But yes, in that the power transmission is variable (e-CVT, right?), and that sounds a bit weird. You’ve spent so much time hearing how the engine gets louder with acceleration that it feels weird when the engine behaves slightly differently.
But again, that doesn’t bother me enough to buy a less reliable system.
Actually every vehicle I've driven was CVT/e-CVT. 14 Corolla, 18 RAV4, 21 Highlander hybrid and 24 Integra. All super reliable. I'd still say CVT bothers me and I love it every time I get to rent a vehicle with traditional automatic.
The computer has an idea of "At this low RPM the engine is most efficient, at this high RPM it produces maximum horsepower". So if you floor it, the computer in either a CVT or a hybrid will bring the engine to full power and it will just sit there as the car accelerates.
The engine is getting loaded up and putting out more torque, and the throttle is opening, but it isn't really revving. In mine it does slowly climb from maybe 4,000 to 5,000 RPM, but it doesn't do the "rrrrRRRRRR... rrrrrrrRRRRR..." like a transmission with fixed gear ratios.
Anyway revs do go up over a certain speed, but you need to be on the Autobahn to legally test it.
The revving complaint is such a tired trope among car reviewers, especially German ones. Every reviewer without exception mentions how CVTs rev unnaturally and have a rubber-band effect. They just can't get past their expectation bias.
The worst thing is that it's not even true anymore for Toyotas latest gen. There is no rubber-band effect at all anymore, in fact because of the electric motors I get instant response. A regular car with gears or a turbo is way more sluggish. The only way I see constant high revs is to drive above 160 km/h (100 mph) on the German autobahn. Anything less and it just purrs along quietly.