Typical Subaru (and that’s good): The 2020 Outback, reviewed

2020 Outback gets and iPad-style touchscreen, new driver-safety features.

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[Bengie25]

I don't think I could live with the CVT. Everything else, I really like though!

My wife loves the CVT, but finds herself driving a bit fast often because the RPM is always the same.

The no shifting is quite nice. Every automatic we've owned, including a dual-clutch auto-manual transmission always had a hesitation if you suddenly floored it. It would take a second to change gears and it would not be smooth as the engine would be high revving as it engaged the lower gear. With the cvt it does not have to downshift. You feel the acceleration immediately and it increases as the cvt adjusts ratios.

The whole "gear hunting" is now gone. My wife tends to coarsely modulate the accelerator. At low speeds, like in a parking lot or back-roads, the vehicle would normally be shifting constantly. Very annoying. Cvt, no such issue. Not to mention immediate feedback from any acceleration input.

One case that I always found annoying is when you'd be accelerating behind someone, then they'd suddenly break, then turn. This would normally result in the car to down-shift to accelerate, then up-shift after breaking and coasting, then you try to get back up to speed, but the car is dogging it in overdrive, then downshifts two+ gears to accelerate again. Sssssooooooo annoying. CVT, problem gone.

I also find it interesting that our 2021 Crosstrek can "change gears" faster. Slam on the gas and it will start revving extremely fast. It changes ratios so fast. I would even say it changes "gears" faster than the dual-clutch car that we just traded in.

I will not say that the CVT is the "Best" transmission. I think reliability is more important. But I do like the characteristics of the current model CVT. I think I'd rather have an electric car.

 

[Hresna]

I have the 2018 Outback with the naturally aspirated 3.6L boxer. We found the 2.5 just a bit too pokey and would regularly be driving this on road trips through single lane undivided highways in wintery Ontario. When you have to pass a tractor or slow moving locals in their F150s, you want the acceleration for those brief windows of opportunity you get to do it...

 

[artvandelayIIII]

I don't think I could live with the CVT. Everything else, I really like though!

It’s really not that bad. I’ve gotten used to the one in my wife’s car. Honestly, my only complaint is that they’ve got the throttle and gearing combination such that the car jumps off the line with more than a tiny bit of throttle and then dies off pretty quickly as it slides the ratio down. I’ve had to train myself to roll onto the throttle much more gradually than I do with any other car. Otherwise, it drives fine and gets decent gas mileage.

Huh. My '17 Accord's CVT seems to be kind of the opposite. It's kind of slow off the line unless you really goose it and/or shift it into Sport which is a lower gear range. I just end up bouncing betweed D for cruising around and and S if I need quick acceleration or want some engine braking. It's a great car, but this is what I resort to to make it "fun" to drive. :/

 

[artvandelayIIII]

I don't think I could live with the CVT. Everything else, I really like though!

I will not say that the CVT is the "Best" transmission. I think reliability is more important. But I do like the characteristics of the current model CVT. I think I'd rather have an electric car.

... which is really the ultimate CVT drivetrain.