Test Drive Daewoo Espero 1990 - 1997 Sedan

New Russians - Machines

The pathetic passion to all that is associated with Russia, abroad has declined. The attractive demand for nesting and balalaiki disappeared, do not create more famous couturies models based on Pavlovo-Posheskykeys, even the paintings market and icons are quite civilized and left the Arbat in the quiet auction halls. But once abandoned the abroad left the trace in the soul of some fellow citizens and led to an increase in self-consciousness and understanding that Russia is a great country. It is very difficult to be proud of silent, the automotive industry is lagging behind forever. After all, the degree of motorization is one of the most important criteria for assessing the level of technical development of the state and the standard of living in the country. We learned how to fly into space, but the overwhelming majority of people are much more important to acquire their own wheels, rather than rejoice at several cosmonauts. There were enterprising people who decided that it was time to stop competing with the countries of the Third World for the last lines in the list of economically undeveloped states or pay insane duties for importing foreign cars.

 

Commercial interests also did not remain aside, because the motorized population is still a negligible percentage, and it is still very early to talk about market saturation, although the financial capabilities of citizens are not fully implemented. So they began to grow like mushrooms after rain, automotive plants and bodies on the entire post-Soviet space, including at the immense Russian expanses.

 

With the history of domestic manufacturers of Kia Clarus cars and Daewoo Espero can be found in 7 (15) and 8 (16) Motor magazine. Despite the fact that the plants earned relatively recently, these cars are already sold in Moscow, and on the periphery. The test drive in full program was held by us back in July last year during the debut of both brands in the Russian market (Motor 4). Naturally, the cars experiencing were then Korean production. Now, a year later, in connection with the emergence of the same models of the Russian issue, it became interesting to us, whether they differ from Korean relatives and if so, in which direction.

 

Daewoo Espero.

Let's start with Daewoo Espero, which the Rostov Plant is produced by Red Aksai. The model is based on the Opel Rekord platform, and its design is designed in the Bertone atelier. In South Korea, the car was produced from 1992 to 1997 and during this time he managed to conquer strong positions in the markets of Europe and Asia. Neither innovative, nor the more revolutionary, it is not, but it is soluble and fully complies with modern standards for safety, efficiency and environmental friendliness.

 

The decision to terminate the production of Espero in the east coincided with the beginning of the Daewoo cooperation with Russian partners, which this model is quite suitable and its release is planned for a fairly long period. Currently, Rostov is offered three basic configurations - with 1.8 or 2 l engines; With the second machine can be equipped with a mechanical gearbox or machine. The power steering and air conditioner are standardized, and ABS is installed as an option to any model.

 

For our country, a version adapted to local conditions is offered. It was launched in Korea, with the beginning of official deliveries to Russia.

 

Adaptation is primarily the lack of a catalytic neutralizer and the ability to use low-fuel fuel. The machines emerging from the plant are designed to work on the 92nd gasoline. If there is no such on the column or in your region there was no turn, you can ride on the 76th by changing the computer control program. To do this, you do not need to come to the service station or put into complex electronic brains. It is enough to insert the corresponding jum in the socket on the side wall of the cabin, and it is safely refueling even on the side of any truck.

 

An additional anti-corrosion coating, designed taking into account the characteristics of the Russian climate and can withstand both the hot humid climate of Black Sea and Siberian frosts - Sales of Espero and, accordingly, creating a dealer and service network are planned in all regions.

 

The suspension was seriously refined. Compared to the first copies that came from Korea with unofficial paths, it became noticeably tougher and, probably, stronger. Not only directly carrying elements are upgraded, but also all the parts of the steering, which perceive shock and vibratory loads. Thanks to an integrated approach to improving the suspension and the Romanian rubber, in which the Rostov machines are shoved, the resistance of the car on the road and the passage of turns at high speed has become clearer. The rest of the car is completed in the same way as those that were intended for Europe.

 

On the test we took a car with a 2 l engine and a manual box, without ABS. The stylish body of a very winning color of radonezh with black moldings and side windows framework has some similarity with Citroen XM and Ford Scorpio, but at the same time has a pronounced individuality.

 

Externally, nothing indicates the Russian origin of the car. Manufacturers showed incomprehensible modesty and did not even put their nameplate, and maybe they did not risk interfere in the work of Bertone. When examining the body, we paid close attention to the joints of body elements and especially the density of the door fit. The design of them is such that the glass frames are bordered directly from the roof, the drainage grooves are missing and the slightest disk of the door is able to cause a flood in the cabin during the rain. The width of the gap around the perimeter was the same and amounted to three millimeters. Since the loops do not have the adjustment mechanisms and are not subject to fit, this should indicate good quality assembly.

