My daughter is looking at new Honda CRV. I understand they have CVT transmissions which can have issues but havent heard bad things about honda. When did they start using CVT transmissions in the CRV or other hondas. Just wondering if they can go 150-200k miles
Honda CVT transmission
- Thread starter raaizin
- Start date
The CVT's you really need to worry about are Jatco. Honda and Toyota probably make the most reliable CVT's in the world, but in the case of the new CRV there isn't any details on which CVT is being used so it is hard to say.
If you actually maintain it you can probably expect 200,000 out of it, but me I personally am not a fan of CVT's.
If you actually maintain it you can probably expect 200,000 out of it, but me I personally am not a fan of CVT's.
Last edited by a moderator:
Service it every 30K (easy) and I doubt you will have any issues. Good luck.
The CRV has had a CVT beginning with the 2015 model year. Other Honda models before that (2013?). Some CVTs don’t have great record (see Nissan), but Hondas seem to do just fine. And afaik, the same CVT has been used, albeit with the occasional update, in the CRV from 2015-2023.
My SO’s HR-V has a pulley CVT and there was a reprogramming recall + extended warranty, done to be easier on it and check for internal failure - since apparently the failure rate was high enough for concern - other than those early ones I’d change the fluid every 30k although we got to her’s a bit late.
And sticking to lower mileage so you can get the service in on time, since it’s not on the usual schedule/maintenance minder I usually rely on.
And sticking to lower mileage so you can get the service in on time, since it’s not on the usual schedule/maintenance minder I usually rely on.
Do a drain and fill at 30K and only use the Honda brand of CVT fluid. You only get half of the fluid out when you do a drain and fill, so after that you should be doing a drain and feel more often like every 15,000.
Also if it's an all-wheel drive the rear end fluid needs to be changed somewhere between 15 ,000 and 20,000 miles the first time and it can go a little bit longer for each additional one after that like about 25,000 but if it's used in a severe environment like a lot of hills or a lot of City driving with a lot of turns then go back to 20,000 every time you change it. The rear end fluid also takes a specific Honda fluid and that is the only fluid that can be used in it. It's different than the CVT fluid so don't get the two of them mixed up. There are YouTube videos on how to do these drain fills there is a filter for the CVT but that doesn't need to be serviced until at least 80,000 miles. It is a cartridge type filter and there is one YouTube video about how to do that but it's on a 2015 or 2016 and that was the 2.4 L normally aspirated, not the 1.5 L turbocharged that they're putting in all of them now.
Also if it's an all-wheel drive the rear end fluid needs to be changed somewhere between 15 ,000 and 20,000 miles the first time and it can go a little bit longer for each additional one after that like about 25,000 but if it's used in a severe environment like a lot of hills or a lot of City driving with a lot of turns then go back to 20,000 every time you change it. The rear end fluid also takes a specific Honda fluid and that is the only fluid that can be used in it. It's different than the CVT fluid so don't get the two of them mixed up. There are YouTube videos on how to do these drain fills there is a filter for the CVT but that doesn't need to be serviced until at least 80,000 miles. It is a cartridge type filter and there is one YouTube video about how to do that but it's on a 2015 or 2016 and that was the 2.4 L normally aspirated, not the 1.5 L turbocharged that they're putting in all of them now.
Our CRV and is older with the 2.4 engine and 5 speed auto with no issues over 150k miles-50k mile trans drain and fills. Yes, the rear ends take the Honda Dual Pump fluid. I've changed it twice. Look at the Mazda C X-5 as well. Good luck.
