Test Drive Ford Explorer since 2010 SUV
Snow Opera
America taught us to drink a cola of the neck and chew hamburgers, without getting out of the steering wheel. It is especially pleasant to do it in Chevrolet Trailblazer or Ford Explorer. Broadway musicals have long been removed according to the sacrum developed once. The actors take appropriate postures, gesticulate and even make up as taught. In short, the public on Broadway innovations does not encourage.
In this American automotive industry something like Broadway directors. It is possible until the pulse loss is to demonstrate the conceptual karas at the automotive exhibitions, from which the roof rides, but under the real roof of your car, the American wants to see the musical in miniature - so that everything is familiar with the Bosor Childhood in Arizona.
Hey, on the barge! In both cars, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Ford Explorer, one concept is laid - a large family ship that is not terrible everyday storms and off-road around the Great Lakes. Especially since the latter is not observed there. The middle American, concerned about the wife and a couple-troika kids, should be equally comfortable to engage in national sports - on Saturdays ride in Mool for purchases, and on the last day Week-end - with sons on fishing. But the free weekend, when you can get to the hunt, do not fall out often, and thereby TrailBlazer and Explorer remain for three quarters of urban cars.
Move on them in the urban streets is amazingly convenient. The feeling is that they do not go, but they float along asphalt, and you feel not the driver, but the steering. Especially since the steering wheel on the TRAILBLAZER and Explorer is surprisingly soft. By the way, this is the property of all American cars. In the unhurried urban stream, when it is often maneuver, it is a plus. On the track, when you go at speed, it is minus. Because even minor bumps provoke a noticeable steering wheel, however, on Explorer it manifests itself a little weaker. All American cars have an amazing smoothness - our SUVs are no exception. Poams, potholes, even low borders both SUVs swallow with ease, responding to obstacles with light swing. Indeed, like a ship. Not all sedans can boast a similar smoothness. How can not show the power of the motor, allowing you to easily head the race to the next traffic light.
And it is surprising, despite the powerful motors and TrailBlazer, and Explorer in the urban cycle have moderate appetite - up to 15 liters of fuel per hundred. And in food they are not picky and quite calmly digest 92th gasoline.
Two of the Larz ... Immediately alleged: TrailBlazer - not variations on the theme of the old Brazilian-Elabuga Blazer. This is a new car, an intermediate link between Blazer and Tahoe. For comfort and configuration - almost the last, that is, the top. But what is surprising: transplancing from the TRAILBLAZER salon in Explorer, you feel the ways-vu, they are so similar. Despite the fact that Explorer is a long-lived in the American track market.
Both SUVs naturally with an automatic box. But in the TRAILBLAZER salon, a tune-bye america is already sounded - the gearbox lever and the handbrake are located on the console between the driver and the passenger, in favor of the European buyer. On both SUVs, the inclusion of the dispensing is made with a slight movement of the hand, more precisely - the toggle switch on the front panel. This is a standard for American all-wheel drive tracks. As not very popular in our conditions cruise control.
Naturally, a complete electric car is provided, and silent electric motors move back and forth all that can move. Alas, not only steering column, which is regulated only in height. Also an American version. The audio system and climate control units are located in both cars in the same place - on the beard, and their work algorithms are so similar that there is a logical question: not from one supplier feed Ford and Chevrolet?
Nevertheless, by the presence of comfortable priblud, TrailBlazer beats Explorer as lying. For no accident, he told applause on the presentation, referred to as the Detroit Motor Show 2002, and won the Truck of the Year title. In the buttons controlling the functions of the on-board computer and located on each of the four steering wheel, we dealt only on the second day. Through this computer (I hope, programmers from Microsoft did not put the hand to it) you can control numerous service functions - follow the flow of fuel, adjust the alarm and the lighting algorithm (you can set the headlamp delay for a couple of minutes to reach in the dark Parking to the house), driving a timer. It just does not cook and do not raise children ...
I completely finished us at the ceiling of a digital tape recorder for 4 minutes - so that the business person could leave a small Voice Memo, without breaking away from the road. Or listen to the instructions from the wife - what to buy on the way home: a bottle of truth and half a bottle of white caviar (options are possible).
