compyelc4

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...-the-best-one/

Here is a rather well-written and kinda cute Road and Track article on the CVT transmission. Hope you car guys/gals out there enjoy this. It is a good read about our much maligned transmission.

Gern

Thanks Compy. Great article with the CVT finally getting some love. The Max is even mentioned.

Mason Hatcher

It is a nice article. I enjoy driving my Maxima, and it's fun to hold the RPMs at one level and see the car accelerate.

if one really understands the basic concept of the CVT, it is clear that it is the ultimate transmission.

robtroxel

Yes the CVT is a great solution. Great MPH but folks its really about great MPG.

2young2retire

We live in a hilly area and a few weeks ago I drove my daughters Durango and it was crazy. The constant down shifting and up shifting drove me nuts. I have been driving Nissan's with CVT's for many years and I am totally spoiled. Will never buy another new car again without a CVT.

gizzsdad

Very cool article!

Fishlet

lightonthehill

Interesting. I've been driving since the 1940s, and am approaching age 90. So I have driven a lot of different trannies. I found tech reports of the 1990s discussing CVTs interesting. The theory involved sounded promising. The CVT on the 2007 Maxima was not perfect, and did not sell me on CVTs. The CVT on my 2009 Maxima performed perfectly for seven years and DID sell me on CVTs. The CVT on my 2016 Maxima is even better yet. I made the decision a few years ago that I would never again buy a car unless it had a CVT tranny. I miss a lot of things from the past. I do not miss trannies of the second millennium.

But, unlike today's politicians, I do not insist that everyone opt for CVTs. Every person on Earth is slightly different, and driving can be a very personal thing.

240tomax

For all you "enthusiast" and "purists" out there...the article accurately describes the the huge advantage of the CVT..."a CVT allows the engine to produce maximum power at all times".

dmc79

Interesting read. My take is that the more power you have, the less objectionable the CVT is, purely from a feel perspective. 4 cylinder Nissans exhibit all the bad qualities that "enthusiasts" complain about when it comes to CVT transmissions. It has to be pushed to make reasonable progress, and when pushed these engines don't make an appealing noise. With the Maxima, however, the V6 makes plenty of around town power, and there is little need to mash the throttle into the carpet in most conditions. The big advantage comes in highway passing maneuvers, where the CVT is surprisingly responsive, much more so than some modern conventional automatics that are typically tuned to resist downshifts in the name of fuel economy. My Maxima is capable of well north of 30 MPG in normal highway driving, but also can move with authority when needed and the CVT deserves some of the credit for this.

compyelc4

Well stated and I did have a '07 Altima but I drove it easy and never experienced a problem that I thought significant.

me9798

You cannot deny the engineering facts here. Engineers design geared transmissions with ever-closer ratios to try and keep it in the powerband while the CVT transmission is already there-always. As a Mechanical Engineer that owns the '16 MAX, I wouldn't have it any other way.

16SRMax

Who makes this cvt for the new 2016 maximas ? Haven't been able to find who manufactures them, could it be jatco ?

dgraham2038

Thank you for posting this article. I just don't understand the CVT hate. Many people expressing the hate for CVT have never driven a car with a CVT transmission. They watch videos and hear the engine drone and immediately hate CVT without understanding the engineering behind the transmission. My background is Finance so the engineering mechanics are above my pay grade but even with my elementary understanding the more gears you add the closer you get to the oh so hated CVT. I used to only drink the big three of American beers (used to be - I think they are all foreign owned now) until a friend opened my mind to all the varieties of pilsners, wheats, ales, malts, etc. etc. People should not be so closed minded!

Nmax5150

Cvt is nice with an engine with at least 300 or more hp... Anything less and its a turd.. ask any Sentra, 2.5 Altima or Murano owner..lol

Mason Hatcher

the cvt helps anemic engines perform their best.

MY ALT Z

Nope, Nope and Nope. I've driven Sentras and Altimas (2011 Sentra, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2015 Altima) and ALL performed leaps and bounds better than a 'regular' tranny. I cannot take that Jerky, gear hunting crazy shifting on a normal Tranny trying to go uphill with a couple of people in the car with a 4-cylinder engine - no such annoying hunting and jerking on any size engine with a CVT (at least, not Nissan wise)

Nmax5150

Reallly? lol.. My wife bought a new 17 Altima sr Midnight 2.5 and it is a total turd... 170hp is like a Hamster on a wheel..lol..
The Cvt performs best when it has some ***** in front of it.. well on the side of it...
Its NOT the trans fault .. it has nothing to work with a 2.5 or smaller.. No torque.. Time power to turn those pulleys..

