Test Drive Citroen C6 since 2006 Hatchback

All photos Citroen C6 since 2006

On what to go to Riga

Criteria for assessing cars countless. Style, functionality, driving quality, finally finally focuses on your own.
Citroen C6.

The prototype is represented by the public in 1999, the serial version in March 2005 at the Geneva Motor Show.
Engines: gasoline 3.0 l (215 hp), diesel 2.7 liters (208 hp).
Transmission: 6-speed automatic. Drive on the front wheels.
Hardware: Standart, Lignage, Exclusive.
Price in Russia: є49 90059 000 ($ 63 90074 900).

Honda Legend.
The premiere of the model for the US and Japan markets took place in 2004.
Engine: gasoline 3.5 l (297 hp).
Gearbox: 5-speed automatic. Drive on all wheels.
Complete set: one option.
Price in Russia: $ 69,900.

Volvo S80.
The new generation is shown to the public at the Motor Show in Geneva in 2006.
Engines: gasoline 2.04.4 l (140315 hp), diesel 2.4 l (130185 hp).
Transmission: 5-, 6-speed mechanical, 4-, 5-, 6-speed automata. Drive on the front or on all wheels.
Fitting: individual.
Price in Russia: $ 45,900,74,900.

Mercedes-Benz E
Upgraded after four years of release, the car appeared in the spring of 2006 at the Salon in New York.
Engines: gasoline 1,86.2 l (184514 hp), diesel 2,14.0 l (136314 hp).
Gearbox: 5-speed automatic. Drive on the rear or on all wheels.
Required: Classic, Elegance, Avantgarde.
Price in Russia: є43 800123 500 ($ 55,500157 000).

And what have Riga? you ask. Be care. It has a direct attitude towards the test in which we decided to collect business-class innovations: Citroen C6, Honda-Ledgend, Volvo S80 and Mercedes-Benz
E-class. The company was directly selected not only by nationality, but also from a technical point of view. Since Honda is sold in a single configuration, which among other things provides for a four-wheel drive, at least one of the opponents should also be all-wheel drive: we chose Volvo. Mercedes defended the classic rear drive, and Citroen front.

SYBARITE

He does not confuse him with any other, it seems to be stamp: Made in France. The French always were famous for refined lines and beautiful designer moves whether clothes, architecture or cars. Citroen C6 only once again confirmed this. Varnish in his silhouette: Isn't it good? Which one you can approach the car, you always want to slow down and consider it. Hectares of headlights and double chevron on the hood; huge forms behind the rear doors and glass without frames; The feed that would rather go rather than the hatchback, and not sedan, it is interesting in almost everything! It is a pity that not in motion.
It is worth touched the gas pedal, as you feel the emptiness of the steering wheel, as if in a computer simulator rally: the feedback in urban mode is definitely not enough. The engine is much disappointed with lethargy and hardly worthy of six cylinders with acceleration. Or maybe not? Why are Sports of such a Frant? Yes, he has no powerful biceps, but the girls love him for one smile and studied shoes.
The machine imperceptibly moves six gears, noise insulation is very good, the seat allows you to take any convenient posture. For nothing to hurry! Probably, to break the high-speed mode on Citroen is more difficult than on many other cars: the speed is constantly loyalty in front of the eyes in the literal sense of the word. The French brought the projection of the speedometer on the windshield, so the numbers all the time jump somewhere between glass and expensive. And here is the system of control over the rigidity of the movement; Through the seats built-in

vibratories she warns the driver about the intersection of the markup line. Wonderful!
And the instrument panel itself is on an amateur. The narrow slot behind the Barankaya Bazart on the information, and attention strives to select the bracely out of the middle of the panel screen. And under it buttons, buttons ... It is not easy to understand. How not to customize the seat, although there is plenty of electrical adjustments. The problem is all the same specific ergonomics.
Adding speed and glancing in the mirror, she startled by surprise: from the trunk, dramatically advanced the small wing. Is dandy owns a secret martial art? Unfortunately, all the spoiler and ends, even though the sport mode in the suspension (pneumatic also allows to reduce clearance). If the profile of the road wheel requires an active operation, and the speed passes from imposing gait to easy jogging, Citroen strives jelly spread on an asphalt track. No, better to drive in a straight line or a leisurely crawl through the city. Then (if you will board on the rear sofa) can enjoy the silence in the cabin, seats adjustable for length and expanse over their heads. In short, I feel like a sybarite!
THE MYSTERY OF THE PLANET HONDA

