The Scourge of the CVT

I drive a manual car for a reason: I enjoy controlling what the engine is doing. I can select the right gear for the conditions, keep the engine in its sweet spot, avoid labouring under load, and know that when I need to accelerate, I’m already in the right gear. That sense of control makes driving more engaging and predictable. Few automotive sounds annoy me more than an engine struggling in too high a gear; to me, it’s like fingernails scraping down a blackboard. That’s why I see the CVT, or continuously variable transmission, as one of recent automotive engineering’s scourges.

Driving a car with a CVT is incredibly frustrating. It seems determined to hover around 2,000 RPM, no matter how fast you’re going. Put your foot down, and the car hesitates as it figures out you actually want to accelerate. Sport mode improves things, but only slightly. I understand why manufacturers use CVTs: they’re designed to improve efficiency and packaging while keeping the engine operating economically. But from a driver’s perspective, I find them thoroughly unpleasant. After driving these cars, I’m even more convinced: give me three pedals and a proper gearbox any day.