A system and method for controlling a vehicle having a continuously variable transmission (CVT) comprises a control system having at least one controller, an accelerometer and one or more sensors in communication with the at least one controller to monitor and detect a change in an operational state of the vehicle. The control system determines a vehicle acceleration rate with the accelerometer in response to the change in the operational state of the vehicle. An adjusted vehicle speed is computed based, at least in part, on the vehicle acceleration rate. A variator speed ratio is generated based upon the adjusted vehicle speed and transmitted to the variator assembly of the CVT.