RE: Subaru Levorg STI Sport | Spotted
Discussion
LucyP said:
In the UK, they don't make any sense. I've driven one, and the Forester is just the same. That has a pointless hybrid mated to a 2.2 boxer and a CVT. That doesn't even have enough hybrid to move off the lights, without firing the engine immediately.
Forester e-boxer is 2L, not 2.2. It's not a performance car, and doesn't pretend to be. I've had one as a loaner a couple of times, and it is definitely not a driver's car, it's charms lie elsewhere. Not for me though.LucyP said:
The CVT is truly awful, especially when you hit resume on the cruise control on the motorway. Revving towards to red line, just to speed up from 65 to 70 mph
The Subaru CVT mated to a turbo engine doesn't behave anything like this. The Levorg STI in the article has 400nm of torque from 2400 rpm, to suggest the CVT will behave the same as with a low torque mild hybrid is very far from true.Have you ever driven a CVT? I have driven several. They all drive in the same way - the way a CVT is designed. They all rev far higher than you would in a manual, or a normal auto would, just to add a few mph. Every passenger always comments on it, wondering why you are revving it so hard just to increase speed by 5 mph. It doesn't matter what engine is in the car. It's what they do and it's why people hate them.
The Levorg i drove didnt behave like you say, both the normal 1.6 turbo and a mapped one with 225bhp
LucyP said:
Have you ever driven a CVT? I have driven several. They all drive in the same way - the way a CVT is designed. They all rev far higher than you would in a manual, or a normal auto would, just to add a few mph. Every passenger always comments on it, wondering why you are revving it so hard just to increase speed by 5 mph. It doesn't matter what engine is in the car. It's what they do and it's why people hate them.
LucyP said:
Have you ever driven a CVT? I have driven several. They all drive in the same way - the way a CVT is designed. They all rev far higher than you would in a manual, or a normal auto would, just to add a few mph. Every passenger always comments on it, wondering why you are revving it so hard just to increase speed by 5 mph. It doesn't matter what engine is in the car. It's what they do and it's why people hate them.
Of course I've driven cars with CVT, otherwise I wouldn't be able to have an opinion on them. I've owned a Subaru Levorg with CVT and DIT engine for the last 3 years. I've driven many other CVTs. They don't all drive the same way. It does matter what engine is in the car. The Subaru CVT is designed and built in house, and is very different from other CVTs. Have you driven a turbo Subaru with CVT? Edited by Sad Weevil on Wednesday 19th April 11:33
LucyP said:
Have you ever driven a CVT? I have driven several. They all drive in the same way - the way a CVT is designed. They all rev far higher than you would in a manual, or a normal auto would, just to add a few mph. Every passenger always comments on it, wondering why you are revving it so hard just to increase speed by 5 mph. It doesn't matter what engine is in the car. It's what they do and it's why people hate them.
Your posts are a bit confusing, which vehicle and engine/gearbox combinations have you driven? It would be helpful to include their age.trails said:
LucyP said:
Have you ever driven a CVT? I have driven several. They all drive in the same way - the way a CVT is designed. They all rev far higher than you would in a manual, or a normal auto would, just to add a few mph. Every passenger always comments on it, wondering why you are revving it so hard just to increase speed by 5 mph. It doesn't matter what engine is in the car. It's what they do and it's why people hate them.
Your posts are a bit confusing, which vehicle and engine/gearbox combinations have you driven? It would be helpful to include their age.I'll never own one again!
trails said:
DiT engines are 2012 onwards I think, so a bit harder to get hold of over the EJ...but waaaay better economy and, I suspect a bit more refined. Get a thread up when you do buy it 
Problem i have is, for the first time ever, I'm very reluctant to let go of the BP5! I just don't want another car (as a daily, anyway).The EJ20X twin scroll on the 5EAT is as decent as I've known a Subaru to get on fuel. Not as far as calling it 'good' but I've regularly had 100 miles more from the tank than I ever saw on my 05 Impreza wagon (think the tank is another 5 liters, to be fair). Not bad for the bigger car.
I think it's the combination of the twin AVCS, higher compression and the fact the box is quite keen to shift down in eco mode.
I'd certainly be happy if a newer DIT car at least matched it.
I'd need to test drive a CVT to see what I made of it - I find the proof on any auto box is in the application, programing, implementation.
