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What do you think about Kia CVT reliability?

69K views 67 replies 38 participants last post by  Rio Taxi  
#1 ·
I understand that Kia is fairly new with their CVT technology. First generation and only second car to leverage this other than the Forte.
What do you think about their reliability and durability?
I'm asking this because there is already people complaining about blown CVT in their Forte.
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Kia/Forte/2019/drivetrain/power_train.shtml

I like EVERYTHING about this 2020 Soul, but just worried about the CVT.
Would you go ahead with this new model or wait for a year or two?
Thanks.
 
#4 · (Edited)
This IVT is different because it uses a chain. This isn't it's first year as it's the same engine used in the Forte.

It's probably always going to be best to wait as supposedly they make improvements, but like Nick says, you get a 10 yr warranty on the engine, so out of pocket risk is minimized.
 
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#5 ·
I wouldn't worry about it, in fact I am not as I intend to own a GT-line EX limited as soon as they are available and my dealer can get me one. The car is warrantied.
As GeoSoul has pointed out this IVT is different from the run of the mill CVTs. As time goes on they all are getting better. In the early years Auto trannies were greeted with similar suspicion. Get used to it, before you know it regular auto trannies will have gone the way of the dinosaur.

Pat.
 
#7 ·
we had similar remarks when they came out with the 6-speed auto back in 2012 (in-house designed and built), and I bought a 2012 (the 6-speed auto was one of the new items that enticed me to purchase that year) and it worked flawless for the 4.5 yrs I owned it and then traded it on my current 2016 which also has the same transmission - no problems.
 
#8 · (Edited)
The link the OP gave for complaints only shows 1 owner who said the trans blew. Otherwise for 2019 & 18 it looks like little to no complaints about "blown engines."

And they are MultiPort injection, not to be confused with the drama surrounding the GDI Gen 2 engines.

If it were 10 years ago I might suggest waiting, but CVTs are really mainstream now & better built.
 
#39 ·
If it were 10 years ago I might suggest waiting, but CVTs are really mainstream now & better built.
Tell that to Nissan owners. The CVTs didn't always fail, but seems like almost everyone would experience odd noises or behavior on occasion and some even forcing the vehicle into limp mode. After a lot of class action lawsuits, even vehicles as recent as 2017 got their warranties extended as part of the settlement.

Main issue seems to stem from them just plain running very hot, so to keep them running many are replacing fluid are very early intervals to stave off problems. Its a real shame, as I think the 2021 Kicks would be a great little city car if it were Toyota reliable... although I shouldn't even say that, because Toyota had to recall their CVTs in the Corolla as well for problems.
 
#9 ·
I understand that Kia is fairly new with their CVT technology. First generation and only second car to leverage this other than the Forte.
What do you think about their reliability and durability?
I'm asking this because there is already people complaining about blown CVT in their Forte.
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Kia/Forte/2019/drivetrain/power_train.shtml

I like EVERYTHING about this 2020 Soul, but just worried about the CVT.
Would you go ahead with this new model or wait for a year or two?
Thanks.
A couple of choices about the CVT transmission.
1 - If reliability is a concern, buy from brands that have better reputations.
2 - Buy the Soul and trust you will have no problems and if you do there is the warranty to protect you.
3 - Find other issues that are important, such as size and fit, to make choices on.

About "bad ratings" I find that some do have problems and become squeaky wheels but of thousands of wheels sold it does not seem to be a major problem. A concern? Yes. A major problem? No.
 
#10 ·
All CVT’s have had problems, many problems...(just do a quick search and be ready to read for weeks). Yes, even Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Nissan, etc., etc.
I really liked Kia and Hyundai for staying away from them, but like all others, the cheaper, but more unreliable transmission, won. These are already showing signs of problems as indicated on the original posting. I’m afraid that many more will surface as they sell more of these. The Kia Soul has been an amazingly realiable vehicle, reason why Kia sold so many...I’m not sure that will be the case from now on, unless you get base model with the 6 speed manual transmission or buy another model with the traditional automatic transmission. Get a troublesome transmission for maybe one more mile per gallon? No thanks!
 
#21 ·
I owned one of the first CVTs available. I watched it roll off the truck... It was the 1996 Civic HX CVT... Pretty cool car and never once gave me any problems with the CVT.

Actually the 1989 Subaru "Justy" came with the first CVT in America... I had a Justy believe it or not - I had the 4WD 5 Speed stick shift and I loved that little car! It had a 3 cylinder engine - I had to get rid of it because the syncros on the transmission kept getting out of sync... I sold it... It had a cool button on the stick to lock it into 4WD and it would go through just about anything.
 
#12 ·
Thanks! I am retired now, but through my years I’ve owned several vehicles, but I’m partial to Japanese brands after being burned a few times with others. Right now I have a Toyota 86, a Kia Sportage and wife drives a Toyota RAV4. Before that I had Subaru’s, Nissans, Fords, Chevys, BMW’s and a few others. My first car was an old Peugeot my father gave me.
I wish manufacturers would consider quality more than costs and profits, but I know better...
 