 

When turning the key in the castle of the driver's door, the central lock is triggered, at the same time unlocking the troughting of the gas tank filling neck. Landing in the salon does not cause difficulties. The front seats are located high and have two standard adjustments. The chairs could be both softer, and then sit on a stool that, in combination with the complete lack of lateral support, it is extremely inconvenient, especially when the steep turning is passed on to considerable speed.

 

The Korean assembly machines did not suffer from this disadvantage, on the contrary, the seats cushions, clearly calculated on small Asians, under the weight of the European bodies easily failed and the seats were pretty tightly kept her back.

 

The salon looks not good, but neat. The plastic covered in gray tones is combined with plastic panels on the inner sides of the doors and the center console. Having pleased the quality of the assembly. The elements are tightly adjusted to each other, the screws are wrapped completely and each is covered with a piston.

 

Despite the abundance of plastic parts, when driving on an uneven road in the cabin - complete silence, not broken by a creak or rareering. Even the weakest element in the interior of Korean machines - the junction of the front panel and the box of air flow blowing the side glass - did not cause complaints. Unbroken connector and uniform, sealing stands on the spot, not allowing air to enter non-intended.

 

A complete electric car increases comfort, allowing you to control door windows, locks, mirrors and climate installation from the driver's seat.

 

The built-in radio tank tape recorder and the strange title Tank is quite confidently accepting the FM stations and gives a good sound.

 

The steering column has adjustment in height with fixation in four positions, and the lower one is clearly unnecessary, unless it is intended for the keyboard with the knees. Baranca of a pleasant section provides an excellent overview of the instruments, and the hydraulicer with variable characteristic allows you to well control the angle of rotation of the wheels. The pedal node is located exactly in place, that's just a clutch has a very big move, but Espero is a car on ideology is not racing, and it is impossible to count this.

 

The engine starts instantly, at idle in the cabin it is not heard. Gas pedal pressing the low roar. The transmissions are incorporated accurately, it is not worth estimated and to fit into the handle's moves, it is only slightly push in the right direction, then it continues to move and fixed on the transmission. The exception is the 5th and reverse. It is not possible to get into them impossible, it is necessary to overcome the resistance of a rather elastic spring, and to turn on the rear also pull up the ring of the fuse, located under the title.

 

An attempt to move was not very successful. Uninformative clutch pedal and very sensitive - gas, plus good salon soundproofing in the first minutes of dating from the car do not allow accurate to accomplish the work of the legs, and the car with slipping breaks off. But after 5-6 switches, the sixth sense appears, then we go without jerks. Translations are sufficiently short, which is not completely linked to the class of the car. For dynamic overclocking up to 80 km / h, there is enough first and second gears, but to move in the stream only on the third or fourth, without raping the engine, it fails.

 

It strikes the clarity of the transmission operation - to ensure the most smooth run, each switching up and down and down should be done exactly 30 km / h, then the tachometer arrow does not exceed 3000 revolutions, which allows you to maximize the torque. Undoubtedly, an excellent Opel mechanic is affected.

 

On the road, the car obedient and maneuver. Only does not like the steering knocker, tramways and low borders under an acute angle of attack. Having hit an obstacle is accompanied by a tangible steering wheel in the opposite direction. This disadvantage is inherent in car mechanism without a hydraulic device, which usually deviates blows. On Espero, he does not cope with this.

 

The first impression of a good review of the back turned out to be deceptive. High trunk and spoiler on it strongly limit visibility through the intra-alone mirror, and the side would not hide a bit of curvature. We have not experienced other inconvenience during the operation of the new Russian car, he made a very good impression and also liked even more than the car came from Korea.

 

Very interesting was the reaction of the population on Espero Russian origin. The fact that Daewoo Nexia is released, many have already heard, but they believed that this was limited to this, and the emergence of a car of this class for most was a pleasant surprise. And the price simply turns into shock, because a new car is sold in Moscow for $ 16500-19000, depending on the configuration, it is 20-30% cheaper than similar import models.

 

Separed traffic policemen who stopped me for exceeding speed, while reading documents confirming that the car is on the tests, was very surprised: and what to experience it, they are full in Moscow? But when heard that the car was made in Russia, instantly forgot about my violation and thirty carefully studied Espero from all sides, in turns sat down behind the wheel, inspected the engine and moved away from the car with the words: Well, finally learned!
 
