Citroen Xsara 2000 test drive - 2004 hatchback

Time forward!

Since the first Golf, 27 years have passed since the release of the first Golf. And no one is surprising that of many automobile classes, only one bears the name of its own Golf class. But time does not stand still, and last year, Peugeot, having sent a well-deserved rest 306, shot from new weapons of mass destruction b 307. Pezhons got into the apple their creation was awarded the title of 2002. Naturally, the meeting of the Frenchman with a German at the golf field suggested by itself. And in the company we took the no less worthy opponent Citroen Xsara.
The fathers of the 307th clearly read Dale Carnegie and learned something of him: no matter how wide the lion cub smiles, he always succeeded in gobbies his competitors for a sweet soul. It is not surprising. Indeed, in the designer and components of the 20th -century car, Golf and Citroen (even taking into account the successful restyling of the latter in 2001) remain cars of five years ago. The 307th gravitating to the single-column is strikingly different from the classical Golf and rapid Xsara. I liked that with his face he looks great at the flagship 607th. Interestingly, thanks to the high body of Peugeot in the 5-door version, it looks more attractive to its 3-door counterpart. Against the background of a compatriot, Xsara demonstrates a great commitment to the canons of French design. Despite her age, the car is still very elegant, and fresh makeup allows it to flirt this model is still capable of charming even a sophisticated driver ...
But about everything in order, because the classic of the genre frowned nearby. An exemplary, tightly knocked down German clear, correct lines, thoughtfulness and verification of each external detail. Its design is unlikely to be out of the near future, and in general, he still does not fill up with the point of nature ... But from Golf, even an amazing red color and on the anniversary 16-inch discs, it blows some kind of if not by cold, then Already very impenetrable calm. By the way, do not be surprised by meeting completely new cars without a run from a party released on the 25th anniversary of Golf, just such a copy came to us for a test. In addition to the aforementioned discs, Volkswagen flaunts Recaro sports seats, which, which, out of ease of landing, can only be products made on an individual order and amazingly convenient leather three -spoke steering wheel. And on a ball of gearbox, a jubilee inscription, 25 Anniversary, proudly, on a ball of gearbox, which is conveniently lying in the hand. Otherwise, the salon is some kind of naked. The lines are good, like a pattern, but the eye reacts only to the bright purple lighting of the devices, which probably looks especially impressive at night from the rear seat, but definitely acts on the nerves of the driver. According to the quality of the materials of the interior decoration in this class, the creators of the folk car, as always, are ahead of any competitor. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was the German standards that the authors of Peugeot 307 accepted for themselves.
Honestly, for a long time I could not get used to the idea that I was sitting in a French car. If you do not take into account the dubious combination of gray plastic, decoration for wood and metal, then the 307th inside does not give out its gallery origin. The All -Volkswagen dashboard is noteworthy. However, we want this or not, the future is behind such simple and functional solutions. I will note the global tendency to the maximum increase in the internal volume of the car within PEUGEOT. In this regard, the pepper is outside of class competition. The architecture of the salon resembles the minivan, especially if you raise the seat in the upper position and throw back the armrests. Somewhere far away the windshield goes up, and the review, thanks to huge janitors with a very convenient automatic mode (the frequency of waves depends on the speed and intensity of precipitation), is excellent even in unexpected February rain. The Peugeot also wins by the number of various options such as a cooling glove compartment and glass in the ceiling. And in the 307th, the most spacious rear seat with my standard 180 cm, I, sitting behind me, did not even touch the front of the front back.
After all this, Citroen should not have seemed so attractive. However, despite the gray inexpensive plastic and the fuse lid dabbled over 14 thousand mileage (someone, a caring hand, had already faded a piece of adhesive tape there), the Xsara interior is quite comfortable. In general, inside Citroen is inferior to competitors only in the quality of plastic. Start key. Oh, did the lionen grow so? Yes, it seems not ... It just plays the muscles in front of the French. We know that he has only 102 horses against 109 PSA infantry, and the speaker in numbers is a little worse. But the sound, deep and bass, is impressive. It increases as it is promoted equally in the entire speed range, so that the same gentle and smooth curves of moment and power are loomed in the head. A good pickup from the bottom, cheerful tops in the end are convenient and pleasant to control overclocking. Hooligan in traffic jams, except for burned gasoline and nerves, is a pleasure.
The XSARA feels equally cheerful in the city stream, provided that you do not need to weave in a traffic jam. In general, the element of Citroen flights on relatively free spaces. Although Xsara and the 307th received their engines from one window in the PSA warehouse, the settings of their transmission are completely different. If the wad is closer to Golf in nature, then Xsara is more pleased with the steepness and the ability to use the honed transmission mechanism more often. There is not enough motor from the bottom of the motor. But breaking into the operational scope, Xsara easily allows you to get the tachometer arrow to the limiter and lucky with pleasure. As a result, Citroen is not only perceived as a faster car, but is really that.
A similar situation with controllability. Golf is a very correct and understandable car that will delight the driver with predicted reactions. Everything is great in the 307th. The steering electric power amplifier that allows you to maintain almost transparent understanding with the front wheels is especially good. True, the fans of the brand will probably remember the old days of the 405th and breathe about the former sophistication of the French behavior compared to the Germans ... Do not be sad, but better sit in Xsara and tear somewhere in the night Moscow, as your humble servant did. Enjoy your favorite dish of the French with a rear suspension with verified elastokinematics, listen to how the engine sings at 6 thousand revolutions ... Eh, we would still have normal roads ... although with those that are, all three cars cope without complaints from all conventional- The bumpy provocations managed to go out with honor. Yes, and the brakes are good at the whole three, although in the control of the slowdown of Peugeot here the very little wins with competitors.
Let's summarize. Time does not stand still, and the 307th wins precisely in the fourth temporary dimension of space. Behind the ideas and design solutions laid down in Peugeot, the future. Still, the title of 2002 car costs a lot. Golf still remains a classic. This car will always be recognizable and for many desired. In addition, the fifth generation is coming, and then again many players in Golf will not say goodbye. And Citroen is ideal for anyone who wants to have a real Frenchwoman seductive and incendiary.
Text Alexander Bochkarev
Photo Alexander Nozdrin
 
