Test drive Citroen Xantia 1998 - 2001 hatchback
Royal pendants
How does you see a bright future? It seems to us in the form of a flat highway filled with the sun, along which we smoothly slip in a powerful and silent car. A jar of water on a torpedo, light music from speakers ... WHAT TO DO
... fuck! Pink dreams of a bright future in a break are crashed against the oncoming pardon. The jar flies to his knees, irrigating the upholstery of the cabin and the driver’s trousers, the cd changer swallows the last melody and shuts up forever, an unpleasant fingering sound appears in the suspension.
Yes, we enter a bright future on roads covered with scars of battles for this very future. And it is not for us to heal these scars. We will go the other way. Leaned comfort in our conditions can and should be achieved by solving the problem from the other end. On difficult roads, you need to drive a car with a difficult suspension!
And we chose Citroen.
Non -standard organ Citroen Xantia participated in our test - hatchback and station wagon with the same two -liter engines and mechanical boxes. The color and price of our couple were the same, and the difference in the configuration was reduced to the absence of a radio and an electric drive of external mirrors in the car.
Talking about the appearance of Citroen Xantia is a hopeless occupation is the same as trying to describe the surface of the storm Sea with mathematical equations. We will only say that the design in the development of which was attended by the Bertone studio fully corresponds to the overall extravagant style of Citroen and, moreover, elusively resembles the famous Citroen DC.
The interior, on the contrary, did not make a particular impression on us. Perhaps because everything turned out to be quite traditionally, even somehow too average - it got into the car and the feeling that you are here was not the first time. An unobtrusive, slightly conservative design, pleasant upholstery, everything is neatly and without calling. However, there are more options for the execution of Xantia, starting from the skin and electric drives in the cabin and ending with an active suspension. Well, here is the only thing that I didn’t like right away is that this is adjusted the fan speed - an old -fashioned and not too convenient solution. But the hatchback duplicate control of the radio is brought to the steering wheel. Between the front seats, we found a non -standard governing body - a lever that changes the road clearance, but more on that later.
The differences between our wards were also reduced to the size of the trunk. The station wagon is larger, because the car itself is longer than the hatchback about twenty centimeters. The back row of seats on both machines is made exactly the same and besides what can be folded in parts in a ratio of 2: 3, it also has a hatch for long cargo, located behind the armrest. So, going fishing or skiing, in the car you can accommodate four and with all the amenities. Behind the second row of seats there is a hard shelf with a built -in stretching curtain for glass. In the hatchback, this shelf completely closes the luggage compartment, in the station wagon it blocks only part of the space, and for the remaining, a traditional rolling coating is intended, fixed on it.
The barrier is taken!
Trips around the city and along the highway did not reveal serious differences between two xanthi, but they approved us confidence in the possibility of achieving the desired comfort on domestic roads. In almost any situation, the suspension enthusiastically swallows the flaws of the road surface - whether it be seams, joints, potholes or hatches. And all sorts of tram tracks and railway crossings, through which everyone else is neatly rolling, Xantia overcomes playfully. It is enough to slow down a little in the third gear, and the barrier is taken. The most remarkable thing is that Citroen, possessing all these qualities, does not resemble a rocking chair at all, like some American road dreadnought. Accordingly, the car goes along the highway, as if not noticing the longitudinal wave of the coating, there is no pitching in the cabin.
But that's not all. If there is a need to drive along a bad road, Citroen Xantia and here will not hit the bumper in the mud - after all, the road clearance is regulated! Remember the lever between the front seats? It has four provisions. The first is designed for parking - the car is dropped almost to the ground, as if it goes to take a nap. The second position is for the usual driving on asphalt, the third helpfully raises the body if there is a desire to ride along the grass or to move through a puddle without soaking the dresses. There is also a fourth position intended exclusively for replacing the wheels, it is impossible to ride - the feeling that you are sitting on a large ball for a ping -pong, so the car begins to jump.
