Fiat Panda test drive since 2003 hatchback

All photos of Fiat Panda since 2003

The less, the more ... more?

Chevrolet Aveo
In the spring of 2003, a 5-door hatchback and a 4-door sedan for the first time were shown for the first time.
Engines for Russia: 1.2 and 1.4 liters, 8-valve, 1.4 l, 16-valve (7294 hp).
Gearboxes: 5-speed mechanical,
4-speed automatic.
Complete: S, SE, SX.
Price: $ 990015 350.
Hyundai Getz

In the spring of 2002, five- and three-door hatchback debuted.
Engines for Russia: 1.3 and 1.6 liters
(85105 l. P.).
Gearboxes:
5-speed mechanical, 4-speed automatic.
Configurations:
GL, GLS.
Price: $ 999015 290.

Fiat Panda
In the spring of 2003, Geneva is presented
5-door hatchback.
Engine for Russia: 1.2 liters, 60 liters. with.
Transmission:
5-speed mechanical.
Complete: Actual, Active, Dynamic, Emotion.
Price: $ 12 15020 500 (є913515 424).

Opel Corsa

In the fall of 2000, 3- and
5-door hatchback. Restyling in 2004.
Engines for Russia: 1.0; 1.2; 1.4 l (6090 l. P.).
Gearboxes:
5-speed mechanical, automated mechanical Easytronic, 4-speed automatic.
Complete: Essentia, Enjoy, Cosmo.
Price: $ 10 99015 455.

Volkswagen Pointer
It has been produced in Brazil since 1981. The last, third generation was presented in 2000. Restyling 2004.
Engines for Russia: 1.0; 1.8 l (6599 l.
Gearbox: 5-speed mechanical.
Complete: Basis, Safety, Safety+, Safety ++.
Price: $ 949911 938.

There are a lot of people who want to drive a modern car, but cars for cars, especially from Europe, bite. Maybe limit yourself to a compact B-class? The benefit of new products is enough here. Chevrolet Aveo and winner of the competition car of the year-2004 Fiat Panda enters the Russian market. Volkswagen Pointer, although not a beginner, really only now has become available to a mass buyer.
I would like to once again look at the recognized favorite of the Hyunde Getz market. Its sales this year are expected to exceed 10 thousand. Well, as a stove in our test, the Opel Corsa, modernized once again with a liter engine, could serve as a stove. He will be an interesting pair of Volkswagen-Punter with an engine of the same volume.
However, on the dynamics the light did not converge. The roads of the landfill are covered with snow, and the dietary measurements will have to be postponed until April, when the asphalt will come out again from under the white winter bedspread. But more attention was paid to the light of headlights, heating the salon and winter handling. After all, you can slide on ice and snow as much as you like without much harm to the tires. The declared basic prices of these cars are 10 thousand dollars or slightly higher. But this is in advertising, but in fact
Chevrolet-Aveo

The concern General Motors is huge, you can not even give a lecture about the history of his brands, but a whole course. Perhaps the most global of Chevrolet brands. Now, under him, Niva, Corvette, and ... former Dau Calos. However, this name has now been replaced quite harmonious. And then the people we, you know, are sharp in the language.
True, nothing can be said about appearance. The Aveo sedan looks fresh and quite original. Its appearance in this company is partly a forced step: at the time of the test of commodity hatchbacks, there were no yet. However, the trunk of a five -door car still managed to measure, and the driver’s impressions, presumably, will not be so different.
Naturally, the sedan surpasses the counterpart with the size of the trunk, but the hatchback also looks good, leading in the five in the fifth parameter with a minimum margin.

Compact car is a tight car? This is not about Aveo. By the size of the salon, he, let it go around the hetz and Corsa with a small advantage. In addition, the measured with a ruler does not always correspond to the sensations. And having traveled from the salon to the salon, they became convinced that the sensation of the room is stronger in Aveo. At first, it’s not bad in its rear seat, but the unsuccessful shape of the back and its strong slope do not allow you to take a convenient pose.
The owner of the most powerful motor, Chevrolet Aveo confidently accelerates in any gear. In the city, this allows you to start in the forefront, confidently overtake on the highway, the benefit of long IV and V transmissions to switch to the third almost does not have to be switched.
On the ice, the Chevrolet holds confidently, the tired or inexperienced driver will not be too sharply reacted to snow changes and crests. Want to eat faster? No problems: Aveo does his work all the same with really, with feeling, with arrangement. True, outright hooliganism does not like skidding only within minimal limits. And it’s better to go without slipping. The assessment is good.
Finally, we will measure the clearance. A pleasant surprise of 155 mm, however, without protection.
Hyunde-Getz

