autoweek

Question for those of you who purchased the 8th gen. Getting out of 2010 vw gti with dual clutch. Liked how connected to the road it was and wasn't as harsh as last gen mini cooper. Now with a family and looking at sporty sedans... Media bashes the cvt on every review. How did you guys overcome this and purchase this over say ah... Infiniti Q50?

Richard66

I don't read the media reviews on the cvt, I only care what it does for my wife and I and the cvt is the best transmission that we have ever driven and there has been plenty in the last 50 years. No more of manual stuff which is murder in traffic and steep hills in the city. Better than the autos with all their shift points and down shifting when you want to pass. The cvt, just step down on the accelerator and go. I don't have the 8th gen yet but I'm glad Nissan didn't change their thinking about this, other than to give us a better one.


Get over It? Nothing to get over, other than now I have a smile on my face when I drive it.

wyobbagy

the SL msrp is $37K the equal Q50 at $52K with comparable features. that $15K made the decision easy for me . had the cvt since 2009 never had an issue. you always have the option to pull the stick over and shift till your hearts content....goes from 60 to 110 about as fast as it does from 0 to 60 not sure what else you need unless yout taking it to a track.

Maximam

To those who are automobile enthusiasts the CVT is horrible, I have never got over it. If you can from a dual clutch I would suggest to stay away from the CVT, you will hate the disconnected rubber band feel of it.

Under part throttle while accelerating the car will actually be reducing rpms as you increase speed, it is such a weird experience. The CVT to me really is not smoother than a good conventional auto tranny. You will still feel "shifts" for instance when climbing a hill if you need to accelerate it has the same feel of downshifting as a conventional tranny.

Imagine instead of there being a direct connection from engine to transmission in a conventional tranny there is a rubber band in its place. Now when you hit the gas there is a slight stretching feel between tranny and engine. That I can not stand. Remember riding a centrifugal force clutch go-cart or a scooter? That is exactly how a CVT feels.

If you do decide to look at a Maxima make sure you spend a lot more time than just a 15 minute test drive with it.

guitarman

I'm now on my 4th car with a CVT. I test drove the Q50 Premium pkg + tech which the sales guy was ready to deal for the same price I got the Max for, but I liked the CVT better. More responsive, no hunting. The "rubber band" effect can be adjusted to when you understand what it's doing.

Not to mention (though here I go mentioning...), if you mash on the pedal to the floor, past the detente, it puts the tranny and engine in WOT mode, which is more to what you'd be used to.

Typically, anyone who prefers to have more control over the drivetrain will more likely prefer a manual, but for me, a CVT is preferable over a standard automatic any day.

If the car companies were able to mass produce a CVT instead of a multi-fixed ratio automatic transmission 100 years ago, they would have and we wouldn't be having these types of conversations. Maximum power transfer across the widest range of situations is the primary goal and CVTs do that better than any other type of tranny.

wtgkb8

I have experience with 2005, 2007, 2012 Maximas...and now a 2015 Murano (test drove the 2016 Maxima...no long term experience...yet!). All but the 2005 Max had the CVT...and it had the 5-spd auto. I will say that out of these choices...the 2012 Max and 2015 Murano have the best performing transmissions. The 2005 was ok...but never reacts as fast as the CVTs would and would not be nearly as smooth. The only rubber band effect I felt was noticeable enough to me was in the 2007 Maxima...the first year for the CVT in a Maxima. However...it's the one that got me hooked on CVTs. They have just gotten better since. I only noticed very minor rubber-banding in the 2012 Max...and have felt none in my 2015 Murano.