... the same from the face? I am not a fan of black caviar, and I have a few comments to the traw in the year. They are subjective, but well-founded, especially in comparison with the old Good Explorer. In Ford, it is more convenient to sit and proudly review the surroundings. The edge of the driver's door glass is much lower, do not interfere with the front and rear racks. Maybe the matter is in my growth and landing, but in Explorer - more cozy. Yes, and the light cream upholstery of Ford's salon looks much richer and festive than a dark gray in Chevrolet. Thanks to the classic Kocherge in Explorer more space between front sedresses. Not a dance floor, of course, can accommodate many additional addicts. For example, refrigerator for drinks.
But the TRAILBLAZER took care of the rear passengers - a separate business package was mounted on the central console. It includes a radio (you can listen to FM-STEREO through headphones), as well as a separate climate control unit and a 12V socket.
I DO NOT BELIEVE! There is another significant difference that is well noticeable in photographs into the profile. This is a clien trailblazer and explorer. On the first it is significantly lower, although we got a car subjected to light tuning - thresholds were installed on it. The type of these thresholds suggested that it was not necessary to climb on this car into a snowy virgin. And then until spring will be signed: we sit well! And the point is not in all-season rubber - on Explorer was installed similar. Just to the place of filming Ford Colls in deep rut more confident than the trailblazer. The latter was constantly sausage from side to side, despite the fact that the distribution has long been switched to reduced mode.
Of course, deep loose snow - the situation is very critical, and the normal driver in a sober mind in a snowy field at a plus 2 is hardly climbs. But the situation is very demonstrative - the powerful TRAILBLAZER engine requires a more careful control of the car on off-road. In short, it is necessary to put pressure on gas as if there is an egg between the foot and pedal. As soon as the crankshaft turns jump over the mark of 2 thousand, so Chevrolet begins to go into the ground by all four leading.
Different scenario. With almost equal price and similar image between these two cars there is one big difference. TrailBlazer - to a greater degree of a powerful road cruiser for the city, highways and non-parietal trips to nature. At the same time, he possesses all the advantages of the representative limousine in terms of its configuration.
Explorer is more democratic - if desired, it can be broken and in a rather risky adventure of quite serious off-road. And in the city, such a car will not master its owner - all modern electromechanical options, it is stupid above the roof. And everything else is from the evil.
Text Nikolay Kachurin, photo Alexey Ilyin
Cars are provided to the test General Motors CIS (TrailBlazer), (095) 777-6886, and Major AUTO (Ford Explorer), (095) 737-8257.
Model / Modification of Chevrolet Trailblazer Ltz Ford Explorer Ltd.
Manufacturer / Country of Chevrolet Motor Division / USA Ford Motor Co./Ssha
BODY
Universal type Universal
Number of doors / seats 5/5 5/5
ENGINE
Type gasoline with electronic injection
Front location, longitudinally in front, longitudinally
Working volume (cube. Cm) 4157 3996
Number / Cylinders Location 6 / Angle 6 / V-Fig
Power, kW (hp) with rpm. / Min. 201 (273) at 6000 157 (213) at 5250
Moment (nm at rpm. / Min.) 373 at 3600 339 at 4000
TRANSMISSION
Rear drive, plugged full
Transmission automatic, 4-speed automatic, 5-speed
SUSPENSION
Front spring, on double triangular levers, transverse stability stabilizer
Rear Hard Rear Axle, Panar Traction, Spring Stability Stabilizer, Double Triangular Levers, Transverse Stability Stabilizer
STEERING
Gear Rake Type with Hydrauscitel
Min. The diameter of the reversal (M) 11.3 12.5
Torkemose
Front / rear disc ventilated / disc ventilated disc ventilated / disk
Sizes / Volume / Weight
Length / width / height (mm) 4870/1895/1830 4810/1830/1830
Wheel base (mm) 2870 2890
Mass (kg) 2100 1965
Tires / discs 245/70 R16 / 7J 235/70 R16 / 7J
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km / h)\u003e 190 180
Acceleration up to 100 km / h (sec.) 9.0 10.0
Economy
Fuel consumption (l / 100 km, city / highway) 14,2 / 11.2 15.7 / 11.8
Price in Moscow from $ 46 thousand $ 44.5 thousand.
A source: "Autopilot"
