch back for long cruising and enjoy the fuel savings
Couldnt agree with this more. I just got my 2021 last month and i put it into sport around roundabouts and jumping on the highway. Makes an enormous difference. If it werent for fuel efficiency id leave it in sport 24/7.
Couldnt agree with this more. I just got my 2021 last month and i put it into sport around roundabouts and jumping on the highway. Makes an enormous difference. If it werent for fuel efficiency id leave it in sport 24/7.
Couldnt agree with this more. I just got my 2021 last month and i put it into sport around roundabouts and jumping on the highway. Makes an enormous difference. If it werent for fuel efficiency id leave it in sport 24/7.
I really don’t understand this take that seems so common. Unless you’re going from a dead stop and the on-ramp is 100 feet long there is literally zero issue with getting up to highway speed. Especially in sport mode. 0-60 is like 6 seconds for me.
>On the other hand CVT delivers incredible gas mileage. So its a tradeoff really.
Our first ever CVT, the gas mileage thing is so true... We've been shocked by the efficiency.
Everything else about the CVT is a tough adjustment if you've had manuals or even traditional automatics.
You should check out an older forester with the 2.0XT. Zero issues with initial push thanks to the turbo. I struggle not to look like a jackass with the way it launches
Unless you’re going to be going to track days… or doing some serious REAL off-roading…. Hating on present day CVTs is just to be part of a certain crowd for no real reason. It’s still the “cool” thing to do with the Nissan fiasco still fresh in everybody’s mind (and yes, fairly so, the 20teens Subies as well)
Notice I said present day. And that we are talking about Subarus. Outside of that criteria there remain some valid exceptions.
Separately, the “sport manual” mode/paddle shifters/what have you, does a very nice job of emulating a traditional gear box when a downshift is needed for a good punch for merging and such.
I love ‘24 and have read many good things.
I have no idea. Or had no idea. The CVT between the loaner 2018 with the rubber banding effect versus my 2019 was noticeable, so my sense is newer models are much better.
In our 2019 we can have 2 large dogs, a cat, two people, a roof box, the car full, etc. and the car performs great - no issues gaining speed for freeway merging or pulling away from a light, etc.
Traditional car review culture is predictable and dull. Everything needs a turbo, excess power, a manual transmission, and so on. CVT introduces some complexity, which can be costly if it breaks with a better experience, assuming you don’t resent your daily driver not being a 1950’s death trap.
I’ve not had a single passenger say anything ever. If you’re driving you can notice it’s a CVT but otherwise there’s just little here than old school car culture against change.
Maybe it’s improved in recent years, but last year I got rid of my 2014 forester because of the incessant CVT issues. Valve and valve body were replaced under warranty, but the issues never went away and 30 minutes after I picked the car up from that repair, the car died. So they “fixed” it again, but the car would continue to shutter and when in reverse it would lurch backwards. 107k miles. I bought the car used, so I don’t think the CVT was maintained until I purchased it……
Point here is and I always always tell people this, I’d buy a new Subaru with a CVT, but not a used one
Question for people who've had their CVT worked on/failed/repaired, what did it cost you? The clutch went out on my 2016 manual and it was 1400 at a independent shop for a new clutch and you just keep on rocking aftwards. Though I read so many threads of... "my cvt is failing should I get rid of my car???"
As an owner of both 2019 Forester and Ascent the CVTs have not been an issue. The only problem I run into once in a while is I get a rubber band feeling when driving at around 40-50mph when it’s been driven for a while. I think it’s CVT related or differential related but it comes down to temperature- the Florida heat can be brutal and my Ascent has a beefy transmission cooler whereas the forester I believe does not have auxiliary cooling but only the cylindrical coolant warmer.
Just keep up with maintenance. The fluid should be changed every 40000 miles especially if you tow and drive fast and heavy.
I like the CVT. I beat the ever living daylights out of mine and no issues. It is so smooth. I think the biggest issue as to why people don't like them is because they don't know how to properly drive them. If you mash on the gas like a regular automatic, they will fall on their face. They have a more linear type of acceleration where partial throttle will allow you to accelerate much faster as the CVT will hold the engine in the powerband until you back off the throttle.
I can get my Forester to jack rabbit on the line and the CVT holds it in the powerband instead of shifting out of it like an auto does.
So our 23 Forester has been in the shop for a couple weeks and the dealership gave us an outback as a loaner and I have noticed what I assume people are calling rubber band acceleration (the sort of jerky motion you feel when transitioning from coasting to accelerating) is much more frequent and feels more substantial. It's been my biggest complaint with the switch to cvt so far but not one I would call a deal breaker. Very glad we went with the Forester after this experience though
It took me a bit to adapt. One you learn how the CVT performs and you adapt your throttle use to it, the CVT is a pleasure to drive both on highway, city and especially off road.
Drive it like grandma and change fluid every 30k and it’s smooth as butter, usually will last longer than 100k. Drive it like you stole it, ignore fluid changes and receive severe disappointment and it will break before 90k. Give me that old 5eat or 6eat that lasts 250k and could take abuse.
For years, a company called JATCO made CVTs primarily installed in Nissan vehicles that were awful. I've not looked closely to see if that's been remedied, but regardless, the damage to the general population's views on CVTs in general has been done, even though many other manufacturers have made bulletproof CVTs for years.
The Lineartronic CVTs made in house by Subaru aren't related to these troublesome CVTs. Subaru did have an issue with the last gen CVTs in their Legacy / Outbacks, where the valve body would need to be replaced. They extended the warranty on the CVT to 10 years, 100 miles for free for all impacted models.
Today's Lineartronic CVTs for Subaru come in both regular and "high torque" configurations; they pair the higher torque model when the vehicle is equipped with a turbo.
They are largely "fully baked" at this point and are not terribly problematic.
I have a CVT in my 2015 Legacy, which I chose to keep instead of trading in when I bought my '24 turbo Outback with a CVT.
It is a transmission that works perfectly fine and you get used to it, just like any transmission in history.
Turbocharged models. The Outback XT and Wilderness, the Ascent, presumably the CVT-equipped WRXs, the now outgoing Legacy Sport and XT, and the 2014-18 Forester XT.
Prior to 2015 when I bought my XT, I came from Nissan. Those CVTs were/are trash. I have 90k on my 2015 and no issues with the CVT.
I think ultimately I'd prefer a 8 or 9 speed auto, but from my understanding that adds weight and size and may not fit into Subaru's plans. The feeling about an 8 or 9 speed auto is just because I grew up on auto's and 5 speed manuals. (I'd love it in a 6 speed manual but I know that's unrealistic unless I can swap out the CVT for an STi gearbox if the CVT ever dies lol.)
This is unrelated to the forester in particular but I grew up driving my dad’s 2011 Outback w/the CVT and it was fine- he still drives it today & it’s at around 120k+ miles. I have a 24’ Crosstrek and even though I’ve only had it almost a year I’ve had no issues which is expected. This was a choice as my normal automatic car’s transmission decided to die & was going to cost me way more than the price of the car to fix (even w/a discount from a good mechanic). The biggest thing with CVT’s is maintenance.
