# 2016 Chevy Cruze to be Lighter, Get 7-Speed DCT



## svincent (May 15, 2014)

Looks like a Dodge Dart this way...


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## Boog8302 (Sep 6, 2013)

svincent said:


> Looks like a Dodge Dart this way...



Yuck!!! That is all I have to say. The Dodge Dart is a mess.


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

It's a longer sonic.


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## SitDownPro (Aug 15, 2014)

Look at the Ford Focus MK3 DCT. It is complete trash. I personally own a Focus and a Cruze, I would not a buy a Cruze with a Dual-Clutch Dry. It makes it like an manual transmission in a way, which causes stuttering at low speeds and some people experience worse problems. Check out FocusFanatics.com (the focus forum) is you want to hear more about the BS that we deal with using this transmission.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

I won't be buying one if I had to go with that trans. Biggest reason why I came to the Cruze and abandoned the Focus, aside from the turbo.


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## Classy56 (Jul 16, 2014)

Tell me more about the Big TD in it!


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

I guess most of you will not be buying a next generation compact car as your choice forced by the competing MPG market will be CVT or DCT.... I would take a DCT over CVT any day! 

Without driving this new trans I also would not compare it to anything else on the market. Hopefully since China already has this car some one will review this trans soon.


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

spacedout said:


> I guess most of you will not be buying a next generation compact car as your choice forced by the competing MPG market will be CVT or DCT.... I would take a DCT over CVT any day!
> 
> Without driving this new trans I also would not compare it to anything else on the market. Hopefully since China already has this car some one will review this trans soon.


Working at Nissan made me truly appreciate how horrid cvts are.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

So far, VW is the only one that's got one right. And theirs tend to explode.

Yeah, no thanks. Why the heck are all economy cars going in this direction anyway? A torque converter automatic, if done right, is far more pleasant to drive than a CVT or DCT. 7 and 8-speed technology is out there - if a manufacturer gets the programming done right, they can be very good to drive and at similar price-points as well. ZF's 8-speed is a **** good transmission.

Nissan started the CVT revolution, and by far, has the worst in the industry. Honda's aren't a whole lot more pleasant, but they are less noticeable to the average driver. Toyota's are a poor replacement for their standard (and usually very responsive) automatics as well.


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

jblackburn said:


> So far, VW is the only one that's got one right. And theirs tend to explode.
> 
> Yeah, no thanks. Why the heck are all economy cars going in this direction anyway? A torque converter automatic, if done right, is far more pleasant to drive than a CVT or DCT. 7 and 8-speed technology is out there - if a manufacturer gets the programming done right, they can be very good to drive and at similar price-points as well. ZF's 8-speed is a **** good transmission.
> 
> Nissan started the CVT revolution, and by far, has the worst in the industry. Honda's aren't a whole lot more pleasant, but they are less noticeable to the average driver. Toyota's are a poor replacement for their standard (and usually very responsive) automatics as well.


PSSSH try the subaru!


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## jalaner (Dec 28, 2013)

Manufacturers claim they are moving to CVTs because they slightly improve fuel economy but the real reason is that they are cheaper to build than a slushbox tranny.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

jalaner said:


> Manufacturers claim they are moving to CVTs because they slightly improve fuel economy but the real reason is that they are cheaper to build than a slushbox tranny.


They are also lighter and have fewer parts (i.e. cheaper), so less to go wrong. Drove a '14 Accord Sport with the paddle shifted CVT. Not your regular CVT. In auto mode, it feels a lot like the 5AT in my '13 Civic sedan, just smoother. Paddle shifts are decently crisp.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Jim Frye said:


> They are also lighter and have fewer parts (i.e. cheaper), so less to go wrong. Drove a '14 Accord Sport with the paddle shifted CVT. Not your regular CVT. In auto mode, it feels a lot like the 5AT in my '13 Civic sedan, just smoother. Paddle shifts are decently crisp.


Until you go up a hill or merge onto a busy highway and it just drones like a vacuum cleaner.

The Accord is a nice car, but it's a nice car in a manual. The CVT is still bad.

