The midyear in autos: 10 ups and downs

Upside: High fuel efficiency drives adoption of continuously variable transmissions that use a belt instead of traditional stepped gears. CVTs are the transmission of choice for almost all hybrids, and the CVT-equipped 2013 Nissan Altima (above) that gets 38 miles per gallon-highway is rated the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedan.

Downside: Enthusiasts amp up their CVT gripes because the transmissions are mostly used with small-displacement engines, and their lack of gears slows acceleration. Memories are stirred of early CVTs associated with trouble-prone cars like the Saturn Ion.

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