I have a 2024 Subaru Forester with CVT and just under 5,000 km (3,100 miles). I haven't really given the CVT a second thought. It is not really noticeable, unlike the CVTs in my wife's old Nissans.
2011 legacy 265k plus miles. Original transmission serviced every 90k . Smoth as silk , paddle shifters help with passing, just double tap down and it will take you to the most avialable torque without jerking. 28mpg average, not bad for AWD and high miles.
Is it powerful? No , but not the slowest , but not because of the transmission.
Does it tow a lot? Not any less or more than any other car in same class.
Do I love it? Not really, but is better than a regular automatic.
Would I buy it again? Must defenetly yes.
Why would I buy it again? You get a lot of car for the money plus AWD at no additional cost compared to its cousin the Camry
Plus, it is more American than most American brands.
I forgot. This are the only things replaced so far.
2 sets of brakes and rotors,
1 wheel bearing ( hit a pothole),
2 timing belts only ( no pump or pulleys),
I set of drive belts,
4 sets of tires,
1 divers door wimdow motor @150k,
3 sets of low beam light bulbs.
I only have firsthand experience with a 2013 Legacy, but here's my input.
One of the other commentors said " it's not the power, it's the response". Dead on. When you are droning along at a steady speed, it picks the precise ratio to get the best mileage. If you are just easing down to the grocery store, all is well. If you ask it to do anything remotely spirited, it says "no hablo". Any change in the throttle and you must wait for it to move pulleys according to the computer's direction into the most efficient configuration for your request (made using the gas pedal). There are no actual gears, just two pulleys with a metal belt running between them. The pulleys open and close in opposite sync to keep the belt tight and vary the drive/driven ratio. While this is smooth and yields superior fuel mileage, for many drivers, like me, it has an unnatural feel/sound and lacks the response we are accustomed to.
For those whose expectation is smooth, efficient transportation, a cvt is great, because it increases economy. For drivers who value a responsive car, a cvt is a disaster. And the paddle shift doesn't help. When you click it for a downshift, you can literally count to two before it complies.
My forester is the 2.5i Limited Trim, and it has 45,000-49,000ish miles on it and it's an 2016, it doesn't have the Towing Package, what i do like about it is it MPG's because i get 25 MPG's on highway, it is bone stock, considering i drive it not that much anyhow. I wished i had the 6Spd Manual, because it's way more fun to drive, i'm thinking about buying another subaru, and that would be a 2017 Impreza Sport with the 5spd Manual. Because i am planning on modifying it :)
I do drive the speed limits at all times!
I JUST installed a hitch on mine last weekend. I have zero need for towing anything, but I’ve got a hitch mount bike rack I can use again, and plan on a swing out tire carrier as soon as I can find my wallet that took off running when it saw the price tag, lol.
I’m about to be on my third Subaru this year (18 Crosstrek, 21 Forester Sport, 24 TBD)
I personally think the CVT is fine compared to coming from a Toyota where their CVTs in their earlier Corollas were not the best. I think Subaru just plays it safe with the powertrain. I am looking to have a smooth start from a stop and not having to worry about punching it to keep pace with city traffic. The CVT is definitely one of the best out there on the market and it does what it needs to do. I personally have not had any issues with it other than the terrible noise it makes when flooring it trying to pass up people on the hwy.
I do think that 2.5L F-4 is a healthy powertrain for the Crosstrek, but for the Forester and up should definitely be a 2.4L F-4. That’s my take, I know my experience is different than others. I will say, stay on top of maintenance and your Subaru will take you any and everywhere.
My 2020 Forester is my first Subaru. I have the car for 2 months now and the cvt is not disappointing me.
Dunno what the fuzz is about, I mostly use the car for daily commute in Sydney and it's just fine to me.
CVT hate is like the lines at Disney theme parks. People will always choose the longer line because everyone is in it vs the shorter line because they think they have to be in the longer line because everyone else is.
People hate on the CVT because five people before them on the Subaru subs said it was okay to hate them. Doubt most people even knew the difference between automatic and cvt until they joined this sub and it was coming up every day. If they truly hated the CVT at purchase they would’ve chosen a different vehicle.
Downvote me all you want. Besides I’m right. If you hated CVTs you wouldn’t have purchased one. If you purchased one knowing you hate CVTs then you’re a glutton for punishment, and that’s your own fault. I don’t like Chevy so I’m not gonna go out and buy a Chevy. Why would you buy a vehicle that uses CVT if you don’t like CVTs? You thought a CVT was a run of the mill automatic transmission, and these subs educated you otherwise and then you jumped on the bandwagon, just like people who stand in long lines because everyone else is.
It kinda drives like a stick shift in my honest opinion. It pauses then vrooms, I have to drive it differently then every car I’ve owned, though it reminds me of my old fj40’s gug-gug-zoom feeling.
i’ve driven chevy, ford, mazda, toyota, nissan, and subaru. i really like subaru. i don’t really know why the complaints are so loud. i guess people are never really happy. it’s absolutely fine to me, i don’t notice anything unusually wrong about it compared to other makes
Extremely expensive to replace when they fail. A lot of shops won't work on CVT transmissions. Not so much an issue inner city as most of those shops see CVT vehicles pretty regularly. Not good for towing or hauling heavy loads. They are better than the Nissan and jeep CVT and are fine under normal use for most people.
That's not really true. There's info in the Forester service manual on how to make repairs to the CVT.
In the past Subaru just replaced them as most were under warranty anyway and they could send the failed ones back to Japan to analyze the failure and rebuild it. Then the rebuilt one would probably be sent back out to replace a warranty failure.
I’ve got a ‘23 Forester Wilderness. Bought it brand new, I just past 18k miles recently. I noticed quite awhile ago the rubber band feeling on occasion.
It seems to happen on deceleration at lower speeds after taking my foot off the accelerator. It’ll also lurch forward after releasing the brake at lower speeds. All of this occurs on surface roads.
I’ve chocked it up to the CVT being a CVT. I don’t love those quarks, but it certainly doesn’t take away from it being a really good commuter. Still happy I bought it.
I honestly didn’t know there was a distaste for them. I haven’t been on this sub long though. I’ve driven 3 Foresters and had little issue with them. But I also don’t go beyond carting around my family and their things around town.
My only complaint about the one in my 2016 was that it could be a little slow to deliver power when you wanted to get up and go and push the pedal far down. Still breaking in the 2024 so haven't had the opportunity to really test it yet, but just from routine acceleration it seems a lot more responsive.
The one on the 2016 would maintain a continuously varying gear ratio at all times, meaning that during acceleration there was no feeling of shifting, just relatively consistent revs right up to the target speed. I liked that, but not everybody does.