I've got both the 5EAT and a 4EAT (Legacy GT and a Forester XT) at the moment
The 5EAT pretty much always does what I want it to do and I never really 'notice' it. To the point I think it's actually worse if you try to manually shift it. It also has some nice features like down shifting when you brake hard if it's in sport and adjusting it's shift pattern according to the rate of change of throttle input. Done badly, those things can actually be annoying if they make bad decisions, but I find it totally intuitive.
The Subaru 4EAT is dumb as a rock, even fitted to a car 2 years newer.
As a comparison to another 5 speed box on a car of a similar age, i've driven a C55 AMG and it was constantly making me say "what on earth are you doing that for?"
Konan said:
Problem i have is, for the first time ever, I'm very reluctant to let go of the BP5! I just don't want another car (as a daily, anyway).
The EJ20X twin scroll on the 5EAT is as decent as I've known a Subaru to get on fuel. Not as far as calling it 'good' but I've regularly had 100 miles more from the tank than I ever saw on my 05 Impreza wagon (think the tank is another 5 liters, to be fair). Not bad for the bigger car.
I think it's the combination of the twin AVCS, higher compression and the fact the box is quite keen to shift down in eco mode.
I'd certainly be happy if a newer DIT car at least matched it.
I'd need to test drive a CVT to see what I made of it - I find the proof on any auto box is in the application, programing, implementation.
I've got both the 5EAT and a 4EAT (Legacy GT and a Forester XT) at the moment
The 5EAT pretty much always does what I want it to do and I never really 'notice' it. To the point I think it's actually worse if you try to manually shift it. It also has some nice features like down shifting when you brake hard if it's in sport and adjusting it's shift pattern according to the rate of change of throttle input. Done badly, those things can actually be annoying if they make bad decisions, but I find it totally intuitive.
The Subaru 4EAT is dumb as a rock, even fitted to a car 2 years newer.
As a comparison to another 5 speed box on a car of a similar age, i've driven a C55 AMG and it was constantly making me say "what on earth are you doing that for?"
I briefly had a 2 litre Civic with an auto box back in the early 2000s while I was waiting for 'my' company car to arrive, and that was shocking. So not the best auto first experience, but the 5EAT really isn't that terrible and the paddles in S# are pretty fun. It would be a shame if the CVT has spoilt it...The EJ20X twin scroll on the 5EAT is as decent as I've known a Subaru to get on fuel. Not as far as calling it 'good' but I've regularly had 100 miles more from the tank than I ever saw on my 05 Impreza wagon (think the tank is another 5 liters, to be fair). Not bad for the bigger car.
I think it's the combination of the twin AVCS, higher compression and the fact the box is quite keen to shift down in eco mode.
I'd certainly be happy if a newer DIT car at least matched it.
I'd need to test drive a CVT to see what I made of it - I find the proof on any auto box is in the application, programing, implementation.
I've got both the 5EAT and a 4EAT (Legacy GT and a Forester XT) at the moment
The 5EAT pretty much always does what I want it to do and I never really 'notice' it. To the point I think it's actually worse if you try to manually shift it. It also has some nice features like down shifting when you brake hard if it's in sport and adjusting it's shift pattern according to the rate of change of throttle input. Done badly, those things can actually be annoying if they make bad decisions, but I find it totally intuitive.
The Subaru 4EAT is dumb as a rock, even fitted to a car 2 years newer.
As a comparison to another 5 speed box on a car of a similar age, i've driven a C55 AMG and it was constantly making me say "what on earth are you doing that for?"
do you think tech may have improved since then?
trails said:
I briefly had a 2 litre Civic with an auto box back in the early 2000s while I was waiting for 'my' company car to arrive, and that was shocking. So not the best auto first experience, but the 5EAT really isn't that terrible and the paddles in S# are pretty fun. It would be a shame if the CVT has spoilt it...
sledge68 said:
do you think tech may have improved since then?
Obviously one would assume so...but as per the post, I have had little to no exposure to auto 'boxes prior to owning a 5EAT.trails said:
I briefly had a 2 litre Civic with an auto box back in the early 2000s while I was waiting for 'my' company car to arrive, and that was shocking. So not the best auto first experience, but the 5EAT really isn't that terrible and the paddles in S# are pretty fun. It would be a shame if the CVT has spoilt it...
I concur, I had a Rolls Royce convertible in the 80s, always leaked, i will never buy another Rolls Royce because of that car 41 years ago
Konan said:
Dunno why you need to know. I had a CVT in my 1989 Fiesta Popular Plus and that red-lined (or as close an approximation of red-line as a carb 1.1 Kent engine can do) every single time I put my foot down because the drive belt slipped.
I'll never own one again!
I'll never own one again!
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