10 Toyota Models That Do Not Have A CVT Transmission

A continuously variable transmission (CVT, for short) is a somewhat polarizing bit of kit in the automotive world. Unlike a traditional gearbox with a set number of gears, a CVT uses a pulley system and a belt to adjust your gear ratios. Regular transmissions physically move cogs into contact with each other, but a CVT just adjusts how thick its main pulleys are, the distance between them, and a band connecting the two pulleys would stretch accordingly. This adjusting of the band (or sometimes chain) gives CVTs a virtually infinite gear ratio, and results in somewhat better fuel efficiency.

However, the good news ends there, because CVTs are just not durable or reliable beyond the first couple years. Nissan was even taken to court in a class-action lawsuit because its CVTs were failing just past the 50,000-mile warranty in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The company was forced to extend the warranty on its problematic CVTs to 10 years or 120,000 miles in the U.S., in a $277 million settlement. 

If you're driving with a regular transmission (not necessarily manual, but with physical cogs on a shaft) and it fails, you can still limp to the shop in first gear. However, if your CVT fails, you're stuck. People today just want reliability, ergo, they're looking for cars without CVTs and thus, they turn to Toyota for their needs. Good news: Many Toyota models currently on offer don't have CVTs. Here are 10 of them.

The 4Runner has long been Toyota's go-anywhere, do-anything car, and it's had an old-fashioned transmission since 1989, showing that for good old rough and tough durability, even Toyota doesn't trust CVTs. All versions of the 2025 4Runner come with the same eight-speed electronically controlled transmission with intelligence (ECT-i).

The 2025 Toyota 4Runner comes in three main trim levels: the SR5, Limited, and TRD Pro. The entry level SR5 has a base MSRP of $40,770, and the top-level TRD pro starts at $66,900. You can snag a pretty good used example from 2022-23 for around $32,000. The SR5 and Limited trims come with an i-FORCE turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 317 lb-ft of torque and 278 hp. The top-trim TRD Pro comes with an i-FORCE MAX engine, also four-cylinders, but hybrid this time, making 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. The SR5 and Limited have a combined EPA estimate of 22 MPG, while the TRD Pro gets 23 MPG.

All trims come with some form of heated power outside mirrors, a power liftgate, running boards, privacy tinting, rear air conditioning, 12 cup holders, and other creature comforts. The Limited and TRD Pro trims get a 14-inch infotainment system with JBL audio and 12.3 inch digital gauge cluster, while the SR5 gets an eight-inch infotainment system and seven-inch digital gauge cluster. Only the Limited has the stop and start ignition system, which, depending on your preferences, is either good or bad. If you do a lot of towing, the Tow Tech Package available only on the Limited might be worth looking into.

The Toyota Highlander is a three-row SUV primarily targeted at families, competing with the class-dominating Kia Telluride, which we've reviewed before. The LE, XLE, Limited, XSE, and Platinum trims come with an eight-speed Direct Shift electronically controlled transmission. However, all the hybrid trims — the Hybrid XLE Nightshade, Hybrid 25th anniversary, Hybrid XLE, and Hybrid Platinum — do indeed come with e-CVT transmissions. The entry level LE starts at a base MSRP of $39,820, going all the way up to a base MSRP of $53,975 for the Hybrid Platinum. In between, you have seven other trims at varying price points, bringing the grand total to nine available trims, out of which four have CVTs and five have ECTs. All trims other than the XSE and Platinum get front-wheel drive as standard, and for other trims, all-wheel drive can be added on for $1,600.

The XLE adds wireless phone charging, a power sunroof, heated front seats, and other goodies, in addition to the rather long list of standard features on the LE. All non-hybrid versions of the Highlander get the same four-cylinder turbocharged engine putting out 310 lb-ft of torque and 265 hp, and all come with a stop-and-start system. FWD variants of the 2025 Toyota Highlander have an EPA estimation of 25 MPG combined, and AWD variants trail slightly behind at 24 MPH combined. The Highlander comes standard with seating for eight, but the XLE and up can have captain's chairs, bringing that total down to seven. On the LE you get an eight-inch infotainment system, but on the Limited and Platinum you get a 12.3-inch system as well as a 12.3-inch digital gauge display.

As the name suggests, the Grand Highlander is a grander, more souped-up version of the regular Highlander, in almost every way you can imagine: comfort, space, interior, option choices, and of course, price. In 2025, the Grand Highlander starts at $42,460 for the base LE, going all the way up to $58,775 for the top-of-the-range Hybrid MAX Platinum. In between you have varying other choices, adding up to 10 trims overall, out of which six have regular automatic transmissions, and four have CVTs. The LE, XLE, Limited, and Platinum come with an eight-speed ECT. The Hybrid MAX Limited and Hybrid MAX Platinum both come with a six-speed ECT instead of the eight-speed.