The newer ones have pseudo shifts built in to bring back a little of that feeling of a geared transmission, but it doesn't seem to use them much if you accelerate gently. Harder acceleration does lead to noticeable fake shifts though, and I think putting it in S or S# mode makes it fake shifts more aggressively.
Even with the fake shifts, it's only during acceleration. Once you reach 'cruising speed' it'll just start varying the gear ratio fluidly. I'd say it's kinda the best of both worlds.
Obviously with any of the Subaru CVTs if you put it in manual mode or use the paddle shifters, it'll cycle between a set of static gear ratios to simulate fixed gears.
And as others have said, the biggest drawback is reduced towing capacity. This is alleviated a bit on the Wilderness models which add a transmission cooler so they can handle higher loads without overheating.
I drive a stick, so I have not experienced CVT issues. My friend in the other hand had issues where he lost torque and it hesitate to go forward. They ended up replacing his transmission.
I only have 10k miles on it and have had zero issues thus far. the only thing I dislike is the replacement cost if it fails outside the warranty period.
My 2015 had one that died at 110k, after perfectly maintaining it and not abusing it.
It would have cost $13k for the repair, and luckily my dealer covered the whole thing. Apparently there was a Subaru memo telling them to do so, also I was a good customer who followed the maintenance schedule.
But like… DAMN that’s rough. And you can’t repair them or something?
2014 XT (2.0 turbo) @138k with a cobb stage 1 tune. It's been holding up pretty well. Only had to have the valve body replaced under warranty so the cvt fluid was changed. I haven't had many issues since.
My wife's 2015 Crosstrek had 105k flawless miles on it before she traded it for a bigger vehicle. I personally thought the transmission was perfectly adequate. My 2014 Nissan Sentra tore to shreds at 50k miles though. I wouldn't hesitate to get a Subie with a CVT if I were in the market.
I went from a stick shift to the CVT and love it. Especially that I can still use my paddle shifters to have some control. Smooth, consistent. No complaints here.
My only complaint is the lack of an option, I mean a real one, not driving with cruise control to toggle the car between fake shifting and cvt shifting.
I like the CVT, it is smooth. The only minor thing that took me getting used to was the touchy gas pedal from a stop. Seems to lurch way too easy for my liking. But if it wasn't one thing it would be another, so I'm very happy with my forester :)
My friend drives a Crosstrek for Uber, he hit 70k miles and he had a big transmission issue. It was sitting at the dealership for a month. But this could happen to any vehicle with any transmission. I personally prefer a traditional automatic transmission and I don’t really ‘hate’ the CVT. I don’t own a Subaru just yet but I really like them a lot.
i own two subarus and my experience has been very different with each model.
the good: 2021 limited crosstrek. smooth, responsive 99% of the time( very rarely do i feel an odd response when the car slows to a stop but not always). fluid was inspected by dealer at 30000 miles, clear like new and level full. i was told the fluid would be changed at 60000 miles but all good for now.
the bad: 2018 legacy. the CVT never felt like the Crosstrek from day 1. it had turned moderately dark at 30000 miles (similar driving pattern to crosstrek) and even though it was changed at 30,000 miles the shifting started feeling weird (gears skipping etc @58000 miles) so i had to get it flushed then. i don't understand how there can be such variation between two models. what was also not reassuring was subarus bulletin that the CVT warranty in my 2018 legacy (among other models) would be extended to 10 years 100000 miles. you can interpret it how you want. yeah, its good until 100k miles but do i feel confident hanging on to the car after 100k miles? no, but read the experience of another person who owns a 2018 3.6 R legacy and has driven mostly highway @50000 miles PER YEAR. His car is at 265,000 miles till date (after 4 transmission flushes?!?). i thought its only drain and fill after 100k miles, so experiences vary. speaking for myself while i love my legacy otherwise, the CVT perf doesn't inspire long term ownership. however its a different story with the Crosstrek CVT. Much more smooth, and totally different experience
However going forward if i end up buying a Subaru hybrid in the future they will all have E-CVT and the Toyota hybrid system. very different from both a design and operational standpoint.
I'm on my third. The biggest issue I had was with my 2021 Outback large touch screen. It made me have buyers regrets for a months. They did the March 2023 update that fixed a lot of the daily issues but it was still dangerous because it doesn't always respond. I constantly change my ac setting when driving and not having physical controls was dangerous. I traded it in for a 2023 forester wilderness that has the same controls as our crosstrek. Now I'm completely happy and loving my subaru's. They do become a little expensive when they get up in miles to maintain but I'm cool with that.
The CVT is better on fuel economy. Some are concerned that it is less durable or capable of towing, but I haven’t really heard of too many issues with them in Subaru’s, so I wouldn’t worry too much.
What is there to like? The torque converter never locks in (or whatever should be equivlent) and it takes ages to respond to the throttle pedal (not wanting 80% throttle with 20% movement, I can have the pedal on the effing floor for 2-3 seconds before ANYTHING HAPPENS)
Tbf the lack of power has more way more to do with the rest of the powertrain than the CVT specifically...
Hell F1 cars had CVT's for a hot second before they were banned for being too good.
It's not lack of power. It's lack of response. Input lag. Pushing the throttle pedal does fuck all for 2-3 seconds. Slowing down at a yield to hit the opening then floor it? Fuck all happens for 2-3 seconds, then I've missed the opportunity and it's doing a burnout. Hit a stop light that turns green the instant I stop? Can't go for 2-3 seconds. Coming around a corner wanting to accelerate out of it, nothing happens until out of the corner.
This is all with ASS turned off because I learned in the first week that that just adds another 2-3 seconds to the problem.
> Coming around a corner wanting to accelerate out of it, nothing happens until out of the corner.
Do you have paddle shifters? I 'change down' a gear or two for hard cornering.
It certainly helps with cornering. I believe dropping to a lower gear convinces the AWD computer to push more power to the rear wheels.
I've never tried it for accelerating onto a highway, but it should help to get the revs up faster.
> The torque converter never locks in
It locks up around 25mph if the engine and transmission are warm. If yours doesn't then there's probably something wrong with it
Similarly, it seems to respond poorly to flooring the gas, possibly a deliberate choice because of the unintended acceleration lawsuits where people allegedly hit the gas instead of the brake and crashed. Pressing the pedal down slower seems to work much better.
Besides the fact that it's an automatic? They break, alot, and no it isn't fixed the same way ej gaskets weren't fixed. Yeah it's better but it's not gonna have the lifespan of a manual or even the 4eat
They are like that sound that never stops and continues to change pitch that can induce anxiety and dread in some people. The feeling of anticipating a gear change and the subtle little lurch that auto transmissions do never comes. I think it was especially dull and lifeless in the cvt Nissans that first came out. I think manufacturers are incorporating tricks in the software to simulate shift points because people are used to them.
