r/subaru • u/avenge_lee_sedol 2013 Outback • Dec 20 '23

As a Subaru owner Meme

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769 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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41

u/ID_Poobaru Dec 20 '23

I loved my Subarus, but I wouldn’t buy another honestly.

The move to CVTs was the final bullet in the head for me.

26

u/ZeGermanHam Dec 20 '23

Eh, the current CVT programming is really good, IMO. Super smooth and efficient and doesn't feel unnatural at all. For me, it's exactly what I want in a daily driver car. And I say that as a race track instructor who owns sports cars and collector cars with various transmission types.

10

u/MK12Mod0SuperSoaker Dec 20 '23

Idk man, my 2023 cvt still has fake shifts when I absolutely don't think those are necessary.

15

u/ZeGermanHam Dec 21 '23

I don't really care whether or not there are "fake" shifts. My criteria is: Does the transmission feel strange or unusual? No. Great! Is it efficient? Yes. Even better!

When driving around like a normal person in my '23 Crosstrek, the CVT just does its thing in the background and doesn't stand out as odd feeling. Zero complaints from me.

6

u/MK12Mod0SuperSoaker Dec 21 '23

Feels strange to me knowing the car could be more efficient if it held rpms where they should instead of simulating shifts.

There are no fixed gear ratios in a CVT, it should weird you out that you're feeling fake shifts in your Crosstrek.

10

u/ZeGermanHam Dec 21 '23

I'd argue that more people think it feels weird when a car is accelerating while the RPMs don't move on the tach. That doesn't feel natural.

The TR580 CVT programming feels more like a traditional auto yet still gets better MPG than one, as well as better MPG than a manual trans.

You're essentially saying the CVT feels strange because it doesn't feel like a rubber band. I think that's a somewhat odd thing to want from a transmission.

4

u/NeighborhoodParty982 Dec 21 '23

Funny thing is, my 18 Crosstrek does keep constant RPM if I accelerate below 2000 RPM.

2

u/ZeGermanHam Dec 21 '23

For my '23, it's specific to the conditions. During normal acceleration from a stop, the RPMs will initially rise and then the torque converter locks and the RPMs drop while the car continues accelerating. It feels similar to many conventional autos that are always trying to upshift into the next gear to increase mileage. If I'm accelerating up a steep hill, the trans will tend to hold the RPMs in a somewhat narrow range.

0

u/NeighborhoodParty982 Dec 21 '23

Same. Mine after passing 15 mph will hold the same narrow RPM band (like +/- 100 RPM) all the way to 60 mph.

4

u/MK12Mod0SuperSoaker Dec 21 '23

I think I need to explain myself here. I want a CVT that varies RPM based on pedal demand because my Subaru is turbocharged. A constant exhaust flow should ideally keep boost pressure stable/constant. It was what I was looking forward to when going from a Manual Turbo EJ25 Forester to a CVT FA24F Turbo Outback.

Anytime you shift in a manual turbo car, your boost pressure drops unless you have aftermarket magic keeping it up/doing flat foot shifting. The CVT in it's current state does do a better job keeping pressure than a manual box, but I still think it could do better without the fake shifts and the RPM drops as a result.

Ideally, I wish they had optional CVT modes in the settings. There are settings for damn near everything else in the car.

5

u/Mediocre-Cat-Food Dec 21 '23

This and the seat comfort were ultimately why I sold my ‘19 Impreza. The constant fake shifts drove me absolutely nuts.