Manual vs CVT just a humble opinion...

Nick20

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Hi guys, I know this thread is not the first one on this forum but yesterday I left my Civic to my Honda Dealer for an oil change + summer tires installation and they loaned me a new Civic LX CVT for the day. Meaning the same engine that I have on my Civic (2.0L) but with a CVT instead of my manual transmission. My thoughts of the day: the CVT is great if you drive everyday in the city and if you drive cool ? but on the road if you drive sportily the manual transmission is much better ? in this case the CVT sounds like a vacuum cleaner ? and I felt like having something really weird between me and the engine ? I understand that CVT are made for better fuel efficiency but as far as I am concerned I didn't like the experience at all. Cheers Nick
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shoegazer

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The 'driving experience' has been diminished for me by the CVT.

I'm hoping for an all-electric CRZ one day.
 

CVTsport18

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Different strokes for different folks. Love the cvt here, especially for spirited driving.
 

SonicBreezerST160

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Different strokes for different folks. Love the cvt here, especially for spirited driving.
Agreed! The CVT is a little quirky with it's fake shifting and all, and it's limited with holding higher than stock torque numbers. However, it gets you into the boost quicker, and holds you in it longer than the manual. I have a sport touring hatchback, with Hondata (+6psi map)and a Magna-Flow cat back exhaust, and have won a couple of races against Si's. They would pull even, then drop back a car length when they had to shift. I won't push the CVT any harder than what I have right now though.
 


MaxPower

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I've never driven a Civic CVT. However, I've spent a lot of time behind the wheel of our 1.5T CRV with the CVT, so I think I have a pretty good idea about what the Civic CVT driving experience would be like. Overall, I don't have a single negative thing to say about it; the transmission certainly gets the job done, and so far it's been bulletproof. But it's just...a weird experience. The sounds, the engine response. I find it hard to get used to. It's always a relief to get back into my Si and drop my hand on the familiar, old-fashioned 6MT.

I'm sure that one day I'll find myself in a BEV, still waxing nostalgic about the old days of rowing one's own gears. Something the whippersnappers of the future will never understand.
 

Augenauf

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Coming from a CVT hatch to a manual Si, I whole heartedly agree. I do commute in a city though so I sometimes ALMOST miss the CVT. But driving is now 100% more enjoyable and engaging than it used to be in the hatchback. I actually get very similar MPGs with the 6 speed, oddly enough. Maybe because I don't have to give it as much gas as the CVT just to get it to do anything lol?
 

suhhh

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CVT is great for the daily commute and is definitely easier to drive, however that said I could never lol. Personally I never could get into the CVT for some reason, something about the fake shifting and having "1 gear" just doesn't appeal to me what so ever. I drive in terrible stop and go traffic 5/6 days of the week but I will take my 6 speed over a CVT every single time
 

yansag1982

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i certainly hope in the short future they come up with something better than CVT to replace manual transmissions cause this will get boring very quick...
 


905User

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It took a while to get used to moving from a 5 speed before, but as I drive in city traffic often I actually appreciate the CVT of the Civic. Add that to the off the line power it has, I can usually get into that empty lane at the next light well before anyone running a MT.

I sure do miss my MT in the winter though.
 

gtman

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As a guy who over the last 25+ years has driven mostly manuals, the CVT took a bit of getting used to. Once you understand the thing, you start to appreciate how it goes to the right part of the powerband depending on the situation. It's odd at first, but works fairly well with the turbo, stock. Sounds like crap though.

A tune totally changes the feel, the fun factor and to an extent the sound of the car, and the CVT responds well. Of course I miss rowing up and down the gearbox on a curvy back country road, but for fun commuting, a tune and the CVT/turbo combo works rather well.
 

FK7 Civic Pilot

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The OP was comparing the transmissions with a 2.0 N/A engine. I wonder how many guys with a non turbo engine find the CVT fun to drive. I've driven a 2.0 CVT sedan as a rental for a couple of weeks, overall I thought it was about as quick and fun to drive as my previous 9th gen civic 1.8 with a manual, which was terribly underpowered, and the biggest reason I traded it for the 10th gen.
 

bluebluemike

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As someone who leased a CVT 2.0 for 3 years... I can say I turned manual and never looked back. The CVT is great for those who Honda originally marketed it to: new teen drivers (like I was), the average commuter, and someone looking to get the best bang for their buck. The manual experience switching from CVT 2.0 to 6MT 2.0 is completely different. The car feels so much more in tune, I can actually enjoy VTEC, and it truly showed me what Honda was all about, what I thought it was as a kid. As someone who enjoys chill road-tripping, city driving, and spirited twisties, the manual brings the best experience from the same engine. (as well as reliability). I feel much more confident in my 6MT than I ever did with the CVT. Granted, the CVT was VERY nice, and much better than the competition. It's a great transmission with few flaws, but the manual with the same engine brings a much better experience.
 

KevCarver

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I test drove the ‘16 2.0 CVT on my regular work commute route along 2 lane back roads, and also back to the dealership on normal in town roads and it never worked for me. It was always in the wrong “gear” for me. I was coming off driving an ‘01 S Class with a (I think) 6 speed auto, and before that 5 speed ‘02 Dakota. After we got back to the dealer I wanted to try the 6MT LX. Didn’t even get out of the lot before I made my decision! It was a lease, and now I’m in a ‘19 Sport Sedan 6MT. Probably should have got the Si, but I was stoked to have push button start and touch screen upgrading from LX. Not really a turbo guy anyway.
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