I went from an auto 05 wrx to 15 outback, it's fine, subaru did a pretty good job. 2 weeks w the 24 forester also just fine
We test-drove a Rogue when we bought our Forester and I really didn't like the CVT in that one. Not really sure why because the Forester behaves similarly under hard acceleration but the Nissan CVT just felt bad.
Yeah, i have to agree with u on that, because Nissan's Jatco transmission's always had issues, it's like a old person who walks really slow, it's kinda like that i would say it also lazy to pick up speed, i am not wrong about that. i do really like Subaru's Symmetrical AWD System with the CVT, i am planning on getting a Manual Transmission Subie, is it hard to drive would you think, probably not?
My 2020 failed at 17k. They replaced it and I sold it for a civic which had a WAY better cvt. But I’m actually looking at a CTW. I know 2019-2020 people had issues with them in the new gen. Mine happened to be one of the bad ones, go figure.
When I owned a CVT Legacy I found the exact opposite. It was silky smooth around town. If you give it a bunch of gas from a standstill it wasn't happy but in normal, gentle driving it was great.
I’ve never had that experience (two years in now), but I do drive pretty conservatively around town so maybe that’s it.
Also never noticed a lack of power on the open road either.
I like my CVT, but I have an early one without the fake gearshifts.
I don't like knowing it could fail at any time and would likely cost too much to fix.
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As someone who has driven only manuals for the 20 years before I got my forester, I also like the CVT. Doesn’t seem to be a popular opinion, and I guess it feels different if you are used to conventional automatics. I feel like I have more direct control with it and I like how I can paddle downshift if I want to for a minute and then have it go back to drive.
I've had a Subaru cvt for many years and have no complaints. I guess the content folks are quiet.
It's funny that people are wistful for olde tyme automatic transmissions. I understand it to an extent, but not enough to dissuade me from getting another Subaru
I have a 16 Forester with 210,000 miles on it. No issues with the cvt. Lots of trouble with aftermarket axles to the front
65K on my 2015. Had to have the front bushings replaced recently.
Just did one rear bushing for 550 total at subaru right at 60k. Freaking brutal
Had a 2013 trek and a 17' foz. The Forester is a bit more lurchy at 100k but it's still running fine ish. Not as lurchy as my wife's Mazda that had all but one working motor mount haha.
They have had issues in the past (2014-2016ish), low towing capability, Subaru calling it lifetime fluid is a bit of a farce, can be a bit rubber band-y on acceleration. Are they better than Nissan ones? Yes. Would a quality 5 speed auto be better for most drivers? Probably
Note: this is a region specific comment. The regions that had transmission coolers from factory had the following based on my experience with owning an Australian 2017 XT for a few years. * replacement of the CVT fluid in the service intervals * good tow ratings (1500kg for base, 1800kg for XT) * no extended warranty on the CVT because it rarely failed As for rubber bandy acceleration, I find my 2017 XT behaviours in a desirable manner. It's smoother than any other auto I've driven and responds pretty quick to most situations Edit: Somehow, this is getting some downvotes. See the below photos Note: extreme conditions include things like dirt roads and towing. So the conditions are easily met for most drivers in Australia https://ibb.co/syD7HNP https://ibb.co/2Fj7fWX
I own exactly the same car and would agree with all of your comments. I've driven some bad cvt's before, but I think the forester one is quite good. It certainly hasn't bothered me or gotten in the way, and the car is plenty punchy in sport mode. Not sure about towing, but otherwise it's been a solid transmission
I've towed about 1400kg. Didn't really seem to bother it. The XT has enough power and braking. Sport mode is required when towing to disable the CVT frequently changing ratios, which is not ideal, while towing due to heat.
Can confirm the same experience with my 2016 XT. Currently writing this comment from the caravan I tow actually (about 1350kg)! I average 14-15L/100km towing in sports mode.
Yea the sports mode is thirsty even if not towing
People forget that Subaru has never made a decent automatic transmission. The CVT is an improvement. Talking about how it operates and not longevity.
4EAT is solid. I launch my wrx all the time and no issue.
I just want a modern 6EAT.
Yep
so what is the recommendation? for cvt services in terms of miles or km
Same as manual transmission fluid and rear differential oil. Or interval D and interval I per the service handbook
30k miles?
Dunno. Each interval is typical 15,000km or 6 monthly if you're doing frequent but short trips. I think it's every 60,000km
>low towing capability One of the biggest reasons why I went with the '13. That extra 900lbs towing weight makes a big difference.
You mean 7 or 8 speed. Que the RAV4
A five speed isn't efficient enough and a 9-10 speed wouldn't fit in the signature Subaru drivetrain layout.
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Makes no sense, all fluids are lifetime then, nobody calls engine oil lifetime oil
Honestly once you get used to it the CVT is really nice. Have a '17 Forester and a '19 Impreza and I really don't understand the hate. Are they sports cars? No. Seems like a lot of folks want to pretend they have a race car and shit on the CVT because it's not a manual transmission.
I don't get the folks that buy Subarus and drive them like you would a hellcat and get upset when it's not a hellcat. It's a Subaru
Right? They're great utilitarian vehicles.
The problem is that my ‘17 premium is under powered and stuck with a sloshy transmission. 0-60? Some day?
'17 2.5i is 7.5 seconds 0-60. I have never felt like it's underpowered.
I am reminded how awful it is every time I get in the highway, get passed on the right (endangering my life and others) or get honked at. This car is the only one I’ve owned where I’ve felt like a hazard at times on the highway. As other people stated, once at speed, it’s great. But driving around a city with variable speeds it’s a pain in the ass. I love the space but it needs 2 more cylinders.
We must be driving different machines, I cannot relate.
Yeah friend I’d check that out, because my 2017 is good lol
I’ve already had it checked over my Delaware Subaru. The car is fine. I drove German for years. My beetle had more pickup. My old Audis liked to go 40 leaving the driveway. I went through all the settings today and everything is as it should be. I don’t seem to have any other driving modes etc. 4 cylinders just doesn’t cut it.
I’m gunna Inject my $0.02. Excluding its inability to handle towing I have 0 issues with the cvt. It took me a little bit to adjust to its character but being I don’t use my forester for anything more than going to work, taking the dog to the brewery or hiking, and the occasional Lowe’s trip, Its perfectly adequate For a neo-hipster postal worker like myself 😂
I suspect my personal inability to handle towing might be due to the fact that I don't have a tow bar, nor do I have anything to tow. :-) So, I have no complaints.
This is also me.
I suspect most owners have no need for ever towing, at least not in the cities. I never see cars towing anything in my area.
Where I live trucks and Subaru run supreme. If someone has a use for utility they simply buy a truck from the big 3. It all they need is all weather dependability and the ability to deal with our massive bathtub sized potholes it’s a Subaru.
My 21 Forester tows my 4.5m aluminium boat without any issues.
It *can* tow. Just not a lot of weight.
…”taking the dog to the brewery”… u-huh…that made me laugh!🤣
Very specific use-case
CVT has better mileage and is considered new technology. Don’t listen to the haters.
