Test Drive Ford Grand C-MAX since 2010 Minivan

CD-style volume

Opel Zafira.
The prototype was shown to the public back in 1997 in Frankfurt, and since January 2000, mass production of Opel Safera began. In 2003, the car survived the update, becoming even more convenient and modern.
The Russian market comes with two petrol engines 1.8 l, 92 kW / 125 liters. with. and 2.2 l, 108 kW / 147 liters. with., Mechanical or automatic transmission. All versions are equipped with a quick transformation system Flex 7.
Depending on the configuration (Comfort or Elegance), the price of a car fluctuates from $ 20,840 to 26,495.
Ford Focus C-Max
The debut of Fords Mini Ven was held in March 2003 in Geneva. Most recently, he appeared in Russia. While here they sell only the basic version of Trend with a 1.8 l gasoline engine, 88 kW / 120 liters. with. In the spring of 2004, the supply of other C-MAX modifications with 1.6 and 2.0 liters are planned.
In a longer perspective, equipping the automatic transmission.
In car dealerships, Ford C-Max costs from 18,000 euros. With the advent of cheaper versions of the mini-Wen base price will be 15,500 euros.
Volkswagen Touran.
For the first time is shown to the public at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show. This is the first CD-Vain of the famous concern.
Our market Turan is still supplied only with 1.9 l, 88 kW / 120 liters of turbodiesel engines. with. and 2.0 l, 100 kW / 136 liters. with. And the six-speed gearboxes - mechanics or machine gun for this segment are unique.
Price - from 25,000 euros.

Today, Compact-Wenna is a combination of practicality and outstanding capabilities of the transformation of the cabin, as well as a wide range of all sorts of boxes, tables, shelves, additional outlets. In short, everything, without which it is impossible to do in family holiday, business, and just, if desired, to travel. Created on a platform of a segment with (golf class), they absorb the advantages of relatively small cars, remaining comfortable in most life situations. At the same time, the consumer is offered a spacious and universal interior. Perhaps the main task of mini WaNov is to make your life inside the car as comfortable as possible.
Of course, compact disposals can differ significantly from each other internal sizes, price, driving characteristics and even the number of places, but combines their desire to dowcomple the consumer basket with all the fact that it is deprived of more traditional vehicles. Probably, therefore, in their instructions, many pages are engaged in a detailed description of the interior design options, as well as methods of the most convenient placement of bicycles, inflatable boats and another Skarba, intended for active life.
Our wards are just from such active and thoughtful. Some of them sparkles youth and novelty, and someone, on the contrary, bribes with a weighing. Undoubtedly one thing: all participants in the test - competitors and their rivalry will not be easy. To that there are prerequisites: After all, Ford Focus C-Max, you can say, has not yet cooled from the presentation hype. Volkswagen Turan - the firstborn of the concern in this segment, besides, he made his debut recently. Well, Opel Zafira Even a few years after the appearance remains the legislator of the style, acquiring all new fans.

What is in the name?
Opel-Zafira. Let us leave the novelties for later by making the reference point to the classic of the genre. I confess, I like this car: it is a slender dynamic silhouette and cute proportions combined with internal convenience. I think this is exactly the case when a mature age car is only good. With the machine very quickly find a common language, easily taking both advantages and disadvantages. Alas, the latter are noticeable, especially against the background of competitors.
From the standpoint of the driver of Zafira is practical and rational, even too much: The combination of instruments looks too simple, unattached, as, however, and seats with short pillows and not too large longitudinal movement range. With a high, urban landing for some reason all the time, I want to break down low - turns out to be a short gear lever, and the handbrake is stubborn in such a deep niche that it has to be touched. But the main quirk in the other: it is worth the right to turn out to be a passenger, as you understand that for

People in the autumn-winter clothes of Zafira are definitely narrow.
Nevertheless, with a more detailed acquaintance it turns out that behind the apparent modesty, let it be hidden and not a good-time, but very saturated and thoughtful car. Electric heating of the front seats, air conditioning, heating and ventilation system with air supply to rear passengers. The driver's seat has a five adjustment; Steering wheel - two. Such care can not be not assessed, especially in the far road, like the abundance of all sorts of niches and pockets.
Rear passengers are not offended. In addition to the individually adjustable and easily transformed medium-sized seats from the floor of the trunk, you can build two more small chairs, making a car with sevenstal. Of course, the prospect of sitting on them an adult does not inspire delight, but as children's places these chairs are entitled to life. Just need a cargo compartment - please: a few simple movements - and we again get a solid and comfortable trunk. I liked it very much how the seats of the middle (main) row are recorded: in the folded state, they form a powerful, rigid construction that is silent in front of the possible shift of cargo, say, in an emergency.

