Test Drive Citroen C3 Picasso since 2008 Hatchback

Other Russia

How in the harsh reality of the Russian province will urban compact holds? To answer this question, our team went to Mtsensk.

Citroen C3 Picasso.
The French love cranks, originals and extroverts. It is not by chance that they are so many in the French cinema: Louis de Füne, Pierre Rishar, Gerard Depardieu ... and the cars to descendants of Galov, soul, unusual, with its own character. Mikrovan on the basis of C3 was not in vain in honor of the great Picasso, the car does not accept anything banal and simple. He is ready to change reality and rewrite laws. He is defiantly unusual even in Moscow, what to talk about Mtsensk. Here, in the Oryol province, he also gives the impression of the lunar, who randomly landed, instead of falling.

Outside and inside
The trouble is that in the pursuit of an external effect Frenchmen often sacrifice convenience. But it is not about C3 Picasso. The instrument panel in the center of the front panel is surprisingly easy, and all because it is semi-transparent! Look at the wheel, his boss is like a ritual mask of an Indian of the Amazon jungle. And after all to the convenience of this control have no complaints. Or radio situated at the bottom of the center console. Inconvenient to reach down and touch it to use? Place it at an angle relative to the vertical axis, expanding it to the driver, and the problem is solved. And an additional window in the stands, because of which all one-volume cars regularly receive portion of criticism for poor visibility? C3 Picasso almost the only one of these windows help! The thing is that the front desk is not just splits strictly speaking, there are two. And they are located one after the other, and offset. To do this, even had the window to make the resulting panorama. But the blind zone is practically no. Super!

And how many tanks are for small tanks: a tray with a lid before tidy. Open brown over the glove compartment, the tank to the left of the steering wheel, another open capacity under the music, pockets in the doorway, the tunes in the legs of the rear passengers, the floor of the trunk with a double bottom and a glove box with a volume of 9 (!) Litres. In addition, the back of the front chair is forced forward, which allows you to transport the long tricks, and on the back of the front chairs there are tables. A small spherical mirror is located on the ceiling console, which is spinning on the hinge not only in the horizontal, but also in the vertical plane. As a result, you can watch not only for the rear side, but also behind the front passenger, if it is located below the usual one. Conveniently, if a child sits in the chair. So the functionality is far from always becoming a victim of design.
The main minus of the interior of the French compacttwan front seats. Weak side support interferes in turns, and the flat back causes pain in the spine.
In move
After practically racing Opel with its powerful Citroen turbo engine with atmospheric 1.6, and even on the robot did not inspire optimism. In addition, the robotic KP PSA does not differ in either smoothness or timely, neither speed of work. Stupid box, frankly. And even more wonderful that, on the way from Mtsensk, I liked the car. Of course, the speakers lack on the protracted lines have to lower the transmission. Of course, the box tupits pauses when switching is so great that the photographer with the photographer dangled back and forth like a blank. Trying to catch the moment of switching and reset the gas is practically meaningless. Saves manual mode. Dropping gas in time and pulling the lever, you can make a ride smooth and comfortable. Not too pleased and brakes, which began to work effectively only at the very end of the pedal. What then is good in Picasso? Comfort! Unlike Meriva, the French car smoothes even the largest irregularities, making riding on provincial roads pleasant. Citroen is the most quiet in the trio, and an empty steering wheel at urban speeds when accelerating so heavy that drive the car with one hand long does not get tired. The only thing that displays the C3 of equilibrium, longitudinal waves. Because of a sufficiently soft suspension, the machine begins to swing so much that it almost takes out a belly to the asphalt.
For the rest, it was C3 Picasso who showed himself an excellent option for the province, because, among other things, Citroen also behaves good off-road. The stroke of the suspension is large enough, and the ESP is completely disabled, which allows the bucks. In addition, the French machine turned out to be more economical Opel with its turbo engine about half liters 7.0 against 7.5 liters. And on Citroen, we drove an average of 1020 km / h faster! But what will upset the inhabitants of the regions, so this is dim light headlights. At night, on poorly lit streets, Mtsensk constantly wanted to turn on the distant.
 


Igor Shokhin, site editor

Citroen C3 Picasso bright, pretty, unusual. Inside cozy and spacious. In the car, the mass of tanks for smallness. The washer is very quickly spending fluid, but the glass is completely washed from one click. Gorgeous visibility. But the rear window is fast dirty. The robot in automatic mode has noticeable failures when switching, but sufficiently drop gas when switching and the kit will become fast and smooth. The gear ratios are wicked well: confident acceleration and excellent traction on the bottoms, at the top of the economical ride. Among the advantages: the suspension is energy-intensive, the steering wheel is obedient, and ESP is already in the basic configuration. Bus visibility, stationary capacity, consumption of small tramp. For the company youth or family motorist what is needed.
 
