Ford Grand C-Max test drive since 2010 Minivan
Fathers and Sons
The C-Max has plowed Russian open spaces for a long time, for almost five years. And during this time he firmly included among the leaders of sales in the compactwain class. Real dad. Altea is a beginner who appeared on the same expanses only last year. What can youth be opposed to maturity? The word compactwane no longer cuts hearing as it was more than 10 years ago, when the French from Renault launched their Megane Scenic on the market. It was they who came up with the idea of \u200b\u200ba family car on the Golf class platform, but with a high roof and a spacious salon. This idea turned out to be so successful that soon many automakers hastened to follow this example and supplemented their model range with the appropriate car. So appeared Opel Zafira, Citroen Xsara Picasso, Fiat Multipla, Toyota Corolla Verso, Mazda 5, Volkswagen Golf Plus and others. Ford presented his then Focus C Max only in 2003, but the price/quality of the price has allowed him to quickly gain worldwide popularity.
The current C MAX second generation of the model, the fruit of serious restyling. The Ford Corporation has 2007 Passenger Car Title, awarded to the older brother of S Max. It was to him that the designers tried to pull C Max in appearance. Look at the updated front part in it clearly traced the kinetic motifs of S Max. The headlights, a radiator grille, the trapezoid of the air intake everything is done in the same style. They changed the bumper, the hood became embossed, the turn signals were integrated into the mirrors, and the foggy pulled vertically. The new C Max looks more sporty and angrier than the predecessor, although in general it still remains very restrained. It is successful in harmonizing the new front and the redesigned back: the bumper increased in length and became more rounded, and the new vertical lights with the LED strip allow to accurately determine C MAX in the stream.
Seat altea, in fact, is a young man only for Russia. In the rest of the world, the model has been sold since 2004. But since the SEAT brand itself is a beginner in our market, Altea only recently officially crossed the state border of Russia. What trump cards did the Spaniards save to combat eminent rivals? The first, and far from the last is the appearance. Obviously, the choice of a car largely depends on his clothes, and Altea is definitely beautiful! The hand of maestro Walter da Silva, capable of even the silhouette of a family minivan, is felt to give extraordinary dynamism. The tone sets the Seat corporate physiognomy, directed forward. Not without characteristic standing glasses, already known in Leon. Only on Altea they are hidden under special plastic linings. Beautiful, aerodynamically reasonably, I do not argue. But in our cold winters it is impossible to stand the frozen brush on the glass! Eh, in Spain they don’t know about this method! The front line continues stylish wave -like stamping on the sides from the front headlights to the rear wheeled arches. They say that it was this line that played a decisive role in the design of Altea. The back is clean, without excesses, with an elegant spoiler and modest lanterns on muscular hips. Perhaps, in the general conservative restraint of the design decisions of the Volkswagen concern, the SEAT lineup looks like a flock of white raven, in which Altea does not fly at all the last.
AT
The interior of the pseudo -sports topic continues. Three wells of devices with a tachometer in the center and the arrow -beamed arrows, bloody backlight, a three -spitting steering wheel, hard chairs and the floor pedal of the accelerator can become good arguments for a driver configured for active driving. An interesting salon, unusual. The quality of materials and the adjustment of the panels were upset. In addition to the skin of the steering wheel and lever gearbox, all other details are made of hard material. The top of the front panel is made of original textured plastic, but its oak is noticeable even in the opinion, not to the touch. The finish of the dashboard and the central tunnel for aluminum also looks cheap, childish. But there are 2 zone climate control, TCS stabilization system and tire pressure control system. That's right, the kids need to be controlled. Ford also has an ordinary air conditioner, and ESP is offered only for surcharge. But then inside is much more comfortable. The father seemed to play enough of this sport. Comfort and calm are more important to him. General topic is the same equal to S Max. The door panels, the dashboard, and the central console with a highly located lever of the box are similar. At the same time, the already good quality of the finish has improved. Compared to Seat, it is better by an order of magnitude. Despite the diverse, for the most part soft, plastic and decoration for wood in the GHIA version, the interior looks very harmonious and collected. Landing is slightly higher than in Altea, and velor seats do not fix the body so well. But in general, a convenient position is easily in both cars. The difference is that you feel the process of the process as a participant in the process, and in C Max, on the contrary, you pull away from it, imposingly lounging in a chair and leaning on a convenient sliding box armor.
Continuity promotes and silence sound insulation Ford is a little better. Wins with Max and, if possible, transforming the salon. The branded Comfort Seat system allows you to add or completely remove each of the three parts of the rear seat. But the most useful function is the ability to move two extreme rear seats diagonally back, having previously folded the middle. This provides two rear riders just royal comfort. Though sit on your leg! SEAT offers only folding in a ratio of 2: 3 seats with an adjustable inclination of the back. Partially, Altea is played out by the time of a huge compartment located under the shelf of the luggage compartment, and one more under the false floor. But still, the interior of the C Max is thought out better. And he has the volume of the trunk of more than 473 liters against 410, or 1633 versus 1320 liters with a folded rear row. Well, the salons have settled down, now it's time to check what these minivans are capable of on the go. Will Altea be worthy of competition with the luminaries with Max? Or maybe the Spaniard is hung all this sports paraphernalia, which the Spaniard is hung, and Ford will show the young jump to his place?