Kia Clarus.
After studying Espero, they took the Clarus. With an external examination, we did not find any defects or flaws on the body. Doors, hood and trunk lid adjacent tight, the gaps everywhere are minimal and the same. Apparently, the statements of the Koreans about the most severe quality control at all, without exception, assembly plants correspond to the truth. The car is made on the Kaia Baltika Kaia Kaliningrad company. Clarus is produced only in one configuration, but this is the top version. The car is equipped with a full electric car, air conditioning, airbags for the driver and front passenger, as well as the power steering and ABS and the most adapted to operation in the CIS.

 

Manufacturers took care not only about the details of the chassis and other elements hidden from eye, but also about maximum information on the ground.

 

Numerous stickers under the hood and in the cabin, as well as a passport nameplate with VIN are made in Russian and inform about where oil or toosol should be injected, and where the nose or fingers should not be poked. Just forgot the modifications about the dimensions of the Russian license plate - in a niche in the rear bumper, he does not fit in any way, and it was possible to increase it without any damage to design, by the way, very solid and solid.

 

A pronounced Asian appearance of the face is successfully combined with an Americanized rear. If the car is easily recognizable in front and side, then you can take it back for Ford Crown Victoria or Chevrolet Caprice Classic, which indicates the desire to bring the car to the representative class. This also says a very comfortable and spacious salon with a neatly worked interior. Upholstery Combined, artificial leather and dense darling matter are very organically combined with high-quality plastic panels, the texture of which resembles Mercedes products.

 

The front panel does not amaze in innovative solutions, the devices are taken from the early releases of September, and the central console - from Sportage, nevertheless they are well combined with each other. The overview of the space around the car is good enough, three mirrors do not leave the dead zones. The steering wheel with a massive due to the built-in hub pillow, occupying any position vertically within adjustment, allows you to keep the speedometer under control and the tachometer under control, and in the position directly - and all other instruments and indicators. Music machine is equipped at the factory, the quality of her sound will satisfy most consumers. The car is equally well adapted both for the driver and for passengers, the front armchairs besides the standard have adjustments to the inclination and height of the pillow, the subsideor of the lumbar region. The rear sofa is designed for the raid accommodation of three adults of the tall people.

 

In the Clarus movement, first causes mixed emotions - there is no sensation of the integrity of the car, it also, as if several characters. This car is not from those that immediately sat down and drove. Powerful (146 l.) The engine provokes to a sporty style. However, a soft suspension with large strokes does not allow to feel good and control the side movement of the body. In the turn, there is a feeling that the car is about to break into the skid and only a considerable mass and dry asphalt allow it to be kept on a given trajectory. Steering also does not contribute to sports rearrangement from a number of in a row. Wath hydraulicer and triggers with some delay, so it seems that the wheels are rotated separately from the steering wheel, and, aligning the car at the outlet of the virages, it is necessary to reheerate a little.

 

Of course, these impressions were obtained when driving a car in extreme conditions, with which one of the owners hardly faces practice. In addition, the car is clearly to the executive class, for which the measurement of sports cars are not suitable. But the most interesting thing is that on the third day of operation somehow imperceptibly managed to get used to the complex nature of the car and to fully enjoy the control of a powerful and comfortable machine.

 

Two-channel 16-valve 2 l The engine in the cabin is practically not heard, even at maximum turns. About the modes of his work we guessed only the strength, with which the back is pressed into the chair. Transfer switches clearly, only the headband of the PPC lever is easily rotated under the palm. Judging by the fact that the car testing a year ago was the same drawback, it is a constructive flaw and the build quality here.

 

The transfer numbers are selected with a large margin, you can touch the second one, and when moving around the city, use only third gear.

 

The inclusion of the air conditioner at full power is not reflected in the travelers of the motor, it remains still temperamental and dynamic. The suspension perfectly copes with small coating defects, but after overcoming large irregularities it is not immediately stabilized. On a straight line, the car moves, as if by air. The brake pedal reacts very sensitively, and if you overdo it with an effort, then a tangible to the nose. In general, all pedals on Clarus do not require great efforts, and they also need to get used to them. The rest is a very comfortable and modern machine. Where did our legislators watched when they decided to transfer with foreign cars to the Volga? If they moved by a sense of patriotism, then here he is a good domestic car; If savings, the price of the standard configuration is $ 20.800, which is quite comparable to the cost of trimmed gas, and by the challenges of Clarus is much better

 

Evgeny Romantsky

 
 
 

A source: Motor magazine