The Kia Seltos's Intelligent Variable Transmission Restores My Organized Faith Inwards Cvts

We’re currently resting upwards inwards Baler, Aurora giving the 2020 Kia Seltos its start out-of-town shakedown. Oh, too earlier y'all ask, yes, we’ll move coming upwards amongst our initial impressions soon, too yes, we’ll also move doing a full-fledged review too. But earlier all that, let’s beak all nearly the IVT because, holy shit, it blew my mind.

See, Continuously Variable Transmission or CVT is typically the bane of whatever auto enthusiast. With its artificial experience too prophylactic band-like sensation, it tin plough whatever skillful auto into a mere so-so one; too for some, it’s an immediate plough off (yes, Subaru, we’re looking at you). Half the time, it’s neutering the functioning of the engine, too the half, it’s similar staving off a horny Canis familiaris from humping your leg—it doesn’t know what “middle ground” means.

Well, Kia seems to receive got works life that magical “middle ground,” too it’s called the Intelligent Variable Transmission or IVT. Admittedly, this organization isn’t groundbreaking or anything, but it’s funny how few manufacturers could produce it too so well.

Kia’s IVT combines a CVT’s lightness too simplicity, throws inwards a chain-link-type belt, too sprinkles inwards an adaptive shift logic. In short, it mimics a conventional automatic transmission amongst none of the drawbacks (potential shift shock, etc.).

In their internal tests, Kia says the IVT transmission is skillful for a 1.27 km/L boundary inwards fuel economic scheme (combined metropolis too highway) compared to a conventional 6-speed automatic. True enough, comparison the Kona too the Seltos (essentially mechanical twins), the Hyundai did a fuel economic scheme rating of 12.82 km/L, spell the Kia did 13.5 km/L—within the promised degree of increase.

More than simply improve fuel economy, the Seltos drives much better, hands down. It’s to a greater extent than responsive, confident, too torque-y than the Kona, particularly inwards gunnit mode. Plus, it’s got none of the slipping, drone-like audio that plagues the Honda HR-V too so much.

This pocket-size improvement, we’d say, is plenty for the Seltos to overtake its sibling from simply about other mother, the Kona, inwards damage of mechanical polish. We can’t hold off to drive it simply about to a greater extent than (through simply about twisty roads tomorrow, nosotros believe) to instruct a fuller motion painting of where this novel sub-compact SUV stands.