CVT provides a seamless shift through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. (fix.com)
Toyota, Ford, and GM instead use a variation of a power - split design that allows some power to flow mechanically and some electrically when the gas engine is running via a planetary gear arrangement that allows for a continuous range of effective gearing ratios between the engine and the wheels. (hybridcars.com)
What makes the CVT special is that rather than use the gear shifting mechanism characteristic of traditional transmissions, it goes with a seamless change through a continuous range of effective gear ratios. (muller-honda.com)