Which Continuously-Variable Transmissions Are the Best?

Subaru Impreza/ XV Crosstrek/ Legacy/Forester 4-cylinder

Making an all-wheel drive vehicle get good fuel economy isn’t easy, but over the past few years, Subaru has been able to achieve that and a good chunk of the credit lies with the brands new CVT.

While the 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines used in the majority of Subaru vehicles are not particularly powerful (making just 148 hp and 170 hp respectively) the CVT makes them feel far more responsive. The best part is that the cars achieve better fuel economy than their old automatic equipped models, all while featuring an all-wheel drive train.

The excellent fuel economy and solid throttle feel helped the 170-hp Subaru Forester eke out a win in our compact crossover comparison last year, where it beat out more powerful rivals like the 2.5-liter Mazda CX-5 and the turbocharged Hyundai Santa Fe Sport.

Finally, Subaru has a reputation of building rugged vehicles and their Lineartronic transmission is made with that in mind by using a chain instead of a belt. A chain type transmission doesn’t compress as like belt type CVTs and can move a bit more freely, allowing for a greater ratio spread.

“It adds strength and longevity, so that there’s less play and stretching over time that you’d find with other CVTs,” says Joe Felstein, Public Relations Manager at Subaru. Felstein also points out that the chain design allows the CVT to feel firmer and crisper, allowing for a better feel for performance. With the CVT, you can expect at least two more miles per gallon over the manual version of the same car.