The old acquaintance participated in many editorial tests. True, only in the warm season. What are the differences in winter? The climate is in order warmly and dry. If wet, you can call on the aid of air conditioning at a zero degrees it still works. I would like to evaluate the headlight, but the bad luck on the demonstration machine by the dealer is installed by bixenon (!) Farah. It turned out brightly, and if you remove the protective screens from the plexiglass and is completely great. But our story about a serial hetz.
Its interior is stingy only on the base model in the GLS version of the front panel is decorated with a silver insert. Although the main material of the panel and the steering wheel looks rude, there are no other complaints about it not creaking and pleasant to the touch.
We measured the driver’s place and the range of adjustments is not bad. But any car of five limits the growth of the driver. Of course, thanks to the high ceiling in the hettz, corsa or Aveo, a two -meter children will also fit, but already at 190195 cm, the landing will seem not comfortable enough. Adjusting the seat in height is included in the GLS kit, but it helps a little, raising only the front edge of the pillow.

Separation from any other car of our five to the hettz salon, convinced: at idle, the engine is barely audible here. But do not hope that the silence will accompany you the whole trip above 3500 rpm of the motor's voice becomes very persistent. Fortunately, with an increase in revolutions, his character does not deteriorate well from the bottom, significantly adding after 3000. In combination with long gears, this makes the car convenient not only in the city, but also on the highway, in addition, efficiency improves.
On the slippery road, Hyunde Getz demonstrates good stability, responding poorly to uneven coating and rut. However, with the latter you need to be on your guard: the road clearance is small, and it is often heard how the protection of the motor compartment is scraping through the snow. Not a good hetz in ice turns, but only to a certain limit. Go into the turn quickly and with a sharp skid of the rear axle is no longer so easy to cope.
In addition, the steering wheel amplifier is clearly configured for asphalt on the ice, the wheel position can only be guessed, and therefore it is not recommended to intercept the steering wheel once again.
Fiat Panda

Do you like pizza? No, no! It is round, yellow and looks like a small sun. Panda, which fell on the test, was also sunny yellow. Perhaps this influenced our estimates: cold and dark evenings lack heat in other cars, everything is standard: gray and black plastic, sometimes with light inserts for revitalization. There is no practical and considerable upholstery, this is not about the panda.
You can eat only spiritual food, according to doctors, for two months. Then Kayuk. And with cars: no matter what emotions causes the crew in the parking lot, they evaluate it on the road
In the city of Panda, it only makes a positive impression: it easily seeps through close alleys, easily parks in any yard, the steering wheel spins literally one finger, even without the City mode. Due to the high landing, the road is in the palm of your hand. A short gear shift lever itself lies in the hand, and not too powerful, but the painful motor confidently lucky from the bottom, without forcing him to switch again
G

okodsky streets replaces the dark and dirty highway, then the snowy roads of the training ground. The fun ends simultaneously with the sunset. The heater fan to the second speed is different cold. Gasoline from the tank decreases suspiciously quickly. Ah, there are only 35 liters there, and at high speeds Panda shows a healthy appetite. When it is dark, I want the headlights to shine away and better illuminated the roadsides. It came out, the road surface did not help the ice cover on the snowy roll of Panda did not help uncertainly fidgets, trying to break out, and when one of the wheels pierces the five -centimeter snowy parapet, it is necessary to act confidently, clearly and in no case not to lose gas. Will we cut on the site? Everything is in order: the car reacts perfectly to the steering wheel and the gas pedal, but the developing skid should be parked quickly. And to determine what is happening with the leading wheels, the steering wheel is empty to the touch. The result of the error, excessive compensation for drift and buildup. Is it at the training ground to fly sideways, raising snow vortices, and on the highway before the oncoming?
The liquid ended in the washer tank, where is this container? The neck with a thick finger is hidden from the eyes. You will shed half without a funnel
Opel-Kors

Bright red speed and optimism. Of course, knowing that there are only three cylinders under the hood, and the working volume is less than a liter, it is unreasonable to make high demands. But I would like to approach the interior more critical.
The radical-black color of the finish is solid, but you expect at least a little frivolity from a compact machine. A modest instrument panel dilutes a central display traditional for Opel; It displays the receiver settings and the indications of the external thermometer. The latter, as usual, will remind you of ice in time.
Although Corsa was born when the concepts of a high hatchback still did not exist, it is not easy to compete with the volume of the cabin. And thanks to the large, almost square openings and the adjustable inclination of the back of the rear seat, the German compact is perceived as a microlympus.
The driver’s place is characterized by a modest, but convenient seat with an explanatory adjustment in height, excellent reach of control organs and the ability to choose a convenient landing for almost any growth and figure.

