Test Drive Chevrolet Astro 1994 - 2005 Minivan
Big-big friend
The more I go to American cars, and, as you could see, visited our tests, especially lately, quite a lot, the more I ask myself the same question: What should a real American car really should be? It was the car by trading on which one could finally understand that some of the Americans would like some so hotly.Almost any of the Yankees she tested, without a doubt, could claim this honorary title, but the fact of the matter is that every ward has demonstrated its interpretation of this concept, so it is not necessary to understand who is WHO and more corresponds to this definition. possible. Moreover, all the test models performed in different weight categories and belonged to various classes and types, not to mention the volume of engines. In absentia, this title could claim so-beloved Picaps, but there are no experience in driving such cars yet, and there are still little pickups in the republic.
Americans are terribly liked, and, probably, this love and gave rise to a whole cast of cars designed for carriage a little more than in the usual car, the number of passengers, with the mandatory for the Yankee, high level of comfort. Over the ocean, the role of these most passengers is usually the family, which, as we know on the films, is very numerous. In addition, the passion for traveling also does not give rest and therefore, the class of car minivans is popularly popular behind the ocean. Moreover, the minivans are American, for the difference between the American and European cars of this class is simply huge. The legendary large-size American car here takes simply unprecedented scope, and not accustomed to save either on gasoline, nor on the content, the Americans introduced their classification of cars. In simple language, the fact that we are considered great, there is normal there, and the fact that there is a small one, there is at all just a toy on batteries.
Family sold in the States as a family car, Ford Taurus it easily rolls on a business class, so Astro, in Europe, in Europe, the minibus falls under the definition of a normal minivan in his homeland, therefore we will use the manufacturer's terminology.
From the first upgrade, even the most inexperienced amateur guess that the car has a skilled residence. In the range of European automakers, such large-sized family and luxury models have long disappear, and only commercial vehicles have such dimensions that do not go with ASTRO in any comparison. You can even say that this is the only offer in this class. True, the presence of a gasoline engine questioned the prospect of the appearance of a large number of such cars, but the taste and color, as you know, there is no comrades. Especially since the price, the factor is sometimes more weighty than the flow rate and type of fuel, it can very much to correct your opinion, and the American is eating a relatively inexpensive 92th gasoline.
External appearance, one of the strongest sides of almost all American models, for minivans does not play such an important role as, say, for an SUV and even more so sports model. Rear view causes associations with European cargo-passenger vans - square silhouette and typical vertical tail lights in such cases. Is that a wide molding around the perimeter, broken along the thresholds, gives the rich destination of the model.
A large profile looks a bit unusual because of the front axis highly rendered, but the most interesting sight is a front view. Armored? - For some reason suddenly asked familiar when we drove to him on Astro. Moreover, he himself could not explain what exactly assumed him to this thought. Probably, the width of the car, as well as the original design of the muzzle - the resulting in the horizontally by the corporate badge of the raw radiator, combined with the branded two-story lighting, visually highly magnify the car. This is especially impressive when such a face suddenly appears in the rear-view mirrors in close proximity to your car. Especially since two pupils are burning constantly - if you do not include them yourself, they light up automatically when the ignition is turned on (hello from America!).
Yes, we ourselves drew attention - when photographing in FAS ASTRO turned out to be almost indistinguishable from its more prestigious relative Tahoe, in which we offer you to make sure (see photo). But in any other perspective, not a small Ven looks quite different. On the same day, but when looking at the car on the side, another person doubted that eight people could accommodate in the cabin - we quickly dispelled him doubts. The sliding side door opens access to the middle row of the seats, and if you leake the extreme right chair, you can get on the rear row. But to move from the rear row to the medium, without opening the doors, it will be very problematic, although with a special desire it is still possible. However, as it turned out later, all eight passengers are posted very comfortable.
The most curtains still tried to move to the middle row, closer to the center of the car base. There and go much more comfortable, and there are even debt spaces. Due to the retreating of the central tunnel and the engine protruding the front passenger, and, if desired, and the driver can be swapped with some of the sitting on the middle row, without leaving the car. This feature can be very effectively used on a close parking: Park Astro by the driver's door close to the next car and exit via the sliding back door (side). By the way, about the doors (the patient the theme of all cars with universal bodies is the back door), or rather speaking, ways to open it. Each automaker promotes its own way, most convenient from its point of view. Some like swollen duplex, others crazy from rising, and, as they are taken, each scheme has its advantages and, naturally, disadvantages. But the creators of Astro went further - they simply took ... and combined both schemes, once and forever getting rid of disputes on this topic. The back door, in this case, the fourth, consists of three parts, and its upper half rises up, as on most SUVs, and the lower flaps are sprinkled separately. And now there is no need because of each smallers to get up and down the heavy and dirty door, it is enough just to open the upper half - and the luggage compartment as on the palm. Very convenient for everyday use, especially if taken into account the fact that across the luggage compartment is quite large, by the way, even for this class, a special grid is stretched, where you can put minced items and brought from the store packages, limiting their ability to independently Movement on the trunk during the trip.