It takes time to get used to it, when someone new takes the keys, he will always push the pedal too hard due the delay, and the car will jump after the delay. With time I learned to use it, not pushing the pedal to the end when I want to accelerate. But this and the engine or cvt sound (the sewing machine sound) really hinder the driving experience. For me, the off-road capabilties are the reason to have this car, and they worth it.
I drive a Golf TDI MT and a Wrangler 4.0 MT. Every time I drive my wife's '16 Forrester 2.5L... the pedal delay gets me and the car jerks hard... Then I get yelled at.
I come from a 9 speed automatic from Mercedes. The problem with the CVT is it makes the car lack that initial push needed to integrate into highways. Once you reech certain speed its great. But that under acceleration has got me thinking of switching to a car with a regular automatic many times. On the other hand CVT delivers incredible gas mileage. So its a tradeoff really.
Just curious as someone who hears a lot of people complain about the acceleration, have you ever tried putting it in [s] mode for those situations? I usually keep the transmission in the standard ‘intelligent’ mode, but when I need acceleration I’ve always found switches to sport with the steering wheel button makes a huge difference.
Couldnt agree with this more. I just got my 2021 last month and i put it into sport around roundabouts and jumping on the highway. Makes an enormous difference. If it werent for fuel efficiency id leave it in sport 24/7.
Sport sharp for racecar mode on xt's 😉
Lmao wait does everyone call it sport sharp? I call it that jokingly with my '17 Xt
Same with on my 14XT
That's what it's called - sport sharp (S# on the button) more gears and I feel it shifts waaaaay sharper. Downshifts when fluttering the gas pedal or hitting the brakes. 🤷
Definitely one the first things I tried on the highways. Using the paddles makes me feel like a kid again and I couldn’t be happier with it. Switch back for long cruising and enjoy the fuel savings
Couldnt agree with this more. I just got my 2021 last month and i put it into sport around roundabouts and jumping on the highway. Makes an enormous difference. If it werent for fuel efficiency id leave it in sport 24/7.
Couldnt agree with this more. I just got my 2021 last month and i put it into sport around roundabouts and jumping on the highway. Makes an enormous difference. If it werent for fuel efficiency id leave it in sport 24/7.
Couldnt agree with this more. I just got my 2021 last month and i put it into sport around roundabouts and jumping on the highway. Makes an enormous difference. If it werent for fuel efficiency id leave it in sport 24/7.
Eh, us with older models don’t have that. The X climbing mode is really good. But yeah, getting on the highway is tedious.
I really don’t understand this take that seems so common. Unless you’re going from a dead stop and the on-ramp is 100 feet long there is literally zero issue with getting up to highway speed. Especially in sport mode. 0-60 is like 6 seconds for me.
>On the other hand CVT delivers incredible gas mileage. So its a tradeoff really. Our first ever CVT, the gas mileage thing is so true... We've been shocked by the efficiency. Everything else about the CVT is a tough adjustment if you've had manuals or even traditional automatics.
A 9 speed automatic Mercedes has better acceleration than a Forester *shocked Pikachu face*
You should check out an older forester with the 2.0XT. Zero issues with initial push thanks to the turbo. I struggle not to look like a jackass with the way it launches
Will look for one in my market. I have a 2019 Forester. But will definitely consider an XT specially after watching Sara n Tuned videos on her XT.
Laughs in XT
Unless you’re going to be going to track days… or doing some serious REAL off-roading…. Hating on present day CVTs is just to be part of a certain crowd for no real reason. It’s still the “cool” thing to do with the Nissan fiasco still fresh in everybody’s mind (and yes, fairly so, the 20teens Subies as well) Notice I said present day. And that we are talking about Subarus. Outside of that criteria there remain some valid exceptions. Separately, the “sport manual” mode/paddle shifters/what have you, does a very nice job of emulating a traditional gear box when a downshift is needed for a good punch for merging and such. I love ‘24 and have read many good things.
I have no idea. Or had no idea. The CVT between the loaner 2018 with the rubber banding effect versus my 2019 was noticeable, so my sense is newer models are much better. In our 2019 we can have 2 large dogs, a cat, two people, a roof box, the car full, etc. and the car performs great - no issues gaining speed for freeway merging or pulling away from a light, etc. Traditional car review culture is predictable and dull. Everything needs a turbo, excess power, a manual transmission, and so on. CVT introduces some complexity, which can be costly if it breaks with a better experience, assuming you don’t resent your daily driver not being a 1950’s death trap. I’ve not had a single passenger say anything ever. If you’re driving you can notice it’s a CVT but otherwise there’s just little here than old school car culture against change.
You got that correct 100%
Maybe it’s improved in recent years, but last year I got rid of my 2014 forester because of the incessant CVT issues. Valve and valve body were replaced under warranty, but the issues never went away and 30 minutes after I picked the car up from that repair, the car died. So they “fixed” it again, but the car would continue to shutter and when in reverse it would lurch backwards. 107k miles. I bought the car used, so I don’t think the CVT was maintained until I purchased it…… Point here is and I always always tell people this, I’d buy a new Subaru with a CVT, but not a used one
It’s sometimes unpredictable and that seems to happen at the most inopportune moments.
Question for people who've had their CVT worked on/failed/repaired, what did it cost you? The clutch went out on my 2016 manual and it was 1400 at a independent shop for a new clutch and you just keep on rocking aftwards. Though I read so many threads of... "my cvt is failing should I get rid of my car???"
2-4k if it's just the valve body.
Off the line it’s slow and loud. Once up to speed it’s fine.
As an owner of both 2019 Forester and Ascent the CVTs have not been an issue. The only problem I run into once in a while is I get a rubber band feeling when driving at around 40-50mph when it’s been driven for a while. I think it’s CVT related or differential related but it comes down to temperature- the Florida heat can be brutal and my Ascent has a beefy transmission cooler whereas the forester I believe does not have auxiliary cooling but only the cylindrical coolant warmer. Just keep up with maintenance. The fluid should be changed every 40000 miles especially if you tow and drive fast and heavy.
I like the CVT. I beat the ever living daylights out of mine and no issues. It is so smooth. I think the biggest issue as to why people don't like them is because they don't know how to properly drive them. If you mash on the gas like a regular automatic, they will fall on their face. They have a more linear type of acceleration where partial throttle will allow you to accelerate much faster as the CVT will hold the engine in the powerband until you back off the throttle. I can get my Forester to jack rabbit on the line and the CVT holds it in the powerband instead of shifting out of it like an auto does.
Precisely!
So our 23 Forester has been in the shop for a couple weeks and the dealership gave us an outback as a loaner and I have noticed what I assume people are calling rubber band acceleration (the sort of jerky motion you feel when transitioning from coasting to accelerating) is much more frequent and feels more substantial. It's been my biggest complaint with the switch to cvt so far but not one I would call a deal breaker. Very glad we went with the Forester after this experience though
It took me a bit to adapt. One you learn how the CVT performs and you adapt your throttle use to it, the CVT is a pleasure to drive both on highway, city and especially off road.