Opel Meriva.
Can a family car bring driving pleasure? Should he be stylish and attractive outwardly? Finally, can the Germans blow the world with a non-trivial designer move? The creators of Meriva affirmatively answered all three questions. I never thought that the family compactment could be so fun and crown that a purely utilitarian car could bring such pleasure. In the gray of the Spring Mtsench Meriva, Meriva became our cure for longing.

Outside and inside
On the other hand, what else should we expect from the car with the rear doors, like the Rolls-Royce Phantom and a 140-strong turbo engine? Of course, the notorious doors are the first thing I want to try in action. The verdict is unequivocal: it is incredibly convenient! The doorway Opel is not too wide, but the doors come off at 90 degrees, which facilitates access to the salon is once. If your car is parked close to the next car, and you need to get something from the rear seat, then the swollen system allows you to open both doors without going off. No need to walk along the car with a risk of stains about the adjacent car. These are two. Finally, it is simply beautiful and spectacular. This three.
Like all the latest models Opel, Meriva pleases with a rich equipment. Dual-zone climate control, navigation system, electric parking brake, musical system with good sound, heated steering wheel, headlights with additional sectors flying in turns. Of course, almost all of the listed option even for the top-optation of Cosmo, but they are sufficient enough, as it always happens with Opel machines. So, a package that includes navigation, parking sensors and an advanced audio system, costs 46,000 rubles. Good offer! At the same time, unlike the Opel of the beginning of the 2000s with Ergonomics, Meriva is all right. Characteristic for minivans of landing, like on a stool, and no steering wheel. You are sitting in almost the usual hatchback. And what is the location of the layer of the Multimediase control washer: put your hand on the gun lever, the big and index fingers fall on the puck, and the back key is also convenient and the back key. Good and seats 300 km to Mtsensk seemed easy walking.
But for which you can scold a car: first, on the rear sofa Opel is closer than others, secondly, he has a fairly small trunk, thirdly, the cup holder is located extremely unsuccessful, and the central boxing constantly creaked. In addition, compartments for small things here are still much smaller than Citroen.

In move
But no matter how comfortable in Meriva, the main kayf brings all the same movement. 140 forces for in-class machines are a lot. If someone forgot, CORSA GSI applies to the title of heated hatchback, only 10 liters. with. more. In addition, the manual box pleases with clear shifts, which has never been characteristic of Opel. On the way to Mtsensk, the Meriva speed was limited only by the quality of the road surface. Just with a ride in Russian destinations Opel has certain problems, because the suspension of the car is quite rigid. There are no problems with waves and shallow irregularities, but the suspension does not work out large pit pit. I had to look attentively on the road and uploading speed. Maybe a hard suspension gives incredible joy in turns? Unfortunately no. Similar to that empty steering wheel. Not to say that there are no efforts at all over time you get used to and fry, not paying attention to it, but there is no complete understanding anyway. So, calmly! Why fry? On what? On Meriva? This is a family car! I can't do anything with me, the car pinches. So cool to feel like 2500 rpm. The turbine begins to unwind, like a 3000 revolutions begins to grow a wave of torque, and on 3500 you are already flying, picked by this wave. Moreover, this wave does not subscribe up to the cutoff, because peak power is issued in a rather wide range: 49006000 rpm. And the peak moment is issued in the range of 18504900 revolutions, so you always have something to go: first on the moment, then at the power. In general, you realized that I was delighted with Meriva. One problem is few people will be able to appreciate all the delights of a powerful Meriva, because the car with such a motor and automatic transmission in Russia is not available. And who needs a family car without a machine gun?
 
 

Denis Halfin, Observer Editor

About this car I will speak in intonations Comrade Sachov from the Caucasian Captive: activist, athlete, hooligan and just beauty. Opel Meriva with a turbo engine 1.4 with a capacity of 140 horsepower with a manual transmission is a car that does not want to stop to leave. Even if it's time for you. Everything is fine here: appearance, driver's landing, interior, comfort, amazing dynamics and excellent handling. What you can beat is on the behavior of Meriva while driving on the old Soviet roads. This swallow is clearly not sharpened to our provincial reality. But on a good highway and urban prison is AU. Glory to mechanics!
 
Skoda Roomster.
Leader: general director Volkswagen Group Rus Markus Ozekovich in a recent conversation told me that Skoda is the most regional brand in the VAG family. Dealer centers of the brand are opened in cities with a population of only 100,000 inhabitants! It is Skoda first comes to provincial cities, preparing a bridgehead for disembarking other brands. Of course, Mtsensk is still too small so that Skoda came to him, but in a nearby eagle, to which less than 50 km, the dealer appeared. How good is Roomster suitable for provincial life?

