A drive belt having a main body formed of an elastomeric material, preferably a v-belt or v-ribbed belt, the drive belt including a top layer as belt backing, a power transmission zone having two or more tensile strands as strength members, and also a substructure optionally provided with some profiling preferably having a v-shape or a v-rib profile. The strength members are formed of cords made of mutually twisted plies (final twist), the plies being in turn twisted out of individual yarns (first twist). The cords consist essentially of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and of two plies, the number of turns introduced into the plies twisted into a cord (final twist) and the number of turns introduced into the yarns twisted into a ply (first twist) differing by not more than 10 turns per meter (t/m).