#13 ·
#17 ·
So far, I think the CVT in my 2020 Soul LX is working great. I've heard of a few cases where transmissions have failed. Every car model with a transmission has some failures. A transmission is a mechanical system. Mechanical systems sometimes fail, for various reasons. I've seen no reason to expect my Soul's transmission to fail. If that happens, though, I have a warranty.

Right now, my 2020 LX has 2860 miles on it since it was built in May of 2019. I expect that when I trade it in, it will have about 30,000 miles.
 
#18 ·
I understand that Kia is fairly new with their CVT technology. First generation and only second car to leverage this other than the Forte.
What do you think about their reliability and durability?
I'm asking this because there is already people complaining about blown CVT in their Forte.
2019 Kia Forte Power Train Problems

I like EVERYTHING about this 2020 Soul, but just worried about the CVT.
Would you go ahead with this new model or wait for a year or two?
Thanks.
As someone that works at a Kia Dealership and has seen the results so far, I'd stay as far away from a Soul, Forte and the new Seltos as possible. We are seeing vehicles with less then a thousand kilometers requiring new IVT transmissions and the replacements are the exact same ones....no fix. We have yet to have a repeat but it's only a matter of time. How confident would you be with a brand new vehicle needing transmission(s) within the break-in period? Kia should cut their losses and go back to the future.
 
#20 ·
This old thread would make more sense to newcomers if some folks would learn not to call an apple an orange.

The 2020 KIA Soul does not now, and has never had a CVT! Period.
The old CVT's had V-Belts in them and had that old rubber band feel when accelerating. It was also driven by centrifugal force.
However we have a totally new transmission, called an "Intelligent Variable Transmission" (IVT) with a steel chain in it and it's controlled by a computer for its shift points, etc. In manual mode, and with the GO Pedal Down, it will shift just like a six speed AT. Like the one I had in my 2013 Soul.
I've driven both types, and I really do love the IVT, while I really DON'T like the old CVT at all.

At over 11,000 miles now, I've had NO problems with my own IVT. It works as well as it did on day one, and that was a year ago.

Happy Mother's Day!
FLH :cool:
 
#22 ·
My 2009 Suzuki SX4 had that button, that would LOCK it into 4WD. It was not what I thought it would be.
I tried doing all my own maintenance, like changing the transfer case oil, and the rear differential oil. What a POS that was!!!
But even in 4WD-LOCK, under a really hard pull, it would shift into neutral and just sit there revving the engine. POS!

I get along much better with a simple FWD car, out here in the sand dunes of Central FL, where I live. And I'm really amazed at how powerful and flexible the IVT is.
I recently had to pull a neighbor lady out of a sand pit. The frame of her car was sitting on the ground (sand).
I used my Tow Loop mounted in the Front Tow Loop socket, and in Reverse I pulled her out with no problems from the IVT. I first broke a 20' tow strap rated at 2 tons, and when that happened I got out my 200', 3/4" Nylon Rope, connected it to my Tow Loop and the back of her car and snatched her right out of there. Her SUV is at least as heavy as my Soul, but my little Jem had no problem moving that car. *
* I did drop my front tire pressure down to just 20psi, for greater traction, in the sand. That's common practice, out here in the Dunes of FL. That worked equally well in the snow, when I lived in Illinois.
In the 32 years I've lived here, I've had to rescue, cars, pickup trucks, vans, and even one Very Stuck Police Car. :)
And, I've always dropped my tire pressure to give me the added traction I needed.

Happy Mother's Day!

FLH :cool:
 
#23 ·
I noticed a couple of times when I'd give it gas, the engine would rev, but the CVT felt as it was spinning. Now this has only happened a few times, and it always seemed to happen after driving for extended periods of time (5-6 hours) and then driving a little spirited, which sometimes happens with other cars when the transmission gets too hot.
 
#24 ·
Mine is doing great so far at 3200 miles. I love the way I can pull away from a stop with engine revs at 2000 RPM or less and still get up to speed quickly. Right after throttle tip-in, I ease up a tad and then slowly step into it again...engine pulls strong and smooth without spinning like a blender.
 
#25 ·
A little spirited? Is that anything like, "drive it like ya stole it!" ?
OH HECK, that's every day around here. So what's new?
And I drag my road, and pull people out of sand pits, and my IVT is just as strong as ever.
And 115 mph on I-75 is common practice.
If ever there were a TEST for the IVT, I've done it, and I don't even get paid for it. So far so good!

Happy Trails Mates!
FLH :cool:
 
#26 ·
A little spirited? Is that anything like, "drive it like ya stole it!" ?
OH HECK, that's every day around here. So what's new?
And I drag my road, and pull people out of sand pits, and my IVT is just as strong as ever.
And 115 mph on I-75 is common practice.
If ever there were a TEST for the IVT, I've done it, and I don't even get paid for it. So far so good!

Happy Trails Mates!
FLH :cool:
I actually drive the Soul like I drive the SS. I do miss the Turbo of the Exclaim, but the naturally aspirated 2.0 can be a little fun in its own right. I'm a little more conservative in the Soul when it comes to making sure I'm in the lane that I need to be, and I do have to be a little more patient when it comes to on-ramps, but I probably put the Soul in as much stress as the SS.
 
