Test drive Chevrolet Viva 2004 - 2008 sedan

West ray

Chevrolet-Viva
Manufacturer: Ji-Emavtsovaz
Year of release: 2004
In operation while driving: since November 2004
Mileage at the time of the report: 4 thousand km
Previous publications in the journal: 2005, No. 1
In front of the hood is the gray tape of the highway, a dark forest, discreet houses, bright stains of a gas stitch to the right and left on the right and left to the one who loves distant travels, such a change in the scenery always cheers up. Of course, if the car is reliable and adapted to styers' distances, and the road, well, at least, satisfactory.
The first long run of the editorial Chevrolet Viva to the West, to the Baltic, in Riga.
From winter to spring
The most difficult section of the road was the most seemingly good. The wide highway from Moscow to Volokolamsk at six in the morning of Monday was a snowfield, barely drawn by the unfaithful furrows of tires. On the instrument panel, the orange light of the anti -wings system blinks. The device is already useful because it does not allow to relax, warning about the far from ideal coating. The gas pedal with a long move on such a road is no less convenient than in the city. It is not necessary to stroke gently, unnecessarily straining the leg.
When snow beats into the windshield, the high light, as you know, is useless. But the neighbor on Viva is good (of course, if you clean the headlights from ice and dirt in time), especially in combination with fog.
The main drawback of Chevrolet, noticed in the first days of operation, confirmed the first 100 km: the ventilation system is mediocre. The cabin is very warm, but, no matter how you direct the air flows, the rear windows are constantly fogging. One of them, of course, is easy to dry with an electric heating.
But now it is time to supply all the warm air on the windshield: sweat also forms in its upper corners. Note that on the street there are quite ordinary weather conditions of the Russian winter.
Running and jumping championship
The chevrolet motor is excellent. A car with three sledges and a rather solid baggage (only a set of photographer pulls twenty kilograms) is easily and briskly. The fifth gear, as they say, is working: it can be included already at 7080 km/h, not worrying that acceleration will be sluggish. It was rare to switch to the fourth for a particularly quick maneuver.
In Latvia, Viva also turned five, and three of them were distinguished by a rather solid complexion. Comfort, of course, is not royal, although for a close trip an acceptable (by the way, I would like to have an armrest in the back seat, he would have made more comfortable passengers). But the main thing: with such a crew, Viva did not become slow.
The main section for testing the suspension Tver region. A colleague who travels on the M9 Baltic highway often remembers four large pits well ... Small accounts are not amenable to. The former dodged from the first, the second suspension shutdown, not choked. Viva does not demonstrate neither toothbrusy shaking, nor tiring swings. The moderate steering wheel allows you to avoid nervous steering and successfully fight the ruts stuffed with trucks, clearly bypass the terrible for the wheels and suspension of the pit.
In general, the characteristics of the chassis of Viva are not a good compromise for Russian roads between controllability and comfort.
The secret of economy
A hundred meters from the Latvian border is a police Renault with the beacons on. No, they do not stop here to verify documents, do not ask to open the hood and are not interested in the engine number. In general, they do not take your time and do not test your nerves. The policeman simply reminds of his appearance: in Latvia completely different laws and customs.
The power of attorney for a car does not need a power of attorney. Roads with neatly flooded irregularities, excellent marking, frequent and understandable pointers and very strict laws. A cigarette butt thrown out the window will cost 50 armor, that is, about $ 100, an unknown near light (in Latvia to ride with lit headlights is required) 10 lats. By the way, in such conditions, the lack of indication of outdoor lighting in general and the headlights in particular the lack of Viva. Once from the fine saved the oncoming driver who adapted the headlights.
Riding Latvia is easy and pleasant. In settlements, restriction of 50 km/h, around the city 90 km/h. The exceeding 10 km/h is out of order. For more dragon fines. In addition, in Latvia drivers are charged with penalty points. You will put a dozen in a year to part with rights, or even freedom!
But there are no extra signs. Where the speed is limited, say, 40 km/h, it is really dangerous to go faster. Drivers behave politely and clearly. Therefore, the average speed is quite high: more than three hundred Latvian kilometers to Riga easily, without tension, overcame in four hours.
In addition to strict laws, gently put pressure on the gas pedal for gasoline Normal (an analogue of our 92nd) near the dollar per liter. Diesel fuel is a little more expensive. I think that the chevrolet of Viva on average for all the mileage spent 7.2 liters of gasoline per 100 km, the merit, including Latvian roads, is a clear organization of traffic.
On the streets of Riga, rich in a wide variety of cars (though there are almost no Soviet ones, and Russian is very rare), Viva often attracted interest. Chevrolet from Russia? Marvelous! Yes, we ourselves are not used to
SUBTOTALS
In Moscow, after washing, he carefully listened and examined the car. No noise, vibrations, creaking ... tires and discs are intact. The levels of oil and antifreeze are normal. That's just the painted front bumper is already in white points. Early! There is some 4000 mileage for spring? Is it really tinted like on the Volga?
The main, although so far the intermediate result in communication with the Togliatti Chevrolet according to the results of the Riga trip: the car is quite comfortable for long travels. After a thousand passed for one guessing kilometers there is neither special fatigue, nor familiar to other domestic cars in the back or right leg. There is a feeling that I would have rode calmly. So it's time to plan spring mileage
 

Sergey Kanunnikov
Photo: George Sadkov

Source: The magazine "Driving"