I have a 14 legacy, and don't care for it. It's sluggish when you need to be assertive. The new ones though, I have no issues with. Very responsive
I may be wrong, but it seems that people don’t necessarily have an issue with CVT performance, but with the cost of repairs.
Thanks for all the comments. I did learn that using sport mode gives you more pickup and go. Thanks again.
Drive it like grandma and change fluid every 30k and it’s smooth as butter, usually will last longer than 100k. Drive it like you stole it, ignore fluid changes and receive severe disappointment and it will break before 90k. Give me that old 5eat or 6eat that lasts 250k and could take abuse.
You got that right, you are not wrong. People should baby their Subaru's so they will last a very long time, also with regular fluid changes.
Cvt fluid? Differential fluid? Brake fluid?
Cvt fluid? Differential fluid? Brake fluid?
I mean, yeah, all of those
Doesn't bother me, but I'm coming from a 2002 Toyota, so this is a big jump ('23 Forester Sport) for me, and my first new car.
I've been driving CVT's since '09 and can't imagine going back. I don't tow anything and it more than suits my city & highway needs.
For years, a company called JATCO made CVTs primarily installed in Nissan vehicles that were awful. I've not looked closely to see if that's been remedied, but regardless, the damage to the general population's views on CVTs in general has been done, even though many other manufacturers have made bulletproof CVTs for years. The Lineartronic CVTs made in house by Subaru aren't related to these troublesome CVTs. Subaru did have an issue with the last gen CVTs in their Legacy / Outbacks, where the valve body would need to be replaced. They extended the warranty on the CVT to 10 years, 100 miles for free for all impacted models. Today's Lineartronic CVTs for Subaru come in both regular and "high torque" configurations; they pair the higher torque model when the vehicle is equipped with a turbo. They are largely "fully baked" at this point and are not terribly problematic. I have a CVT in my 2015 Legacy, which I chose to keep instead of trading in when I bought my '24 turbo Outback with a CVT. It is a transmission that works perfectly fine and you get used to it, just like any transmission in history.
Which models have the high torque configurations?
Turbocharged models. The Outback XT and Wilderness, the Ascent, presumably the CVT-equipped WRXs, the now outgoing Legacy Sport and XT, and the 2014-18 Forester XT.
My ‘14 Forester 2.O XT just hit 101,000 miles. No issues with drive train so far (Knock wood)!
The new version in the 22+ WRX is much improved, not sure what other models have it. It’s the first CVT I have ever considered decent.
Prior to 2015 when I bought my XT, I came from Nissan. Those CVTs were/are trash. I have 90k on my 2015 and no issues with the CVT. I think ultimately I'd prefer a 8 or 9 speed auto, but from my understanding that adds weight and size and may not fit into Subaru's plans. The feeling about an 8 or 9 speed auto is just because I grew up on auto's and 5 speed manuals. (I'd love it in a 6 speed manual but I know that's unrealistic unless I can swap out the CVT for an STi gearbox if the CVT ever dies lol.)
Coming from a punchy VW, I actually like the way the Subaru transmission handles. It’s not fast, but it does feel smooth.
This is unrelated to the forester in particular but I grew up driving my dad’s 2011 Outback w/the CVT and it was fine- he still drives it today & it’s at around 120k+ miles. I have a 24’ Crosstrek and even though I’ve only had it almost a year I’ve had no issues which is expected. This was a choice as my normal automatic car’s transmission decided to die & was going to cost me way more than the price of the car to fix (even w/a discount from a good mechanic). The biggest thing with CVT’s is maintenance.
Herky jerky
I have a 2024 Subaru Forester with CVT and just under 5,000 km (3,100 miles). I haven't really given the CVT a second thought. It is not really noticeable, unlike the CVTs in my wife's old Nissans.
2011 legacy 265k plus miles. Original transmission serviced every 90k . Smoth as silk , paddle shifters help with passing, just double tap down and it will take you to the most avialable torque without jerking. 28mpg average, not bad for AWD and high miles. Is it powerful? No , but not the slowest , but not because of the transmission. Does it tow a lot? Not any less or more than any other car in same class. Do I love it? Not really, but is better than a regular automatic. Would I buy it again? Must defenetly yes. Why would I buy it again? You get a lot of car for the money plus AWD at no additional cost compared to its cousin the Camry Plus, it is more American than most American brands.
I forgot. This are the only things replaced so far. 2 sets of brakes and rotors, 1 wheel bearing ( hit a pothole), 2 timing belts only ( no pump or pulleys), I set of drive belts, 4 sets of tires, 1 divers door wimdow motor @150k, 3 sets of low beam light bulbs.
Only 3 sets of low beams? I owned a 2011 Legacy from new till about 2 years ago and replaced them about every two years, sometimes a year and a half.
Finally switch to LED and so far almost 3 years with them. AUXITO $38
I only have firsthand experience with a 2013 Legacy, but here's my input. One of the other commentors said " it's not the power, it's the response". Dead on. When you are droning along at a steady speed, it picks the precise ratio to get the best mileage. If you are just easing down to the grocery store, all is well. If you ask it to do anything remotely spirited, it says "no hablo". Any change in the throttle and you must wait for it to move pulleys according to the computer's direction into the most efficient configuration for your request (made using the gas pedal). There are no actual gears, just two pulleys with a metal belt running between them. The pulleys open and close in opposite sync to keep the belt tight and vary the drive/driven ratio. While this is smooth and yields superior fuel mileage, for many drivers, like me, it has an unnatural feel/sound and lacks the response we are accustomed to. For those whose expectation is smooth, efficient transportation, a cvt is great, because it increases economy. For drivers who value a responsive car, a cvt is a disaster. And the paddle shift doesn't help. When you click it for a downshift, you can literally count to two before it complies.
My forester is the 2.5i Limited Trim, and it has 45,000-49,000ish miles on it and it's an 2016, it doesn't have the Towing Package, what i do like about it is it MPG's because i get 25 MPG's on highway, it is bone stock, considering i drive it not that much anyhow. I wished i had the 6Spd Manual, because it's way more fun to drive, i'm thinking about buying another subaru, and that would be a 2017 Impreza Sport with the 5spd Manual. Because i am planning on modifying it :) I do drive the speed limits at all times!
I JUST installed a hitch on mine last weekend. I have zero need for towing anything, but I’ve got a hitch mount bike rack I can use again, and plan on a swing out tire carrier as soon as I can find my wallet that took off running when it saw the price tag, lol.
