Is it true what they say about CVT transmissions?

They say that CVT is noisy, unreliable, expensive to fix and just plain weird like slipping feeling and no shift points.

I'm thinking about buying a Honda CR-V or Nissan Murano both equipped with CVT but probably wouldn't if above are true.

I just got a car with CVT after 17 years with a regular automatic. I don't notice any difference. Obviously haven't had to repair it - but transmissions are always expensive.

The first CVTs did have reliability problems. Don't buy one of the first Nissan CVTs. Proably won't find one, as they will all have died by now. I suspect they released them too soon, before they worked out all the problems. This has given them a bad reputation which is no longer true.

Noisy? Maybe the old ones made noises when the failed, but operating normally you don't hear any unusual noise.

Plain Weird? They do "feel" a little different but not in any bad way. For example you get in and put your foot 1/2 way down on the gas. Car moves off like it's a normal auto in first, and when the revs get to ~3,000 they just stay there and the car continues to pick up speed smoothly. No gear changes and varying revs like a conventional transmission. It's bit weird the first time you drive one, but not in a bad weird way, just a bit different.

Many of them also have a "manual" or "sport" mode where they basically pretend to be a normal semi-auto transmission. All they do is set themselves 6 or 7 predetermined gear ratio settings and let you switch between them with the gear lever or paddle shifters. Sort of a gimmick, but if you want "normal" gears the car can pretend it has them.

Yes they still have kinks.We've done replacements on more Murano's than we've done Honda's. And yes more expensive than a regular automatic transmission.One of which is the fluid at least three times more expensive than regular transmission fluid

How about a Ford Escape? *I* am not a fan of CVTs either.

Modern computer controlled CVT doesn't feel anything like a manual transmission with a slipping clutch, but the oldest totally mechanical ones such as on the old DAF44 could feel that way.

The world's most consistently reliable manufacturer, Lexus, uses them on the CT200 (completely identical to the system used on the Toyota Prius) and the belts are good for at least 250,000 miles. So if they're happy with them, so am I. I've never noticed excessive noise on the hundreds of Prius taxis I've ridden in nor on the Lexus CT200h which I drive, and because of their stepless constantly variable gear changing they ensure the engine runs within the best RPM range at all times for best torque and fuel economy.

CVTs are new(ish) technology. They do not shift, but can change the gear ratio at any moment using bands and drums.

They aren't as reliable as geared transmissions, but are the way of the future. From what I understand about them, larger and heavier vehicles don't work as good with CVTs as they do with small cars because of the higher torque that is used. They are superior in terms of using the engine's power. Future improvements will make them more and more common and reliable. That being said, I think there's a very bright future for CVTs.

Remember, most new tech has its teething stages. The traditional automatic transmission that we use today has not always been as reliable as we know it. They were called slush boxes, and the broke down all the time. They were slower than a manual, and had far worse mileage. They had to be rebuilt or replaced often.

CVTs have improved quite a bit since they came about. I would say go ahead and buy one. It couldn't be worse than some of the new ford transmissions, which have been quite bad.

I wouldn't own one.

I have no experience with CVTs, but I doubt they are noisy. The noise might be from the reving of the engine during acceleration. Yes, a slipping feeling is only a feeling, not actual slipping. It's a matter of personal choice.

Good question