How do they look:
Nikita Rozanov
 
Outside:
The style of these three five -door hatchbacks can be united in one word evolution. Indeed, recently, Citroen, and Peugeot, and especially VW demonstrate the evolutionary development of their corporate identity and design. The gradual, but consistent Golf evolution occurs already in the fourth generation, and the 307th and Xsara demonstrate the phased development of a single and characteristic style, which is now very fashionable, inside its family. Therefore, with recognition, everything is in order here, especially on the face where the stylists each in their own way beat the branded emblem and the forms of lighting technology inherent in every this model. With the exception of the XSARA, which can also be accepted for a sportingly oriented sedel, the silhouettes of the HETCHBOV cars are typical, but individual, because Peugeot demonstrates a tendency to mono-leaf, and Golf is fidelity to classical German functionalism and ideas of rationalism. The XSARA at all looks like a sedan, and Golf and the 307th demonstrate a dangerous similarity of the picture and composition, and it seems that only emblems help out from confusion.

Results:
Citroen XSARA, despite the unpretentiousness, the design is very characteristic, and from separate angles the car is even pretty, which is not bad for a small family hatchback.
Peugeot 307 The design of the car, despite all its originality, at the same time very accurately indicates the belonging to the family of Peugeot and involvement in modern automobile fashion.
Volkswagen Golf Design is very kind and functional, but time takes its own, and therefore echoes of yesterday begin to appear in the style, especially in comparison with the design of more young competitors.
Inside:
The time of creating design is even more noticeable inside the cars. And although the panels of the devices of all three participants in the dough in their composition T-shaped, their pattern and plastic are completely different. The most stylishly and solidly solved design of the panels of PEUGEOT and VW, but the GOLF design is five years old, and the dominance of straight lines and the very correct and unemotional composition of the central console also indicate this. As you can handle patterns today, PEUGEOT stylists brilliantly show. The XSARA, at first glance, is all the same, but the drawing of the lines is some kind of invented, and the composition does not shine with the cleanliness of the construction and even overloaded with various details. Suddenly, the most stylish steering wheel was at the Golf veteran, that would be a new panel for it! The upholstery of the door panels is most stylish and agreed on plastic with the instrument panel again at VW and 307th, but the German again loses in the decoration. Of the jewelry is just a silver emblem on the steering pillow and a jubilee ring with an Anniversary inscription on the KP handle. But the XSARA and the 307th use both a wooden veneer and a silver metal, and on separate modifications even an imitation of Kevlar.

Results:
Citroen XSARA is quite a modern design, the quality of which is reduced by the inexpressive plastic panel and such outdated solutions as, for example, the climate control control unit or the steering keys of the radio control.
Peugeot 307 The style of the automotive interior of the beginning of the 21st century is best illustrated precisely by Peugeot. In addition, this style is moderately strict and in moderation corresponds to the character of a true Frenchman.
Volkswagen Golf is a very whole and high -quality design, as well as an excellent decoration of the entire interior. But time goes on, therefore, a very emasculated (in comparison with competitors) is the style that does not even allow the thought of deviation from the rules, which sometimes still needs to be adjusted.

Source: Cars