In this article, you would get to know the basics of a CVT Transmission fluid, and how it works. We would also share why it is important to use a quality transmission fluid. Lastly, we would share some of the recommended fluid brands and their reviews with pros and cons.

What is a CVT Transmission Fluid?

CVT stands for Continuously Variable Transmission. The CVT fluid is a type of transmission fluid used in a CVT transmission system to lubricate and cool the gears. Unless your car is a manual stick shift, it’s almost like an automatic gear system that depends on a CVT transmission system. This system requires lubrication to do its magic (automatically shifting gears dozens of times without even letting you notice).

Using CVT fluid ensures that the gears are well-lubricated and cooled, which can extend the life of the transmission. It has chemicals that reduce the friction between the gears. These fluids contain viscosity index improvers, which increase the oil’s viscosity when it is cold and decrease it when it is hot. The CVT transmission fluid also has the ability to seal minor leaks. The leak-sealing property comes from a chemical called “detergent”, which keeps dirt and other particles out of the oil.

Why use a quality CVT Transmission Fluid?

The main reason is efficiency, better life of your car’s transmission, and even better fuel efficiency. It has excellent low and high-temperature durability giving efficient gear shifting capabilities in extreme weather. As an added bonus offers good protection, against corrosion, rust, and wear /tear.

Difference between CVT and DSG Transmission

In general DSG (Direct shift gearbox) mechanism is superior to a CVT. DSG uses electronically engaged clutches and predicts what the next gear would be to keep it ready for engagement. In comparison to other conventional automatic gears like CVT, they use the clutch. CVTs do not rely on a clutching mechanism and instead, use a torque converter that sends the power from the engine to the gearbox when the accelerator is pressed. DSGs are superior because of the following reasons:-

1. The gear shift is quicker as it pre-selects the gears
2. Offer better fuel consumption in general that other automatics
3. Easy drive in compare to manual as an effort of engaging the clutch manually is now gone (Other automatics also make driving easy)

It might come as a surprise, but in general, a manual gear/transmission car would provide better fuel efficiency than any automatic. Although automatic transmission systems have matured over time, in the majority of the cases the manual version will be able to meet similar results or outperform the DSG or CVT vehicles, especially with the right driver driving the manual. If you want to explore more about the best DSG Transmission fluid, check out here.