[Webmaster]

OK for those folks that have the CVT, do you like it or not? And why?

For me, I like it. It gives me a smoother ride and better fuel economy. I'm a little scared that it will cost an arm and a leg if it needs repairs. Luckily there's a five year powertrain warranty so I don't care for the next 4 years and 9 and half months 8)

 

[flybynight_x1]

I actually find myself speeding a lot cause it does shift so smoothly

 

[Natasha]

Not sure

I just don't like all the noise it makes and I'm not seeing the better gas mileage yet I was expecting. Maybe it just needs to still break in. I'm only at 530 miles. And keeping the radio up does drown out the noise....

 

[BreatheJeeply]

I like it so far. As far as cost to repair, I heard that it would be cheaper to fix because usually it would only be a matter of changing a steel belt.

 

[tripletransit]

I like the CVT

The CVT is the best. The infinite gear ratios available keep the engine in its most efficient range of operation. It is responsive and performs well. It makes the 2.4 liter four perform like a six cylinder even with the air conditioning on!

Now... having said this, like other Compass owners we can only hope that longevity is built into it. If the longevity is there then the CVT is a good idea whose time has come.

 

[onairbear]

How the CVT works

Here's more detail about the transmission from jeep.ca

Easy rider. The Compass Continuously Variable Transaxle has no gears, so it doesn't shift conventionally. Instead, it employs a system of two pulleys connected by a strong steel-spined, steel segmented vee belt. The result is a smoother, quieter, more efficient driving experience.

How it works:
Picture a bicycle chain drive, but replace the sprockets – one large and one small – with pulleys and replace the chain with a steel vee belt. The CVT2 operates by varying the working diameters of two pulleys. The pulleys have V-shaped grooves in which the connecting belt rides.

One side of the pulley is fixed; the other side is movable, actuated by hydraulic pressure. When actuated, the hydraulic pressure can increase or reduce the amount of space between the two sides of the pulley. When the width of the groove of one pulley is made wider, the belt rides lower in the groove, effectively reducing the working diameter of that pulley.

In the meantime, the width of the groove in the other pulley is made narrower, causing the belt to ride higher in the groove, effectively increasing the working diameter of that pulley. To suit power requirements and driving conditions, the system automatically varies the width of the grooves in the two pulleys – one made wider, the other made narrower – continuously varying the “gear” ratio, without the steps normally associated with conventional automatic transmissions.

 

[JoJoJeep]

I'll stick with my stick, thank you.

 

[stuuder]

I think the CVT sux.at least the one in the 2.0 SXT caliber I drove for two weeks on holidays.going up long hills, keeping the speed steady @ 60-70 mph 35-3700 rpm on and on and on., drone, drone............drove me nuts, gimme a 5 gear.Other than that thought it was a great vehicle.
Just my.02.

 

[DetroitD]

Like it so far

2.4L 4x2...
There is a small lag from a dead stop (20ft), but after that, it launches quite nicely for a 4-cyl.
By nature of design, it's really smooth, without shift rocking - really nice when you want to overtake a trucker or slowpoke without downshifting to boost the rpms up a couple thousand (enough to alarm the wife or sleeping baby) like an conventional automatic or manual requires.

In the same manor, the CVT tackles hill quite well and doesn't feel underpowered. Yes, I'm maybe a bit more apt to speed in the 25-35 zones now because of comfortable pedal position.

As far a noise goes, the CVT whine is quite subdued in my Compass (I'm used to a V8 truck w/cold air intake) and the engine noise even at 2300rpm (65mph) isn't bad, so I just turn on the radio to get over my license plate rattle (see miscellaneuos section post). The radio drowns out everything just fine. I don't think its above 3000-3200rpm at 70-75mph. I will check again.

 

[johnjet6]

I like it

8)
I like the way it shifts. I also like the auto stick function. I hate the lack of fuel economy. After 3000 miles my average mpg is 19. Most of the driving is highway driving as well.

 

[farout]

19 mpg! I would pitch a fit with my dealer! The question I have what kind of driving do you do? I am retired, and drive it not like a teenager, but not like an old grampa (which I am) and get 25.1 mpg and have 2,100 miles.
If you drive "normal" what-ever that is, then I would say something needs a dealers attention.



farout

 

[cvr]

At this point, no. I have already replaced one transmission and now am having problems with the new one. There is about 6k miles on the new transmission. The car had to be towed into the shop two days ago. Although I absolutely love the car, my confidence in the cvt is shattered.

 

[farout]

After buying the Compass on April 4,2007 we found our mpg kept going down little by little. The CVY tansmission became a constant annoyance :x The belt kept going up and down even at the slightest incline or down a very small dip. Also the hard, cheap plastic arm rests, and the extremely poor fit and finish of the dash began to irratate us more and more. Even the looks began to make us see it was not very attractive, even for a Jeep. By 10,000 miles we had dropped to 20 mpg no matter what we did or how we drove. On August 31, 2007 we traded in the Compass for a Chrysler Pacifica AWD Touring. Reght off the bat we got 24 mpg! The PAC rides like glass and has genuine quality inside and out! We now have close to 18,000 miles on the PAC. Yes we had to finance a dead horse, left over from the Compass, but we got to the point we hated the Compass.
The Service Manager was given our traded in Compass to drive, he drove it for two months and he told the dealerships General Manager Compass he would take any vehicle to use just he could not stand the Compass. He too hated the noisy gutless engine and the CVT! At the dealer ship they have sold a few but the Patriot out sells the Compass by a lot.
Personally Chrysler should dump the Compass and up grade the Patriot and Caliber. The Compass is over priced and cheap in quality, and the CVT is not a answer to the needs of a small car with such a mismatched gutless "world engine". Heck, dump the CVT and the engine! :mrgreen:

 

[PirateKatz]

Compared to a traditional automatic transmission, I'm a big fan.

For those that mention the cost to repair a CVT, isn't this something that would be covered under the lifetime powertrain warranty?

 

[rappatw2]

I've heard skeptics say that since the Compass has a continuously variable transmission, it's tough to accelerate on a dime. But, it's also easy to (if your Compass has the manual shifter option) shift down a gear and then accelerate. I enjoy the cvt and the manual shifter option.

 

[OnRoad]

I don't like automatic transmissions but I have found that for the most part, the CVT2 in my 08 Compass is more than acceptable. The manumatic mode makes it much more drivable. The key is learning how to drive it. Mashing the accelerator to the floor will spin the engine way up but will not accelerate the vehicle any faster than a reasonable application of the gas pedal.

I will say that if it were my only car, I would want a manual....

 

[tinkerbelle]

Re:

I'll stick with my stick, thank you.

Diddo that!

 

[rommel543]

MAN-U-EL

 

[Eurocompass]

I enjoy the ease of driving with the CVT. If I want to pass someone, I just click down a gear...

 

[mikey_b]

Nice and smooth over here. Performs well enough to scoot around town. Only thing I don't like is when I drive it (as I do when i drive most cars) I ride with my right hand on the shifter, sometimes I accidentally switch it into autostick mode. Wife drives at 10 and 2 so no problems for her.