Author Topic: Test Drive: 2017 Subaru WRX Sport-Tech CVT (Read 23506 times)

Rupert · « **Reply #40 on:** August 02, 2016, 07:06:31 pm »

I think I know a lot about design and fatigue lifespan and would say that the kind of usage referred to on many occasions would not be indicative of a long lifespan...sports vehicle or not. Average use not extreme as a continuous design parameter I would suggest would apply. We live in a fantasy world of wrongful would be usage.
After saying that though, I like this car and reading between the lines I suspect many folk would be satisfied with the CVT if the manual is not a choice. It does have breeding in a tougher environment. Pity the report was so slanted away from the CVT based on short usage perhaps.

This engine has come a long way from the Jowett Javelin days.

I'm old...so what? It happens to everyone.

Weels · « **Reply #41 on:** August 02, 2016, 07:21:35 pm »

Well... i just got back from a spirited drive in the MX-5... no, there were no red line clutch drops, nor will there ever be... but I did thoroughly enjoy myself and i daresay so did the MX5 singing up close to redline a couple of times.

rrocket · « **Reply #42 on:** August 02, 2016, 07:56:39 pm »

Quote from: Rupert on August 02, 2016, 07:06:31 pm

I think I know a lot about design and fatigue lifespan and would say that the kind of usage referred to on many occasions would not be indicative of a long lifespan...sports vehicle or not. Average use not extreme as a continuous design parameter I would suggest would apply. We live in a fantasy world of wrongful would be usage.
After saying that though, I like this car and reading between the lines I suspect many folk would be satisfied with the CVT if the manual is not a choice. It does have breeding in a tougher environment. Pity the report was so slanted away from the CVT based on short usage perhaps.

This engine has come a long way from the Jowett Javelin days.

I'm old...so what? It happens to everyone.

Several brands take it to heart what they've learned in their torturous racing programs. And they take what they learned and add that to the engineering/design. So what may appear to the layman as "hard" or "extreme" use is much closer to "normal" use because of this.

84im · « **Reply #43 on:** August 03, 2016, 12:01:37 am »

The easiest car to launch that I've owned was my old 1990 'monster' V8 Miata.
Second gear start (Ford 5 speed with T-Bird diff) at 2000 rpm and very little wheel spin.

cruzzer · « **Reply #44 on:** August 03, 2016, 03:43:49 pm »

Test drove three CVT Subarus before we bought a 2015 Legacy 6speed manual and then added a Crosstrek 5speed manual late the same year. Loved the cars, but did not care for the 'not directly attached to my right foot' feeling of the CVT's (no manuals were in stock at that time). Sad and very un-WRX-ish. A 7 speed dual clutch would be much more fitting for those that don't want to shift for themselves.

TheCVTguy · « **Reply #45 on:** August 03, 2016, 04:51:15 pm »

You know what? Screw the haters. I bought a '17 WRX with the CVT two months ago, and I love it. It's my dream car.

Look. This is my daily driver, so I need a car that fits every part of my life. That includes my dyslexic wife who would destroy a manual transmission. That includes my daily commute which involves a lot of bumper-to-bumper traffic. Yes, there are times I wish I had the manual, but there are far more times I'm grateful for the automatic.

And don't badmouth the CVT. If you get beat off the line by a Prius, that's on you, not the Rex. Yes, Peter's right that jamming on the gas from a dead start doesn't produce immediate results. However, that's largely a product of turbo lag, not the CVT. If you really want to get the best acceleration out of the car,

1. Put it in sport# mode - The default drive mode ("intelligent") is meant for fuel economy, not performance.
2. Use the paddles - Peter says the paddles don't feel "authentic?" I guess. Look, it's not going to replace the visceral feel of a gearbox. I get it. But it will get you moving much faster. And say what you will about the CVT, the gear changes are FAST.
3. Use Launch Control - It's odd that Peter didn't even mention it. I suspect this is because he didn't know about it. A car reviewer passing judgment on the CVT without knowing what it's actually capable of? Bad journalist, bad!

(In case you're wondering, the CVT's version of "launch control" isn't launch control in the normal sense. Rather, it allows you to rev the engine while still holding the brake. The point is to allow the turbo to spool up before you start moving).

You want a car that automatic-driving sissies like myself aren't allowed to own? Fine. You got it. It's the STI.

Consider this: I was looking for an AWD car with an automatic transmission with a back seat big enough for my kids, and a price tag in the neighborhood of $30,000. If the WRX wasn't offered in an automatic, I'd probably be driving some generic dreckmobile like a CR-V. Isn't it better that we live in a world where I can instead buy a car that I look forward to driving each morning?

Is the joy the WRX brings me really such a crime?

(edited for formatting)

Brig · « **Reply #46 on:** August 03, 2016, 04:54:15 pm »

Gotta love your passion, CVTguy.

Fobroader · « **Reply #47 on:** August 03, 2016, 04:56:17 pm »

Quote from: Brigitte on August 03, 2016, 04:54:15 pm

Gotta love your passion, CVTguy.

Well put Brig....couldn't have said it any better.

JacobBlack · « **Reply #48 on:** August 03, 2016, 04:57:25 pm »

I really enjoyed that response, and I think your points about it being enjoyable and nor a CR-V or something are worthy ones. I also like your point about the STI being available for manual-only evangelists.

I still say "buy the manual", but I think you speak to a lot of the market with that response.

