Test Drive Citroen C5 Tourer since 2008 Wagon

Dorosli to business class

With each new generation, the size of passenger cars increases. This current trend in 20-30 years turns once relatively humble segment machines D almost in the flagships of their model range. And the last generation of sedans in size, equipping and quality without stretching can be called a business class.
Interestingly, in the last 2-3 years, almost all automakers in the class D changed the models. Veterans left little. Is that another passat eternal standard not yet arrived. Therefore, the choice and for the buyer, and for the test is very wide here. In order not to make yourself beyond doubts, we decide, blindly pushing your finger in the map, take the Germans, Frenchman and the Japanese. And it is desirable that their size, weight and energy transportation were one in one. It is not always simple, especially considering that living cars this season are gripping and in the salons. Rarely you can find the entire model range in free sale. But we were lucky we brought in the test almost the same on the characteristics of the new Toyota Avensis 2.0 (147 hp) and Opel Vectra 2.2 (147 hp) with a 2-liter Citroen C5 (136 hp). This model is from the Musketeer's Motherland, although it is not a novelty, but nevertheless refers to the XXI century (2001) and not yet appeared on design. All Trinity with automatic guns, but, as it is now generally accepted, allowing manual management.
 
Even at first glance, it is noticeable, as much in common with Vectra and Avensis. Although, perhaps, on the contrary, Toyota looks like Opel after all this model appeared later. Previously, this expression of the face with the original front optics was not found. But let's still consider this coincidence. Often, fresh ideas appear immediately in several heads. With the rear of cars in general, much less. And in the profile, pronounced Opel wedge is opposed to the apparent face of Toyota's grave, with its high curved belt line. This slightly reminds those models (say, Crown) that the Japanese do for their domestic market. But from C5 according to the criterion of recognition, an explicit advantage: He does not confuse him with anyone even far from the automotive world. Eco-friendly spreading forms remind perhaps that Salvador was given and ... about Citrogen itself with his rich history.
If you get carried away, then we can talk about the successes and disadvantages, originality and secondaryness. But here everyone strives to act as a judge and criticism, call on the bis and heat the legs. Nevertheless, I would venture to express the view that Vectra is drawn up most clearly, with the family recognizance and with the undisguised desire to ask a new tone sports and hard image of the brand, previously considered inexpensive and phreette. As for Toyota, even outwardly noticeable, as they tried, even from the skin, climbed, designers to make beautifully. And if you do not switch to the tongue of high automotive fashion, condemning even hint of kitsch, then Avensis clearly succeeded. Especially against the background of absolutely neutral predecessors. But to judge Citroen for general standards is generally difficult, the traditions of the brand and the style of the heavy burden were pretended over the authors of the design. But, in my opinion, especially on the background of a kid with a solid and obviously talented hand, the top five looks somewhat amorphous and vague. I note also that outwardly C5 looks overgrown, more imbued and large-sized than Avensis and Vectra. But, looking at the table, you will see that the class of all three cars is absolutely identical. Illusions of view, you see ...
Filling the salon for the whole Trinity completely unlike. Here and compare it is difficult as green with square. Opel Techno style. All black, even gloomy, dense, perfectly fitted. Fat stylish steering wheel with four faceted knitting needles. Noise isolation perfect deeply as in a tank. All the handles on the panel are similar, and confuse them simply. What I did constantly. Want to add the volume of the radio tape recorder grows the temperature of the blowing. By the way, about the trunk. If there is a corresponding key in the cabin, which means that the lid of the luggage compartment should be disclosed when pressed? Nothing like this! We must still press a round button under the lid. Uncomfortable.
Opel Vertra.
+
 