Still, a friend gets 36 MPG commuting (mostly back roads/traffic) in a 2014 Accord CVT every week, so the gas mileage advantages are definitely there.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

jblackburn said:


> Until you go up a hill or merge onto a busy highway and it just drones like a vacuum cleaner.


Had Black Betty out for a road trip today and noticed something new to me. Cruze control on, ECON off, 67 mph, and 2,100 rpm for all of the highway drive. When we came to a hill, the rpms stayed the same, and the speed stayed the same, but you could see the instantaneous milage fall off and the fuel economy lights (called ambient lights) change from green to light blue. So apparently, the ECU was simply dialing in more fuel to maintain speed. The 5 speed automatic stayed in fifth gear and the R18a just "droned" on. 43 mpg on winter gas with some street time.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Jim Frye said:


> Had Black Betty out for a road trip today and noticed something new to me. Cruze control on, ECON off, 67 mph, and 2,100 rpm for all of the highway drive. When we came to a hill, the rpms stayed the same, and the speed stayed the same, but you could see the instantaneous milage fall off and the fuel economy lights (called ambient lights) change from green to light blue. So apparently, the ECU was simply dialing in more fuel to maintain speed. The 5 speed automatic stayed in fifth gear and the R18a just "droned" on. 43 mpg on winter gas with some street time.


I see the same in my ECO MT. The ECU will poor more fuel in to add enough extra power to maintain speed. Basically you're accelerating against gravity when going uphill.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Jim Frye said:


> Had Black Betty out for a road trip today and noticed something new to me. Cruze control on, ECON off, 67 mph, and 2,100 rpm for all of the highway drive. When we came to a hill, the rpms stayed the same, and the speed stayed the same, but you could see the instantaneous milage fall off and the fuel economy lights (called ambient lights) change from green to light blue. So apparently, the ECU was simply dialing in more fuel to maintain speed. The 5 speed automatic stayed in fifth gear and the R18a just "droned" on. 43 mpg on winter gas with some street time.


Yep, automatics these days tend to hold gears as long as possible on a hill before changing gears. A CVT will typically run lower RPMs than most automatics when in "cruising gear", so it will slowly ramp up the RPMs and hold them until it decides you're not on a hill anymore. 

In the case of said friends Accord, on a trip through the foothills of MD, it seemed consistently confused by (small) peaks and valleys on a 55 MPH road...often settling down to 1200-1300 RPM, then buzzing away at or upwards of 3000 RPM to get up them on a road our Camry will handle in 5th/6th gear (and the Accord feels like it has way more power). He loves the car and, coming from 97 Civic himself, is amazed by it...but admits the transmission drives him crazy every now and then. In just about every other way, it's leagues ahead of the Toyota though.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> Yep, automatics these days tend to hold gears as long as possible on a hill before changing gears. A CVT will typically run lower RPMs than most automatics when in "cruising gear", so it will slowly ramp up the RPMs and hold them until it decides you're not on a hill anymore.
> 
> In the case of said friends Accord, on a trip through the foothills of MD, it seemed consistently confused by (small) peaks and valleys on a 55 MPH road...often settling down to 1200-1300 RPM, then buzzing away at or upwards of 3000 RPM to get up them on a road our Camry will handle in 5th/6th gear (and the Accord feels like it has way more power). He loves the car and, coming from 97 Civic himself, is amazed by it...but admits the transmission drives him crazy every now and then. In just about every other way, it's leagues ahead of the Toyota though.


Every automatic I've driven has at least one "common" speed (30 mph, 35 mph, etc.) that will drive the transmission nuts trying to figure out what gear to be in. I think it's the nature of the beast.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

obermd said:


> Every automatic I've driven has at least one "common" speed (30 mph, 35 mph, etc.) that will drive the transmission nuts trying to figure out what gear to be in. I think it's the nature of the beast.


This is so true, and one really needs thousands of miles driving a car to figure out these points, especially with a 6 speed auto or more. The two speeds with the cruze automatic that effect me the most are the 28mph downshift from 5th to 4th, and the 40mph downshift from 6th to 5th. Typically if I am hovering around those speeds I will just use manual mode and use the lower of the two gears. 

