Daihatsu Terios 1997 test drive - 2000 SUV
Someone Terios
For last year's Geneva car dealership, Daihatsu, a part of the Toyota group and specializing in small cars, has prepared a new model - Terios. Recently, the car appeared in Moscow, and we decided to get to know it.
Daihatsu Terios is a small all -wheel drive car that the manufacturer does not refer to any of the usual categories. Indeed, the Sirion, Charade, Applause models defines the company as cars, Cuore and Grand Move - as mini -wans, and Rocky and Feroza - as SUVs. Terios, according to the classification of the company, is just a car. True, in some reference books he is called a station wagon.
Acquaintance with the car took place in winter. To begin with, he had to dig out in the parking lot from under the snowdrift.
Outwardly, Terios gravitates to a compact family car and resembles a Grand Move mini-wen. The angular forms characteristic of Daihatsu SUVs are not at all in sight. But some long-core, all-wheel drive and reserve on the back door, give out a lover of nature in it. But what is it? The tanking body responds with some kind of plastic sound, and on its entire perimeter, fragile plastic overlays stretch in appearance.
Bijouterie. Somehow even not serious.
The appearance of the car is more European than Japanese. There is not a drop of thoroughness inherent in its full -wheel drive brothers in the appearance. Narrow and tall, with a decorative anti -winged on the roof, it looks like a funny clockwork toy. Standing, drowned like a teenage boy who was called by the girl. OK. Touching.
The car slowly leaves the wet snowdrift.
It’s crowded behind the wheel, it is not adjusted in height, and although the seat is maximally shifted back, with my considerable height, the left leg does not really feel between the door and the steering wheel - it would be completely difficult to work as a clutch pedal. Fortunately, the box is automatic here, so there is no pedal - there is no problem. With the right foot, everything is in order, the location of the gas pedals and the brake is without comments. It’s a little cramped to me, the left elbow rests on the door facing. The car was clearly created for drivers of more pike complexion. He took off the winter jacket - it became freer.
For the sake of the experiment, he put behind the wheel a low lady. She feels good - and the knees do not rest anywhere, and takes out to the pedals. But here's the bad luck: the lady asks to raise the seat pillow to better see the road in front of the car - but there is no such adjustment here ...
I get behind the wheel again, I look up - an extremely high ceiling. About such even me and even on a bump I will not knock. I look forward - the gray plastic torpedo, in the opinion - soft, and you knock it - hard, like the shell of the turtle. Analog devices with blue scales are only the most necessary: \u200b\u200ba speedometer, a tachometer, gasoline level indicators and engine temperature. No jeep excesses like a compass or block. There is not even a clock. Under the instruments, control lights, including indicators of the on all -wheel drive and accelerating gear. The numbering of the roar of the gearbox of the box is also duplicated there. The steering wheel is chubby and soft ... In the center of the hub, the pillow is sewn up, the small buttons of Chatson lie right under the thumbs ... under the wheel, on the left-right, levers of light control, janitors, washers (front and rear) and turnover.
Levers like levers are simple and comfortable. To the right of the driver - Daihatsu radio on four speakers and a climatic installation, very simple in circulation. Above the head is a hatch with a mechanical drive.
The passenger transfers road hardships in the company of airbags and a large glove box. In the turns, he has nothing to grab for - the torpedo is smooth, and the only pen above the window is located quite high.
The front windows are electric, their control is duplicated from the driver's seat. The rear is ordinary mechanics. The car is small, so there are only two chairs from behind. But they are separately moving, regulating and, in addition, are equipped with seat belts. If necessary, the rear seats can be folded - then the volume will increase significantly and not a small trunk. The review forward is limited to wide racks, but the hood is short and very inclined, so that it is almost not visible. For some reason, from the very beginning, I was sure that the engine under it was transversely, but it turned out that I was mistaken - exactly 90 degrees. The engine (the only option) is a 4 -cylinder with injection, a block and a head - from light alloys. Volume - 1.3 liters, 4 valves per cylinder facilitate his breath and allow you to develop a power of 83 hp.
Passport dynamic characteristics (16.1 seconds to hundreds) do not cause much delight, but subjectively in the city of Terios behaves dignity, showing quite sufficient abuse. True, the motor for this has to be twisted quite actively - the speed of maximum power is 6100, and the maximum torque is 5100 rpm. The automatic box knows this and makes switching somewhere at four and a half thousand revolutions. Small width and good maneuverability allow the car to fly into many gaps in no accessible to other cars. The high rigidity of the suspension, justified by the multifunctionality of the car, some will even like it.
When driving along dry asphalt, one front bridge is quite enough, in slippery areas by pressing the key, you can connect the rear, and the car will again feel quite confident. At the traffic lights, it has to be slightly restrained by the brake pedal. In general, Terios proved to be a solid city car. A nuisance with which it is difficult to put up is quickly fogging and then for a long time that are not becoming transparent side glasses. This greatly complicates the circular review - but in the city it is especially important. It is assumed that asphalt SUVs should be selected only from time to time. Nevertheless, in these relatively rare cases, they should not fail their owners. Of course, provided that the off -road will not be the most difficult. Before looking for snow virgin lands, I, just in case, climbed under the car and studied the device of chassis. Everything turned out to be conservative and fairly solid. In front - macpherson, behind - a spring -loaded beam on two longitudinal and one transverse rocket rods.
Despite the wet snow, which clogging protectors, a low -sulfur appearance and the lack of locks, Terios showed himself a well done - it was not able to plant it in a snowdrift, and according to a not very deep snow virgin land, it moved almost like asphalt, with a light, though slipping and some delayed on the actions of the steering wheel. However, this is natural. Most fans of all -wheel drive prefer mechanical gearboxes, motivating this with the desire and the possibility of independent choice of the movement mode.
Everyone knows that the main thing here is to prevent the car from burying. And how will the SUV behave with the automatic box behave? Having previously drove to the snow -covered field, I spoke the actions of an inexperienced driver for the sake of interest, sincerely pressing the gas pedal into the floor. Having overcome the inertia of a dozen two meters, the car was still stuck, but after standing half a second, which needed the box for thought, then began to move forward slowly and slowly, gradually accelerating. In a very critical situation, when the cubic meters of sticky snow in front of the bumper forced the wheels helplessly to slip, it turned out that the obstacle can be overcome with the raid, having drove a little along the rut back for overclocking ... In general, the car is quite interesting. It seems that due to the simplicity and ease of management, functionality, practicality and extraordinary appearance, the machine will find its buyer. And young ladies up to thirty will, it seems to me, look especially good at the wheel of Terios. It is annoying, however, that it was initially a very attractive price after delivery to Russia and paying all taxes almost doubled.
Alexey Strelkov
Source: Magazine Motor