CVT transmission cars in India: What is it & how it works?

Published on 8 Jul, 2022, 1:50 PM IST

Updated on 11 Jul, 2022, 7:27 AM IST

Team Ackodrive

10 min read

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Model	Price (ex-showroom, Delhi)	Body type	Fuel type	ARAI mileage
Honda Amaze	Rs. 8.30 lakhs to Rs. 11.39 lakhs	Sedan	Petrol/Diesel	18.3 kmpl to 21 kmpl
Nissan Magnite	Rs. 8.91 lakhs to Rs. 10.56 lakhs	SUV	Petrol	17.7 kmpl
Hyundai i20	Rs. 8.95 lakhs to Rs. 10.71 lakhs	Hatchback	Petrol	19.65 kmpl
Honda Jazz	Rs. 9.06 lakhs to Rs. 10.21 lakhs	Hatchback	Petrol	17.1 kmpl
Renault Kiger	Rs. 9.79 lakhs to Rs. 10.57 lakhs	SUV	Petrol	18.24 kmpl
Hyundai Verna	Rs. 12.46 lakhs to Rs. 14.31 lakhs	Sedan	Petrol	18.45 kmpl
Nissan Kicks	Rs. 14.15 lakhs to Rs. 14.90 lakhs	SUV	Petrol	15.8 kmpl
Kia Seltos	Rs. 15.15 lakhs	SUV	Petrol	16.8 kmpl
Hyundai Creta	Rs. 17.07 lakhs to Rs. 17.22 lakhs	SUV	Petrol	17 kmpl
MG Hector	Rs. 16.40 lakhs to Rs. 19.48 lakhs	SUV	Petrol	13.96 kmpl

Parameters	CVT	AMT	Manual
Number of gears	Infinite number of gear ratios	Between 6 to 8	Between 5 to 6 and 1 reverse
Fuel efficiency	Slightly lower than manual	Slightly lower than manual	Higher than AMT and CVT
Driving Comfort	Easier than manual and AMT	Lesser effort than manual	Difficult than AMT and CVT
Acceleration	Effortless in stop-and-go traffic	Effortless in stop-and-go traffic	Offers superior performance
Pricing	Moderately higher pricing	Slightly expensive than manual cars	Slightly cheaper than automatic cars
Maintenance cost	Higher than manual	Higher than manual	Moderate

Here are answers to certain common questions about CVT transmission in cars.

Why is CVT called a step-less transmission?

The CVT is called a step-less transmission due to its infinite range of gear ratios seamlessly achieved by smoothly changing the pulley diameter.

Which transmission is good for mileage, manual or CVT?

Manual transmission cars are typically more fuel-efficient than CVT cars. But it takes more effort to drive a manual car than an automatic. On the other hand, CVT cars are designed to deliver better mileage than an AMT car. Thus buyers looking for a fuel-efficient automatic car can choose CVT over AMT.

What should I notice when buying a used CVT car?

When buying a used CVT car, you should take a test drive and notice the following.

If you are able to shift between drive, park and reverse instantly or not.
If the transmission is making excessive noise while accelerating.
If the acceleration feels seamless or has momentary slips.
If the RPM is consistent or fluctuating.
If the transmission fluid looks clean or dirty.

Is it difficult to drive a CVT car?

CVT cars are inherently designed to instantly react to throttle inputs and offer consistent speeds. However, it may seem difficult to someone who is used to feeling the shift of gear while driving. Once you get used to the seamless change of gear ratios, CVT becomes easy to drive.