A door latch assembly for an automotive vehicle door includes a gearless cinch actuator. The cinch actuator includes an extensible housing member connected to a threaded rod by a nut. The extensible housing member is also connected to a cable for cinching the door. A motor rotates the threaded rod, which moves the extensible housing member between rest and cinched positions. The motor is connected to the threaded rod without the use of gears. An anti-friction agent, such as a combination of a PTFE-containing coating and PTFE-containing grease, is applied between the nut and the threaded rod. The materials and anti-friction agent used at the interface of the threaded rod and nut together provide a friction coefficient (μ) of about 0.045 or less.