No gear hunting...very quick to react to throttle inputs (over 40 mph) and when in a manual "shift" mode...reacts quicker to driver inputs than any other traditional auto (non-dual clutch). Driving through the Rockies this past fall...I can't think of a better automatic transmission for that terrain than the CVT. It was always at the perfect rpm (gradually increasing or decreasing by ~100-200 rpm or so increments to get the necessary power) to keep a constant speed. No bogging down...no hunting. It just kept the set cruise speed to within 1-2 mph up or down the hills (thanks to the grade braking effect). Pikes Peak was even a treat in my 2012 Maxima in auto mode...or driving aggressively in sport mode or with the paddle shifters.

I have also driven many Fords with 6-spd autos...GMs with 6 and 4 spds...my first car had a 3-spd auto. I also own a 2003 Jeep GC 4x4 with the 5-spd. I have also recent experience with the FCA version of the ZF 8-spd auto...and definitely prefer the Nissan CVT over any of those transmissions (around town...the 8-spd is just horrible in comparison to the Nissan CVT...while on the hwy a closer comparison with the edge still going to the CVT).

I also consider myself an enthusiast...and would only pick a manual transmission in a sports car (Corvette, Miata, 370Z...etc.) if I were gonna chose anything else. As a daily driver...CVT has me hooked.

charliebrown

I came from an Audi S4 with a dual-clutch to a Maxima SR with paddle shifters and CVT. The CVT mimics a conventional transmission as best it can with its imaginary gears and engine braking, and while it'll never be as responsive as a dual clutch, it's actually pretty damn good. I have no complaints. I needed the extra space for my kid but didn't wanna dish out 60K+ for an A6.

Mick7

Had a 2009 Max and could feel a little hesitation when asked to downshift and some small motor boating effect but the 2011 was quick to find its "gear" and quite responsive.

My daughter has a 2015 Altima with the 4 cyl and it is ultra responsive to throttle input. Feels like more power than is really there. NEVER thought I could live with a 4 cyl but that one would do... due to the outstanding CVT.

lightonthehill

I've been driving since I began by shuffling semis around my uncle's trucking company facility in the mid-1940s (anyone else here remember President Roosevelt? Or drove a Pierce-Arrow or Terraplane?), and have always been very 'into' whatever I drove.

My personal preference was a manual tranny in the early days, but a manual in metro traffic these days is insane. Why have a 5 or 6 speed manual when you are doing 15 MPH?

I enjoyed automatic trannies for over fifty years, but when the CVT arrived, companies began adding gears to the auto tranny. They are now available in up to nine speeds. But these babies are large, heavy, and expensive. That takes away from room, fuel efficiency and initial cost of vehicles.

I minored in physics, and understaood it just made sense that a non-shifting tranny had advantages over a shifting one, both in fuel efficiency and in acceleration. So I was interested from the start (1990s), but knew it would be some time before a dependable, efficient CVT would be available.

The CVT had a rough start, with the expected problems. But it has continued to get better. My 2009 Maxima CVT has been really good, with pickup from 40 MPH to 80 MPH almost breathtaking. I admit that I had to learn to drive all over again, because driving a CVT is done by tach, not by simply pressing the accelerator. I expect the 2016 Maxima CVT to be even better.

Nissan is leading the field in CVT development, but other manufacturers are climbing on board at a fast clip. They are doing this because they now understand the many advantages of the CVT.

Those who cannot let go of the fun we used to have with manuals, or the repeated snap of a good automatic, will always find a vehicle without a CVT available, but the choices will gradually diminish.

cnp

I do not agree with the commentary below (and am not sure he has even driven the 2016 Maxima). I have come off 11 years of a beautiful short throw manual shift Acura TL and absolutely love the CVT in the 2016 Maxima. I can go WOT and there is NO lag, no "rubber band feel". The 0-60 times are the same as my TL at around the same hp. At any speed I've tested on the new Maxima, acceleration and response has been impressive. There are a few things I'm still getting used to, but the car is doing all I want in any situation, and has a damn nice fun factor yet luxury feel too.
So, for any skeptics, ignore all the media and other rhetoric (there tends to be plenty of follow the other sheep talk) and drive the thing yourself - that's the bottom line. Are YOU happy with it? If you feel it is too different, prefer an older school shifting arrangement, then buy accordingly.

steevo

I agree with you completely on the sheep talk. Some critics are afraid to admit this CVT is a good transmission for fear of ridicule from the self proclaimed hardcore enthusiasts.

