Test Drive Chevrolet Epica since 2006 Sedan

Chevrolet Epica: American "Korean" of the Russian Okvaska

Grain from Canada, oil from New Zealand, yogurts from Germany. What else? Of course, cars!
Today, in the conditions of all-consuming globalization, it is becoming increasingly harder in the origin of the models. Epica Another example of the game with the substitutions of the names and coat of arms. See for yourself. This ship asphalt rivers goes under the proud American flag of Chevrolet, but it is not designed in the USA, and not even in Europe. Epica Korean Daewoo engineers brainchild. If the Father of Chevrolet William Duran (he is the founder of General Motors) at one time learned about something like that, it would be enough for sure. But now the times are the others. Now the master's marketing affairs squeeze the profits literally out of everything. What do they cost, throw the nameplates and change the data in the passport? However, we were distracted
The current Epica is already the second on the score. The first knee of its origins takes up in 2000, when the court of the Korean public Daewoo (since 2002, GM belongs to a large sedan called Magnus. The machine was developed by the efforts of its own engineers, however, the body design and the design of Koreans still trusted colleagues from ItalDesign.
The front-wheel drive Magnus was so successful and in demand, which existed on the conveyor until 2006. For different markets, it was produced under different brands and names: Daewoo Evanda, Chevrolet Evanda, Suzuki Verona All this is the same car. As the Chevrolet Epica machine began to be made in 2004, but long in this form it was not destined to exist.
Already in 2006, the Koreans were thoroughly shut off their global sedan, as a result of which the second generation appeared. Engineers have changed the power structure, increased passive and active safety, added electronic assistants, updated the power units and significantly refreshed the appearance. Now the car continues to rattle almost all of the world. In Korea, she Daewoo Tosca, in Australia Holden Epica, the Chinese business sedan are cleaned, like us, but they are sold with a somewhat different face.
The path of epics to the final Russian consumer is not free. First, the cars produced in Korea are loaded at the ferry and delivered to Poland. There, on the Opeless Plant, they are partially uncompared from them to remove bumpers, wheels, chairs and some more small things. All this is packaged and transferred to Russia accordingly, here in the Kaliningrad autototor, the machines are restored to the initial state. The meaning of such a crossing is to get around the duties that imported cars are subject: the costs are so reduced and, as a result, the cost. According to the exact same scheme, Russian citizenship receive other Korean Chevrolet Spark, Lanos, Aveo, Lacetti, and Rezzo ...
Two years ago, I had to test epic. It was a car from the first parties that have come down from the Avtorlae. What made us take a business sedan for a test again? We answer, he has undergone a light restyling (in fact only door handles became different), got a six-speed automatic transmission, gained a new interior and received a control system at his own disposal. So this volume of modernization turned out to be a sufficient reason for re-acquaintance. Running forward, I will say that this list was not limited to this list.
We have Chevrolet Epica offered with two gasoline six-cylinder engines 2.0-liter 143-strong (195 nm) and 2.5-liter, developing 156 hp. (237 nm). The first can be combined either five-speed mechanics or with a five-speed manual switching machine. In the partner to the 2.5-liter engine, you can only choose automatic transmissions about five and, with recent pores, six steps.
We, of course, took the most interesting 2,5-liter version equipped with an automatic six-speed. Our car was with a new light leather interior, six airbags, heated windshield washer nozzles, a rain sensor, an electric car, climate, a driver's seat with an electrically regulatory and an audio system (controlled from the steering wheel) with eight speakers and a sixdisc chain. There are pleasant little things, for example, the right mirror is automatically adjusted to the rear wheel when maneuvering with reversal. Agree, this does not always be found even in more expensive business sedans.