Thoughtful interior
Excellent visibility and sense of size
Beautiful acoustics
–   
 
Low apron bumper
Crowd switches without fixation
Opel seats, although comfortable and absolutely not tired for a couple of days a ride with a dense schedule, almost flat. But the second row is generally a smooth bench. Sit for me is not closely, but the crown to the ceiling pulls out. More on the car that fell to us, cool Hi-Fi. Even the radio gives such a clean and deep sound with a strikingly wide frequency range, which is sometimes distracted from the driving process. The outcome of the interior digging in the new word can be formulated as follows: the highest German quality and the goodness, brought to the limit, care and love for the driver and passengers, expressed in every little things, but the absence of a raisin in style. Panel here is fresh, boring.
Divide to Toyota. Despite otherwise than in Opel, stylistic solutions, here surprisingly a lot with him in common. This is especially true of the quality of plastic and accuracy of gaps. Bravo! Avensis NEW has become a completely European car. Japanese secondary and difference almost disappeared. Almost. Still, it is noticeable that many decisions were not matured evolutionally, but were spied at the most distorted and advanced producers. Picky look will pay attention to the color difference: there is black, there is light, here under aluminum; Symbols are white, and edging chrome. The desire to argue is immense. If you do not put the originality of the design at the head of the corner, Avensis is the perfect student, surpassed many teachers. Everything is made solid, in an adult.
And with what sound the doors slam! You will pull the handle gently seems to just move the heavy door from the place, and she, look, and already snapped with a delicate claw, and immediately and completely. Reference. But the steering wheel, although it will be covered with good skin, but thin. As well as the KP lever. Exactly under the miniature lady's handle is sharpened. It seems that it is not fundamentally: the automatic has turned on at the beginning of the road, but it put on R. but no, here you can shoot +, and the lever in the fist is lost ... In the finishing of the expensive version there is a plastic tree (as well as in Vectra ). What, in my opinion, looks badly for fake, and everything else is real! Deep cozy armchairs, space especially rear, for legs. But the places above the head in the second row are less than that of competitors, personally it was uncomfortable here. I had to bend.
The third competitor C5 on the interior decoration, I admit honestly, not too pleased ... There is a feeling that his salon was developed without regard to the change of the last 20 years. Such a rough, gray and unfriendly plastic will meet only on American SUVs and on dwarf cars, where, due to the finish, it is possible to save at cost and provide an acceptable price for a student-driver. But on the flagship?! Again, I turn to the cute my heart to the baby C3 in terms of the machine's performance as if swammed by places!
Toyota Avensis
+
   
Finishing quality
9 (!) Airbags
Silent engine
  
–  
 
Flemphatic temperament
To soften the level of criticism, I note that the Citroen salon is spacious, like any of the competitors. You can sit at anywhere in a hat, and if you want to break down. It was clearly possible to find a compromise between streamlining and internal volume. But in the rest of the ... of unimportant quality, stealless switches that strive to stay in your hands, poorly fixable buttons are vague to the touch. Injustable panoramic mirrors and the almost tank narrow of the rear window ambrusura. The ACP lever moves along a Mercedes-like zigzag. Its plastic dusting under chrome has such a cutting front edge that falls right under the tips of the fingers, that the plaster may be needed. Although this, perhaps, the peculiarity of a specific instance. The other hit of the ill-impaired inner handles of the doors. Someone intense fantasy launched the plane of their opening on the 90th horizontally. So pull out the handle turns out, but the door to push the door is either a second hand or elbow. Absurd...
But driving qualities in large sedans, like all solid cars, much more neutral, reduced under some medium standard.
To the best of the dynamic responsive Opel pleased the greatest adequacy of the control (the only minus almost lazy entry into the turn). In Vectre, the most convenient manual box mode is most convenient: the lever walks like oil, and the reaction to switching is instant. But here I can not do without comments. The first concerns the steering wheel control of turn signals. The lever is not fixed here, and after pressure starts to click so much how much he wants. He himself understands when you jerked the wheel in the opposite direction. But it is unpleasant that it is being done in addition to your will and not always timely. The second claim is a purely geometric extremely low apron of the front bumper: you can only put the muzzle on the border.
Avensis's behavior is perfect, otherwise you can not say. Should I like greater dynamics. But in theory there are much more faded versions of 1.6 and 1.8. Well, the dimensions in Toyota are felt worse than competitors, despite the identity of the sizes. Of all the Trinity, Avensis is allocated by the most solid, representative behavior on the road. He is imposed and planted. And most importantly, obedient.
I will not be original if I say that the set of small misses of the Citroen reaches indispensable sometimes in domestic conditions a hydropneumatic suspension. Situation: Muscovite broke into one of three rows, and in the other, the bus began to turn the left (by itself, no one will miss his glory through the stream, not in America!). And in the only ringer of the row and chaos. Competition three to one. I slowly rolling to the right cargo curb and press the up button. It is uncomfortable, of course, that indication on the board of the level over the asphalt is only an indirect arrow up / down, but the surrounding subjects notice that the ragu. Under the surprise-enthusiastic views of drivers exposed in battles and grilled at the stopping of C5 passengers easily crashes on the pavement with a height of centimeters 20 with nuts. Cork toward. Abrupting the gradation after me, a wide disappointment is not solved on the same feat and does not hurt with the species, it should be buried into the thick of it. C5 angle ramp colossal.
Citroen C5.
+
 
