News coming from Green Car Reports states that the Chevrolet Spark is going to receive an update to its powertrain.While the five-speed manual transmission is staying put, little Sparky is discontinuing its rather archaic four-speed automatic transmission for a continuously variable transmission for the 2014 model year.
In doing so, Spark should see a bump in fuel economy numbers, which is a primary selling point in little critter cars such as this. Aside from stand-out style and colors, of course.
Comments
will it be very rubberband ish?
Never been a fan of the CVT. Too often they fail in other makes.
GM must have finally figured out durability?
Will the price drop…
I would expect it to be more expensive if anything. CVTs are a lot more complicated.
Noooooo not a cvt I see too many Nissans with messed up cvts
Is this a GM unit or one purchased from another automaker????
I’m probably in the minority, but I will not buy a vehicle with a CVT transmission. Its a rubber band transmission.
I don’t think you’re in the minority. Current CVT offerings are garbage and fell like shit. The engine’s power is in there, but you’ll never find it.
I just hope they don’t start spreading into GM’s larger cars
Manili,
Who manufactures the CVT for the 2014 Spark?
Remember the Saturn Ion with the CVT? I don’t want to remember it either.
If it’s a proven trans from somewhere else… maybe. But if it’s all-new, forget it. Too many bugs will need working out.
Anything I read in publications have negative comments regarding CVT. Things like noisy, searching, hunting what have you. Anyone have a vehicle with CVT? I see Sparks on the road and they look goofy. Opel ADAM, anyone?
About time, now what about the Chevy Cruze getting a CVT? Then the automatic may be able to reach 42MPG highway like it’s manual transmission brother.
CVTs; with paddle shifters you can control the engine load so you can ‘find’ the engine power that way, but, who knows if Chevy will put in paddle shifters.