Test drive Opel Astra sedan since 2007 sedan

Opel Astra vs Renault Megane. Steel

Renault Megane. Price: from 569,000 rubles. On sale: since 2010
Opel Astra. Price: from 569 900 rub. On sale: since 2010

Many were waiting for their appearance. And how else, because Opel Astra and Renault Megane in the previous body were the bestsellers of our market. What awaits them now? Other forms, other content. Maybe the attitude will be different?

Test pillets
Oleg Kalaushin, 41 years old, automobile journalist, driving experience 22 years, personal car - Renault Logan
Igor Kuznetsov, 48 years old, automobile journalist, driving experience 31 years old, personal car - Skoda Yeti


Renault Megane
The platform used in the third -generation Megane has undergone many improvements. So, the track of the front and rear wheels were enlarged, somewhat stretched out the wheelbase. This positively affected both passengers in the second row and in the place for baggage. However, all this in no way affected the weight of the car.

Driving
This is not to say that the 106-horsepower engine endows this car with breathtaking dynamics, but it is still possible to drive quite briskly by car.

Salon
Moderately and quite comfortable. It is also pleasing that the trunk has become more compared to the previous version.

Comfort
The basis of comfort in this car is the suspension. Everything else only adds it.

Safety
The basic configuration has two airbags and ABS.

Price
It is quite attractive.


Opel Astra
The new Astra is like an InSignia dimensions. The car has become much more interesting both outside and inside. Buys a fairly good equipment of the car. However, it was not without minuses. As before, the central console is too overloaded with the abundance of buttons, which at first is very alarming.

Driving
Despite the more powerful engine, Opel is also not at height dynamics. But it is possible to chat on it due to the less retreating system of stabilization from the heart.

Salon
Despite the large dimensions, the car’s interior is not perceived as majestically as he could. The fault of this is a specific vertical design. However, there is still enough space in the car.

Comfort
There is nothing to find fault on a good road.

Safety
In the database 6 pillows, ABS and ESP.

Price
Acceptable.


Strange affair. When I met separately with these cars, I liked both of them. Each of them had its own indescribable charm. Renault Megane is exquisite and at the same time somewhat untied. A sort of bourgeois, dressed in expensive clothes, but wearing them deliberately carelessly. The generally accepted style that many like. Opel Astra, on the contrary, is strict. She is like a girl dressed in a uniform. Millions go to this, but for some reason, it is the most that it goes the most. Slender, tightened and ... and thereby damn attractive. I can’t say that I admired these machines, there are copies and much more interesting, but outwardly I liked them. And now? Now you need to decide who is more beautiful. And I can't do this. Why? Because each separately is good in its own way, when they stand sideways, I, of course, are not a designer, but I would have done a lot different. However, as they say, who likes what.

On the other hand, there are things that can be liked regardless of taste. In particular, clearance. In the end, sometimes it determines the ability of the car to move relatively safely along our roads. And Astra is visual, which is documented. Unlike 120 mm Megane, the German clearance is 130 mm. Not so, of course, a lot as we would like, but still more. As more Astra and the wheelbase. And she, this very wheelbase, should have affected the comfort of the rear passengers, but sitting in the back seat in both cars in turn, we came to the conclusion that there is no particular difference in this indicator. What is in Astra, that in Megane is quite comfortable, but not so that you can stretch your legs. But Megane has a armrest with cup holders. Astra rear passengers are deprived of such a chip.

Since there is no profit from the wheelbase in the cabin, let's try to find it in the trunk. It is likely that a more overall Astra should have a larger trunk. Actually, it happened. And although Astra’s trunk volume is not much larger than Megane, there is still a predominance in the kubature due to large sizes of the car. However, it is significantly larger with the folded seats of the second row. Here we are not talking about some two liters there, but about seventy-five. I don’t know how you are, but sometimes these same 75 liters may not be superfluous at all. Especially if we are talking about seasonal trips to the country.

But how easily it breathes behind the wheel of Megane! Despite the fact that the Frenchman is slightly inferior to the German, yet its interior is more airy. It was as if specially tried to stretch it in width. Even the control units of the audio system and climatic installation were stretched in the form of wide smiles. Astra in this regard, with a wide central console and a beard from it, visually divides the front of the cabin into two parts. And it seems implicitly that she is already. Plus, the abundance of buttons at the central console involuntarily suggests that you were not driving a car, but at the helm of a fighter. Only the radar is missing. However, its functions can safely replace the navigation system. The latter, by the way, is Russified, like the entire interface. Megane is prepared much worse in this regard. Firstly, he has not yet learned how to communicate with the driver in Russian, and secondly, the interface is so confused that in general, if this is how it goes further, then in order to rebuild the radio station on the receiver, the car will need drive to the official service. Or study the manual for a long time. Annoying, in a word.

On the test drive, this time, cars were aggregated by the same in volume of 1.6-litrous gasoline power plants. Opel had 115 liters under a hood. s., Magaane for 9 liters. With. less. The boxes were also identical automatic. However, Astra had six steps in her asset, while Megane could boast of only four. However, based on technical characteristics, this difference practically did not affect the dynamic characteristics. That the maximum speed, that the time of overclocking to a hundreds of both cars are almost the same. As, in fact, the appetite is the same. But this is all according to the numbers declared by manufacturers. And what is in realities? Alas, the snow cyclone that covered the northwest that day did not allow adequately evaluate the capabilities of the car. It was not that there was no pure asphalt on the roads, it was difficult to generally understand where this same road was. But in such conditions it was possible to compare the work of systems that ensure the stability of machines on slippery coating.

But first of all, in such a situation, the behavior of the steering has attracted attention. MEGANE adaptive electric power, on the one hand, left a very pleasant impression. In the parking lot and low speed, he rotated, as if on a ball bearing. It was worth adding a little speed, he began to pour in pleasant weight, but in this case this very severity could cause trouble. A heavy steering wheel is perceived underly perceived as a reliable grip of controlled wheels with the road. But in these conditions there was no at all. Plus, it is not possible to quickly turn the steering wheel, if it is necessary to adjust the trajectory. It is clear that it is difficult to bring a car equipped with a stabilization system to a critical situation. And yet you need to be prepared for this. Astra in this situation is more predictable. Its steering is also equipped with an electric power, but it is practically not poured with severity, and therefore the connection of the steering with a roadless canvas on such a coating was perceived more adequately. And it is likely, that is why the engineers allowed themselves to a little weaken the control of the car from active security systems. Passing turns, and in general, smoking on Astra is much easier. The main thing is not to play. And I also liked how the exhaust system is configured in Astra. A noble hoarse is added to the general sound of the motor at high speeds. Its notes are barely perceptible, but it is thanks to them that the car interior is filled with a kind of sports spirit. Megane is not so incendiary in this regard. Which, however, does not really need him. Indeed, despite the fact that cars are in the same class, they are oriented, in my opinion, on completely different consumers. Nevertheless, both the first and second car look quite stylish. And the style for many is still important.


Our verdict
Opel Astra
The best qualities: a big trunk.
The worst qualities: a wise central console.

Renault Megane
The best qualities: comfortable suspension.
The worst qualities: non -informative steering.


That the new Opel Astra, that Renault Megane is quite interesting both in terms of design and in terms of consumer properties. However, choosing a car for ourselves, we would first recommend going through a test drive on each of them. That the first, that the second car has their pros and cons, everyone should put priorities for themselves only. We liked Opel Astra more. She reacts more adequately to what the driver requires from her. Megane is also not bad, but some of the quirks will still need to get used to it.


Author: Oleg Kalaushin
Photo: Igor Kuznetsov



 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [March 2011]