Have a 2017 CRV with a CVT trans With 41,000. Love it. Also own a 2016 MDX SHW 9 Speed trans ( it sucks ) it got a lag in the 1-2 shift from new to 65,000 miles. Other then that nice SUV
Last edited:
We’ve got a 2015 crv with the CVT. There was a NVH recall for internal vibrations, like when the engine goes into low idle once hot between the a/c compressor cycling. They fixed it first try with new headrests and radiator mounts. We have 85k on hours and besides the vibration and a new starter motor (these are known to wear early in the solenoid contacts) it’s been flawless. my wife is a zippy in-town commuter and it gets up and goes every day while returning 24-25 mpg city. Climate control is good. I refreshed the transmission fluid at 60k with the Honda stuff.
complaints - it’s Honda - loud on the highway. And I don’t care for the steering feel in ours on the highway.
she was rear-ended pretty hard by a half-ton truck a few years back. It destroyed the plastic and bumper padding, but the steel didn’t flinch. Seems pretty sturdy.
I like the CVT, especially in eco mode. In eco, it keeps the rpm’s pretty low with a lot of open throttle to compensate. Drives like a baby diesel. Sport mode on the CVT is rather impressive and you can hustle it through aggressive traffic with far more precision than you’d think. Some engineer drew the short straw for sport-tuning the CRV CVT, and probably as spite he turned out a downright impressive result. It hustles far better than it should, while getting 24 mpg.
I wouldn’t hesitate to put my daughter in one. Very nice vehicle.
complaints - it’s Honda - loud on the highway. And I don’t care for the steering feel in ours on the highway.
she was rear-ended pretty hard by a half-ton truck a few years back. It destroyed the plastic and bumper padding, but the steel didn’t flinch. Seems pretty sturdy.
I like the CVT, especially in eco mode. In eco, it keeps the rpm’s pretty low with a lot of open throttle to compensate. Drives like a baby diesel. Sport mode on the CVT is rather impressive and you can hustle it through aggressive traffic with far more precision than you’d think. Some engineer drew the short straw for sport-tuning the CRV CVT, and probably as spite he turned out a downright impressive result. It hustles far better than it should, while getting 24 mpg.
I wouldn’t hesitate to put my daughter in one. Very nice vehicle.
@ Raaizin. At a minimum I would talk to local transmission shop on their servicing and longevity period of the various model CVTs. Armed with that information you will have a better view on the reliability and pros and cons of a wider populace of vehicles vs random people experiences. If your daughter still buys the Honda, then she may also want to consider a longer extended warranty where the transmission repair costs are all covered regardless of mileage on the vehicle.
Some extended warranties specifically exclude CVT coverage, or only do so within certain mileage windows, and then only after proper service records are provided. Make sure you read the warranty fine print for sure for coverage provided specifically as it relates to the CVT transmission itself and or peripheral drive train components.
Good Luck on helping your daughter research this decision further.
Some extended warranties specifically exclude CVT coverage, or only do so within certain mileage windows, and then only after proper service records are provided. Make sure you read the warranty fine print for sure for coverage provided specifically as it relates to the CVT transmission itself and or peripheral drive train components.
Good Luck on helping your daughter research this decision further.
Last edited:
I used to hate CVTs, especially Nissan ones.
Now I actually like them.
Now I actually like them.
Is the Honda 1.5l still an oil dilluter? We passed on it when buying in 2019 - I had seen no sign of it being corrected at that point - maybe it is now?
Honda's CVT is very good. Smooth and seamless. It is also very easy to change the fluid on, even easier than an oil change.
All CVTs suck, which is why I have an extra pedal.
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/a-17-accord-cvts-issue.363668/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/a-17-accord-cvts-issue.363668/
When I took delivery of my Integra the oil was slightly underfilled, now it's slightly overfilled...it'll be gone before the powertrain warranty is up so I'm not worried. That dipstick reeks of fuel as soon as you pull it out.
I bought my 17 accord sport with cvt used with just over 29K miles. Around the 32K mile mark I did a 3 X drain and fill with Amsoil cvt fluid. I went another 30K miles and then did a single drain and fill. Will do another drain/fill around the 90-100K mile mark and continue the 30Kish mile drain interval.