Even a short seat pillow does not spoil the impression. It is worth turning the ignition key, the salon is filled with a characteristic chattering of three cylinders. At high speeds, the noise becomes more noble and noticeably louder. The character of the fighting motor is all or nothing. Therefore, the high -speed range of the corsa is divided into segments in accordance with the capabilities of the engine. If you twist it to the limiter, the dynamics will pleasantly surprise not only you, but also others. However, you should not flatter yourself on the highway Comfortable Corsa Corses 110120 km/h, there is no dynamics above, and the noise of the engine from the invigorating becomes annoying. But fuel consumption remains pleasantly low.

The three -cylinder engine of ecotek seems to be the same cooling system as four -cylinder. In winter, at idle, it never warms up to operating temperature, but in motion this is a maximum of two minutes.
Electric amusers as a class did not kick only the most lazy journalist. Incredibly, but the fact: the reactive effect on the steering wheel is preserved at low speeds and on bare ice.
Today, General Motors offers opening both with both adapted to Russian conditions and with a European suspension. The experimental coach was with a European package of 125 mm without protection.
Corses did quite confidently with icy ruts, and with small snow blasphemers left by cleaning equipment, all drivers from our five rode noticeably faster on it.
But the most pleasant surprise was handling in an ice turn. The third gear is barely enough to tear the studded tires into the slip, and Corsa continues to build: faster, even faster! This confidence is easy to feel: the car is perfectly controlled not only by the steering wheel, but also with gas, allowing you to change the trajectory already on the arc of a turn. In general, for lovers of an ice figure what is needed.
Volkswagen-punter

The guest from Brazil first fell on a comparative test. Not to say that in the representative office of the company this was happy. It is understandable against the background of European Volkswagen models, for which in comparison any place, except for the first, is unacceptable, the pointer looks faded. A small salon, a modest equipment, a noisy and unsuitable engine for a dynamic driving. We already knew all this. But winter and bad roads equalize the chances of different engines, and completely different features can come to the fore.
When the programs have to be switched often, you are demanding of the convenience of this process. A short lever with long moves is not very convenient in extreme positions, it is too tilted. And he also desperately vibrates when slipping. Colleagues at the wheel of Pointer did not like the steering wheel displaced aside if they put their hands without fifteen -three, the difference becomes noticeable. But widely spaced front seats create the illusion of a large car.

But the more kilometers they wound, moving away from the capital's lights, the less criticism remained. The salon is warm and no problems with ventilation, the road clearance allows you to not pay attention to snow blocks and dumps, the brakes without ABS are confidently working on the verge of blocking, including ice. Even the steering wheel amplifier does not steal information about the road. Only the screening of the car, noticeable thanks to a soft and long -flowing suspension, creates stress on the winter road. However, on the accuracy of control, it affects little, you just need to get used to
The ice turn turned out to be a simple obstacle. Due to the good targeted stability of Pointer, it is quite rude to break it at the entrance, but it easily supports the desired angle of drift and allows you to change the trajectory. Even a beginner behind the wheel will easily return control of the machine after a sharp maneuver. Then crossed to an exemplary corsa, you get used to piloting for a couple of minutes with more accurate and clear movements.
Ten for fifteen

A foreign car for 10 thousand dollars will always attract the buyer. Is it possible to purchase such a car after all? Theoretically yes. Although discarding mandatory insurance and tax is generally incorrect. In the price lists of Chevrolet and Hyund, there is Aveo for $ 9900 and a hetz for $ 9990: they can really be bought in a basic configuration with one airbag and without air conditioning. However, the Chevrolet in the database noticeably loses: it does not have an amplifier of the steering wheel and electric windows. And they are not 90, but 900 dollars. Volkswagen Pointer for $ 9499 is also real, but only with a three -door body without airbags and hydraulic power pillows. A five -door pointer in a similar configuration costs $ 9841.
The basic price of a three -door corsa performed by Esensh $ 10 990. A five -door machine with a liter engine costs $ 11,290 with one airbag and without an electric steering wheel amplifier.
The least advantageous in this company Fiat Panda for 9400 euros looks advantageous. This says it all, because in more familiar dollars on the day of the test, its price was $ 12,500.

Prices of test cars in the signatures to the photo. Two of them are close to the 15,000th mark. Of course, the experimental Hylende Getz ($ 14,739) was stuffed with additional equipment, like the Christmas goose apples from sophisticated parking sensors ($ 340) to bixenon headlights ($ 695). The equipment corresponds to the preferences of Russians all the bells and whistles with the only pillow of safety. Without superfluous, its price performed by GLS will be $ 12,550.
The chevrolet sedan Aveo looks modest. From excesses, only a leather steering wheel boasts, but at a price of $ 12,950 it is equipped with two pillows. In a richest configuration, the upper bar is $ 14,150 per side pillows, ABS and alloy wheels. The hatchback in a similar Hetz Getz GLS configuration will cost $ 12,750 also with one pillow, but a much more powerful engine.
Against this background, the price of test Opel-Kors ($ 14,900) looks overstated. Almost 15 thousand for a car with an uncertain back of the rear seat and electric windows only in front? Yes, after full -sized airbags (in the base there is a small European driver only with the driver), the conditioner and the steering wheel of the steering wheel Opel asks $ 1700!
Formula of happiness