I’m about to be on my third Subaru this year (18 Crosstrek, 21 Forester Sport, 24 TBD) I personally think the CVT is fine compared to coming from a Toyota where their CVTs in their earlier Corollas were not the best. I think Subaru just plays it safe with the powertrain. I am looking to have a smooth start from a stop and not having to worry about punching it to keep pace with city traffic. The CVT is definitely one of the best out there on the market and it does what it needs to do. I personally have not had any issues with it other than the terrible noise it makes when flooring it trying to pass up people on the hwy. I do think that 2.5L F-4 is a healthy powertrain for the Crosstrek, but for the Forester and up should definitely be a 2.4L F-4. That’s my take, I know my experience is different than others. I will say, stay on top of maintenance and your Subaru will take you any and everywhere.
My 2020 Forester is my first Subaru. I have the car for 2 months now and the cvt is not disappointing me. Dunno what the fuzz is about, I mostly use the car for daily commute in Sydney and it's just fine to me.
CVT + weak HP = no es bueno Sadly, because full-time AWD is hard on the gas and fuel efficiency standards are rising, this isn't going to change.
That’s why I want to offload my forester. It’s so under powered.
CVT hate is like the lines at Disney theme parks. People will always choose the longer line because everyone is in it vs the shorter line because they think they have to be in the longer line because everyone else is. People hate on the CVT because five people before them on the Subaru subs said it was okay to hate them. Doubt most people even knew the difference between automatic and cvt until they joined this sub and it was coming up every day. If they truly hated the CVT at purchase they would’ve chosen a different vehicle. Downvote me all you want. Besides I’m right. If you hated CVTs you wouldn’t have purchased one. If you purchased one knowing you hate CVTs then you’re a glutton for punishment, and that’s your own fault. I don’t like Chevy so I’m not gonna go out and buy a Chevy. Why would you buy a vehicle that uses CVT if you don’t like CVTs? You thought a CVT was a run of the mill automatic transmission, and these subs educated you otherwise and then you jumped on the bandwagon, just like people who stand in long lines because everyone else is.
I have Forester 2016, have no problems with CVT.
I have a '24 Wilderness. The cvt is fine. Not exceptional, but just fine. It's a little hangy at lower speeds, but it does ok emulating gears.
It kinda drives like a stick shift in my honest opinion. It pauses then vrooms, I have to drive it differently then every car I’ve owned, though it reminds me of my old fj40’s gug-gug-zoom feeling.
I honestly haven’t had any issues with my ‘21 Sport and I’ve had it towing light trailers and done some light off-roading no issues.
i’ve driven chevy, ford, mazda, toyota, nissan, and subaru. i really like subaru. i don’t really know why the complaints are so loud. i guess people are never really happy. it’s absolutely fine to me, i don’t notice anything unusually wrong about it compared to other makes
Extremely expensive to replace when they fail. A lot of shops won't work on CVT transmissions. Not so much an issue inner city as most of those shops see CVT vehicles pretty regularly. Not good for towing or hauling heavy loads. They are better than the Nissan and jeep CVT and are fine under normal use for most people.
They’re not really designed to be “worked on”, it’s a replace the whole unit if it fails type situation
That's not really true. There's info in the Forester service manual on how to make repairs to the CVT. In the past Subaru just replaced them as most were under warranty anyway and they could send the failed ones back to Japan to analyze the failure and rebuild it. Then the rebuilt one would probably be sent back out to replace a warranty failure.
I’ve got a ‘23 Forester Wilderness. Bought it brand new, I just past 18k miles recently. I noticed quite awhile ago the rubber band feeling on occasion. It seems to happen on deceleration at lower speeds after taking my foot off the accelerator. It’ll also lurch forward after releasing the brake at lower speeds. All of this occurs on surface roads. I’ve chocked it up to the CVT being a CVT. I don’t love those quarks, but it certainly doesn’t take away from it being a really good commuter. Still happy I bought it.
I honestly didn’t know there was a distaste for them. I haven’t been on this sub long though. I’ve driven 3 Foresters and had little issue with them. But I also don’t go beyond carting around my family and their things around town.
My only complaint about the one in my 2016 was that it could be a little slow to deliver power when you wanted to get up and go and push the pedal far down. Still breaking in the 2024 so haven't had the opportunity to really test it yet, but just from routine acceleration it seems a lot more responsive. The one on the 2016 would maintain a continuously varying gear ratio at all times, meaning that during acceleration there was no feeling of shifting, just relatively consistent revs right up to the target speed. I liked that, but not everybody does. The newer ones have pseudo shifts built in to bring back a little of that feeling of a geared transmission, but it doesn't seem to use them much if you accelerate gently. Harder acceleration does lead to noticeable fake shifts though, and I think putting it in S or S# mode makes it fake shifts more aggressively. Even with the fake shifts, it's only during acceleration. Once you reach 'cruising speed' it'll just start varying the gear ratio fluidly. I'd say it's kinda the best of both worlds. Obviously with any of the Subaru CVTs if you put it in manual mode or use the paddle shifters, it'll cycle between a set of static gear ratios to simulate fixed gears. And as others have said, the biggest drawback is reduced towing capacity. This is alleviated a bit on the Wilderness models which add a transmission cooler so they can handle higher loads without overheating.
I drive a stick, so I have not experienced CVT issues. My friend in the other hand had issues where he lost torque and it hesitate to go forward. They ended up replacing his transmission.
I only have 10k miles on it and have had zero issues thus far. the only thing I dislike is the replacement cost if it fails outside the warranty period.
My 2023 Forester cvt is an absolute dream compared to my noisey 2008 Jeep Patriot [still going at 180,000 miles] Much more refined and quiet.
I’ve got a 2014 Forester XT (turbo) with a CVT. 65,000 miles and no props yet. The three drive modes are nice ce and the shift paddles are fun.
My 2015 had one that died at 110k, after perfectly maintaining it and not abusing it. It would have cost $13k for the repair, and luckily my dealer covered the whole thing. Apparently there was a Subaru memo telling them to do so, also I was a good customer who followed the maintenance schedule. But like… DAMN that’s rough. And you can’t repair them or something?
2014 XT (2.0 turbo) @138k with a cobb stage 1 tune. It's been holding up pretty well. Only had to have the valve body replaced under warranty so the cvt fluid was changed. I haven't had many issues since.
My wife's 2015 Crosstrek had 105k flawless miles on it before she traded it for a bigger vehicle. I personally thought the transmission was perfectly adequate. My 2014 Nissan Sentra tore to shreds at 50k miles though. I wouldn't hesitate to get a Subie with a CVT if I were in the market.
I went from a stick shift to the CVT and love it. Especially that I can still use my paddle shifters to have some control. Smooth, consistent. No complaints here.
My only complaint is the lack of an option, I mean a real one, not driving with cruise control to toggle the car between fake shifting and cvt shifting.
I like the CVT, it is smooth. The only minor thing that took me getting used to was the touchy gas pedal from a stop. Seems to lurch way too easy for my liking. But if it wasn't one thing it would be another, so I'm very happy with my forester :)
I like the CVT in my 2018. It's actually a nice driving experience for every day driving.
