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Did Subaru Slip Up Putting a CVT in the new WRX? We Tested It and the results speak for themselves!

Will Tune For Tacos

7,161 views

Everyone has an opinion about the WRX CVT… but very few people have actually tested one.

So we did.

In this video, we take the 2022+ Subaru WRX equipped with the SPT CVT, tune it, and progressively increase torque to see what actually happens. The goal wasn’t to guess or repeat internet opinions, it was to find out where the transmission starts to give up.

It didn’t.

Along the way, we break down what Subaru actually did here. Instead of designing an entirely new and expensive transmission like a DCT, they took an existing platform and refined it into something far more performance capable.

We go through:
Real-world torque testing under load
How the SPT CVT behaves when pushed
Driving impressions and acceleration
What this means for performance and tuning

Is it perfect? No.
Is it better than people think? Absolutely.

The biggest takeaway isn’t that it’s indestructible, it’s that the limit is a lot higher than most people assume.

20 Comments

@Joebauers2505 5 months ago Pinned

Im here, after the back n forth. Lets see

@CG_Shots_Outdoors 1 month ago

Our 25' CVT WRX just turned 1 year old. Honestly pretty happy with it with the stock tune but often wonder what kind of potential it has with a proper tune. It's the wife's car so utmost reliability is of course most important.

Appreciate you showing the masses what one of these setups are capable of!

@raymullen8427 5 months ago (edited)

I'm a manual transmission lover and always will be. However its still interesting to see the cvt stuff. Its still part of the vb community. Its not really for me, but they have done a good job with what they have. Plus the content is great as always. Its always fun to watch and see. You're always honest and show everything. That's the best part. Keep up the good work.

@Tony-TruongNguyen 5 months ago

I'm the owner of this blue VB! 💙 The car feels absolutely amazing after the retune. I can really feel the difference in responsiveness. Thanks for showing the world that the CVT (SPT) can actually handle power when tuned correctly. Love the work!

@bcatchris 5 months ago

I purchased my Subaru WRX with the CVT when it was released in 2022. I had a limited manual reserved. I test drove the CVT and was sold. I love driving a manual but for me it's not enjoyable everyday. This is! I live in Ohio, where you experience all the weather! It's great with some pilot all seasons on it. My wife can drive it when she has too. The Internet hates the cvt but in the real world it's great. You can buy whatever one you want!

@simonhays110 8 days ago

The good thing about cvt trans is it can be programmed to change gear ratios without physically changing the gears inside it

@CMerryman1991 12 days ago

Nice to hear. Even more happy i went with a gt model with 10k miles for $30k as my daily. The zf dampers and vtd make it worth it for sure

@luisrosario9862 5 months ago

Thanks for the good content, I appreciate the comparison after some data on the same car. I wonder if Ethanol will allow you to get 350hp/350 torque at 14PSI on the SPT. Do you think it would make more HP with a bigger diameter intake like ETS? And please keep the VB content coming!

@ilmaestro4699 2 months ago

They should offer an upgraded SPT for the next STI, it would help the sales and competes with the GR with the new 8 speed auto, and the Golf R

@KyriakosLouca 1 month ago

Very nice

@RustyLockjaw 5 months ago

I've got no problem with the SPT, it's spicy enough. I could do without the fake shifts. I do think the manual is more engaging - but I mean yeah, of course it is. You're part of the transmission.

@ShortysTRM 5 months ago

Our 2013 Impreza 2.0i has a CVT before they built the steps ["gear shifts"] into the tuning. On a twisty mountain road, you can use the paddles to shift through the "gears," but otherwise, it just went to whatever RPM you were asking of it and stayed there. In a WRX, it could theoretically just sit at Max HP RPM and stay there until it couldnt anymore (probably over 100mph before it needs to lower the ratio).

In other words, every Subaru I've driven since the switch to mandatory fake gears, I've wished I could flash tune them out. Apparently they were added because customers complained that the transmission wasn't working right because they couldn't feel it shift.

@dominicrheaume2294 5 months ago

Why would people complain about great cvt? I don't want one, I won't buy one. But it's good that it is an option available for those who want a fun car with an alternative to a manual gear box.

@canadianpirateanders9951 5 months ago

When I did the math for a fmic and the time it takes to fill the piping to the throttle body I think it was like .2 seconds. Turbos just move so much air. I need to double check that but I remember it being something like that

@scuds03 5 months ago

Great vid, I had a VB but have an Outback Wilderness now because I needed a Dad wagon. Watching this makes me want to say F my warranty and get an access port haha. How big a difference does the aftermarket top mount make compared to the OEM one?

@SebaVT 5 months ago

I got my VB with CVT tuned after I put some mods. Yesterday I went to an autocross event... Dude!!! That CVT pulls hard!!!

@ziggyziggler 5 months ago (edited)

We have SI drive style profiles on all VA and VB model years with Atlas custom features.
I guess you have like shift tables? I don’t think we do.

@CaptinCurt 5 months ago

Wondering if this newer CVT could be swapped in a older CVT car.

@zl_390 3 months ago

I wonder if you're able to make a video on your experience with wrx va cvt? I know its not as good as the spt in vb, I have a jdm levorg vm, pretty much a wrx va in wagon form, but all of the levorg only offers in Cvt

Some of us manage to get pretty good power and balance with the cvt, just wondering what's your take when it comes to this tr690 compare to the one in VBs

@stuffandjunkandthings364 5 months ago

I wonder if the ratios themselves in the trans are tunable. While it probably wouldn't do much for a street driven car, the ability to change the "gear ratio" for each indicated gear for a race track electronically would be pretty advantageous for a competition vehicle- especially if you could do it on the fly (tied to drive mode).

Even if a standalone would be needed, the ability to have total control over the ratios in the transmission would definitely be advantageous.