Just because I can be in 6th gear at 41mph does not mean I don't still get great MPG in 5th at that speed or faster. Same can be said for using 4th gear at 35mph around town even though I can be in 5th at 28mph. Really depends on the road/terrain and how often the idiot traffic keeps slowing for no apparent reason in front of me.


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## jpeloke (May 26, 2011)

Had a Saturn Vue with a CVT and a Mini Cooper with one. We know what happened to Saturn and Mini discontinued in 2008. No repair, just replacement at the tune of $10,000 back then. Can't stand not shifting or the concept. Will never own a CVT again no matter what they are in. By the way I got rid of both of the aforementioned vehicles in less than a year due to the transmission.


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## oisiaa (Jun 23, 2014)

obermd said:


> I see the same in my ECO MT. The ECU will pour more fuel in to add enough extra power to maintain speed. Basically you're accelerating against gravity when going uphill.


As if there is any other option other than adding more fuel??? Of course the RPMs and speed will stay constant until the engine doesn't have enough torque as the grade increases.


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## ParisTNDude (Oct 7, 2013)

I will never own a vehicle with a CVT transmission...period! Now a DCT is another animal. European cars including some of the best sports cars and sport sedans are getting great press reviews on anything with a DCT. The new Corvette Z06 will have an 8 speed torque convertor transmission that upshifts faster than the Porsche DCT. I'm not anxious to buy any car, however, with a transmission made in China..yuck!


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## iKermit (Dec 13, 2010)

My Accord has a CVT and it's a dream actually. Very smooth. But I miss feeling the gears. 

But then I see my MPG and no regrets.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

ParisTNDude said:


> I'm not anxious to buy any car, however, with a transmission made in China..yuck!


I haven't seen or heard anything that says the new 7 spd transaxle for the Cruze will be made in China, only that it was co-developed with GM China. If it gets made in the U.S., it's likely to be built at the GM Powertrain plant here and it should be announced shortly. If the transmissions are to be built in China, it will lower the Domestic Content of the Cruze even more.


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## ehousel (Nov 1, 2013)

cvts just aren't a good idea in america at least because how many people shift into drive while still rolling back or shift to reverse when still moving forward. That will snap a cvt chain at very slow speeds. then ur stuck. And most manufacturers suggest replacment of the unit not the chain. So prices on repairs are often high. The worst cvt in my opinion is the chrysler. It doesnt behave like any transmission should.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Have you seen the price of Nissan CVT fluid? Wowzers. Have you seen how many quarts are needed?


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

I'm perfectly fine trying to find a used 14 in decent shape. I'll let a few hit the roads and go from there.


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## tdc (Jan 24, 2014)

*I agree.*



Sunline Fan said:


> I won't be buying one if I had to go with that trans. Biggest reason why I came to the Cruze and abandoned the Focus, aside from the turbo.


 Dear Sunline Fan, I agree with you. Adding such complexity adds reliability uncertainty. I love simplicity, and GM, lightening the Cruze is a much needed improvement (fuel economy, driveability, agility). (I like my LS: 1.8L Auto, normally aspirated, timing belt (-). Wish it had the timing chain, as the turbo models do, rather than its timing belt). 
td\.


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## pandrad61 (Jul 8, 2015)

Mark my words. I WILL NEVER OWN A CVT transmission. They suck to drive, others have stated that it sound like a ticked off hoover, hordily expensive to repair and good luck if you are a DIY guy. i would have taken a mpg hit of 3% for a real slush box or better yet a manual. look at the jaguar xjr it has a 4.7( if i remember its displacement) super charged motor with a 8 speed automatic and has very fast acceleration gears in the diff. This car can do 170 mph and still get good gas mileage and acceleration because its geared in a way the transmission does the top speed and fuel efficiency while the final diff does the acceleration


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## neile300c (Jul 8, 2014)

As long as I can still get a manual transmission, I'm interested


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