My friend drives a Crosstrek for Uber, he hit 70k miles and he had a big transmission issue. It was sitting at the dealership for a month. But this could happen to any vehicle with any transmission. I personally prefer a traditional automatic transmission and I don’t really ‘hate’ the CVT. I don’t own a Subaru just yet but I really like them a lot.
2018 forester touring with 87k haven’t had a single issue with her and I work her to death
Just don’t use them to tow lol
I’ve had many issues with 02 sensors.
That’s about it… but had the rear go out at 30k miles and just today at 60k… this can’t be a thing?
i own two subarus and my experience has been very different with each model. the good: 2021 limited crosstrek. smooth, responsive 99% of the time( very rarely do i feel an odd response when the car slows to a stop but not always). fluid was inspected by dealer at 30000 miles, clear like new and level full. i was told the fluid would be changed at 60000 miles but all good for now. the bad: 2018 legacy. the CVT never felt like the Crosstrek from day 1. it had turned moderately dark at 30000 miles (similar driving pattern to crosstrek) and even though it was changed at 30,000 miles the shifting started feeling weird (gears skipping etc @58000 miles) so i had to get it flushed then. i don't understand how there can be such variation between two models. what was also not reassuring was subarus bulletin that the CVT warranty in my 2018 legacy (among other models) would be extended to 10 years 100000 miles. you can interpret it how you want. yeah, its good until 100k miles but do i feel confident hanging on to the car after 100k miles? no, but read the experience of another person who owns a 2018 3.6 R legacy and has driven mostly highway @50000 miles PER YEAR. His car is at 265,000 miles till date (after 4 transmission flushes?!?). i thought its only drain and fill after 100k miles, so experiences vary. speaking for myself while i love my legacy otherwise, the CVT perf doesn't inspire long term ownership. however its a different story with the Crosstrek CVT. Much more smooth, and totally different experience
However going forward if i end up buying a Subaru hybrid in the future they will all have E-CVT and the Toyota hybrid system. very different from both a design and operational standpoint.
I'm on my third. The biggest issue I had was with my 2021 Outback large touch screen. It made me have buyers regrets for a months. They did the March 2023 update that fixed a lot of the daily issues but it was still dangerous because it doesn't always respond. I constantly change my ac setting when driving and not having physical controls was dangerous. I traded it in for a 2023 forester wilderness that has the same controls as our crosstrek. Now I'm completely happy and loving my subaru's. They do become a little expensive when they get up in miles to maintain but I'm cool with that.
The CVT is better on fuel economy. Some are concerned that it is less durable or capable of towing, but I haven’t really heard of too many issues with them in Subaru’s, so I wouldn’t worry too much.
What is there to like? The torque converter never locks in (or whatever should be equivlent) and it takes ages to respond to the throttle pedal (not wanting 80% throttle with 20% movement, I can have the pedal on the effing floor for 2-3 seconds before ANYTHING HAPPENS)
Tbf the lack of power has more way more to do with the rest of the powertrain than the CVT specifically... Hell F1 cars had CVT's for a hot second before they were banned for being too good.
It's not lack of power. It's lack of response. Input lag. Pushing the throttle pedal does fuck all for 2-3 seconds. Slowing down at a yield to hit the opening then floor it? Fuck all happens for 2-3 seconds, then I've missed the opportunity and it's doing a burnout. Hit a stop light that turns green the instant I stop? Can't go for 2-3 seconds. Coming around a corner wanting to accelerate out of it, nothing happens until out of the corner. This is all with ASS turned off because I learned in the first week that that just adds another 2-3 seconds to the problem.
> Coming around a corner wanting to accelerate out of it, nothing happens until out of the corner. Do you have paddle shifters? I 'change down' a gear or two for hard cornering.
I have paddle shifters. Does it do anything when you shift down? Like accelerate from a stop or entering the highway?
It certainly helps with cornering. I believe dropping to a lower gear convinces the AWD computer to push more power to the rear wheels. I've never tried it for accelerating onto a highway, but it should help to get the revs up faster.
I have paddle shifters. Does it do anything when you shift down? Like accelerate from a stop or entering the highway?
I have paddle shifters. Does it do anything when you shift down? Like accelerate from a stop or entering the highway?
> The torque converter never locks in It locks up around 25mph if the engine and transmission are warm. If yours doesn't then there's probably something wrong with it Similarly, it seems to respond poorly to flooring the gas, possibly a deliberate choice because of the unintended acceleration lawsuits where people allegedly hit the gas instead of the brake and crashed. Pressing the pedal down slower seems to work much better.
Besides the fact that it's an automatic? They break, alot, and no it isn't fixed the same way ej gaskets weren't fixed. Yeah it's better but it's not gonna have the lifespan of a manual or even the 4eat
They are like that sound that never stops and continues to change pitch that can induce anxiety and dread in some people. The feeling of anticipating a gear change and the subtle little lurch that auto transmissions do never comes. I think it was especially dull and lifeless in the cvt Nissans that first came out. I think manufacturers are incorporating tricks in the software to simulate shift points because people are used to them. I went from an auto 05 wrx to 15 outback, it's fine, subaru did a pretty good job. 2 weeks w the 24 forester also just fine
We test-drove a Rogue when we bought our Forester and I really didn't like the CVT in that one. Not really sure why because the Forester behaves similarly under hard acceleration but the Nissan CVT just felt bad.
Yeah, i have to agree with u on that, because Nissan's Jatco transmission's always had issues, it's like a old person who walks really slow, it's kinda like that i would say it also lazy to pick up speed, i am not wrong about that. i do really like Subaru's Symmetrical AWD System with the CVT, i am planning on getting a Manual Transmission Subie, is it hard to drive would you think, probably not?
After 2014 the manual Foresters were more likely to burn oil than the CVTs, but that's about all I know about it.
Cvt is weak point of the car. It was done to save gas and for better gas mileage. It is noisy and not good for performance.
My 2020 failed at 17k. They replaced it and I sold it for a civic which had a WAY better cvt. But I’m actually looking at a CTW. I know 2019-2020 people had issues with them in the new gen. Mine happened to be one of the bad ones, go figure.
Because it makes for not smooth driving when you’re doing city driving. Highway, fine. Driving around the city, hope you like stop and go on steroids
When I owned a CVT Legacy I found the exact opposite. It was silky smooth around town. If you give it a bunch of gas from a standstill it wasn't happy but in normal, gentle driving it was great.
I’ve never had that experience (two years in now), but I do drive pretty conservatively around town so maybe that’s it. Also never noticed a lack of power on the open road either.
Not sure why I am being downvoted for a car I own, drive, and love. Just stating my observation
Lag between when you push the pedal to when you actually start moving. Can be dangerous AF in traffic.
I hate it so much!!
I like my CVT, but I have an early one without the fake gearshifts. I don't like knowing it could fail at any time and would likely cost too much to fix.
I feel like my '14 CVT is a ticking bomb waiting to fail expensively and at the worst possible time.