AMT vs DCT vs CVT vs AT – Types of Automatic Gearbox

Most of the cars right now that are sold in the Indian market do get the option of an automatic gearbox. But the choice is not only between an automatic and a manual gearbox. Even in an auto gearbox there are different types of gear systems such as an AMT, torque converter, CVT, AT and DCT that are available right now in different cars and in different price points. We help you choose the right type of  gearbox according to your priority.

AMT gearbox

This is an automated manual transmission. It is a kind of manual gearbox mechanically although it has a system that changes the gears for you.

The gear shifts are jerky and not at all instantaneous. But you do get the comfort of now having to continuously shift gears in traffic. The biggest advantage is that these gearboxes are not that much more expensive than the manual ones and they also give better mileage than the torque converters. This is basically somewhere in between manuals and automatics and can be called as a budget automatic.

CVT

This system is a continuously variable transmission.It has a sort of a rubber band effect and basically feels like one gear itself when you drive the car. The gearbox is linear and you do get the advantage of fuel efficiency in this kind of gearbox but the shifts are a bit laggy. This could be a problem for enthusiasts as it is not very quick in terms of gear shifting. For city traffic, this would be a very good gearbox as it is very smooth. The mileage of this kind of gearbox is a very big strong point.

AT

This is the said normal kind of gearbox known as a torque converter which is seen on most automatic cars. The gear shifts are relatively smoother but it does miss out on a bit of performance from the petrol if compared to a manual or a DCT.

The disadvantage of this gearbox is that it does take a toll on fuel efficiency and there is a significant difference which can be seen in terms of mileage. It is not as laggy as a CVT and therefore can be driven in a dynamic way as well.

DCT

This is currently the best kind of gearbox that is available. The gear shifts are very smooth and very quick as well. The most important thing is that the car can quickly change gears and give in to your demand of instant power which is often not met with automatic gearboxes. Basically, this kind of a gearbox uses two clutches; one for the even gears and one for the odd, and therefore the clutch is continuously engaged so that there will not be any kind of delay when it comes to the shifting of the gears.

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Pricing

Now, it is important to not that although you can differentiate gearboxes in these terms, but all manufacturers calibrate their gearboxes differently and two different cars having the same power and same kind of gearbox can feel different in terms of driving. Also the weight of all the gearboxes will be significantly heavier than the manual except the AMT. Usually in cars around the 10 lakh range the AMT costs about 50,000-70,000 more expensive than the manual variant. The torque converter cost about 1-1.5 lakh more than the manual and the DCT and CVT cost about 1.5 lakh rupees more. For reference, you can also check the new Volkswagen Vento that had a DSG gearbox which is essentially a DCT gearbox and in the new model it will get a torque converter.