But the capabilities of the car are such that it is difficult to believe. During the shooting, a funny incident occurred - when we photographed a car moving out of a rather high border, the guys passed by a gangster look decided that it was stuck and offered help. We politely refused and watched with interest the expression of their faces when we walked calmly, and then drove back to the curb.
They did not promise to feed on the road Quite a peculiar Xantia behaves on traffic lights associated with another interesting feature of its suspension - the ability to align the position of the body, regardless of the load. So, if before the intersection you energetically slowed down and left your leg on the brake, the car freezes, pecking with your nose. After a few seconds, the body is leveled into the horizon, and when you remove the leg from the brake to the green signal, the car immediately raises the ass, like a runner, ready to break from the place of low start.
In all other respects, Xantia left an impression, which is easiest to formulate as follows: cars like cars. Everything is again somehow average. But we can give several oncoming tips - the brake pedal requires a very delicate circulation, since the brakes are harsh. But the experienced driver will not be difficult to catch the moment when smooth braking occurs. We really liked the selection of gear rates - they are quite long, but not so much as to strangle the dynamics. Here - just ten points!
Scrolling in his thoughts our impressions, we came to the conclusion that the main trump cards of Citroen Xantia are an interesting, very non -trivial external design and, of course, an unusual suspension that provides sisers with high comfort on any roads. A similar cocktail, in our opinion, makes these machines very attractive for aesthetes and intellectuals who want to emphasize their personality once again. However, even if it cares for you last, Xantia will still like you.
The editors thanks the company Torgtrans, (095) 961 1196, 961 1197, which provided cars for the test. For the period of the test, the cars were insured in the insurance company of the Resa-Garantia, (095) 250-3600, 255-6834, 254-2272.
Half a century ago, an important novelty of Citroen was a hydropneumatic suspension that had an adjustment of the road clearance.
It was first installed on a DC-19 car. After starting the engine, the car got to his feet, like a camel. First, the back rose, then the front. The heart of the suspension was a high -pressure compressor given from the engine, which pumped up oil in four spherical tanks - one on the wheel. Each reservoir was divided by a diaphragm into two different volumes: in one there was oil, in the other - nitrogen. The pistons in the oil hemisphere had a mechanical connection with the suspension of the corresponding wheel, and the pressure was set by valves, the position of which depended on the height of each of the corners of the body above the road level. The thrust from the middle of the reptile stability stabilizer reached the control valve of the body height corrector, this device and provided an operational change in the clearance depending on the road conditions or the roll of the car.
To replace the punctured or damaged wheel, it was enough to redistribute the pressure of the oil through the suspension tanks, thereby forcing the machine to lift the punctured wheel, and throw a special support for insurance. The system of hydropneumatic pendants that have become a kind of business card of the company of the system of hydropneumatic pendants remained on later models of Citroen.
Oddly enough, the Citroen brand has been fame with us since quite ancient times. One copy was held in the garage by a great lover of all kinds of vehicles Leonid Brezhnev. Aleksey Leonov traveled to Citroen and astronaut, escorted by the amazed glances of passers -by. In the latter times, Svyatoslav Fedorov bought Ksantia to himself Xanthia. Unfortunately, this Fedorov undertaking turned out to be extremely unsuccessful: the matter took place in the early 90s, there was absolutely nowhere to repair a rare equipment, and soon the surgeon sold a kind of machine, moving to the usual Russian Mercedes.
The Citroen reputation of an intelligent machine for intelligent people in Russian conditions led to a very unexpected result. Among its owners there were quite a few representatives, let's say, an alternative business sphere. They are attracted by the decent reputation of Citroen, thanks to which traffic cops and police treat him without any interest and are extremely rare.
Professional hijackers also do not like Xantia. The fact is that, despite the notorious thinking suspension and good patency associated with it, this car has a chance to survive only in cities with a well -established service: it does not give in to garage service. And judge for yourself, will there be, say, in Chechnya, which is listed among the main consumers of stolen vehicles who want to get an extra headache along with a capricious car?
