CVT automatic transmission

rogerh · Aug 29, 2015

Does anyone have experience towing with a CVT automatic transmission as found in RAV4, Qashqai or other models? Reliability? Performance? Noise?

rmason00 · Aug 31, 2015

hi Roger
I tow a Bailey unicorn Seville 2012 with my Rav 4 2.2 deisel auto no problems at all I find it is easier when using the flappy paddles than the auto setting you can control the gears easier and demand more torque by gear selection when required. not so sure about it being a CVT transmission though just 6 speed auto with manual selection and flappy paddles or gear lever shift and sport button selection.

Bob

ProfJohnL · Aug 31, 2015

rogerh said:
Does anyone have experience towing with a CVT automatic transmission as found in RAV4, Qashqai or other models? Reliability? Performance? Noise?

Hello Roger,

As Bob has pointed out, its not clear which model of car you are specifically concerned with. I have just done a basic search to find out if the RAV 4 is offered with a CVT, and unless they use a different name for it I cant see it mentioned.

Please tell us exactly which year and model (full title) you have in mind, then we can do a bit more research

rogerh · Sep 1, 2015

Hi
I read in an online review (can't remember which one) that the RAV4 has a CVT auto box but I can't find any info from Toyota. Even the owners manuals do not say what type of transmission they have but it seems there are two versions for the 2012 models, 4 speed and 6 speed. I am looking for a petrol automatic and checking out various makes at the moment but I am having great difficulty finding technical data on most makes. It seems they don't want us to know too much these days!

Thanks for your input. Thanks also to Bob. Carrying on with my research . .

Roger

DaveA1 · Sep 1, 2015

CVT gear boxes don't have a fixed number of gears ie 4 or 6, they have an infinite number of ratios through its range. I was a wood machinist and some machines feed speeds were adjusted by variable seed pulleys, manually operated, if you wanted to change the feed speed, winding the adjuster wheel, opened or closed the distance between the pulley plates , either closer together or further apart, allowing the drive belt to alter its position on the pulley thus increasing or slowing the pulley altering the feed (revs) speed, whilst allowing the drive motor to run at a constant rev's . Simplistic I know, but it's how these CVT work and it's only way I know to help me understand these gearboxes . I will now gird my loins ready to be shot down in flames :woohoo:

Sproket · Sep 1, 2015

The CVT gear box that Toyota use is called Multidrive .....

ProfJohnL · Sep 2, 2015

Hello

I have always been a bit sceptical about CVT transmissions in cars, Historically the first ones I heard about were in a DAF cars (remember the Daffodil's?) Stories of a dealership with a yard full of Dafs with broken transmissions waiting for spare parts. snapped or worn belts, or damaged cones.

I had the opportunity to use a Ford Cmax 1.6L Diesel with CVT a few years ago as a courtesy car, essentially it adjusts its transmission ratio so that for any given speed the engine should be at it optimum RPM. It can make the car sound counter intuitive as when accelerating the engine speed barely changes yet the speed the countryside passes increases.

It seems that many manufactures have toyed with CVT's but generally only on smaller models which never seem to be produced for very long before they revert to a more conventional gear box.

What I don't know is if it's down to unreliability, of the buying public shying away from them. Either way it's this transitory flirting with the technology that increases my suspicion they are not fully developed and therefore a bit fragile.

If they are susceptible to failures in standard cars, I have serious doubts about its reliability when coping with the additional load of towing.

Until there is much harder evidence that the technology has matured, I will not consider on for a tow vehicle.

rogerh · Sep 2, 2015

Yes, that's as I understand it too. But to confuse the issue some CVTs, eg. Subaru have a mode which uses a number of fixed ratios too, which I presume are just presets.

rogerh · Sep 2, 2015

Thanks for the link. Richie75's case is scary! Potential economic write off after end of 5 year warranty!

ProfJohnL · Sep 2, 2015

rogerh said:
Yes, that's as I understand it too. But to confuse the issue some CVTs, eg. Subaru have a mode which uses a number of fixed ratios too, which I presume are just presets.

The Cmax did have a selector which as you suggest may have been presets, but it was from memory not really like conventional gears, though it did allow you to select a higher ratios for some engine braking on descents.

pmb · Sep 3, 2015

The CVT box in the Rav4 is only in the petrol model.

DrZhivago · Sep 5, 2015

One of the smaller Jeeps had CVT as an option, the Patriot/Compass (same mechanics, different body). People hated it.

JonnyG · Sep 5, 2015

reliability of cvt systems is fine no worse than any of the new electronic semi autos that are around and although i beleive there is too much hype concerning Dual mass flywheels failure a cvt would be no worse than that. like so much of today's technology they have serviceable parts and a service life and of course it isn't cheap to change anything on a transmission these days. "apparently" its the most efficient system to have in today's age of lower co, better mpg ..wife had it on her 2000 model punto speedgear proved reliable for the 50 odd k she had the car for. not for me at the moment simply because its not fitted to anything i like but no doubt it is here to stay given its advantages ,heck it was banned from F1 back in the 90s because it had such an advantage for those that could afford investing in the technology over those that couldn't.. its potential is huge ....

DrZhivago · Sep 5, 2015

JonnyG said:
"apparently" its the most efficient system to have in today's age of lower co, better mpg .. ... heck it was banned from F1 back in the 90s because it had such an advantage for those that could afford investing in the technology over those that couldn't.. its potential is huge ....

An infinitely variable ratio such as the CVT provides is bound to be more efficient because at any moment the ratio can be optimised for efficiency as computed by the Engine Control Unit.

However, such marginal efficiency savings will be wiped out many times over by the massive repair costs if the thing goes wrong.

As is often the case, the efficiency savings are aimed at the first two years of life, with the loss being in the expense of maintaining the car later on. There is probably a net loss in "green" terms, but as companies usually replace their cars after 2 or 3 years, such devices help them perform the "green" posturing that is required of them these days.

JonnyG · Sep 5, 2015

DrZhivago said:
JonnyG said:

"apparently" its the most efficient system to have in today's age of lower co, better mpg .. ... heck it was banned from F1 back in the 90s because it had such an advantage for those that could afford investing in the technology over those that couldn't.. its potential is huge ....

Click to expand...

An infinitely variable ratio such as the CVT provides is bound to be more efficient because at any moment the ratio can be optimised for efficiency as computed by the Engine Control Unit.

However, such marginal efficiency savings will be wiped out many times over by the massive repair costs if the thing goes wrong.

As is often the case, the efficiency savings are aimed at the first two years of life, with the loss being in the expense of maintaining the car later on. There is probably a net loss in "green" terms, but as companies usually replace their cars after 2 or 3 years, such devices help them perform the "green" posturing that is required of them these days.

does sound like you could be talking about any new technologies being used in modern vehicles today, be it injectors, fuel pumps. DMF, DPFs semi electronic autos , dsg boxes .. ect ect..

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