If your cargo in its dimensions exceeds the size of the trunk, then you can place it in the cabin, having completed any or even both rows of seats, and in this version the luggage compartment becomes like a pickup body. In the case of the transportation of a different number of passengers, several layout options are also provided. You can even arrange a certain semblance of a conference room, deploying an average number of face to the rear seats. In general, for Astro several types of seats are offered, and they differ not only by the upholstery material, but also design. They can be ordered both in the form of individual chairs and in the form of sofas. In the test car were sofas, and leather, but it is rather their lack than dignity. The seat cushion, made in the form of a solid sofa and not having clear departments for passengers, turned out to be too slippery and therefore, with sharp maneuvers, passengers begin to shift in small groups to the side opposite to the turn. However, such maneuvers performed by minivans and minibuses, the case is very rare, especially since the main buyers of the office-WaNs and these cars are firms, and what a normal driver will be so carrying his boss. And in any other mode, Astro does not cause inconvenience to their saddles, rather, even on the contrary.
Americans love themselves very much, because there are no other options for anything else for the salon. Safety belts for each seat and a separate air conditioner for the passenger compartment are also found in some European models, but the control panel of the radio, supplemented by a separate pair of headphones is already a purely American barcode. Now the trembling half will not require to turn off your favorite disc, and will be able to listen to your radio at this time, in the back, truth, the seat. Although it is better to listen together full-time speakers who have a very good sound. The exact amount of speakers scattered through the salon is unknown, but I suspect that they are more than ten. Moreover, their location allows each of the eight passengers to enjoy a high-quality stereo sound, and not to listen, as it often happens, which flows somewhere out of the field of front seats Echo. Well, of course, it would be completely unethical, telling about the salon of such a big American, not to mention various niches and glove boxes. And let their number no longer causes surprise, but as its volume and even the location (there is even a ceiling) they will be able to please the most accurate car owner.
In most tests, we have a platform on the boron as a mandatory program, but the Astro had to make an exception. If only because minibuses and Vennes are not intended for high-speed maneuvering. Well, if there is a desire to lose weight, it is better to do it on a straight line, and even better - on the track. Powerful, for nothing that the six-cylinder, and the tracked engine gives simply the niagar of the torque, especially on low and medium-sized turns. If you do not put the gas pedal to the floor and do not provoke an automatic box on the switching on the kick-down, the car is smoothly and confidently accelerates, smoothly swaying on the road waves. The engine is practically not heard, although when accelerated, he is not shy to declare himself juicy, almost like trucks, sound. But if, not paying attention to the rates of instant fuel consumption, the gas pedal is still to sell on full, begins, as it comes in one song, quite another movie. When triggered Kik-Down, the car reflects a moment, as if listening to his own feelings, and then suddenly unusually jumpingly jumping forward. The salon is filled with an adsady roar of a motor, changing the tonality, but not the volume, at the time of switching the transfer. There is no tachometer, but judging by the sound, the imaginary arrow has time to fly to the red zone.
The engine as if wakes up and with acceleration worthy of cars with the inscription Turbo throws more than a two-tont carcass of Astro after the horizon line. Acceleration turns out very energetic, although it is easy to let go of the pedal, and the machine instantly turns on the highest transmission. At such moments, they absolutely forget that only a six-cylinder engine is under the hood, albeit with a very solid working volume. I do not know how this engine is combined with Blazer, but even a heavy minibus with a 4.3-liter working volume motor and 190 horses is obtained very dynamic. A complete illusion is created that the eight is worth it, and also a rather big volume, and by accelerating, at least purely subjectively, the car is not far behind the eight-cylinder Tahoe.
With this powerful SUV, tested us quite recently, Astro relates not only to the emblem on the radiator grille, but also the availability of a full drive, which is eloquently testifies the AWD signboard on the driver's door. True, the arsenal of devices intended to increase the car's passability, here is not so impressive, and this is only good. Imagine what a trophy-off-road trophy could end, and even on asphalt rubber. I can assure you, nothing is good because Astro is not intended for this. According to Jeep's concepts, he is simply terrible geometric permeability - the ground clearance seems to be sufficient, but the front and rear skes will immediately remind themselves on any little bit of a decent hill.
But, on the other hand, why turn office-Ven in Defender, thank God, do not live in the desert. We are still a four-wheel drive and need only to confidently storm the snowy rules and in the spring on the way to the cottage do not get stuck. And the fact that your car can sometimes ride a very serious off-road, in no case should you perceive as a guide to action.
In general, Astro, although unusual for the European Consumer, may well take its niche even on our, in general, the scarbing market, especially since Yukol service, which is the official GM dealer in our republic, makes a very advantageous offer. Profitable not only, as often happens, at the time of purchase, but also throughout the life of the car.
Pavel Kozlovsky
A source: Autogase / N 37 (296) of 25.10.00
