Is a used Subaru with a CVT a smart buy?
My friend texted me with a car they really wanted: a spotless, beige, 2015 Subaru Forester. The only problem? The Subaru had a CVT instead of a regular automatic transmission. Their question: Do I still buy it?
What is a CVT?
An automatic transmission has a series of gear ratios, like the bicycle you rode as a kid. It physically swaps one gear ratio for the next. A “continuously variable transmission” has two moving cones connected by belts. Instead of shifting, it can change its ratio on the fly.
A regular automatic has its downsides. You lose a moment of power with every shift. It has a limited number of gear ratios, so the engine may need to rev up or idle down to compensate. Both of these traits hurt overall fuel mileage.
The CVT is a brilliant concept–on paper. In the real world, many early CVTs proved less durable than automatic transmissions. They were “shifting” more often, and their belts weren’t as durable as metal gears. Unfortunately, the first generation of the Subaru CVT wasn’t exempt from these problems.
Does every Subaru have a CVT?
No. The CVT was an option Subaru buyers could choose in hopes of improving their MPG. A different CVT is standard on certain hybrid Subaru powertrains.
Subarus optioned with the early CVT struggled with reliability. Enough of them broke that Subaru stepped up and extended the factory warranty on these cars to placate customer complaints and protect its reputation. Here are the cars with the problematic early Subaru CVT–which got this warranty upgrade.
- 2010-2015 Legacy
- 2010-2015 Outback
- 2012-2015 Impreza
- 2013-2015 Crosstrek
- 2014-2015 Crosstrek Hybrid
- 2014-2015 Forester with 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine
- 2014-2015 Forester with turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine
- 2015 WRX 2.0
- 2015 Legacy and Outback with 3.6-liter V-6 engine
Should you buy a used Subaru with a CVT?
I ended up telling my friend not to buy the 2015 Subaru Forester optioned with a CVT. I saw that it had been a problematic enough transmission, Subaru extended its warranty. But that specific car never had any powertrain work done and now that it’s ten years old, the warranty has expired. I expect that’s why it was advertised at a lower price.
On average, Subarus are very reliable cars. Subaru has been diligently improving all the technology it uses. For 2025, Consumer Reports ranked it the most reliable car brand, dethroning Toyota and Lexus. But not every Subaru is perfect, so you definitely want to do your homework. Just like with any car brand.
