Ford Galaxy test drive since 2006 minivan

A whole barrel of honey

There were no minivans in the Russian market of the Russian market.


Appearance
 
 


Perhaps this family bus never looked so athletic and tightened: unusually wide muscular arches, fluffy headlights, large elongated fog -tullets and the hoods stretched throughout the hood. Against such a background, the predecessor-veteran (Galaxi debuted in 1995), even after rejuvenation six years ago, it looks frankly boring either to give a beer swimming, a lover of beer, a smoking sports clubs.
 

Notice, the newcomer has become also noticeably longer (plus 180 mm), as well as higher and wider (by 33 and 60 mm, respectively). Moreover, the limit of his sporting aggression in design is not exhausted at all. Together with the new Galaxy Ford, he released built on the same base, but an even more rapid 5-seater ES Max. This, however,, as they say, is a separate song.
 



Interior design, ease of landing and capacity
Inside, the car has completely changed beyond recognition. If it were not for the typical minivan triangular windows at the front racks and more than two cubic meters of air behind your back, you can easily think that you were driving a sports car. The wide central tunnel now clearly distinguishes between the workplace of the driver and passenger, and the larger slope of the steering column allows you to take a completely easy landing. The inserts for aluminum, chairs with pronounced lateral support, were added, and round air duct deflectors appeared on the front panel.
 

However, you should not think that the previous family values \u200b\u200bhave faded into the background. On the contrary, for passengers, the car has become even more convenient. The underestimated threshold and high doorways made an even easier landing. The chairs of the second and third rows are from now on the amphitheater so passengers are always visible to the horizon, which is why it is less motionless. And everywhere it has become even more spacious.

 
  
Galaxy 2000
 

Galaxy 2006
 
 
Galaxy 2006




Dimensions
 


Galaxy 2000
 






Galaxy 2006






Equipment
 


Galaxy 2000
 






Galaxy 2006




1. An adjustable steering wheel with an amplifier. 2. Pillows of safety. 3. The end -blocking system of the brakes. 4. CD Magnetol. 5. Air conditioning. 6. Electric windows. 7. Electric drive heated mirrors. 8. Central castle. 9. Fog lights.


Dynamics and economy
 




Until 2004, Galaxy was sold with four motors. However, recently it could be bought only with one gasoline engine of 2.3 liters (145 hp). The current alternative is a 2-liter car of the same capacity. Due to the smaller mass and modern design, such minivan is 1.5 s faster accelerates to hundreds, more economically at suburban speeds, although it has slightly lost in traction.
 

In order to find an alternative to Galaxy with a Volkswagen V6 with a volume of 2.8 liters, you will have to buy a 225-horsepower ES Max. But diesel versions received more than a decent replacement. Even the weakest 100-horsepower Ford exchange 100 km/h almost 3 seconds faster than the previous 90-horsepower Galaxy. And in elasticity (overclocking from 50 to 100 km/h on the fourth), it is almost 2 seconds faster than a newcomer with a single gasoline engine. Other eating diesel fuels are even more painful. The 125-horsepower engine can be selected with both 5- and 6-speed mechanics. 130- and 143-horsepower diesel engines and completely frank lighters with a spurt with 110120 km/h can adequately withstand even cars with powerful V6.


Safety
Euroncap did not test either the previous or the current model. However, a tougher body and the best equipment, if earlier there were only front pillows in the database, now inflatable curtains have appeared for all three rows and a pillow to protect the driver’s knees allow you to call a beginner and safer.
 

In addition, by order, the machine can be obtained with shock absorbers of variable stiffness, interacting with EPS and contributing to more easy control at high speeds. Galaxy and trump cards appeared in Galaxy as a help system at the start, rotary bixenon headlights, tire pressure sensors and even active cruise control.
 



Budget
The first Galaxy was worth too expensive $ 33,528 for the base trend-2.3. The new one is much cheaper: the owner of the Cor-2.0 version can be for $ 25,900. Given the almost basic equipment (there is no radio, fog lights appeared), this is just a gift. If you compare the machines of one version of the trend, then the difference will be slightly smaller, but $ 6748 is still very significant.
 

As before, a minivan can also be bought in the generous configuration of the GIA. Such a 145-horsepower beginner costs $ 28 350 per $ 7506 cheaper than the previous one. True, while Galaxy cannot be bought with a machine gun.
 

But if the diesel engines have not been sold at all for the past couple of years, then from now on them for every taste. The most affordable, 100-Cyle costs $ 26,400. Another 25 forces will cost $ 750. For 130- and 143-horsepower versions, they also ask for inexpensively at $ 27,660 and from $ 28 050, respectively.
 

 
    
We decided:

Having received an exquisite, bright appearance, a wide range of brisk and economical engines, the newcomer has become safer and more spacious. But the most important thing at the same time managed to cheaper on an average of $ 67007500. The only spoon of tar is the complete absence of automatic versions.
 

Alexey Sergeev, photo ford
 
 

Source: Magazine buy a car [14/2006]