Thoughts and reviews on CVT vs Manual

[gtman]

Just traded out of my 17 6MT Sport Hatch for the 20 refresh Sport hatch in auto and I can say that manual is fun if you are younger and want to mod a lot and can handle a lot of shifting day to day, but I'm getting older and it was getting monotonous around here with traffic getting heavier from people moving in from Cali and other states. I like them both for different reasons and I drove stick for 20 plus years on 6 different vehicles but there comes a point when you just get tired of it.

I drove manuals for over 25 years and never thought I'd drive an automatic after that. But when my wife became seriously ill, disabled and subsequently lost her job, we had to downsize to one vehicle. That vehicle (a Forte SX) had a traditional auto with manual shifting mode and it wasn't too bad. In '17 (my wife sadly passed away in 2015) I was looking for a new car with a manual but decided on the Civic EX-L because of it's feature set. It only came with the CVT and it took me awhile to make the plunge because I heard all the "CVT's suck" comments online.

I took the car for a test drive and the CVT didn't bother me although it did feel a bit different. After owning it a while I realized how good the CVT was at putting the engine in the right rpm range for any given situation. And with D, S, L and Econ modes, there was some flexibility. The only thing I didn't like was the slow-ish response going from light throttle to quick heavy throttle inputs. It was that "issue" that got me into tuning. Now that I'm tuned and the CVT lag is almost non-existent, I feel like my car is an outstanding balance of economy and fun.

As far and the CVT vs. manual comparison, I'll put it like this. For sheer control, the manual far surpasses the CVT. From a pure driving engagement perspective there is also no comparison. But, it needs to be put into perspective. In the old days, I would spend hours blasting through back roads, powering in and out of turns. The manual was perfect for that. These days, I'm mostly just a highway and city stop and go commuter. For that, the CVT is just fine...

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[Gruber]

I would spend hours blasting through back roads, powering in and out of turns. The manual was perfect for that. These days, I'm mostly just a highway and city stop and go commuter. For that, the CVT is just fine...

For blasting through back roads with turns and hills, I found that the CVT with paddles in auto (mostly the left paddle ) gives me the just the right combination of relaxation and engagement.

 

[saz468]

When i had my Elantra which had a 6 speed transmission also had the plus and minus shifter. I used shift it when in traffic usually stop and go. I didn’t use the sport mode on the civic not until recently now when I’m in that stop and go traffic I use sport the car is more responsive

 

[Feddy_Ace]

For blasting through back roads with turns and hills, I found that the CVT with paddles in auto (mostly the left paddle ) gives me the just the right combination of relaxation and engagement.

I was surprised I like using the paddles as much as I do. I actually use them to “shift” before the rev limiter hits and stay in a rev range for max acceleration. This my first CVT and it took awhile to get used to the video game feel, but after some mods I’ve come to like that aspect. It feels almost cartoonishly quick at times.

 

[Feddy_Ace]

Canadian I’m guessing? Due to geography in America driving styles can be quite different. I live in SoCal where there’s just traffic all the damn time and I commute 45 miles to LA every day. I’m usually crawling and then need quick bursts of speed. The CVT works great for this. Efficient at low rpms, then all my HP immediately when I need it. I can’t imagine working a clutch for my driving. My left leg would fall off.

 

[nunusguy]

Very happy with my CVT in my little Civic Sports Hatch but when is Honda gonna give me the option of a Type R with the CVT because I've owned sticks for years but am now too lazy, too old, an too affluent to drive a car without an auto trans but I want a Civic with 300 horses ?

 

[gtman]

Very happy with my CVT in my little Civic Sports Hatch but when is Honda gonna give me the option of a Type R with the CVT because I've owned sticks for years but am now too lazy, too old, an too affluent to drive a car without an auto trans but I want a Civic with 300 horses ?

A DCT might happen but honestly even that is highly doubtful. A CVT Type R?

 

[tinyman392]

A DCT might happen but honestly even that is highly doubtful. A CVT Type R?

Depends on how the CVT has it's transmission logic done. Remember, CVTs do have their brief history in racing before they were banned for giving unfair advantages in F1. Think of it this way, whilst and electric motor is instantaneous torque a CVT is kind of like instantaneous power (if you're above a certain speed).

That being said, I'd still rather the Type R be a manual.

 

[Shankmeyster]

Look at the GT-R. Automatic with paddle shift and is one of the fastest cars to 60 you can buy. But of course, that is an actual auto and not a CVT. If they put an dual clutch auto option in the R then that would make more sense.

 

[nunusguy]

Depends on how the CVT has it's transmission logic done. Remember, CVTs do have their brief history in racing before they were banned for giving unfair advantages in F1. Think of it this way, whilst and electric motor is instantaneous torque a CVT is kind of like instantaneous power (if you're above a certain speed).

That being said, I'd still rather the Type R be a manual.

OK fine you have your manual tran but why not give others like myself the option of either ?

 

[tinyman392]

OK fine you have your manual tran but why not give others like myself the option of either ?

I didn't say anything about not offering alternative transmissions? But, since you bring up the point, adding options increases production costs. Note how the Type R has no options to speak of besides options; there is a reason for this.

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