Bold plus changing clearance
Spacious salon
–  
 
Long minus interior finish
Did you want conclusions? Me too. But I do not know your priorities. And all the views are different. And the choice is always yours. Buyers voting money is quite massively buying Opere and Toyota, but Citroen does not bypass.
OUTSIDE:
At the examples of this diverse, the Trinity can be safely illustrated by the dynamics of the development of modern style. Judge for yourself: Citroen swan biodisane song of the end of the 80s, Opel has a fairly hard techno start of the new century and, finally, Toyota techno soft and even a little decorated, incoming in the last time. According to BRAND's recognition, indisputable leadership remains for the Japanese car, the design of which is also corporate, that according to modern standards is valued especially. The view of Opel and Toyota headlights are similar, and both cars equally get it a little bit up, which, however, on the hand Citroen, the view of which the archaic dive itself is little expressive. Because of Vectra's addiction to the techno style, the architecture of the main volume of the body and its plastic loses the rest in the dynamics, but they make the composition of the car solid. In addition, Opel demonstrates in German verified and geometrically clear lines of absolutely circular arches of the wheels and direct lines that the windowsill wedge is drawn. In comparison with this, Citroen plastic looks softer, not to mention Toyota, which is although less dynamic, but plastic, soft and it looks even imposed.
Citroen C5 is alignificary and aquadynamic design looks not so bad, but only for those who do not know the history of the company.
Evaluation 4.
Opel Vectra Quality and whole design, which is distinguished by the German school of recent years. As for the style of techno, it is still in fashion.
Rating 5.
Toyota Avensis is a very high-quality and modern design to which you just need to look at, but only then draw conclusions.
Rating 5.
 
INSIDE:
By the nature of plastics and style interiors, Opel and Toyota demonstrate rather close relatives with their outdoor design. And this is a big plus. Plastic Citroen's instrument and upholstery panels are different. Unlike exterior, it defiantly stylish. What is just one x-shaped stroke of the lines, which are organized by the drawing of the central console! The interior style of Opel is strict and straightforward and largely resembles a bit of conservative, but very good style of trimmed under the TV of the deceased company Grundig. In Japan, for a long time without a navigation system, no one even goes through the native city. Therefore, a multifunctional screen that is inoperable to hide in the top cover of the Toyota instrument panel, an important compositional place is given. As a result, the screen rises even over a combination of devices, and the organization of the entire central console is tightened. Ruled solid and four-spin, without a share of a hint at temperament. Door panels Related: Citroen Dynamic Top-up Upholstery Connector Line, decorated with wooden lining, can remind the design of a hot sports compartment, and the prudence of the functional construction of the Opel door is more expensive models representing the classics of the German automotive design.
Results:
 
Citroen C5 Unlike Exterior, everything is fulfilled very emotionally, which will make fans of the company's traditions.
Rating 5.
Opel Vectra is a solid solution that, due to excessive straightness, it may seem entitled and dry. Saves position Professionalism, cleanliness and quality of execution.
Rating 5.
Toyota Avensis is a very modern and stylish solution that fully meets both the requirements of high design and the modern level of its class.
Evaluation 4.

THE OVERALL RESULT:
Citroen C5 4.
Opel Vectra 5.
Toyota Avensis 5.
 
Text Vladimir Smirnov photo Alexander Nozdrin
 

A source: Cars