[ClubCrosstrek]

Does anyone else feel the Crosstrek CVT is slow to engage into drive when switching from reverse? It doesn't bug me that much, but there is more noticeable lag from reverse to drive than most other cars I've driven. I go to put it in "gear", press the gas, and it still takes a second or two to engage.

Not a big deal, I just wanted to see if others are experiencing the same thing.

 

[Moonray13]

Yeah, I've noticed it, too, particularly when going back and forth between D and R, as when parallel parking. Not that big a deal and I've so far just chalked it up to the CVT and me being unfamiliar with the technology. Is this not normal?

 

[ClubCrosstrek]

I think it is normal now that I am looking into it a bit more.

On the NICO forums (Nissan Infinit) they are saying the same thing http://forums.nicoclub.com/cvt-slow-to-engage-reverse-and-drive-t530977.html

I think it's just the side effect of having no real gears. We'll see what others experience as they purchase their Crosstreks.

 

[Got One]

No problem with my MT

 

[ClubCrosstrek]

^^ Haha, thanks!

 

[Rmaligie]

Yeah I noticed the delay as well oh well

 

[ClubCrosstrek]

Yeah I noticed the delay as well oh well

Yeah, I am getting more and more used to it, though, so it's not that big of a deal. Maybe if Michael Myers was chasing me or something it could be annoying, but hopefully that won't happen.

 

[chrisp]

I've felt the slowness engaging from reverse to drive, but I'm getting more used to it each time. It might be even getting better as the car gets driven more and more.

 

[ClubCrosstrek]

Yeah, I don't know much about CVTs so I guess time will tell!

 

[orpip]

Have had my xv for 2wks., and have noticed the slow engagement. Glad it seems to be just
a normal thing for these transmissions. No biggy.

 

[ClubCrosstrek]

Have had my xv for 2wks., and have noticed the slow engagement. Glad it seems to be just
a normal thing for these transmissions. No biggy.

I've had mine a couple of months now and hardly even notice it anymore.

 

[Poego]

In offroading situations where you might need to switch between forward and reverse several times to get out of a sticky situation it can be very annoying...

 

[ClubCrosstrek]

In offroading situations where you might need to switch between forward and reverse several times to get out of a sticky situation it can be very annoying...

This is very true but, in my case, I would have gone with the 5MT if I thought I would need that option more than a handful of times.

 

[Subir_roo]

It's a pretty standard "issue" with any CVT and is just the nature of the beast. I'm pretty much used to it by now.

 

[ClubCrosstrek]

It's a pretty standard "issue" with any CVT and is just the nature of the beast. I'm pretty much used to it by now.

That's basically what I gathered in my Google searches. Lots of other car owners were having the same "issue".

 

[Subir_roo]

That's basically what I gathered in my Google searches. Lots of other car owners were having the same "issue".

Every CVT I've driven does the same thing. I think without gears or clutch packs like a normal auto there is simply no way to avoid the time it takes to get the CVT into drive.

 

[ClubCrosstrek]

^^ That's what I figured. I am not even really sure how CVT works...magic?

 

[Subir_roo]

Magic is basically it! So where a normal transmission has either gears or clutch packs the CVT uses cones, thus the ability to change the "gear" ratio constantly. That's in simple terms, but magic is also accurate.

 

[AWDfreak]

"Continuously variable" is the term that best describes it, as the name itself implies.

It is "continuously" changing the gear ratio as you drive, so it's not "shifting" gears, it's "sliding", infinitely varying between a maximum and minimum ratio.

Just imagine the gears on a mountain bike. But instead of shifting into cogs, just imagine the belt sliding into the "perfect" ratios continuously as you drive. It's magic. It's theoretically the best type of transmission as the engine can stay in the revs that the transmission computer deems most efficient or powerful in the rev-range.

 

[Subir_roo]

Shhh! If we keep talking about the magic the wizards at Subaru might catch on and curse us all!

But yes, that's exactly how it works, no gears, just cones and wizardry to keep the ratio spot on.