Originally Posted by
oj88
A car with CVT will likely be more fuel efficient as it will continuously match the power band and/or the efficiency of the engine at any given speed (within limits of the car, of course). As for performance, all else being equal, a car equipped with CVT will out-accelerate an equivalent A/T car because of this continuous and efficient energy transfer. Of course, assuming that the PCM electronics can be set or is smart enough to distinguish between an eco run and a sport run.
As for reliability, I think it's safe to assume that most modern CVTs that came out in the last 5 or so years are typically more reliable compared to models that came out 10-15 years ago. I keep reading about those older CVTs starting to exhibit issues like noise, judder, sliding or problems typically associated with the CVT belt. Wear and tear is especially accelerated if the transmission wasn't taken cared of properly or if the owner used the wrong transmission fluid kind or type (which is a common mistake).
Traditional A/Ts on the other hand has had time to mature so if you really take good care of it, it may very well last the whole life of the car without issues.