Subaru introduced the Subaru Justy, one of the first production cars to offer a continuously variable transmission.
The Justy was launched in 1984 as a small hatchback, and a continuously variable transmission became available in selected versions. Instead of using fixed gear ratios, a CVT changes the effective ratio continuously, helping the engine operate near an efficient or useful speed.
Subaru’s early system was called the ECVT and used an electronically controlled belt-and-pulley arrangement. The technology suited a small, light car because it could provide smooth acceleration without the shift points of a conventional automatic gearbox.
The Justy was not the first vehicle in history to use a continuously variable transmission. Earlier experiments and limited-production applications existed, and other manufacturers soon developed their own systems. Its significance is that it helped bring CVT technology into a recognizable mass-market passenger car.