Test Drive Citroen C8 since 2002 Minivan

Ice started

The Russian auto consumers will not too much of mini-Wen. Especially french. In general, in many of our citizens to the local automakers the relationship, let's say, the incredulous. They say, we know them to write Renault and Peugeot could not be, and the cylinders from the flywheel consider. But it seems that this abnormal feature of the domestic market will soon require long live.


Not only is he French, he also Citroen is the least popular brand from the French Troika. Although practically read, as written. It will be about the representative of the second generation of Euro-mini-Ven Citroen C8, shown in March of the past in Geneva. The developers of the new series are all the same PSA (Peugeot and Citroen) and Fiat. Accordingly, the Peugeot model changed the index for 807, Fiat remained unchanged, Lancia from Z turned into Phedra, and Citroen, in the past Evasion, according to a new proprietary scheme in C8. This generation of twins has a fundamentally new design difficult to believe that the old platform is used. The power scheme of the body and the suspension remain unchanged. Generic differences, as before, in the design of the front and rear parts of the car, the sidewall is one at all.


C8 very much resembles C5, Picasso, XSARA large drop-shaped headlamps, recognizable radiator grille with chrome-plated cross. Rear, again, it looks like C5, but with a body wagon. Forms smooth, rounded, and therefore it seems that C8 is more than its predecessor. Not mini-Ven, but a bus. Is it beautiful? I do not know, an amateur. But peculiar exactly.


Contrary to custom will begin with the passenger part of the cabin, which helps to get the electric drive of the rear slide (as before) the side doors here is the first chip. It is enough to press the corresponding button on the keychain, and the huge door will move away, the buzz. In the salon you do not get closer, but you are in the house. In big.


Close the doors by pressing the keys in the cabin or from the same keyfob. In this case, C8 is a five-seater, all seats separate. The rear three can be moved and folded as you like. You can generally pull out, then get three cubic meters of residential space. Complete set of suite. Leather seats, three hatches in the roof, window curtains, autonomous lighting for each row, individual climate control for the back of the cabin. In general, I repeat feel at home.


The front doors are traditionally swinging. But here it has a lot of soot, and access inside is no less simple. The design of the cabin, to put it mildly, did not leave indifferent. Truly cool, sit as in Concept. Owning arc-cross over the front panel, central greenish, some kind of space appliances, the original cutting chairs with a crumpled bed, velvety alcantara, aluminum kant around the perimeter of the entire cabin. And a bunch of boxes, shelves, pockets and cup holders. Bardachkov, True, only three in front.


Trinity Kreagolov in the center of the speedometer, tachometer and operating temperature with a fuelometer. Bully below, under the visor, the board of the on-board computer. And above the steering column, in the usual place, control lights and an electronic odometer. Four steering switches. Left light, right wiper, under them Music and cruise control. The steering wheel, covered with skin, is adjustable in height and length. Seat adjustments are known and mechanical, except height. The KP lever is in the same place on the front of the front panel, there is no central console. Chairs unfold 180 degrees, so the handbrake is located to the left of the driver. In general, comfortable and spacious.


The ventilation system separately serves the driver and front passenger. The control unit pleases design and ergonomics: a large screen, clear buttons and a convenient wheel of the fan speed adjustment. The system warms a large interior in a matter of minutes, and after all, overboard minus 10c. Family car, everything is there for long journeys with Chads. In addition to the cup holders, in the backs of the front chairs, the folding tables are mounted, the backs of others themselves turn into the tables if the seats are tilted. There is a special campaign spherical mirror to observe small passengers. And also blocking the sliding doors control buttons, in addition, they are automatically blocked at speeds more than 5 km / h. If the servo is out of order or sees the battery, the doors can easily move manually.


Thrust weather, it really does not want to get out of it, so there is a turn-free detail. The engine at idle is practically not heard. Acceleration cheerful for one and a half tons of weight. A little slightly, and wow C8 in a summer, so the electron stabilization system is periodically connected. Feel confidently after 3000- 3500 rpm., So that the mechanics are very useful. Only here is the clarity of switching, it cannot please, and the moves of the lever are large. And the latitude does not want to work, the moment is missing. The brakes demonstrated the expected efficiency, the ABS premature interference does not annoy.


Revelations in controllability C8 is also not. Moderates for mini-vena rolls, a bit of a slit steering wheel. Along with this, good course stability and approximate behavior in turns. The suspension is not tough and enough energy-intensive, but noisy, especially from behind. Here would be a corporate pneumatics, but it is offered only to the owners of C5.


In general, C8 seemed to be not too quiet, either because the engine had to twist, whether noise insulation does not correspond to the internal situation, so cozy and warm. But the stereo system with the CD player and changer plays quite decently.


What else? Overview and maneuverability at the level, the radius of the turn of 5.46 m is a decent indicator for a base of 2823 mm. The car is rather big, but if desired and it is possible. Therefore, you do not feel the bus driver.


Pleased French. Not without knocking, of course, spoke, but it can be seen that he tried. Nothing I go out of the car, I finally raise the hood. Under it a two-liter 136-strong engine. Considering the dynamics shown by C8, I waited for something more. More this is a 2.2-liter (158 hp), which is not supplied to us (by the way, before the Citroen model did not equip), and the three-liter six (204 hp). There are two more two-liter diesel engines, but in Russia diesel C8 officially not sold. The automatic box is set as an option on a 2-liter option and as a standard on a 3-liter.


Gotable from us C8 costs $ 33.500 due to the luxury configuration. In fact, prices for it begin with $ 28.200.
 
Sergey Yakubov
 

Source: Motor magazine [June 2003]