ZRE142 Fielder CVT - bad thing?

[sergei]

I am doing research on newer fielders (2006+, ZRE142) - they all come with CVT for auto (!!!). In my experience CVT is generally a bad thing. Is this still true for newer vehicles?

Or should I just get Legacy Wagon 2.0R instead?

P.S. it is for my mother.

[dnalunchie]

legacy will use more gas and that 2.0 R engine is quite highly tuned so will def require 95 or even 98.

Then again the subaru looks better (IMO) and has the versatility of AWD

Most CVT's from the 90's were terrible but unsure about the newer one as you specified

[sergei]

legacy will use more gas and that 2.0 R engine is quite highly tuned so will def require 95 or even 98.

Then again the subaru looks better (IMO) and has the versatility of AWD

Most CVT's from the 90's were terrible but unsure about the newer one as you specified

The corolla also requires at least 95 anyway to run economically.
My mum's current car is 1GFE powered GX90 MarkII, that thing is not ultra economical to start with...

I prefer legacy as well... But might stay with toyota if it is a good car.

[Lloyd]

Generally the bad CVTs were the Mitsi Colts, Nissan Anythings, and the quite early Hondas (but lets face it, how often do they ever make a nice auto?)

Not a lot of other manufacturers CVT have given particularly bad issues thus far. If it's a low kms example and feels good then I wouldn't let the CVT be the deciding factor. Unless she is going to drive it like she stole it, then it isn't exactly going to be stressed either.

CVTs biggest downfall at the moment (and previously) was that it wasn't designed/capable of dealing with the torque that most engines were able to produce. It's also the main reason you see it on smaller cars than anything else. Probably also the reason you see a lot of the bigger luxury cars pushing 7, 8 and 9 speed autos rather than a CVT option.

[Lloyd]

Out of curiosity, why are those the 2 cars you're weighing up?

[sergei]

Out of curiosity, why are those the 2 cars you're weighing up?

mid size wagon, reliability, looks etc.

[Lloyd]

The boring 1500 version before those doesn't appeal?

[sergei]

The boring 1500 version before those doesn't appeal?

The 1500 is barely enough for 1000kg car, it would be very under performing in 1500kg car...

[dnalunchie]

2.0R legacy makes 197hp. Not bad.

[YeMs]

i have been through the toyota CVT trans and it looks pretty bullet proof. very very very basic system. there is bugger all to go wrong with them. I have heard of one being replaced under warranty because of bearing noise, which was apparently barely noticeable.

[andyztouring]

I have a new shape 1800 Fielder ,all good with auto,(fingers crossed)car goes really well,they have plenty more features than the previus Fielder- push button start, promity (spelling?)locking,better rear seat folding system,better headlights .I have noticed a few high km Fielders come up for auction with failed autos(transmission slipping) in Japan,however they have all been up over the 185000km mark.