A peculiar car Citroen. So much so that, as sellers assure, each specific copy has its character. We sold two exactly the same Xantias of one famous Moscow company, ”Torgtrans told us. - So, the general director was just a miracle: he travels to himself and does not break. But with the Zama machine all the time, the problem. Europe, however, are unknown. Otherwise, Xantia would not have received the title of the best car of 1994 in Britain.
The Russian fate of Xanthia is characterized by the overwhelming dominance of gasoline versions. Our customers treat diesel with great suspicion (and completely unreasonably! - sellers assure with professional heat). If in France almost half of Xantius consumes diesel fuel, then only 5 percent of customers are solved for this.
And the last. It is impossible not to mention that Bulat Okudzhava rode on an old Citroen.
Model/Modification Citroen Xantia Citroen Xantia Break
Automobiles Citroen manufacturer
The country-producing France
BODY
Type hatchback station wagon
Number of doors/places 5/5 5/5
ENGINE
Basin type with multi -point injection
The location in front is transversely
Working volume (see cubic meter) 1998
The number/location of the cylinders 4, as ahead
Cylinder x Piston stroke (mm) 86x86
Compression degree 9.5: 1
Power (kW/hp) 89/121
At (about./Min.) 5750
Moment (NM) 176
At (about./Min.) 2750
Valve number/cylinder 2
TRANSMISSION
Front -wheel drive
The gearbox is five -speed, mechanical
SUSPENSION
Front independent, hydropneumatic
Rear independent, hydropneumatic
STEERING
Type gear-rake, with hydraulic power steering
Brakes
Front disk, ventilated
The rear disc
ABS standard equipment
Wheels
Tire size 185/65 r14
Dimensions/about EME/Weight
Length/width/height (mm) 444/1755/1401 4660/1755/1416
Wheel base (mm) 2740
The track of the front/track is the rear (mm) 1482/1442 1488/1442
Equipped mass (kg) 1260 1350
The diameter of the turn (m) 11.3
The volume of the fuel tank (L) 65
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km/h) 195 193
Acceleration to 100 km/h (sec.) 13.6 14.8
Economy
Fuel consumption per 100 km (l)
At 90 km/h 6.6 6.8
At 120 km/h 8.3 8.6
In the city cycle 12.5 12.7
The price of cars that have passed test drives, ($) 28.5 thousand 29 thousand.
What else
In Russia, Citroen is not the most popular brand. The statistics of the life expectancy of even the most remarkable suspension on our roads look depressing, and repairing a complex system for adjusting road clearance can cost a fairly large amount.
From the point of view of maintenance and accessibility in maintenance, the open spaces of the homeland are much more profitable to plow on the usual Opel. At least, this name does not cause nervous tick in mechanics on non -financial service - from the end of the Great Patriotic War, the Russian Kulibin has accumulated tremendous experience in repairing cars of this brand. And the range of Opel Vectra is quite diverse in bodies, engines and configuration - here even the most picky will choose the car to his liking.
On the other hand, French cars have firmly won the glory of the most elegant ones, and if you are at the same time wishes to have an extraordinary car, on the one hand, and easy to operate on the other, then by natural selection it is easiest to stop at Renault Laguna. At first glance with Citroen, they are similar as sisters, but upon careful examination, you understand that one blonde and the other is a brunette. Everyone chooses what they like better.
Comparing Japanese and European cars generally ungrateful. Just in the country of the rising sun, engineers have their own approach to automotive industry. With a word, efficiency all unfold to the east. In this case, Nissan is the most optimal way out for those who want to ride an unpretentious and economical car, but have a gentleman's set of amenities: electric package, steering wheel, ABS, etc.
Alexander Kalugin,
Alexander Novikov,
Stepan Rybakov (photo)
Source: "Autopilot"