Maximam

10 speeds in the F-150 in the near future.

mls277

If I'm buying a 400hp sports car I don't want a CVT. But for the maxima I personally don't mind it at all. It gets the power to the ground and it moves nicely and is smooth. The new one is probably better also.

altmycar

I drive a 3.5 Altima with CVT.It is my first car with CVT and I really like it.
I also like very much the pseudo shifting that it does when I go from dead stop to 4K rpm at a particularly tricky highway entrance
where quickness out of the blocks is important. It seems I have to 'catch it right', though, to get the effect .
I haven't driven the new Max yet but I wonder if the pseudo shifting is more widely
applied in the Max.

altmycar

I forgot to mention: when I get the pseudo shifting I have selected sport mode

Max8

I loved the CVT on my '13 Altima for over two years before trading it for the '16 Maxima. Still love it.

stodge

I don't mind a CVT when it's matched to a powerful engine. In the Versa? Nope, hate it. Notchy, rubber band. But pair it with more torque and power and it's a good combination. I test drove the Chryslers new 9 speed auto and the step down time was awful. You'd have to hit the gas 10s before you need the acceleration.

lightonthehill

But with the Chrysler, you do have the assurance that, sooner or later, the NTSB will require Chrysler to buy back your car because of potentially fatal defects.

The latest glitch - Chrysler has to buy back over HALF A MILLION Ram trucks. That could end up costing Chrysler over a BILLION BUCKS. They already have a total approaching a million vehicles with bad air bags. And yet we get upset here if a dot of rust appears on our Maxima. Puts things in perspective for me.

nbwalton2

I have no regrets with the CVT. I got the SR, and the paddle shifters are very responsive. When I test drove the car before buying, I kept in it in manual mode and shifted with the paddles to make sure there was no lag or delay in shifting. From slow moving city traffic to back road jamming it did very well. I like the CVT in traffic and on long trips - it is silky smooth

stodge

A well done CVT is excellent in slow moving traffic.

lightonthehill

A lot of 'CVT haters' do not like the fact the car can be speeding up, but, at the same time, the tach is dropping down noticably. This is the opposite of what they are used to seeing with shifting trannies. They don't seem to appreciate that a dropping tach when the car is speeding up is because less power is needed to accelerate as the car nears crusing speed, so why have the engine racing higher and sucking fuel when the CVT knows it can automatically reduce the RPMs, still accelerate as needed, and save gas?

dauntlessmax

According to Car and Driver Ford is about to patent an 11 Speed. No lie.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/the-num...eed-automatic/

mls277

I like the CVT, even in the 7th gen with 10 less HP the car is responsive as I would ever need it to be.

wtgkb8

Good description. Not sure why anyone would think it would be a problem when the tach drops rpms while accelerating...considering the vehicle is still accelerating at the same or faster rate. Like you describe...the systems adjust accordingly when it realizes it can use lower rpms and less fuel to accomplish the same acceleration. Why use more? If you need more acceleration at that point...give it a bump in the throttle and the engine/trans adjusts accordingly...very quickly in many cases over 30-40 mph with the CVT.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

Nowthat's ridiculous, as much as I like traditional autos that's crazy......

lightonthehill

Eleven speeds would be more than I could keep up with. Some of the fun of driving an automatic would be lost if we didn't even know what gear we were in at any given time.

Such a tranny would probably be used primarily in trucks, as it might be a little too big and heavy for use in passenger cars, where increasingly higher fuel efficiency has been mandated by the government.

I remember driving a manual tranny tractor trailer back in the 1940s, with three speeds, but an additional shift lever for high and low axle range, which effectively gave six speeds. I never dreamed there would come a time when more than six speeds might be needed.