#27 ·
On-ramps around here are like a START at Le Mans. When possible, it's Pedal to the Metal! Getting up onto three lanes of high speed traffic (80mph) can be a load of fun for an old gearhead, and a terrifying experience for grandma.
The Soul with 2.0 and IVT, can get from the bottom of an ON ramp to the top, and be doing 80mph, and 90mph by the time I get over into the High Speed Lane. It's either that, or get runded over. lol

I've done that a few times with the shifter in manual mode, and the hammer down, and the IVT will shift at 6500 rpm, with the little 2.0 screaming like a scalded cat! :) It's loads of FUN! That definitely Blows the Cobs out!

And like my daddy used to tell me, "Break'em in fast and they'll always run fast, but break'em in Slow, and they'll Never run fast". I didn't understand that too much at the time, but I do now. From the time I drove home in my new Soul, it's been Pedal to the Metal, Hammer Down!, and balls to the wall, whenever possible. My little Jem loves it! Zero to 60? I have no idea, but it's FAST! (maybe not as fast as an SS) ;)

Cheers mates!
FLH :cool:
 
#29 ·
NO! (is that a question or an accusation? )
There was NO outward sign of motor failure at all. Had I, like most drivers, not had a Magnetic Drain Plug installed, I would have not known anything was wrong at all. At my first dealer Oil Change, I had them install a Magnetic Drain Plug in my 2020 Soul.
At almost the same time that I found Chunks of metal on my drain plug magnet, I got the RECALL notice from Kia.
It told me that there could be a problem in my 2013 l.6L engine, that could necessitate an engine replacement. And it told me to immediately take my Soul to my Kia dealer for an examination. I didn't need an 'Examination' to tell me I needed a new engine. At seven years old, I didn't want to go through that.

That's what prompted me to go to my Kia dealer and look at the new models.
I test drove the 2020 Soul with the new 2.0L engine and I really liked it. So I made the trade.
It was a good trade too, , , the 2020 Soul is a lot more car than the 2013.

:cool:
 
#30 ·
@FLHamster: You decided to trade in your 2013 1.6 litre Soul.

But suppose you had decided to keep the 2013 Soul and had booked an appointment with the dealership to switch out the engine. You would have saved tens of thousands of dollars. Even if the replacement engine was doomed to failure after ~7 years of use.

There is nothing wrong with your decision. If you value a newer vehicle sufficiently, you pay for it. Simple. We all know or should know that vehicles start depreciating in value and do not stop once they are driven off the lot.

The upshot -- from my perspective -- is that Kia was willing to look after you.

The second takeaway is that by pro-actively installing a magnetic oil drain plug, you were able to better monitor the health of your vehicle. That to me is the significant lesson that most of us in this chat forum should take away.

Conclusion: Thank you kind sir. :geek:
 
#31 ·
@FLHamster: You decided to trade in your 2013 1.6 litre Soul.

But suppose you had decided to keep the 2013 Soul and had booked an appointment with the dealership to switch out the engine. You would have saved tens of thousands of dollars. Even if the replacement engine was doomed to failure after ~7 years of use.

There is nothing wrong with your decision. If you value a newer vehicle sufficiently, you pay for it. Simple. We all know or should know that vehicles start depreciating in value and do not stop once they are driven off the lot.

The upshot -- from my perspective -- is that Kia was willing to look after you.

The second takeaway is that by pro-actively installing a magnetic oil drain plug, you were able to better monitor the health of your vehicle. That to me is the significant lesson that most of us in this chat forum should take away.

Conclusion: Thank you kind sir. :geek:
My dealer was happy to install the new Magnetic Drain Plug (that I bought and provided to them) in my new 2020 Soul.
They even mentioned that they wished more people would do that, since the manufacturer does not provide one.

As intelligent as these new cars are, they don't have a "DANGER! Your engine's coming apart" message to show up on the dashboard someplace. Since with my 2013 Soul, I changed my oil myself, I always examined the Magnetic Drain Plug on every oil change. There was always a little gob of goo on the magnet, but it was more like black grease, till that fateful day when the goo turned to CHUNKS. Goo is OK, normal wear and tear, but CHUNKS, not so much!
That's as bad as biting into an apple and finding only half a worm. Eh?

But KIA already knew that they had a problem in that 1.6L engine, and that's why they put out a recall on it. It had nothing to do with the manner in which I operated my car. I didn't exactly drive it like I stole it, but neither did I baby it, which can be just as bad.
I've read the horror stories from people who took their car in for a new engine. Those things are not on the parts room shelf, but have to come from half way around the world. And, we have to trust that the mechanic doing the swap out, gets all those little wires back where they belong, etc. I've read where an engine swap can take a month or more to complete and there will be expense to the car owner, even if the dealer is providing the 'new' engine under warranty.
Free loaner? Maybe that '49 Studebaker they keep on the back lot, just for such occasions. lol

At 77, on limited Social Security, and not the best of health, I'm just not up to dealing with an engine change, even on a little car that I dearly loved. A new car was really my only option. I'm sorry if that offends anyone.

Cheers Mates!
FLH :cool: