Chevrolet Trailblazer test drive since 2008 SUV

Rables of Ilyusia

Are the universal all -terrain vehicles of real adventures afraid?
 
Gloomy morning
Oh, I don’t like it all, I don’t like it ... As if trying to discover something new, I once again go around around the assholes of all-terrain vehicles parked at the editorial parking lot. Hmm, it was necessary to take shotgun ... - just like the heroes of Tarantino thought to me. In the trunk there were already a strong metal cable, and a shovel, and a pair of gloves. But this is so - for cleaning conscience. Here would be a large -caliber artillery, a winch like Waorn or Super Witch. At worst, the Saratov Soliton would have been good - everything is better than nothing ...
No, we were not going to storm the impassable jungle of the island of Borneo. Yes, and Amundsen's laurels do not seduce us, at least for now ... The maximum task is just something! - climb along the unexpected thaw swelling off -road, lay a rut in deep snowdrifts and return home without the help of the tow truck. What is the catch? Indeed, at our disposal there are two such powerful off-roads as Mitsubishi-Pajero and Chevrolet-Traillair. In appearance, everything is on the shoulder. However, just this, if not scared, then it was still alarming.
   
There can be no two opinions here. The dashboard of Pajero (left) is more informative. The operating modes of the gearbox and the handouts before the eyes. The trailbraise instead has a voltmeter
     
   
Stylistically central consoles differ as heaven and earth, they are very similar functionally
   
Beauty does not pass without a trace
The fact is that I have a prejudice for such universal all -terrain vehicles. Real all-terrain vehicles are Hammer-H1, UAZ-469, well, maybe, perhaps, Gelendevagen, and necessarily short-minded and diesel. With an excess minimum - maximum effectiveness. And these two? They are too similar to the bargained fisles. You just look at the trailler! It is not only longer, wider and higher than the Blayser retired. And the appearance of the newcomer will be more increasing. A courageous profile, slightly frowning forehead, formidable headlights - all this with its monumentality resembles the giant bas -reliefs of the US presidents in South Dakota. On the right, it seems like Jefferson, Anfas is already Roosevelt. I wonder if Yankees called the trailler the best all -terrain vehicle of the past year? After all, let's say, gaps in the finger between the wings and the front headlights were clearly not taken into account. Chevy's diet also has its own inside - this is a road all -season rubber with small risks of the tread, low under the stern of the reserve, not at all obligatory steps. Yes, and the third-generation Pajero, at least at first glance, looks too good to professionally perform some work, except for defillation on the catwalk. The Japanese all-tribe resembles an eccentric-Shakhter, who, before the descent in the slaughter, visited a boutique of men's clothing, from there jumped into an expensive hairdresser, and finally agreed to the pedicure. In the city, the reminiscent and licked Mitsubishi looks just cool - the eyes are feline, the hips are muscular. But somehow the chrome tsatski will look in the matter? However, the question ... Moreover, the third generation of Pajero has lost all branded all -terrain attributes: dependent suspensions and a frame structure. And you say why worry?
   
Agree that the Pajero salon would have made the honor of many middle class sedans. Space for rear passengers here is quite enough even very solid people
    
   
The interior of the trailbraise is also very spacious, and the attached belts, according to the latest safety requirements, are integrated into the front seats
 
Without shift, the entrance is prohibited!
But as if there was little doubt. In the Pajero salon, it remains only to gasp and mumble something slurred: almost like in Lexus! And this is not flattery. I can’t even imagine how you can climb inside Mitsubishi in boots covered with clay clips?! No, here, like to school, you need to go with a bag of interchangeable shoes. How else? The style of the Japanese interior is not only a pleasant to the eye and back leather upholstery of the seats or plastic muar inserts under the red tree. On the same bowl of the scales, a half -sports dashboard with drilled wells of dials and a multifunctional color display, working out for a compass, radio, and climatic. The high class and clean work are also visible in the CD chassis built into the central console and even in a lovingly designed set of tools, which was found in the rear hinged door.
   
 
In this picture you can clearly see the advantage of Pajero into geometric patency. Pay attention to how the bumper Chevrolet hangs low
 
The trailbraise against the background of almost Lexus, of course, is lost. But in money and demand - after all, despite its, so to speak, unlassed, Pajero stands in the States for seven to ten more expensive chevrolet. Another thing is that in Russia the prices of these cars are much closer. We, however, were distracted.
Everything seems to be nothing in the interior of the trailbrails: a spacious rear seat, individual backlight, and music control and climate control of the rear passengers, and leather chairs, and an electric package with a cruise control. But why is the plastic of the upholstery buzzing like a barrel of birch bark barking, and in the dark in the eyes it is rippling from a multi -colored and too bright illumination? Who came up with such a stupid algorithm for the work of the climate control and at whose whose whose are the wipers the inclusion of the wipers is produced in a small flag on the left (and only) steering wheel switch? And to whom it came to mind ... fullness, however. Indeed, in about the same puzzled phrases, interjections and intonations, the European will tell you about the salon of any American omnipitan. They are far from us.
In addition, we again took to the side - after all, the all -terrain vehicle external gloss and internal chic are not at all required. Much more important ...
    
Sport is not a vacation
The name Pajero is inseparable with the concept of rally-raid. The prototypes based on the Japanese all-around, however, like practically serial copies, the sand dunes of the Paris Dakar, the rally of the orthodists, and the desert rallown were plowed for more than a dozen years. Over time, the number went into quality. It is probably enough to say that the pilots of the three diamonds occupied the first seven lines in the absolute standings of Dakar 2002! Americans on African marathons are infrequent guests. It is understandable - to go far, especially when under the very side of Mexico, with its broken roads and directions. A whole SCORE championship is taking place in North America. The most famous stage of which is Bach -1000. Its main charm is that pilots for overcoming a distance of 1600 km are allocated only one day! Racing traillers, like Pajero for Dakar, have little in common with their serial brothers. But forced engines, carbon fiber body, a night vision system helped the Chevrolev pilots last year to win two stages of the championship-Nevada 2000 and Bach-500.
 
   
What do you like: the flywheel of the Autotrek Chevrolet system or the classic lever of the Mitsubishi distribution?
    
 

The color display is very clear and unobtrusive

Glove boxes in Pajero two at once, one of them is locked
   
 
Two removable chairs of the third row not for long trips
 
 

Unfinished flag of the wipers
   
 
Repeaters of turns in the mirrors are now in fashion

The services of passengers of the second row of the control panel of the climate and audio system
 
 
Iron nerves, healthy kidneys
And with the health of these guys everything is fine. The key to the power of the miracle gods, of course, are motors. Under the hood, Pajero is the most powerful in the range of a 3.5-liter V-shaped six (202 hp). The trailbraise holds 270 horses of the in-line 6-cylinder engine of the Vortek series with a volume of 4.2 liters. Which of the two is the fastest? Can't you guess at once? Of course, Chevrolet. You just have to press the gas, and two tons of tons of this sports-utilitarian car fly forward like a ball after serving Marat Safin. Possessing a locomotive moment, however, the motor, however, joyfully twists up to six thousand-which is no longer at all in American. But gasoline in this mode is sucks as a wife of a salary from her husband. Here, two hundred forces of Pajero do not make a proper impression. But in the case, the driver of the Japanese alternate is unlikely to feel inferiority. A more modern 5-speed box with an InVeCS II sequential switching mode helps (sheve has outdated and wayward 4-speed hydrogen). The loss of the Japanese in accelerated dynamics is obvious, but not fatal. But how much Mitsubishi will save you on fuel! If you get into and make the GDI-Eco light bulb on the dashboard burn at least half the time of the trip, then the fuel consumption will not much exceed the appetite of the middle class sedan. Moreover, one should not think that getting into green is very difficult or the pace of your movement in this mode will be comparable to turtle. Aggressive acceleration on the first to 3000 rpm, then immediately the third, a little later, the fourth, and now you are going quickly and at the same time economically. Well, if you decide to play in Kik -Dawn, do not blame me - the arrow of the fuel level will fall before our eyes. In general, we warned you.
   
The maximum volume of the trunk of Pajero is a little larger than that of a trailbraise. But in Chevrolet, the glass of the fifth door opens separately.
    
    
An example of the effective operation of the self -locking differential of the trailbraise is even in the hill and under the heavy load, both rear wheels row. Alas, all -season tires did not allow us to complete the rise. Pajero toothy tires, in turn, will help the Japanese lay a rut in deeper snow
 

 
Lightness of Being
But if Pajero, for quite objective reasons, is inferior to the trailbraise in dynamics, then it easily compensates for losing with running qualities. Mitsubishi in the city is simply tall and heavy, but, of course, a passenger car, Chevrolet is more like a fraudent truck. The American steering wheel is empty, like a shadow from a bottle, and in Mitsubishi the steering wheel is elastic and informative. Although, frankly, the handling of both fighters is Nevazhnetskaya. This, however, is for the Axiom all -around. But at high speeds in Mitsubishi there is more confidence that you control the machine, and not vice versa - Pajero does not scour and holds the straight line perfectly. The brakes of the Japanese woman are also more used, although there are no complaints about the intensity of reverse acceleration to Shevy. But on the filtering of small irregularities, the trailler is ahead - Pajero in more detail repeats the profile of the road. Eh, it would still be overcome these eternal and typically American swinging and hitting the steering wheel (strange, even the front independent suspension does not help), and it would be very good. So imperceptibly, with jokes and jokes, we got to the impassability.
   
The sound and vibration protection of the engines Mitsubishi and Chevrolet deserves the highest rating
  

    
What's how much
Dealers General Motors are imported to Russia of a trailler in the richest version of LTZ. For $ 47,388 you get a completely packaged all -terrain vehicle. The skin, climate control with a control panel for the rear passengers, a complete electric package, an all-wheel drive transmission autotrek, heating the front seats and mirrors, a magneton with acoustics of BOUZ, alloy wheels, a full-sized reserve and even a digital recorder are included in this amount. The only option is an electric drive in the roof, which raises the price of the machine by $ 1200. However, if you do not need so much minced meat, you can place an order for the basic version of the trailbrail - LT. It will cost much cheaper - $ 39,000, while a powerful 270 -horsepower vortek, an electric package and confectionery will not go from you anywhere.
Pajero who visited our test is estimated at $ 54,990, and this is the most expensive Mitsubishi in Russia. It is pointless to list all his bells and whistles - everything is strongly included here. Pajero with a 3.2-liter diesel engine and a diesel engine of the fuel of the fuel of the Common Rail (165 hp) are much more affordable. For $ 43,890 you get a full and packaged all -resistant - alloy wheels, climate control, anti -angle, radio with six columns, a completely removable third row of seats. It is only a pity that the diesel engines are not yet very complained of.
We can do without a winch?
The 4x4 club highway is a well -known place in Moscow by gearboxes. In summer, in dry weather, many of its sections can be overcome in a car. In winter, perhaps, perhaps, not every all -terrain vehicle will be taken into remote corners, where the traces of snow removal cars are not visible. We were doubly lucky. The monstrous January thaw turned separate sections into a champing swamp, and the light frost that hit the day before added an acuity of sensations in the form of an insidious ice. Pajero was the first to go on a date with Buyaks. And all the fears about the endurance and reliability on the off -road of the supporting structure with independent pendants turned out to be in vain. The highly equipped body did not cling to the soil, the levers of pendants with increased moves are also located high, resembling the exhaust chassis of the reactive liner on the rise. The intricate path with many climbs and descents we overcame playfully, without even connecting the front -wheel drive. Let's try to get out of the rut. Books, syringes of snow from under the wheels, feet! The lever of the famous second-generation super-line is converted into 4H mode (direct gear, the front bridge is connected using viscousyft, the distribution of the moment through the axes in a ratio of 33:67), and Pajero, like a dispensed, got out of the trap.
We move on to more complex exercises. The left rear wheel is hung, underfoot a thick-toleous layer of loose snow. Gas! The hidden rear wheel rotates frantically, the other does not even move, the front is not enough traction - and again the feet. We block the center differential, lowering, and again running in place ... did you really get up? We put the last remedy in the course of the button next to the gearbox selector forcibly block the rear differential. And suddenly the lazy wheel begins to rake, and Mitsubishi confidently crawls towards solid ground.
By the way, all Pajero of the 2002 model year is mandatory equipped with the rear self -locking differential. Useful thing. The self -block is also useful in the city so that, leaving the ice to the asphalt, not to polish the wheels. It will help off -road. If when lifting you exceeded a speed of 12 km/h, then a forcibly locked rear differential will dissolve electronics, and you would inevitably crawl down, if there were no self -block.
There is a self -locking differential in the transmission of a trailbrail. Moreover, noticeably more effective than in Pajero, and works even at the maximum load on the rear axle. Yes, and the Autotrac all -wheel drive system, which is a multi -disc clutch with a leading electric motor and electronic control, knows his job. And most importantly, the child will be able to deal with management. No leverage is the only flywheel on the central console. In winter, it is best to leave it in the Auto 4WD position. In this mode, the electronic unit, receiving information about the slipping of the rear wheels, accordingly pushes the clutch discs, transmitting the moment to the front wheels - the larger the axle box, the more traction goes forward. On the icy roads, this is just a buzz - added a gasket, the back of the bang threw it into the turn, and then the front wheels have already come to the rescue, not allowing uncontrollable rotation to develop. Solid pleasure! But on a harsh off -road, the automation grazes - for those moments while the front end, the rear wheels manage to jump off the ruts or burrow even deeper. The car hangs on the steps and ... shovels in hand! Turning the flywheel to position 4h, you strictly pick up the front bridge, but the insufficient geometric patency and toothless rubber still interfere with the mitsubishi trailser. Although tightly the American did not stand anywhere. Where Shevy could no longer go ahead, he at the very least got back along the path laid himself.
 
    
Give seven places!
A year ago, debuting in the American market, the trailler could boast of only a five -seater salon. While the closest rivals of the Chevrolet - the same Pajero (in the USA Montero) and Ford Explorer - seven places for sitting. Representatives of the Chevrolet claimed that they intentionally abandoned two extra seats, since they could not be made comfortable. Oh, and they didn’t get for it! First from customers, and then from the authorities. So already at the end of 2001 Chevrolet, at the request of the workers, she introduced the seven-seater version of the trailbrail with the EXT index. Moreover, the external dimensions of the all -terrain vehicle have not changed.
    
Pleasant surprises
The modification of Pajero 2002 model year differs from the previous model with insignificant, but pleasant nuances. In addition to the already mentioned self -blocked differential, new alloy wheels of the so -called Japanese design, a radiator grille and rear lights covered with chromium appeared. The salon has ennobled a multifunctional color display with a diagonal of 4.5 inches, and the overalls of the belts increased the overall level of safety.

Fans of professional training
All my illusions were dispelled like cigarette smoke. The cable did not come in handy. The need for a winch fell away by itself. It turns out that our all -resistant dandies are not so bad? Perhaps yes. If you can already be a good person and think about the beauty of the nails, then the alternate can be considered a stylish, comfortable and truly combat at the same time. Of course, you can speculate on the topic, somehow the carrier body of Pajero will behave in three years in three. And how many salty winters can withstand the electric motor of multi -disc total trail of trailbrails? Well, we will definitely talk about it. Only another time.
Mitsubishi-Pajero-3.5GDI
Per
Great assembly quality,
great off -road abilities,
clear passenger behavior
on the road, a comfortable and roomy salon,
attention to detail
Against
High price,
ambiguous appearance
 
 
Chevrolet-trailler
 
Per
Powerful and elastic engine,
spacious salon,
attractive appearance
 
Against
Not the best geometric cross -country ability,
boring interior design,
in some places inaccurate assembly,
outdated gearbox design
 
Mikhail Medvedev, photo Maxim Goncharov

 

Source: Magazine "Limousine" [03/02]