Test Drive Chevrolet Epica since 2006 Sedan

Laws of small businesses

Much comfort for small money The cherished dream of any motorist. Hyundai-NF and newcomers of Kia Madzhentis and Chevrolet Epic (Both Kaliningrad Assembly) compare Mikhail Gzzovsky already known in our market.
Kia Magentis
The second generation of the model is represented at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2005 under the name of Optima. In Russia, licenses are produced from the end of 2006.
Engines: gasoline 2.0 and 2.7 liters (144 and 188 hp).
Gearboxes: 5-speed mechanical, 4- and 5-speed automata.
Required: 6 options.
Price: 680 120840 000 rub. ($ 26,10032 300).

Hyundai Nf.
The model made his debut at the Seoul Motor Show in 2004 under the name of Sonata. Our car is known as NF.
Engines: gasoline 2.4 and 3.3 liters (160 and 233 hp).
Gearboxes: 5-speed mechanical, 4- and 5-speed automata.
Required: 7 options.
Price: $ 28 99039 490.

Chevrolet Epica.
Joint development of General Motors and Daewoo, who came to the change of Chevrolet Evand, coming down from the conveyor in Korea since mid-2006. In Russia, the large-sized assembly is established in the early 2007th.
Engines: gasoline 2.0 and 2.5 l (144 and 156 hp).
Gearbox: 5-speed mechanical, 5-speed automatic.
Required: 5 options.
Price in Russia: $ 22,99030 430.

When we prepared this test, I suddenly remembered the very curious laws of small businesses, formulated by the economist Andrei Orlov, which she accidentally stumbled upon somewhere in the brings of the Internet. I wonder if they will work in relation to cars?

Law of radius
The farther from the metropolitan metropolis, the higher the possibility and less risk. On the periphery, people are more modest.

Less than in a hundred kilometers from Moscow is completely different. Here, in the vicinity of Serpukhova, there is no screaming metropolitan gloss, but cars are very notable. Paradox? Not at all: many work in Moscow, and therefore the question of a comfortable transfer, Domofis is very acute. On the eve of the evening I was convinced of this on my own experience.

When picking up Kia from the car dealership in the center of the first-hearth right at the rush hour, moved to the southern border of the city. The first kilometers revealed the features of the suspension of the new Madzhentis: she is tougher than the predecessor. It may have affected the fence temperature, which fell to minus 20 degrees. With the first opportunity, I turned with a narrow street with tramways in the middle. Pleasures and joints of the asphalt with rails not only caused a fairing shaking, but also gone echo in the cabin. Of course, it is not necessary to talk about serious discomfort, but you still expect a more careful attitude towards rides.

On the smooth coating, Madzhentis is trying to recoup. The noise of studded tires almost does not penetrate the salon, only the engine makes itself felt with intense acceleration. More precisely, when trying to sharply accelerate. A two-liter 144-strong motor is capable of greater, but not only in a pair with an old 4-speed automaton. Its slowness eats advantage honestly earned by the engine of seconds over less powerful neighbors.

Jumping on the highway and gaining cruising speed, Madzhentis began to pedantically recount the whole road trifle and pass it on the steering wheel, there was noise from rolling tires. But much worse horizontal routing: after half an hour, endless shocks are pretty tired and forced to reset the pace, especially since it does not interfere with.

Well to hide from the dark and frost into a warm new interior! Soon I begin to pay attention to the little things: it is exactly the impression of the car. Someone will face a strict nonsense appearance or beautiful blue-white LED backlight Magentis, and he will buy a car only for beautiful eyes. But the picky buyer will be upset without finding the steering wheel adjustment by departure. In a test machine, instead of climate control, an ordinary air conditioner, an audio system refused to reproduce mp3, and the seat with a short pillow and without a hint of lateral support did not like anyone from our experts. The car is estimated at 28 thousand dollars, but will buyers for their modesty?

Law of super passion
In Russia, 2025 attempts for one success must be taken to a positive result in a small business.