Rotate the ignition key, and the blue light display flashes a piece of our planet over which somewhere in the vacuum of space soars Honda logo. Before the eyes sockets speedometer and rev counter, from which pours all the same cosmic blue light; around a sturdy plastic, leather, thoroughbred tree. Before we start, we have a good 15 minutes trying to cope with fogged windows after a cool night. First you have to press the climate button, then rotate the controller knob to search the desired menu item, and only in its depths you will find the setting of air flow
But should put Honda at a gallop, as domestic nuances fade into the background. Waking up at high revs the engine sounds moderately energetic, machine perfectly cope with responsibilities. He with minimal delays responsive to kickdown, and in those split seconds, until the box selects the appropriate gear, acceleration continues at the present. Thus, inherent in many machines thoughtfulness almost non-existent here.
In manual mode, you have to get used to the shift paddles, they somehow just allowed certain inertia in the work. A little gape, the tachometer needle has passed into the red zone and the car jerked convulsively on a sharp limiter. But if you master the skills of switching manually, the machine allows you to go exactly the way you want.

Is it worth it to explain how it is important to know in a quick turn, that the transmission will not go voluntarily to step up? Especially when we are talking about Legend, showing truly outstanding for a sedan in its class nature of governance.
The highly diffused colleague did not want to leave the Honda steering wheel, wreathing the circle for the circle along the mountain serpents of the Dmitrovsky landfill. Ledgend was strictly screwed in turns on, it would seem, the proven speeds and instantly quenched the stabilization system. The secret of the amazing chain lies in advanced SH-AWD (SP, 2004, No. 10), transmitting up to 70% torque to the desired axis and up to 100% of the moment that is supplied to the front or rear axle to the desired wheel.
Our technical libraries and admiring replicas broke off the rear passenger: whether it is impossible? Yes, Honda remained faithful to its principles by creating a car for the driver. But sin forget about passengers when it comes to a business class car! Despite the announced system of active noise reduction, in the cabin of Honda loud. In the smoothness of the course she is also in the outsider, and on the back sofa is simply impossible to present three passengers if only the average will not put his head on the shoulder neighbor
Compatible incompatible

The finger puts on the start button, the V-shaped eight slightly laid ahead, and a light trembling sodge on the body. A second later, the Salon fills the metal baritone, pressing the pedal and dug into the back of the cozy seat sharply. Stay and try to understand this Volvo. In the head, it does not fit in any way that such a discreet externally car is capable of a lightning throw!
The beige salon of the Swedes Elegant, but after Honda and the more Citroen his laconicity of the border with boredom. If it were not soaring in the air the console but here everything is clear, logical and simple. Several arbitrary exercises with the keyboard, acquaintance with Russified (!) Menu and after a minute you are already oriented in everything as confident as in your own wardrobe. Yeah, stereo settings, climate, power steering efficiency; Three suspension hardness modes and again I do not believe that the Swede can go fast.
And in vain! The eight explosion under the hood carries the S80 forward so easy that it seems to be enough for her to take off the same car.

In this case, a sharp metal sound on acceleration is clearly shifted to the right, as if the motor was squeezed and stuck in the glove box. With such a volume and power Volvo, would not have lost overclocking even with the Nevaznets automatic, and its box works great.
But on winding roads, the pace will have to lose. First of all, because the driver fell out of a flat and slippery chairs on high-speed turns. Where Honda did not give a reason to doubt himself, with Volvo you have to be cautious if the wheels are not too smooth road, all the defects of the canvas come to the steering wheel and strive to change the trajectory besides your will. Strange, because the car was adapted for our conditions: the suspension is quite adequately reacting to the Colds.
That until a full drive, then he showed himself in Scandinavian securely and calmly: the predicted reactions allow you to control the slip, but the Hondovsky permissiveness is not acceptable.
Strange turned out a car! Too noisy motor, too sharp behavior for business class sedan. Complex is a task to combine incompatible.
Nordic character

The recently subjected to the modernization of the Mercedes E-class will be distinguished from the previous model only fierce admirers of the brand, although in fact 2000 (two thousand!) Changes contributed to the car. All the same headlights, traditional radiator grille and stingy rear lights. No one pays attention to you. You are lost in the crowd of yourself like. I am going and trying to understand: Well, for what you love and honor all over the world this brand? Why are people overpaying a lot of money? Is it really for a star image?
On the traffic lights, I look out the interior: gray leather, plastic of ordinary quality. On their background, even the strips of polished wood look everyday. Seats moderate hard. Design? No applub: calm scales of the instrument panel, fairly simple and logical (not counting the typical Mercedesian steering wheel switch) controls.
The machine was the most thoughtful of four. Sharing the left-right lever (or acting by stealing petals), you are trying to choose the right transmission, but the car rolls on the former, it seems, a few more seconds! Mercedes seemed to: I have already achieved success and know how to live. Do not fuss. However, this feature is noticeable only in a comfortable mode of the box, switching to the sport eliminates it completely.

On the move, Mercedes presented a surprise: no one expected such decent dynamics from him, taking into account the volume of the engine. After all, the E200, albeit the compressor, despite the index, is equipped with a 1.8-liter aggregate! Overclocking smooth, but with character, though not the fastest. Efforts on pedals are optimal. Fabulously good brakes: Mercedes besieged easily in any situation from any speed, while he continues to obey the steering wheel.
When it comes to comparing riding qualities, you have to make a correction for different layouts. To resist Honda and Volvo in the Mercedes chain is difficult, although he keeps himself well. Measuring light rolls, the E-class must be a given trajectory, and when the laws of physics take the top, the predicted rear axle drift is developing. Return the car to the specified corridor does not make any particular problems, the good of the steering wheel is accurate, and the actions of the electronic systems are recovered.
A good car, here I would go to Riga to Riga, summed up our colleague, Sergey Klochekov test, which did a path of 974 km along the rhigamosku highway. The path where the sections alternate very different quality and the driver requires a considerable concentration. Perhaps this evaluation criterion is the most faithful? After all, it allows you to accurately determine which whims can be forgiven the car, and which is not. In our case, the least all will have to ask for forgiveness of the Mercedes E-class.

Citroen C6 French charm on wheels. Throw, individual, but uninteresting for the driver and too extravagant for a business class sedan.
Total rating of 7.8.
+ Excellent noise insulation, spacious rear sofa, folding rear seat.
- scanty dynamics, mediocre controllability, specific ergonomics.

Honda Legend High Technology Building, Packed Representative Body. Created primarily for the driver to deliver joy from driving.
Total rating of 8.1
+ Magnificent handling, excellent front seats, close to ideal machine, Convenient acceleration control, High quality finishes, long warranty period.
- mediocre course smoothness, complex onboard computer menu, close back seat.

Volvo S80 without a pronounced character:
Restored in everything except engine. Even a powerful motor and four-wheel drive do not cause the desire to drive the head.
Total rating of 8.3.
+ Excellent speaker, understandable controls, Russified menu, folding rear seat.
- noisy engine, insufficient side support for seats, not very comfortable to sit back.

Mercedes-Benz E verified from and to, he is as if out of fashion, worldly bustle. Perhaps it is in kindness, the predictability of most properties of the secret of its success.
Total rating of 8.3.
+ Excellent dynamics, classic style, comfortable rear seat, large trunk, high smooth course on mediocre roads, big ground clearance, intelligible handling.
- cramped landing back, requiring addictive steering switches, delay in the operation of the machine.