Ford focus C-MAX. And again simpatya, whose appearance not only attracts attention, but also raises a desire to get acquainted with the car closer. It seems even in comparison with the avant-garde interior of the focus here everything has changed. By how he drove, our photographer ran, it was felt that this time he was pleased. Indeed, the cabin surprises not only wellness, but also designer finds. Fresh, well-readable device combination, large, powerful front panel, comfortable gearbox lever on the center console.
To the seats, too, do not adhere to. Spacious pillow and back, wide adjustment ranges, including height, electrically heating - it seems to be required for most mini-WaNs. It is clearly freer than in Zafir, - at least in front.
But behind, perhaps, not so spacious, like competitors - the roof is close over your head. This C-MAX resembles a car. They did not play with the third nearby seats, leaving the car with a five-seater. But sitting from behind offered a bunch of small amenities. Here and individual transformation capabilities, and the opportunity to move the extreme chairs of the Wisc, and the folding tables on the backs of the front seats. If desired, the rear row can be removed entirely or in parts, turning the passenger compartment into an individual interior. The luggage compartment of the standard rectangular shape is less than the Opel and width, and in depth.

Volkswagen Turan. In the first meeting of last year, I tried for a long time to find at least some hooks in his uncomplicated appearance. The car seems to be a lot, the place in it is enough, everything is thought out from and to, and the appearance in general will not call the bright, dynamic, memorable. I repent, Tugodum. At the current meeting, the image of the classic German Burger was finally developed. Rady, large, self-confident, with a solid tummy - salon, punctual and correct to the smallest detail. Let the creators for such analogies do not take offense - Germany has long been building cars based on themselves. It seems that simple appearance is just an embodiment of the requirements for Turan: Capacity, convenience and functionality. The rest is secondary.
Once inside, you can agree to an annoying blue-lilac lighting of the instrument scales, rigid to the touch the ram, a little gloomy colors and shades of upholstery, but still penetrate with respect for the functionality of every detail of the interior. Be this driver's seat, do not have to doubt the carefulness of his arms, as well as in the reserves of adjustments. If the climatic installation, then certainly separate for the sitting front, and even with adjustable air supply back. Maybe you seemed not very spacious competing fellow compets?

But in Tuura, everything is taken into account and is verified so that the free space is as much as possible, not to mention all sorts of boxes, shelves and gloves, which are the pedantic creators count as much as 39.
Naturally, not deprived of attention and sitting from behind. They are offered three full-fledged places that move, laid out or dismantled. As in Zafir, here you can build a third row of seats, making Turan seventeal. True, the claims for imagination chairs will be similar - comfortable there are only children and adolescents.
Below to become a salon and trunk. Spacious, comfortable - he will undoubtedly like travel lovers. The latter is alarmed only the absence of a spare wheel: instead of it a compressor and a tire sealant. The imagination of the Russian immediately draws a situation: Frost of degrees under twenty, a mobile phone outside the coverage zone and to the civilization of two hundred kilometers. And in front of you the wheel with the proportion of the sidewall and useless causes. UV! One hope - on the presentation promised to set Turan full-fledged fear.
DANCING ON ICE
Winter as if sat in the ambush, waiting for a convenient point: as soon as the Trinity gathered together, the snowfall struck. They became insidious acquaintances, smoothed irregularities and Colds - where it is here to objectively assess the riding qualities. And yet some comparisons managed to do.

