What gearbox or transmission does the 2014 Nissan Pulsar have?

Actually, it’s none of those things. This model Pulsar came with the option of a six-speed manual. But if it was an automatic Pulsar, it was fitted not with a conventional automatic, but with a CVT or Constantly Variable Transmission. Instead of a series of gears inside it, the CVT uses cones of different diameters linked by a flexible belt. By altering where on the cones the belt rides, the gearbox can produce different 'gears'.

The idea is that by providing an infinite number of ratios, the engine can always run closer to its most efficient speed, therefore improving fuel efficiency. It’s a great theory, but not all drivers like the sound and feel of a CVT which can feel pretty alien, especially at first. Some manufacturers, in an attempt to make the CVT feel more familiar, electronically engineer in fixed `ratios’ but, in reality, this removes some of the CVT’s efficiency-boosting potential.