All eight-speed Grand Highlanders come with a four-cylinder, 2.4-liter displacement turbocharged engine that pushes out 265 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, like the regular highlanders. The Hybrid MAX Limited and Hybrid MAX Platinum trims come with the same engine plus a hybrid system, bringing their total outputs to 362 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. Both engines offer fairly decent economy for the Grand Highlanders size, with the non-hybrid AWD variants getting an EPA combined estimate of 23 MPG and 22 MPG for the platinum trims. FWD variants get one additional mile per gallon. The hybrid powertrains do improve on range at 27 MPG each for the Hybrid MAX Limited and Hybrid MAX Platinum trims. Also worth noting is that on the Grand Highlander you get the 12.3-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen as standard, whereas you'd have to option it on the regular Highlander.

The Supra is Toyota's sports car offering, and we're currently up to the mark V generation. Three trims are offered on it: the 3.0, 3.0 Limited, and the 2025 Toyota Supra Mark V Final Edition. All versions of the 2025 Supra come from Toyota's GR workshop, which stands for Gazoo Racing. All three trims do 0-60 in 3.9 seconds, have an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph, and come with a complimentary 1-year National Auto Sport Association (NASA) membership. Since the GR Supra is so clearly a car targeted at high-performance running, it would obviously not come with a CVT.

Every Supra trim comes with the same eight-speed automatic gearbox, and has paddle shifters as a bonus. Additionally, they all share the same engine as well, an inline-six with a single turbocharger displacing 3.0-liters. The engine makes 368 lb-ft of torque at 1800-5000 RPM, and 382 hp between 5800 and 6500 RPM. On all trims, you get the same set of safety features as standard including Lane Departure Warning, brake assist, traction control, Vehicle Stability Control, automatic high-beams, pedestrian detection, and more. The 3.0 entry-level trim has an 8.8-inch non-touchscreen display, and supports AM, FM, USB, and Bluetooth. To add support for Apple CarPlay you need to upgrade to either of the two higher trims. We reviewed the manual 2024 Toyota GR Supra and found it to be worth owning, so you could also consider those, whether new or used.

For those of us who can't quite afford the $57,000 minimum of a GR Supra, Gazoo Racing also has the GR Yaris offering. The 2025 GR Yaris is available in three trims: Core, Premium, and Premium plus, priced at $38,860, $41,440, and $45,515 respectively. This is a textbook example of a pocket rocket, with an electronically limited top speed of 142.9 mph, 300 hp, and 295 lb-ft of torque packed into a body that has a curb weight of just 3,274 pounds — that makes for a power-to-weight ratio of 0.091. All trims come with a six-speed intelligent manual transmission — yes, manual — and seating space for five. 

The transmission also has rev-matching technology to ensure you don't burn out your engine too quickly, but if you've got a heavy foot, you can option a sub radiator (a radiator for your radiator) to improve engine cooling and performance. The sub radiator isn't available on the Core trim, but it's optional on the Premium, and standard on the Premium Plus. All three trims feature a 12.3-inch digital multi-information display that lets you monitor your turbo pressure, distance to empty, range, exterior temperature, scheduled maintenance times, and even has a compass. You get single zone climate control across the board, a 12V socket, and two USB charge ports, in addition to a remote keyless entry system. And of course, this is a car designed for performance, so the front has MacPherson struts and the back has wishbone suspension units. All in all, a pretty complete enthusiast package for $38,860.

The RAV4 is one of the longest-selling Toyota models in the U.S., with 2025 being the 30th year that it has been on sale. It's been a tried-and-true player in the crossover segment, and was actually Toyota North America's bestselling unit in 2024. It was also the best-selling SUV in the U.S. for the eighth consecutive year. The electrified (hybrid) range of the RAV4 has also been doing rather well, with sales of hybrid (HEV) units up 29.3% and PHEV units up 19.3% from 2023. With astronomical sales numbers like those, the RAV4 will stick around for years to come, and we've covered everything we know about the 2026 RAV4.

Coming back to the present, the 2025 RAV4 comes in nine trim variants, out of which four don't have CVTs.The trim levels that come with an eight-speed electronically controlled Direct-Shift transmission are the LE, XLE, XLE Premium, and Limited. Any RAV4 that has "hybrid" in the name will have a CVT, unfortunately. These four trims come with the same 2.5-Liter four-cylinder engine making 203 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. On the inside, you get three USB ports as standard, along with a power liftgate window defogger, a 12V/120W socket, cargo bay light, soft-touch dash, remote keyless entry, pollen and dust-control climate control, and lots more. 

Not many people know this, but RAV4 is actually an acronym for Recreational Active Vehicle with 4-Wheel Drive. An interesting fact to bring up when someone mentions for the Nth time that it's America's best-selling SUV.