Opel-Zafira. The fact that the car is not bad is balanced and on the ride properties, felt from the first minutes of dating. Comfortable, rather frisky 1.8-liter engine, correctly selected gear ratios of transmission. In the country track of Zafira in his element. Idyllo slightly violates the sound of the engine, actively breaking into the salon after 3000-3500 rpm. He does not give up, but rattling notes are annoying even when driving on top gears.
The suspensions are not bad inscribed in the overall ideology: comfortable on small irregularities and at the same time they coped with the obstacles more. Such a reasonable combination of comfort and muscularity has to long trips.
Similar and controlled control. Calm, weighted reactions do not contribute to sharp, impulsive maneuvers and rebuilding. On the slippery road, the operation of the anti-test system is well felt. But the trouble is too actively interfere with it in the process of controlling the burden, persistently inventing the engine. This, of course, helps to fight the driving wheel, but an unconnected tract control does not allow the car to pull the car from random driving. By moving a little with slippers, you realize that it is better to bring it better to them.

Ford Focus C-Max. Set up completely differently. Outstanding handling of the usual focus is clearly a vulgarity of Ford engineers, so they paid special attention to steering and suspension. Even in the snow noticeably, how many and impulsive mini-ven reactions. They are invisible dense, elastic suspensions, thanks to which the car is not only tenaciously holding the road, but also repeats her profile in detail, shooking passengers on each irregularity. Well, in such a tough character there are advantages: to the subtleties you feel the car and the nuances of his behavior. Alas, the settings of the motor and transmission are not very suitable for the chassis. Although individually everything works fine. It seems to be the same as Zafir, 1.8 liters, convenient switching of the gearbox. But all together somehow unconvincing: too sluggish reactions to the gas pedal. And plus it is only one - acoustic comfort.
Volkswagen Turan. The modest melting dsesel of a volume of 1.9 liters as if laugging over the variety of gasoline rivals.

The main figures obtained from it are much more modest, but in fact it is this motor that can interest the consumer. Of course, Turan is hardly rudded, regularly demanding increased revolutions. But then it becomes frisky and obedient, the main thing is to bring the tachometer arrow for the cherished mark of 1100-1200 rpm. The turbocharger is included in the work, and the car, happily snorting, jerk rushes forward. Naturally, Turan is not a racing car: It is worth going impulse how the motor's heat is noticeably cools the solid mass of mini-ven, but in everyday life it successfully competes with the rest, often it is more convenient. Even the VI transmission here is quite by the way. After all, by 3000 rpm, the operation of the active diesel engine is already well audible in the cabin. Moved the lever box to the highest level - and again silence and comfort.
Demonstrating the most vivid characteristics of the nature, the rest of the Turan takes reliability and influence. Dense, the collected suspension is not so sporty as Ford. At the same time, they react to small irregularities as hard, shook on the inconspicuous eye of the protrusions and depressions. Handling is also imperfect, although it is unlikely to find fault - the reaction of Turan to your actions is reliable and correct. If the driver moved somewhere or did not calculate, the stabilization system will immediately intervene. Of course, from the excessive correctness of the Turan, sometimes it becomes boring, but remember the ideology: the main thing is convenience and reliability in everything. From these positions to the car do not have.
Perfection or price?
At first glance, it is quite simple to place all the points above I on the results of this test. If we consider only bare technique - convenience, practicality and balance of driving characteristics - leadership on the side of the Turan. Two other mini-Wen with all their elegance, recognition and in general, good design armed, against the background of Volkswagen look not so perfect. However, it is worth remembering about the price - and the suck of practicality just makes choose between much more popular Opole and Ford. The gap of several thousand euros undoubtedly limits consumer interest. Speaking about a pair of more affordable, it is worth thinking to think carefully to whom to give preference. After all, both Opel Zafira and Ford Focus C-MAX offer about the same set of products. But if the advantage of the first in the number of passenger seats and a more frown motor, then the second is modern, elegant and focused on a more energetic and temperamental driver.

SUMMARY
Opel Zafira.
+ Easy transformed salon, convenient trunk, balanced driving features.
- Ogrechi ergonomics of the workplace, narrow.
Ford Focus C-Max
+ Modern, comfortable interior, thoughtful ergonomics, good handling.
- sluggish acceleration dynamics, less than the rest, the number of places.
Volkswagen Touran.
+ Comfortable, spacious salon and luggage compartment, excellent ergonomics, balanced driving features.
- High price, no spare wheel.