I haven’t had a problem with the cvt at all. Just over 70K miles on the car and keeping this car for the long haul
I haven’t had a problem with the cvt at all. Just over 70K miles on the car and keeping this car for the long haul
I actually enjoy driving my 2016 Honda CRV with the 2.4 l normally aspirated and the CVT when I drop it into S Mode which is Sport and the whole car seems like it transitions into a sports car built with a big box around it that can haul a lot of stuff for its size. If there is no one in front of me I will fly up a local Hill with bends in it using the sport mode. In the sport mode the engine revs higher because the CVT continuously selects a ratio to allow it to rev higher to give you more power and get up and go and also the gas pedal response is more aggressive so you press the gas pedal less to get a responsive power from the vehicle. It's a pleasure to drive in sport mode but the only thing is it's got so much get up and go that you really can't use all of the available power because on the hill with bends in it there's no question that it is quite capable of going fast enough that you could roll it over in a turn if you weren't mindful of how fast it can get up and go.
My sister owns a 2018 with the 1.5 L and of course a CVT. I've only been in that vehicle a couple of times and have never driven it. She just leaves it in drive all the time when she's using it and doesn't even try to use the sport mode. She likes the vehicle a lot and doesn't put many miles on it so it ends up getting the oil changed about every 3,500 miles due to the oil being in it for the length of time that it is. So it's hard to tell whether she's even running into an oil dilution problem because she doesn't put enough miles on it on each oil change for that to show up as a problem. She likes the vehicle a lot. By the way the CVT in the 1.5 L version of the CRV is a different tuned CVT because the 1.5 L is designed to run at a higher RPM being a turbocharged engine that is small it gets its horsepower by operating at a higher RPM range then the 2.4 L normally aspirated.
My sister owns a 2018 with the 1.5 L and of course a CVT. I've only been in that vehicle a couple of times and have never driven it. She just leaves it in drive all the time when she's using it and doesn't even try to use the sport mode. She likes the vehicle a lot and doesn't put many miles on it so it ends up getting the oil changed about every 3,500 miles due to the oil being in it for the length of time that it is. So it's hard to tell whether she's even running into an oil dilution problem because she doesn't put enough miles on it on each oil change for that to show up as a problem. She likes the vehicle a lot. By the way the CVT in the 1.5 L version of the CRV is a different tuned CVT because the 1.5 L is designed to run at a higher RPM being a turbocharged engine that is small it gets its horsepower by operating at a higher RPM range then the 2.4 L normally aspirated.
My daughter is on her 2nd Honda w/CVT(both Civic's) and they're great.
I have a Nissan Altima with a JATCO CVT which is fine as well even with Nissan's poor history with their CVTs.
I can't tell the difference between the two(Honda/Nissan) under normal driving. However, if I pay attention, I can tell that the Honda reacts more responsively under acceleration than does the Nissan and may feel a bit more like a stepped automatic. My only problem with the Nissan CVT(I know you're asking about the CR-V) is their reputation because I love it.
I've recently driven(I have a review on it) a 2023 CR-V Hybrid(SPORT Touring) with the e-CVT and it fooled me even though I knew going in that it was an e-CVT. It feels even more like a stepped shift automatic transmission. It was so responsive like a really good automatic transmission.
The only thing I can say is:
If you don't want a CVT, don't get a CVT!
I have a Nissan Altima with a JATCO CVT which is fine as well even with Nissan's poor history with their CVTs.
I can't tell the difference between the two(Honda/Nissan) under normal driving. However, if I pay attention, I can tell that the Honda reacts more responsively under acceleration than does the Nissan and may feel a bit more like a stepped automatic. My only problem with the Nissan CVT(I know you're asking about the CR-V) is their reputation because I love it.
I've recently driven(I have a review on it) a 2023 CR-V Hybrid(SPORT Touring) with the e-CVT and it fooled me even though I knew going in that it was an e-CVT. It feels even more like a stepped shift automatic transmission. It was so responsive like a really good automatic transmission.
The only thing I can say is:
If you don't want a CVT, don't get a CVT!
Similar threads
