Toyota Vios 2018 with CVT transmission

[rumak]

I happen to like my older Vios with regular automatic transmission.     BUT,  have opportunity for great deal on 2018 Vios,  1.5 engine.

It comes with a CVT  transmission.   Works fine now ...... but I have read a few comments about how these transmissions don't last very well.

My cars/trucks always last a long time because i take good care.

Anyone ( especially those with CVT  transmissions)  have any regrets or recommendations ?

[tonray]

This might help. I have owned several cars with CVTs. Subaru and Toyota and plan to purchase a Suzuki this year. Never any issues with them at all. Only wish the Subaru head gaskets were more reliable !

 

https://www.findthebestcarprice.com/cvt-transmission/

 

 

 

[canthai55]

Very important to due maintenance on them - and even then they are not noted for as long a life as a torque converter auto.

Double the recommended fluid change intervals, ALWAYS use only Toyota (or whoever the OEM is) fluid.

 

[rumak]

1 hour ago, tonray said:

This might help. I have owned several cars with CVTs. Subaru and Toyota and plan to purchase a Suzuki this year. Never any issues with them at all. Only wish the Subaru head gaskets were more reliable !

 

https://www.findthebestcarprice.com/cvt-transmission/

 

 

 

 

thanks!   this is the type of comment that i was hoping for.    Also as Canthai suggests I will change the trans oil often .   One surprise when reading the article was that Toyota does NOT  use a belt or chain system .   This , to me,  appears favorable as no matter how well one drives....belts will wear out.     

My 2008 Vios has 170k  km  and I see no indication of the trans being on its way out... so am surprised that 100k miles ( 160k km )  is given as a typical distance for transmissions.

 

ALSO : "CVTs are designed to last the full lifespan of the vehicle. One of the longest-running models using a CVT is the Toyota Prius. Many owners find they last well beyond 300,000 miles."        

 

well,  Vios is not a Prius ............. so that comparison not relative .   Prius has a different unit, but I am not sure why it alone does .    The 2018 vios i can get is a one Farang owner leaving Thailand,  with 20k  km on it .   Looks and drives (and smells ) like new

 

Edited May 29, 2021 by rumak

[canthai55]

My comment was directed at belt-driven models - especially those with a steel link belt.

Your 'pair-of-motors' model I have no clue about.

But being Toyota most likely a decent design.

20,000 km is nothing

[rumak]

On 5/29/2021 at 6:10 AM, tonray said:

This might help. I have owned several cars with CVTs. Subaru and Toyota and plan to purchase a Suzuki this year. Never any issues with them at all. Only wish the Subaru head gaskets were more reliable !

 

https://www.findthebestcarprice.com/cvt-transmission/

 

 

 

 

which year and model Toyota do/did  you own?    any idea recommended trans oil change at how many km  for  the 2018 Vios ?

i did not get owners manual ...... and google was no help

Edited May 30, 2021 by rumak

[tonray]

14 minutes ago, rumak said:

 

which year and model Toyota do/did  you own?    any idea recommended trans oil change at how many km  for  the 2018 Vios ?

i did not get owners manual ...... and google was no help

It was a 2014 Yaris..which wax based upon the Vios platform. The GF drove it 99% of the time and also took it in for regular service as scheduled so I really don't know service intervals but a fair bet is to find any cvt Toyota manual within two or three years of 2018 and it'll likely be identical intervals

[DavisH]

My wife has a cvt swift, no problems with it. There are no 'shifts' per se, so it's smooth to drive. I've driven a BIL's company vios with the 4 speed auto. I really didn't like the way it shifted (perhaps it was just an old car). Maintenance is important for a cct - if driven normally and maintained, there should be no problems getting 350-300K kms out of them (I know of suzukis with this king of mileage and the cvt is still fine. 

[tifino]

2 minutes ago, DavisH said:

My wife has a cvt swift, no problems with it. There are no 'shifts' per se, so it's smooth to drive. I've driven a BIL's company vios with the 4 speed auto. I really didn't like the way it shifted (perhaps it was just an old car). Maintenance is important for a cct - if driven normally and maintained, there should be no problems getting 350-300K kms out of them (I know of suzukis with this king of mileage and the cvt is still fine. 

agree on the Suzukis... especially the SX4 CVTs are very well behaved and given the faultless years gone by... great longetivity   Still; one great fringe benefit with CVTs is having the Selection Paddles - bring nearest equivalence to driving a clutchless manual

[DavisH]

14 hours ago, tifino said:

agree on the Suzukis... especially the SX4 CVTs are very well behaved and given the faultless years gone by... great longetivity   Still; one great fringe benefit with CVTs is having the Selection Paddles - bring nearest equivalence to driving a clutchless manual

Unfortunately out swift doesn't have flappy paddles. The civic (and I think city) have more normally shifting cvt's. They are fake shift, but emulate a normal auto. Giving the bean to our swift isn't a pleasant experience. It's not a car for the boy racers:)

[tifino]

35 minutes ago, DavisH said:

Unfortunately out swift doesn't have flappy paddles. The civic (and I think city) have more normally shifting cvt's. They are fake shift, but emulate a normal auto. Giving the bean to our swift isn't a pleasant experience. It's not a car for the boy racers:)

maybe the time to Update to?              

eg:  

Swift GLX Turbo adds the following features over Swift GL Navigator Plus:

• BOOSTERJET turbo engine
• 5.1L/100km fuel economy^‡
• 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters
• Digital climate control
• Keyless entry and start system
• 2 x tweeters

  

[Pilotman]

I bought a new Vios in mid 2017.  I have little to no idea how it works and frankly I don't care,  It works and that's enough for me. No idea what CVT means and again, I don't care.  Its a great little car, I get it serviced at Toyota every 10,000km. It has now done 80,000km.  apart from a slipping fan belt, which was fixed in 15 minutes at Toyota, it has given me zero problems.  

Edited May 31, 2021 by Pilotman

[rumak]

Just now, Pilotman said:

I bought a new Vios in 2018.  I have little to no idea how it works and frankly I don't care,  It works and that's enough for me. No idea what CVT means and again, I don't care.  Its a great little car, I get it serviced at Toyota every 10,000km. It has now done 80,000km.  apart from a slipping fan belt, which was fixed in 15 minutes at Toyota, it has given me zero problems.  

mine is also 2018 .   just bought ........ but was surprised to here about "new type transmission".

So now I have read,  asked some questions here,  and have a bit more knowledge.

 

The most important "advice"  is to take good care ( change trans oil as called for) ....

Just saying ????

 

but, great  to know your model is performing well.    my older model is now going on 14 years

[DavisH]

4 hours ago, tifino said:

maybe the time to Update to?              

eg:  

Swift GLX Turbo adds the following features over Swift GL Navigator Plus:

• BOOSTERJET turbo engine
• 5.1L/100km fuel economy^‡
• 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters
• Digital climate control
• Keyless entry and start system
• 2 x tweeters

  

I'm aware of the new car. I don't think she wants another swift. It will be more likely be the honda city turbo or city hybrid, when she decides to part with her cash. The other option will  be the new honda civic when it's introduced here. She liked our old civic the best and preferred to drive that than my new crv which she finds too big.