I bought a Honda City ZX CVT (5th generation) in July 2025. At low RPMs and during stop-and-go traffic, the engine and acceleration noise are quite audible and unpleasant, and the NVH levels feel poor. What can I do to reduce this?

Asked by: Srinivas K

Most CVTs suffer from what is called a ‘rubber-band’ effect, where the engine revs rise higher than the speed, which makes the engine sound like it's straining. Honda’s CVT automatic transmission in the City is a belt-driven system and is known to be a bit noisy under hard acceleration, partly because the noise insulation in the Honda City isn’t very good.

To be honest, there is not much you can do except drive with a light foot and don’t floor the accelerator to keep the revs down.

Honda City

Honda City

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Autocar India Team

Dec 17, 2025

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