Hi Guys,
I've owned a 2015 3.6R for close to two years now - it currently has about 68,000 km (42,000 miles).
I have always felt that the CVT was a little jerky at low RPM and realise that this is really just a nuance of they way they behave. Its pretty annoying in stop start traffic, although I can get around it with careful throttle control. I have also never really been a fan of the manual paddle shifts as they seem to cause the car to lurch a bit between shifts - it just doesn't feel right.
Recently, however I feel that the 'jerkiness', for lack of a better word has become worse, not only at low RPMs but also under heavy acceleration. I have noticed that as the car winds out and reaches the simulated shift points it tends to jerk a bit as the CVT changes gear ratios. The feeling is almost like the change in acceleration you feel when using the paddle shifts, but not as strong. I have noticed this during the normal 'I' driving mode and I haven't tested it in the sports modes to see if its there.
I recently drove my mother's 2017 outback (2.5L) with only about 20,000km, and although this is a completely different engine and CVT I was hoping to find that it behaved similarly. This was not the case though - the CVT felt much more refined and smooth, with hardly any hesitation or jerking.
What are your experiences with the 3.6R CVT? Is what I'm experiencing normal behaviour? Perhaps a symptom that arises with more kms? Potentially a software issue that could be flashed out?
Any help/feedback would be great. Thanks!