(PS: Peter would have known about launch control, but he probably didn't mention it because he didn't get a chance to use it during his drive - the

don't always support that type of gear...)

rrocket · « **Reply #49 on:** August 03, 2016, 05:23:07 pm »

I still think a proper ECU tune by a competent tuner would make the CVT much, much better. They would have control over boost functions and you could you likely tune the turbo for better off the line response.

lebowski · « **Reply #50 on:** August 03, 2016, 05:30:08 pm »

Quote from: TheCVTguy on August 03, 2016, 04:51:15 pm

You know what? Screw the haters. I bought a '17 WRX with the CVT two months ago, and I love it. It's my dream car.

Great post. Here’s to many [more] happy miles for ya. I’m sure Subaru knew exactly what they were doing when they deigned to put such a transmission in their halo performance product.

FWIW I test drove a Forester XT with the CVT and was prepared to hate it. Though it was obviously a less performance-focused vehicle than the WRX, it felt plenty quick and engaging with the CVT, and it had me reconsider my pre-programmed disdain.

Weels · « **Reply #51 on:** August 03, 2016, 06:29:27 pm »

Quote from: TheCVTguy on August 03, 2016, 04:51:15 pm

I'd probably be driving some generic dreckmobile like a CR-V.

Applause for not buying a CR-V (i think there's a certain poster on here who loves Alfa Romeo that would mess his pants reading that sentence)

Quote from: TheCVTguy on August 03, 2016, 04:51:15 pm

Is the joy the WRX brings me really such a crime?

Hell no. If you're happy then i wish you much more happy motoring dude.

If i was in the situation where i had to have only one vehicle that had to do it all, the WRX would be high on the list. And...it would have to be CVT because my wife also will not 3-pedal.
Happily I am not in that situation, so have two very different vehicles in our garage - one the grocery-getter Crosstrek, which is where my CVT hate comes from. It sucks, period.
Under door # 2 is the MX-5 which praise be the lord does not have a CVT.

The WRX deserves better than a facking CVT. The chassis and engine are brilliant, i'd need to spend a good amount of time behind the wheel to convince me the CVT doesn't do anything than kill the experience.

Subaru Mike... throw me the keys to one and i'll happily try to change my mind.

2JDM · « **Reply #52 on:** August 03, 2016, 07:10:12 pm »

Quote from: Fobroader on August 03, 2016, 04:56:17 pm

Quote from: Brigitte on August 03, 2016, 04:54:15 pm

Gotta love your passion, CVTguy.

Well put Brig....couldn't have said it any better.

I was having a bad day then saw the post.

But his points are all valid and correct. That is the exact market Subaru was targeting with the WRX CVT....and because of that they will get more sales.

OliverD · « **Reply #53 on:** August 03, 2016, 08:20:22 pm »

Quote from: 1FGC on August 03, 2016, 07:10:12 pm

But his points are all valid and correct. That is the exact market Subaru was targeting with the WRX CVT....and because of that they will get more sales.

Sure, but they would probably get even more sales if they offered a really good automatic (either a conventional one or some sort of dual clutch transmission) in the WRX. Unfortunately Subaru has jumped on the CVT bandwagon - which is probably fine for its mainstream products - but being a small company means they don't have the resources to develop a more appropriate transmission for the WRX.

Brig · « **Reply #54 on:** August 03, 2016, 08:26:02 pm »

Quote from: 1FGC on August 03, 2016, 07:10:12 pm

Quote from: Fobroader on August 03, 2016, 04:56:17 pm
Quote from: Brigitte on August 03, 2016, 04:54:15 pm

Gotta love your passion, CVTguy.

Well put Brig....couldn't have said it any better.

I was having a bad day then saw the post.

It was the first thing that came to mind...

dasiuyan · « **Reply #55 on:** August 05, 2016, 02:09:32 pm »

why am i seeing iPhone picture in this review?

Noto · « **Reply #56 on:** August 08, 2016, 08:35:30 am »

We all know I agree with CVTguy...

But I remain in the camp that for the price, the WRX in any trim is an incredible value proposition when the Buick Encore has about the same, or higher price range. Power or Interior Quietness? My ears be damned...

El Kaboom · « **Reply #57 on:** August 08, 2016, 11:09:47 am »

I had a chuckle reading the Review, never wanted a vehicle with a CVT transmission , but a thought came to me a few days ago. How would a driver in very hilly or mountainous area , gear down when there are no gears? I found myself in this situation some years ago, whilst on the Cabot Trail. My car had a 3spd overdrive and i ignored the warning once and only once, i had a very uncomfortable time going down that hill,to this day my wife has no idea what was really passing through my mind. thank you for any responses.

EV-Light · « **Reply #58 on:** August 08, 2016, 11:39:54 am »

Quote from: Weels on August 02, 2016, 07:21:35 pm

Well... i just got back from a spirited drive in the MX-5... no, there were no red line clutch drops, nor will there ever be... but I did thoroughly enjoy myself and i daresay so did the MX5 singing up close to redline a couple of times.

That's boring....I do some red line clutch drops here and there and been doing with my vehicles forever - never had an issue before.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TheCVTguy · « **Reply #59 on:** August 08, 2016, 12:00:34 pm »

Quote from: El Kaboom on August 08, 2016, 11:09:47 am

I had a chuckle reading the Review, never wanted a vehicle with a CVT transmission , but a thought came to me a few days ago. How would a driver in very hilly or mountainous area , gear down when there are no gears?

The WRX has this covered. Slide the knob to the left and the transmission pretends it's a fixed-gear manual. Gear shifts are accomplished with the paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel. I make use of this feature in 25 MPH zones to keep me from speeding.