A reservation will be appropriate here. Structurally tested cars are very similar in many ways. With barely different dimensions, they have the same type of pendants (in front of the MacPherson, multi -leash behind), both have 5 step mechanical gearboxes. Yes, and prices are close: Altea in the Stylance configuration, and C Max in the GHIA version cost about $ 27,000. However, SEAT can only be bought for this money with ancient Volkswagenovsky 1.6-liter eight-plastic! For the same money, Ford is already offering a 2 liter motor. Altea is also equipped with a 2 l (FSI) engine. But then you will have to pay as much as $ 33,000! Why is this a secret that is great. The positioning of the SEAT brand as more sports than the Volkswagen branches is hardly a justification for large prices than similar models of the same VW. Nevertheless, we decided that the difference in power is more than 40 hp. It should not be an obstacle in assessing the running qualities of cars. And we were not mistaken.
Younger dares. Even with a low -power engine, SEAT does not graze. Such concepts as a regiment of moment or power are alien to the classic old eight -plate, hence its character: the lack of traction at the very bottom and a tangible surge above the average revolutions. We are waiting for him! In order to accelerate cheerfully, you need not to be shy about actively twist the engine almost to the maximum. A very short box contributes to this (in the fifth gear, the speed of 150 km/h corresponds to 5000 engine speeds per minute!), Just manage to stick the gears. Fortunately, the mechanism works clearly, but.
This is a real provocation! Switching gear with such zeal and frequency, constantly holding the tachometer arrow on the way to the red zone, you will make any car more or less quickly. But the thing is that Altea seems to like it! And a hard suspension with minimal rolls in every possible way indulges in this youthful enthusiasm. The car stably writes an arc at all minivan speeds. The stabilization system allows a lot, almost without interfering in the management process. It is not for nothing that Ceatovites themselves call Altea only as MSV Multi Sports Vehicle. I am sure that with more powerful engines (and in addition to the usual 2 L FSI, an option with 200 TFSI strong turbo engine is also possible) SEAT will break many competitors.
But what about C Max? Ford rides confidently, calmly, without fanaticism. It is more convenient to manage acceleration. 2 liter Duratec, the capacity of which was clearly not enough for the heavy mondeo, easily accelerates the lighter minivan based on Focus. The programs to the checkpoint are not as short as Altea. Yes, this is not for anything, there is a reserve for power and a moment. Even by promoting the engine to only 4000 rpm, you can easily stay in front of the flow or accelerate on a flush with the altea driver squeezing all the juices. But in tense moments, for example, when leaving the adjacent road or short overtaking, no one will forbid you to twist the motor as it should, up to almost 7 thousand revolutions, and quickly go ahead. And after the revolutions reach 6500, on the tachometer, a directed upward arrow lights up, reminiscent of the need for a speedy switch. And here is sport? It is unlikely, rather just a tribute to fashion. The Ford suspension is more friendly to passengers than on Seat. She is not so thoroughly informed about the profile of the coating and its irregularities. The smoothness of the course is good. This allows you to no doubt go on C Max on a long journey. On Altea, it is worth considering this, after all, the Spaniard requires a much greater composure at the wheel. As always, the reverse side of comfort is the worst clarity of reactions. But the worst does not mean bad. Ford only reacts a little worse to the deviations of the steering wheel, and the rolls are slightly larger in corners. On intensive acceleration and braking, there are small bites, Altea also does these exercises in a clearly horizontal position as an iron. Despite this, you can drive very gambling and quickly at the wheel of C Max, leaving all this sports surroundings of the screeching motor and a hard suspension at the Spaniard. In both machines I did not like the settings of the steering electrical power. In turns, information and effort are quite adequate (Seat and there is a little more acute), although some unnaturalness is still felt. But when moving in a straight line with high speed, the steering wheel in the zero zone becomes too unshakable, the course is constantly required, the cars are moving as if along a very smooth sinusoid. I do not think that it is worth writing it off only on winter studded tires, I noticed this earlier on cars with electrons. But this is not such a significant drawback against the general positive background left by both subjects. We liked these minivans. Excellent cars for young families, while very budgetary. Spacious, nimble, with excellent visibility. Ford pleased with its homework, comfort and confidence in the movement. Seat has traditionally unpleasantly surprised prices, but its outstanding appearance and sports mood are quite capable of compensating for overpayment to the future owner. Probably, a person who has chosen for himself with Max is unlikely to understand the one who will overpay for the expressiveness of Altea. Well, give someone calm and reliability, and someone is acute and nerves. The eternal problem of fathers and children
Dmitry Krotov