It exists, and it is not difficult to bring it out in our case. A car that is quite satisfied with everyday transport needs is best done today in Korea. The lack of individuality is emerging: after all, the appearance of the hetz and Aveo was created in Italy, recognized by Mecca of artistic design.
The European approach: at least for reasonable money, in many cases, it is justified, but with a thorough calculation, the cost of additional equipment often outweighs all the advantages of the machine. They save on everything from the upholstery and hood seal to the motor: a small volume is a small tax. We will not, however, attack the corns of the European Union. God forbid, we will introduce such taxes on bicycles!
Nevertheless, attempts to create an inexpensive and quite modern car continue. Fiat Panda is quite a good example.

We have no doubt that his high assessment of European journalists is fair. The problem is that our operating conditions, as it were softer, differ from European
Is happiness with a liter motor possible? It is quite if it has an acceptable characteristic, and the gear rates are well selected. Naturally, the dynamics after a hundred leaves much to be desired, and each passenger in the cabin is not felt by the sixth feeling. The problem is that only moderately forced engines have the necessary flexibility and an inexperienced consumer wants more horses. It is not easy for designers to solve this problem: if Corses deserves a solid four here, then the Pointer hardly earned satisfactorily.
So, Hyunde Getz and Chevrolet Aveo will fight for the sympathies and wallets of Russian motorists, and the first so far has a good positional advantage, and the second is ready to compete, providing equal prices with more powerful engines. The rest, despite all the advantages, is prepared for the role of dancing.

Favorite nomination
Being the first is not easy. You can’t buy the sympathies of motorists only by advertising avenues.
Thousands of het people sold in Russia convinced that he finds his buyer. Korean persistence and Italian design made up a successful pair. An attractive price for two years, the basic chitz has risen its role only by $ 500. They say that the quality also does not fail. At the current Euro Course, the competition of Europeans does not threaten him. But Chevrolet Aveo can bite off a solid piece of the pie, which Hyunde already considers his own.

Miss Nomination sympathy
Appearance is not the last thing. It is she that determines the first impression of the car.
It is difficult to remain indifferent to the Fiat Panda. Even by exposing not the most flattering grades, you feel a strange attachment to a charming, but slightly awkward car. These are chosen by the heart, not the mind. You can probably improve stability and comfort. But let everything be as it is. Panda cannot become an adult if it grows up, it will turn into multiple

Provincial nomination
Volkswagen Pointer leader in terms of geometric patency. Large road clearance, long -flowing comfortable suspension, spacious trunk will come in handy first of all not on the capital's highways. The simplicity of the design and worthy behavior on a slippery road, even to the detriment of acute reactions, will also be appreciated there. The car is quite competitive outside the metropolis if it works as a workhorse.

SUMMARY
Chevrolet Aveo wants to be a solid car, and he succeeds.
+ A powerful and thrust engine, a spacious interior, a large trunk, a high road clearance, a comfortable suspension, a feeling of space.
- a modest range of steering wheel adjustments, an unsuccessful rear seat, not enough clear gear shift, detachment from the driver.
SUMMARY
Hyundai Getz Golden mean: emotional choice of a rational idea.
+ A memorable appearance, a transformable interior in all trim levels, a painful and economical engine, good assembly quality, low noise.
- Small road clearance, a small energy intensity of the suspension, mediocre information content of the steering, an unsuccessful landing for a tall driver, a high price with a 1.6 liter engine.

SUMMARY
Fiat Panda a piece of Mediterranean under a gloomy Moscow sky. Again not there
+ Memorable appearance, convenient engine characteristics, excellent visibility, pleasant interior, high maneuverability.
- A tight salon, an uncomfortable landing, an uninformative steering wheel, a weak heater, a small trunk, the numbers on the price tag are lower than that of colleagues, but ... in euro.

SUMMARY
Opel Corsa German order and frugality in one person.
+ A convenient place of the driver, excellent handling, an accurate steering wheel, well -chosen gear rates, economy, spacious salon. - Small road clearance, engine noise at high speeds and poor thrust on small, buying up basic equipment, expensive additional equipment.

SUMMARY
Volkswagen Pointer friend of man.
+ Comfortable suspension, spacious trunk, high road clearance, stability on a slippery road, comfortable brakes.
- a noisy, with a non -bending characteristic of the engine, unsuccessfully selected gear rates, non -optimal layout of the workplace, a tendency to build -out, a poor instrument panel.