EJR

I hate CVTs but the one in the 8th gen Maxima is awesome. No rubberband feeling in the SR at least. I would still prefer manual shifting though.

charliebrown

I haven't read too many positive things about 9-speed transmissions (e.g. Acura TLX V6 SH-AWD). Seems like 8-speed is the sweet spot for automatics.

Maximam

I'm a hater for sure. I have never argued the efficiency of the CVT but argue the driving experience of it. I can't stand it. My '06 Mercedes E55 tranny was miles better than the CVT in my Maxima and that tranny is a dinosaur. There is a direct feel with a good conventional tranny that the CVT does not have. I'll agree many conventional trannies are horrible but many are pretty darn good.

At the end of the day if the CVT was in fact the better option BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Cadillac and Audi would be throwing them in their cars. It's not.

The CVT is a cost saving option for manufactures looking to meet EPA standards. Face it, the CVT is good at what is was designed for, cost savings and efficiency. This is why you see the CVT in the lower scale of cars. Infinity even steers clear aside from the Pathfinder replica JX.

This is a Maxima forum with the only transmission option being a CVT. I would expect everyone to defend the CVT, it's human nature. If we had an option of transmissions the tone in this thread would change no doubt. After all, the days of adding go-fast goodies to the Maxima died with the CVT and so did my enthusiasm for the brand.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

I agree Maximam, A4 and Maxima are the only 2 on the higher scale mainstream with it. Lexus did on the Hybrid LS/GS etc, but those where as you stated to help the efficiency of the powerful Hybrids.

sakarjet

Wow, I've been reading through multiple threads on our poor 2016 Maxima and can't get over this disparity in the cvt. I've owned the 6th, 7th and now 8th Gen. The cvt is obviously going to be a work in progress for quite some time, and being an engineer myself, they'll inevitably get there.

the weight savings we gained with this tranny are handsome, no doubt. Did we buy a 4DSC? Of course not! I'm in the North East and snow and ice are brutal. Rear wheel drive is not the safest option if your need to be on the road. AWD rulez!

The Maxima for me is getting away from the staid design teams of toyota and Honda. extremely efficient vehicles, but not a chance of pushing the ergonomic and styling boundaries.

I've put 230K on the 6th Gen, traded that in for the 7th and 126K on it which was traded in for the 8th. I'll easily put 200k on it (hopefully), and walk away with a car that all the kids at the Gas Stations I pull in to are blown away with! Sunroofs/ mooonroofs, who cares? The SR is the stiffest riding maxima out of the showroom ever produced.

I'll stop jabbering, my 2 cents. -dh

lightonthehill

And that stiffness of body in the SR is not only a product of wheels, tires, etc, but also by eliminating the sunroof. At least Nissan mentioned the dropping of the sunroof as helping the strength and solidarity of the body the 8th gen was being introduced.

Maximam

It's funny Nissan says they are going to remove the sunroof in an effort to increase rigidity yet Chevy says lets remove the whole top in the new Z06 and increase rigidity by 20% over the outgoing Z06.

The only benefit to removing the sunroof in a softly sprung 4 door car with a CVT is the additional head room. Period. This reminds me of the 7th gen fixed rear seats conversation.

Hellspawn

I just wish it was awd and had lane departure warn - i'd be out of my q50 and in a platinum this weekend.

JRod28

There is no getting over the CVT needed if your expectation is driving a comfortable, sporty family sedan-- then the CVT is just fine.
If you want the "sports car" feel or like to scream off the stoplight and feel the upshifting of the transmission or race people on the street (which is illegal), well then you will be disappointed.

charliebrown

Actually, the steering column mounted paddle shifters, computerized gears and engine braking on the SR work surprisingly well to give you those same thrills. And I'm coming from a current gen Audi S4 that has one of the best dual clutch transmissions in the business.