For the rest of the world this is the 2025 Land Cruiser Prado, but in the States, it's the regular Land Cruiser. Buyers will be happy to learn that it doesn't come with any CVTs across the board, opting instead for the trusty Toyota eight-speed ECT-i. For 2025, Toyota's website lists two variants, called the Land Cruiser and Land Cruiser 1958. These are both essentially the same car, but the "Land Cruiser" trim is actually better specced than the 1958 trim, coming with power adjustable seats, 360-cameras, sway bars, roof rails, a power liftgate, ventilated seats, and more.

Standard features on the 2025 Land Cruiser include automatic tri-zone climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirrors, twelve cup holders, power windows, heated front seats, a 12V outlet in the center console, a 120-volt AC outlet in the cargo hold, rain-sensing wipers, remote keyless illuminated entry, skid plates, blind spot monitoring, and others. The 2025 Land Cruiser 1958 has a base MSRP of $56,700, and the better equipped 2025 Land Cruiser starts at $61,470. Both trims come with crawl control, hill descent control, uphill and downhill shift logic, and have 7.9 inches of ground clearance, making them ready for you off-road adventures from the factory. And if you're seriously considering getting yourself one of these, check out this feature on things to know before buying a Land Cruiser, whether new or used.

As of last year, the Toyota Tacoma has been America's best-selling small pickup truck for the 20 consecutive years. The Tacoma sold 22,715 units, making it the third best-selling Toyota model of 2024, behind only the RAV4 and Camry. All trims on the 2025 Toyota Tacoma come with the trusty eight-speed ECT-i transmission, and are paired to a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder Turbocharged engine making between 228 and 326 horsepower. The entry-level trim is the Tacoma SR that has a base MSRP of $34,790, and the most expensive one is the TRD Pro that starts at $63,735. 

In between you have X other trims, namely the SR5, TRD Prerunner, TRD Sport, TRD Offroad, Limited, TRD Sport i-FORCE MAX, Limited i-FORCE MAX, Trailhunter, and TRD Offroad i-FORCE MAX. Most engines make 278 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, but the i-FORCE MAX and TRD Pro versions make 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. An outlier is the Tacoma Trailhunter, which produces 323 hp and the same 465 lb-ft of torque. The 2025 Toyota Tacoma has some pretty cool features, and you can choose to spec yours with either a 5-foot or 6-foot bed and optional double cab. Some trim versions would limit your options, so consult your dealer for detailed questions.

Toyota's full-size pickup Tundra is meant to rival the Ford F-150. It's got a decent price point, it's reliable, and it will take a beating before giving out. The 2025 Toyota Tundra is available in nine different trims, which from cheapest to most expensive are the SR, SR5, Limited, Limited i-FORCE MAX, Platinum, Platinum i-FORCE MAX, 1794 edition, 1794 Edition i-FORCE MAX, TRD Pro, and Capstone. All of them come with some version of the same base engine, a 3.4-liter V6 i-FORCE unit, mated to a 10-speed ECT-i. Your i-FORCE engine would make one of the following combinations of power: 358 hp and 406 lb-ft, 389 hp and 479 lb-ft, or 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque. Most trims get rear-wheel drive as standard, with an optional upgrade to AWD. You also get the choice on most trims to have a 5.5-foot bed or a 6.5-foot one.

All trims also come with sequential shift mode and uphill/downhill shift logic as standard, alongside a slew of safety features.The entry-level SR starts at $45,140 and the top-range capstone trim starts at $80,725. The third-generation Tundra debuted in 2022, and the one before that (the second generation Tundra) didn't change much during its 14 years on the market. Thus, you can safely look at 2022 models if you're on the lookout for a used Tundra model that still ticks all boxes, which you'll find around the $36,000 price mark.

Being a fuel-cell EV (no gas), the Mirai comes with a direct drive transmission that sends all power directly to the rear wheels and creates zero tailpipe emissions (claimed). It's a bit of an outlier on this list, as the e-motors on the Mirai would send power straight to each individual rear wheel, instead of routing it through a transmission and sometimes x-fer case as you'd find with the other models on our list. 

Long story short: The 2025 Toyota Mirai has a unique transmission system, but it's not a CVT and is a Toyota, so it makes our list. 

We'd also like to draw your attention to the outstanding economy on the Mirai of 74 MPGe. MPGe stands for miles per gallon of gas equivalent, which is a metric used to compare gas car economy to alternative fuel car economy. That said, the Mirai is still very much an expensive entry point to the alternative fuel market, starting at $51,795. 

A quick tip for people who might not have noticed: if a car says it has an "XYZ-speed transmission," it's not a CVT — this can be handy for quickly comparing models, though there are exceptions among EVs.