To provide a continuously variable transmission for an automobile, capable of maintaining a proper gear ratio, without unexpected fluctuations in an actual gear ratio, even when an automatic shifting mode is switched to a manual shifting mode, and appropriately selecting the gear ratio prepared in advance as a gear ratio for the manual shifting mode, after completing transition to the manual shifting mode for performing shift operation.

A mode-switching operation is performed, using the actual gear ratio just before the switching from the automatic shifting mode to the manual shifting mode is detected as an initial value for a target gear ratio of the manual shifting mode. The contents of a driving operation by a driver is determined for discriminating whether to perform an upshift operation or a downshift operation, and a gear ratio of an upshift side or a downshift side which approximates the initial value is selected. The target gear ratio is changed gradually toward the selected gear ratio for preventing careless fluctuations in the gear ration, and at the same time, an ultimate gear ratio is matched with one of the gear ratios of the manual shifting mode for ensuring appropriate shift actions, after transition to the manual shifting mode.