In a new beige salon, it is pleasant to live, but the first thing that knocks on the head at the sight of this decoration: Korea! Purebred Korea! .. Everything did it seems to be neat and conscientious, but the origin gives rude skin, screaming plastic inserts, giving a guitalized design of the central console and multicolored displays. There are no questions for a combination of devices any questions, the scales are large, the markup is clear all the testimony read by one fell. The multifunctional steering wheel in the epic is adjustable by two directions, but it's convenient to settle as convenient as possible with an increase in 190 I failed for him. And all thanks to the high seat, which keeps my macushk almost at the very ceiling. The roof is pressed, and the topmost edge of the windshield, solar visors and the intra-alone mirror partially overlaps the overview of the back and up. To see the horizon and road signs, under the edge of the roof you have to pick. On the second row I felt somewhat freer. For the legs (if you sit for yourself) there is plenty of place, although the stubborn population still finds the ceiling. I would never have thought that in the car of this class and the size there would be problems of this kind.
The volume of the trunk among the epics among classmates is not a record only 480 liters. Even Volkswagen Jetta, which class below, boas 527-liter luggage space. However, the grandmother's outdoor clock or grandfather Double bass Epic on board will take excellent pleasure, for this you only need to fill out a cut (folded in a 60/40 ratio) the back of the rear sofa.
The sound insulation used to be on the triethrower, regardless of the turns into the salon, the grumbling was always closing. Now the situation has noticeably changed, and although as under the pillow, it does not work in an epic, noise insulation has become tempered above. Vibrations The six-cylinder motor on the body, as before, practically does not transmit thanks to inline location. In general, the row sixth on the passengers in itself the phenomenon itself is quite rare, and the placed transversely all the more. Such a layout today can boast except Volvo models.
The nature of the behavior on the road of our subject since the start of Russian production somewhat changed. If earlier the suspension (in front of MacPherson, behind the multi-dimensions) pleased (someone, maybe, on the contrary), the designer of the hard European settings, now the creators are a little dismissed. I do not argue, move in the sedan it became more comfortable with unnecessary information about the microprophile of the road leaf suspension does not peremimat. Especially smoothness of the epics will be satisfied with those who suffer chronic radiculitis. Comfort is good, but only rolls in turns increased, and the nose when braking the car pecks more. From the course on the Epica uneven road began to be resting. It's a pity!
Adaptive steering has definitely become better. No, do not think, a large multifunctional steering wheel, which makes three turns from stop until the stop stops, and the emptiness in the zero area is not going anywhere. But information was more information thanks to the reconfigured hydraulic liner. Disadvantages are almost always a continuation of the advantages, our case is no exception: an enlarged resistance has become the other side of the improved feedback, to rotate the amplifier with a sharp shutout of the vector became much earlier.
The dynamics of the machine is consonant with its balanced appearance. 156 forces and 237 Newton-meters for a difficult sedan weighing in one and a half tons equipped with a hydrotransformer transmission, a living permissive. With the elderly automatic 5th protest, the machine moves dimly, long transmissions, protracted switching down does not contribute to the dynamic drive, although manual mode sometimes helps to correct the situation. But if you choose an epic with a new six-speed box, the car jump will noticeably add. The transmission is shorter, therefore, the acceleration is righteous, and the speed of the switching speed can not be called. Tangible (but non-critical) delays automatically makes only when switching to two three steps down, and it is not always.
Korean brakes are not too informative. ABS is tuned for early triggering when braking and overclocking electronics does not slide wheels, it comes into operation without thinking, however, as a control system with which the car has not been supplied to our market. By the way, already in the Epica base goes with six inflatable pillows (two front, two side, two curtains) and front belts pretensioners. However, in the business class without this gentleman's security minimum there is nothing to do today.
Is Epica good? Yes, perhaps, yes. Large D-class solid car without any explicit failures and stunning features, with a calm character and a negligence appearance. For whom? Perhaps, for a very successful family man, older than forty, which does not seek to individualize in the stream. Despite the fact that he walks the sedan under Chevroletovsky Yellow Plusik, this is the most that neither is the purest Korean. In the market, he fights with Hyundai NF Sonata and Kia Magentis models. The cheapest LS version with a two-liter motor and a manual box to Russian buyers will cost 694,700 rubles. ($ 27800). The cost of LT modifications with a 2.5-liter engine and automatic transmissions will begin with 792,300 wooden ($ 31700).

Vitaly Kabyshev
 

A source: AUTO.Mail.Ru.