Citroen C8 Test drive since 2002 Minivan

For family reasons

What to take home in the city? The station wagon is already not enough: the kids have grown imperceptibly, the father-in-law did not lose weight, and their favorite Bolonka, contrary to the promises of the seller in the market, turned into a rather large bear cub.
The ideal option for such a mini-wen team. We brought them to a virtual duel. Mitsubishi Grandis debuted last fall at the Frankfurt car dealership. In the near future he will appear with Russian dealers. On the other side of the Sitroen C8 barrier, the product of the European design school. Recall that he is an analogue of Peugeot 807, Fiat Uliss and Lyanchi-Fedra.
Elegant on the face
The main advantages of mini-wen are functionality and practicality, not without reason this class is often designated by the abbreviation MPV (Multi Purpose Vehicle multi-purpose car). However, the times when the design of spacious wagons, some firms considered it a secondary business, have passed.
Modern mini-wenes do not have to be shy of their appearance. The stylistic solutions, characteristic of all modern Mitsubishi models, proposed by the Oliver Boulay chief designer, are also traced in the grand. A corporate break is stretching from a bumper through an emblem of three rhombics on a false radiator grill to almost the middle of the hood. Large rear lights are similar in that they are on an updated Lanser with a station wagon and recently debuted Mitsubishi Colt.
Drawing a new Grandis, the designers looked at the concepts presented a couple of years ago, an elegant car of the Lux Liner class (Space Liner) and a dynamic convertible Tarmac (Tarmac). Grandis recognizes the folds on the side panels and doors.
French designers also tried to adhere to family traditions. The face of City C8 is similar to passenger models of a grille with a bar across, which houses a two -story emblem, narrowed headlights, a slightly swollen hood. On the side of C8, compared with the grandis, it looks rustic. Yes, and the back looks more functionally than elegant.
But some elements of the Japanese and the Frenchman are similar. For example, large elongated lights. Only Grandis instead of light bulbs in them more attractive and bright LEDs (24 in each). The turns of the turn that settled in the outer mirrors are similar.
Sensible inside
Of course, this should be a mini-van. However, in order to seriously fight competitors, this is not enough. The interior decoration of Grandis was performed in a style inherent in many Japanese models soundly, conveniently, but without special frills. The main governing bodies are carried out to the central console.
The design of the C8 instrument panel is more original and intricate. Unlike Grandis, where the main devices are in front of the driver's eyes, the French hung a speedometer, a tachometer and other signs in the middle of a torpedo to a two -story visor. A screen is visible between the knitting needles of the steering wheel, on which information about the general and day mileage, maintenance intervals, oil level indicator and other information. It is curious that the instrumental mini-shirt walks along with the steering column adjustable in the longitudinal direction and in height.
Of course, Mitsubishi and Citroen obliges a lot of general class. Pockets, niches and boxes would not forget where what is lying is scattered across the cabin. Even for sunglasses, special departments were carefully provided. The cup holders are already familiar. In these mini-wenes, the services of the rear seats are also the tables, moving from the backs of the front seats.
In Citroen, the front seats unfold 180 degrees. Around the table, which becomes the chair of the second row, four will be dangled comfortably to have lunch or just talk. Mitsubishi cannot boast of such cunning transformations. Unless the seats of the third row turn against the move can travel or relax on the balcony in the trunk.
Probably, every mini-wen sometimes has to work out with a truck. In Citroen and Mitsubishi, you can clear the place to the front seats. It is even easier to fold only the last row, and to build long -meters to build chairs in a line.
It is probably important for someone that C8 will take away eight people, and a Japanese one less. However, if a family or company is not so numerous, you can sacrifice the number of seats for the sake of comfort. By order of both cars, instead of a common sofa, for three in the second row, two individual chairs with armrests will be installed.
Neither the driver nor the passengers have to miss: if there is no one to talk to, the full -time audio system will be brightened up with the first trip, and the latter will watch the film on a seven -inch screen suspended to the ceiling.
To protect the family
An attractive appearance, a convenient salon, a complete set of additional equipment ... What else excites the buyer? Of course, security.
The Rise (Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution Evolution The Evolution of the Acken Passive Safety System) includes the basic elements of the body that help extinguish energy when impact and protecting riders. She brought Grandis the highest assessment of 6 stars on trials according to the Japanese J-NCAP methodology, largely similar to similar EURONCAP tests. Other means of protection were also contributed: four airbags for the front riders, inflatable curtains, protecting heads, three -point belts (on the front row with pretensors).
The set of rescue equipment of Citroen is similar to Japanese as two drops of water: a carefully designed body, a full set of pillows, belts with pyropatrons. The smallest passengers are not forgotten. On the seats of the second row C8 and the Grandis, the isofix locks were installed (see ZR, 2004, No. 5), reliably holding the children's chair in the accident. True, Citroen is a little more caring: there is even an additional mirror under the ceiling, in which parents watch the situation in the rear seats.
The designers not only took care of passive safety, but, of course, tried to cram the cars with devices that help avoid trouble. Disk brakes on all wheels, of course, with ABS, the force between the axes distributes electronics. Citroen has more electronic assistants in the list of standard equipment. Active Traction Control systems and allowing the car on a given trajectory (Active Stability Control), with Grandis in the options. True, the Japanese promised that for some European countries they would be included in the basic equipment.
Serious moments
Practicality practicality, and worthy technical indicators are also necessary. To develop the maximum 180 km/h Grandis helps a new gasoline engine with a MIVEC system that regulates the height of the intake valves. There are three fists of different profiles for a couple of valves. At low speeds, one inlet valve is opened only by half, the second and even less. At increased speeds, the course of both valves sets another fist as the size of the maximum rise. A cunning system allows you to save fuel, and also improves the characteristics of torque and maximum power.
Sitroen offers a couple of diesel engines with a volume of 2.0 (79 kW/109 hp) and 2.2 l (94 kW/128 hp), the assortment of gasoline is even richer. Two more powerful are equipped with VTC (Variable Timing Control) system, which regulates the gas distribution phase. On the sock of the camshaft, hydromechanical rotary devices were installed. Depending on the speed of the engine and the load, the camshaft is shifted relative to the pulley. The advantages of the design are the same as in the device that regulates the height of the valve lifting on the Grandis motor, less fuel consumption, higher torque and power.
The Japanese also made a full -wheel drive version. The rear wheels, if necessary, connects electronic clutch, and the driver can choose one of the three transmission operating modes. On a good road, the front wheels are preferable to the front wheels. On slippery coating, it is better to turn on the 4WD all -wheel drive, and the Lock mode is intended for an improperment to storm when the electronic clutch is operating almost without slipping.
It is difficult to say which of the duelists will gain more votes at the family council. Opinions may be divided: for example, dad will vote for a dynamic, outwardly slightly more passenger grandis, and mom may like the interior of C8. Surely parents will also take into account children's wishes, because mini-wen are not in vain called family cars.
 

 



Maxim Sachkov

Source: The magazine "Driving"