Nmax5150

I guess I will take your word for it.. never owned anything with less than 300hp... never owned a 4 cyl car..

wtgkb8

As an owner of a 2015 Murano Platinum FWD, the CVT is perfectly matched to the great 3.5L VQ V6 as with my previous 2007 and 2012 Maximas w/ CVT. It is just a bit slower to 60 (about 7 sec vs. 6 or faster in the Maximas I owned). I rarely had to get the tach over 3k rpm under 95% of driving. Passing throttle/CVT response is very quick, but just a tad less quick than in the Maximas (programming obviously the main difference). Mileage was great as well with lifetime average of 26 mpg in the Murano over 26k miles with mainly a 70%city/30% hwy split. I actually calculated a 32 mpg tank over 350 miles once in rural driving in the 55-65 mph speed.

My brother and father both own a 2016 Versa and 2015 Versa Note respectively. After driving them, I can see some of the downside when the CVT is hooked to the 1.6L I-4 with just over 100 hp, but I still like the demeanor of the CVT over a conventional auto as it is buttery smooth on acceleration. If that 1.6L was matched to the 6-spd manual, well different story.

MONTE 01&97 SE

iTrader: (1)

Most of the difference is in weight and less horsepower, the Murano weighs several hundred pounds more and is down 40 horsepower.

Mason Hatcher

I mean no offense and am not trying to be offensive, but I don't think you fully understand how a CVT works.

Fishlet

I had seen a YouTube video posted by a mechanic who said he had to fix lots of CVTs. Somewhat ironically though, in the comments section he admitted that it was mostly on lower powered cars. Perhaps the Murano & Maxima are just made better overall?

Blasterguy

What year did the Maxima CVT receive the fake shifting? My 2016 doesn't have it.

Mason Hatcher

yes it does. In normal mode press the accelerator down over 3/8 of the way. Hold and behold.

Blasterguy

65K km on it in 3 years (2016 SV / wife's unit but I've had seat time regularly) and I have noticed no "down shifting and then specific gear up changes" on hard acceleration and I hammer vehicles. Mine acted like the 2014 but faster and without the groaning. I gave the 2016 to my son so I doubt I'll drive it again.

I was surfing a Murano site and members were complaining that the 2018s had the simulated shifting and that it was a real negative were the previous 2016 did not.

Mason Hatcher

There are no simulated downshifts, but if you "hammer it" it will simulate upshifts. All current generation Maximas do it. Including 2016s

compyelc4

Thought you needed Sport mode on to get the "fake" shifting. When I floor mine in normal mode it just steadily winds up.

Mason Hatcher

No, if you have a current Generation. You may not be staying in it long enough to get to the fake shifts, but it WILL.

compyelc4

I believe you. I'm going to try that today to make sure my 2017 is working as it should be.

Mason Hatcher

I don't like the fake shifts. It reduces the performance. :/

compyelc4

Amen brother.

Fishlet

Mason Hatcher

No, the CVT is making a definitive ratio change.

compyelc4

Unfortunately, the following are not my words, but I thought it funny and thoughtful enough to share with you guys. It still give me a chuckle:

"How about this idea – linear actuators that ram the seat cushions into your back to give the illusion of faster acceleration. It could enhance the fake shifting and fake engine noise! The cushions could retract with each fake shift.".... and wind noise....let's not forget to fake a lot of wind noise as we blast through to top end. Fake tire squealing as she fake shifts into each gear would be awesome too.

Raymond Clarke

A really interesting topic. I'm currently residing in the UK, but moving back to the States( Dallas). I had the pleasure of driving a 2016 Maxima as a rental car. My daily driver is a Lexus IS250 and previous car was a BMW 330i. The Maxima was fabulous. So good that I didn't know it had a CVT transmission. Obviously most folks this side of the pond drive manuals, but the CVT is a smooth as my Lexus auto trans. When I'm permanently back Stateside my new ride will either be a Maxima or a Lexus IS350.

me9798

Good luck! And welcome back! You obviously have good taste.

Lou2014

My 2014 has 137k on the tranny should I change the fluid? And how long do they last?

me9798

If you've never changed it before, just leave it; or you're just asking for trouble with the new, more slippery fluid.

Fishlet

Holy cow, it must have been changed at least once, hopefully at 60k? If it really hasn't , better get it done ASAP or it's on borrowed time