CVT transmission

[adtatton]

I guess I'm looking for opinion here as I can't seem to get an exact answer. I have a 2017 Corolla with 80K KMs. I have heard a lot of bad things about CVT transmissions in general and the Toyota version specifically. My question is, are these transmissions as unreliable as people say or am I just over reacting to negatively opinionated "experts".

Thanks for your input.  Al

[Cyker]

CVTs did have a bad reputation for reliability thanks to e.g. DAF and Nissan, but the Toyota ones have proven to be extremely reliable; I don't think I've seen a single post on here about one failing so far which is very impressive.

Most of the negative comments are generally about the disconnect between the engine sound and what the car's doing, and seem to mostly be from the press, who seem to have a general anti-Toyota bias, and 'car enthusiasts', who say stupid things like it's bad because it's noisy at full acceleration (DUH, like EVERY car EVER).

 

 

[PZV801]

My Verso S has the Aisin K411 CVT. My research showed that Aisin CVTs are generally very reliable and economical, and so it has proven.

[nielshm]

Nissan CVT's are junk. 

Toyotas last without trouble, but it is a sensitive piece of mechanics, and it can feel fragile. If you are a hard driver without finesse and a sensitive touch, I guess even Toyota CVT'S can be destroyed. 

[Red_Corolla]

Like others, what I heard is that CVT in general is a less robust technology than a conventional auto, but the ones used by Toyota are about as good as they get. Consider doing a periodic fluid change to prolong the life, even if it's not on the maintenance schedule.

[Paul john]

6 minutes ago, Red_Corolla said:

Like others, what I heard is that CVT in general is a less robust technology than a conventional auto, but the ones used by Toyota are about as good as they get. Consider doing a periodic fluid change to prolong the life, even if it's not on the maintenance schedule.

By “periodic fluid change” you mean every 100,000 miles ?

[Red_Corolla]

1 minute ago, Paul john said:

By “periodic fluid change” you mean every 100,000 miles ?

No, I just meant more frequently than 'never,' but I don't know what Toyota prescribe. If it was my personal vehicle I would go for more often than that.

[Roker]

The bad reputation is because of the old type CVTs which used belts and cone pulleys.

Toyota was first to produce the eCVT about 2009, which uses 2 motors and no belts. Toyota are way ahead of other manufacturers of eCVT

[adtatton]

Thanks to everyone, I was worrying ver nothing. My car only has 80K KM (50K miles) and being an old timer My hot rodding days are long behind me. I firmly believe I can now get many troublefree years from this car. I will get a fluid change at 100K kilometers.

[Cyker]

3 hours ago, Roker said:

The bad reputation is because of the old type CVTs which used belts and cone pulleys.

Toyota was first to produce the eCVT about 2009, which uses 2 motors and no belts. Toyota are way ahead of other manufacturers of eCVT

Be careful - the so-called "eCVT" is a completely different type of system and has absolutely nothing to do with a normal CVT, so you can't really group them together.

I prefer to call it a PSD (Power Split Device - The official name) or HSD (Hybrid Synergy Drive - The marketing name) to avoid confusion, but the eCVT name stuck with journalists as they like to diss CVTs and that makes it easier, and also they have no idea how it works and Toyota made the mistake of calling it an eCVT to try and simplify the explanation for them (Only it didn't work because half of them still think hybrids use cones and belts!)

 

[TonyHSD]

eCVT - only hybrids- the best transmission on any car arose the world 

CVT- non hybrids- not the best transmission but good enough if it’s Toyota and if you are sensible driver and do maintenance on time.