I think this statement in Höndai will confirm without hesitation. Remember, as treated Korean machines in the early 1990s? And now Hyundai is one of the market leaders! Koreans know that Russian is good

Höndai-NF perceive as a soft car. Unlike Madzhentis, he is not too trying to hold onto the road and quite early slides outward turning with front wheels. The automatic transmission here is exactly the same as at Madzhentis, which in general is not surprising: the cars are built on the common platform of the MG Concern Höndai. But extra 400 volume cubes and 16 hp Allow it less rare the pedal to the floor.

On the route MoscowSresSerpukhov, NF also demonstrated horizontal split, however, not so pronounced. But there has been attention to the steering with low sensitivity. Of course, an excessive nervousness at high speed by car. But in this case, she just started to swim along the road, forcing it to strain. And it was worth a small sleep, as a trembling immediately came to the steering wheel, which is why the control became even less clear.

There are no fresh ideas in the design of Höndai, from the salon you perceive the car as a typical American ten years ago. It's not very comfortable here to large people: the driver's seat adjustment in length could be more generous. Vibration at idle, a soft shapeless seat all this slightly cold. Although compared to the Sonata, the change of which NF came, the car is much more advanced: a variable productivity hydraulicel, a modern rear suspension, silence in the cabin, rich equipment and space from behind ... Despite all this, NF buy neither Shake or Valko. Did not applied super passions?

Law of pink glasses
The sooner you remove them, the faster you will put on your feet. Look at the world with your own eyes.

Tosca is not at all the mood, with whom I got behind the chevrolet steering wheel the next morning. Just in some markets, such a name is an emphasis on the first syllable. Acknowledge, I did not wait for revelations from the next Korean with the American Splatik. As it turned out, in vain! Epika is not upgrading Evanda's predecessor. This is a completely new car developed by the Joint Center General Motors and Dae in Korea with an eye on the European market. Magnitis and Koreans made by Koreans for Europe, but for America NF others. The Union of Americans and Koreans turned out to be more productive.

Chevrolet in the most expensive configuration, with a 6-cylinder engine. The difference with Hyundai is only 5 hp In favor of NF! Nevertheless, an epics accelerates fasterly helps not only a larger torque, but also a distillation automatic in which one step is more. Here, too, there is a manual mode, and this: I turned on the second, and you go on it until the tachometer arrow will depend on the revolution limiter.

Epic is not as soft and roller as Hyundai, and not noisy on the highway, like Kia; It is perfect on the road, without reacting to the gusts of the wind. At that speed, on which the hands of two opponents sweat hands, the epic confidently holds the trajectory, and informative brakes instill additional confidence in their own cars. But be alert: a serious disadvantage lack in the list of stabilization system options.

Epiki has the best of three driver's seat, decent quality of finishing and materials. Do not discount and spectacular appearance! It was turned around by passersby

Wins the one who succeeds to keep all the laws of the market. Individuality, sober assessment of his forces and, of course, an acceptable price. The laws of small businesses and the automotive industry turns out to be close. Earlier, honestly, I did not notice this ..

Mikhail Gzzovsky: Belonging to the business class must be confirmed not only high
price and impressive dimensions, but also attentive attitude to trifles. For several hundred points, the chevrolet epic was better.

Kia Magentis step forward compared to the predecessor. Nevertheless, the modesty of driving qualities and finishes in this class are not all.
Total rating of 7.5
+ Spacious in the back seat, modern appearance, good interior design.
- modest finish materials, mediocre dynamics, latency in the operation of the automaton, not the best driver's seat profile, noise and routing at high speeds.

Hyundai NF is a big and soft car in which it will be comfortable first of all rear passengers.
Total rating of 8.1
+ Good smoothness of the course on decent roads, acoustic comfort, space for rear passengers.
- Insufficient adjustment of the driver's seat along the length, low sensitivity of the steering, vibration at idle.

Chevrolet Epica The most balanced spacious sedan for a reasonable price, confidently feeling in Russian expanses.
Total rating of 8.1
+ Confident behavior on the highway, good finish materials, an inmate engine, a modern machine, rich equipment.
- Non-religious road clearance, not very spacious rear sofa, lack of full-size spawn and protecting the engine compartment.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Mikhail Gzovsky
 

A source: Journal "Behind the wheel"