Outside and inside
Against the background of the beauty of Opel and the charismatic Citroen, the Czech car is somewhat lost, even despite the original sidewalls. After all, in front of it is a strict Fabia, and at the back and at all is some kind of average car. It does not please the roster of the ROOMSTER and inside. After the rich Meriva and the eccentric Citroen Skoda seems almost monastic cells: do not remember any detail. However, not for design, everyone loves the cars of the concern VAG. Convenience, practicality and quality Here are the strengths of the car concern. Let the simple music, one-city climate control and the most ordinary seats, but it is all successful and does not cause special complaints. Thanks to the single front front racks and low windows line behind the back visibility in Skoda, you can live without parking sensors. The seat at the first landing seems soft and shapeless, but in fact it's the only thing in the dough never caused my back pain! Steering wheel accounted for longer than two other machines, but the final landing is even more convenient than in Opel. But compartments for small things are not enough. There are no tuneshchers at all, two, but both of them are shallow, all the place between the front seats took the handbrake right in the center. Well at least two cup holders, but for them a spacious chest. But put the bottle into the cup holders, and it is not to get to him!
Behind the feet of the bottom it seems that the places are most, moreover, the lack of hard tables in the backs of the chairs allows you to rest in the chair. But in the width of Czech compactment loses both the Frenchman and German. Threesome sitting almost impossible. Not only that the car itself is narrow, so the shape of the sofa is that the central passenger sits as if on a stool. In any long journey did not go.
Skoda's trunk is the best in the test. First, he is the biggest, secondly, in it the most hooks, a few shelves for storage pretty large items (canister with butter climbs) and even there is a basket fixed in the right side of the trunk. Thirdly, the branded Skodovsky leash for which you pull when you close the door, much more convenient for classic handles.
If, looking at the photos of the cabin, think that Skoda is a budget car, then you are mistaken. In the list of options and swivel lights, and a glass roof.

In move
ROOMSTER who visited our hands had enough proletarian modification: an old atmospheric 1.6 and not too young 5-speed automatic. Well, at least 16 valves, as proudly declares a signboard on the fifth door. Bored, brothers, boring! There is no festival of the speed of Opel, nor Cartroen Carnival. Or is there? Ba! Yes, this machine seems more dynamic than a more powerful Frenchman, and the handling is even better than that of Meriva's reactive! The thing is that Roomster is assembled from two platforms: in front it is Fabia, and behind Octavia. As a result, the rear wheel of the machine is wider than the front, which ensures unprecedented stability. In addition, Skoda will live alive on any driving movement, and the effort on it is at all exemplary. Well done Czechs! As for the machine, then after the stupid Citroen robot, its smooth and fast switching is just a balm per soul. As in the case of DSG, the Sport and Drive modes differ significantly in the work algorithm.
In addition, Roomster is a very comfortable car. He is not as soft as Citroen, sometimes his suspension even pierces, but it does not swing on the waves, and the serious flaws of the roadbed digested much better Opel. What is necessary for the broken streets of Mtsensk, and the roads of Moscow seemed to have lost their flaws at all. But on noise insulation saved. In a long road, the head begins to hurt, besides, the engine sound is not too pleasant. Unfair car tahrachtit, like diesel!
 


Denis Halfin, Observer Editor

Skoda Roomster Among all the rest of the brethren on the brand worst disguised as a car with a Czech brand. This is a real Volkswagen, his handwriting here is too recognizable and obvious. Is that plastic in the cabin easier and gross. The rest is practical, good, attentive to the little things Germany. The main minus of this version of the six-speed machine is not friendly with the engine 1.6. 105 horsepower can overclock this typewriter much faster. The main plus is everything else. Especially I would like to note the comfortable, assembled, impenetrable suspension. 300 kilometers of provincial asphalt to Mtsensk were flying in a dream and reveal. Be here a mechanic, I would be ready to fly even further.
 
Summary
We consider points and see that Opel won. And it is expected, because Meriva is the most powerful and luxurious in our trio. Of course, it's not entirely fair to compare cars in such different grade sets, but, as I said, the options of the Germans are very cheap, and no one offers such a powerful motor in this class. But the victory of Opel is not unconditional. Meriva is very tough, and the turbo engine will surely require high-quality fuel. If you live in the same Mtsensk, it is better to choose something else.
The eccentric Frenchman unexpectedly turned out to be a good choice for the province: Verified units, a comfortable salon, a comfortable suspension, a good permeability and attractive prices of C3 Picasso can be safely recommended for regular use in the regions. Yes, and in Moscow, the car does not seem to be superfluous, because the design of him is the most difficulty. No wonder on the European presentation Citroen his creators, or a joke, whether seriously saw among the clients of the bourgeois God.
But the best car for other Russia Skoda. Let it have a simple and even primitive, but look at the points: as much as Citroen and slightly less than that of Opel. In this case, the atmospheric motor and the machine are much better suitable for the depthion with its problem fuel than all of these TSI and DSG. Of course, Roomster gives less emotions than other cars, but, as they say, you need checkers or go?

 
 

A source: Cars