Test drive Great Wall Hover H5 since 2011 SUV

Great Wall Hover H5: He could become a bestseller ...

There is a niche on the Russian automobile market, which, having occupied which any competent manufacturer can quickly become a sales leader and a popular favorite. Of course, if he acts skillfully.

This niche is inexpensive, up to 1 million rubles, compact SUVs. Not crossovers, namely the conquerors of domestic provincial spaces, where for six months, that is, in the spring, summer and autumn, the roads resemble the ways of retreating enemy armies, and for another six months the so -called winter roads, in other words, temporary, slightly rolled tracks intended for emergency passage of trucks and trucks and incurrents. special equipment.

Today in this segment there is practically nothing, and after all, 7-8 years ago, a car was represented here, perfectly falling into a target audience. I'm talking about the old Suzuki Grand Vitara, instead of which in 2006, a crossover with the same name began to leave the conveyors of the Japanese auto giant.

I understand why foreign manufacturers one after another abandoned real SUVs. By and large, there are only two reasons: firstly, in civilized countries to any point that the motorist would like to visit, a decent road leads, and secondly, crossovers are cheaper in production, because they are built on the basis of ordinary cars. It is enough to take the front -wheel drive hatchback as a basis, slightly raise the chassis, fasten the rear -wheel drive through the viscousoft and add the external appearance of the known brutality. Everything, the crossover is ready!

In my opinion, a real SUV that would fall in love with the overwhelming share of Russian motorists should be built according to the following formula:

1. It should be frame or have a frame integrated into the body (like Jeep Cherokee).

2. It should stand on it with a gasoline engine with a volume of 2.5 3 liters with a capacity of 150 200 l/s (no longer necessary) with a torque of 220,280 N.M.

3. It should be an rear -wheel drive with a front -wheel drive connected.

4. clearance of at least 200 mm.

5. Equipped mass is not more than 1800 kg (better less).

That, in fact, is all! Oh yes, while it should cost no more than a million in full configuration.

And now I had the opportunity to test a car that almost fits into the framework of the declared formula. This is Hover H5 from the Great Wall company, and even in the top configuration. It is frame, quite compact (4650 mm length), with a large clearance and connected front. True, it is somewhat heavy in 1965 kg in a equipped state, and his engine turned out to be diesel.

Many will agree with me: for the conditions of the Russian periphery, a diesel engine is an unacceptable option, because that diesel fuel that is sold in winter outside the small Moscow ring, you can’t fix any additives. However, if you live in Moscow or in the nearest Moscow region, the diesel version of the Hover H5 can arrange you. Or not? Let's understand.

After traveling to Wingle 5, I was not surprised that there is no unpleasant vinyl smell in the Hover salon. Another thing struck me: it smelled of an expensive European car! And all this looked not cheap leather upholstery of the seats, doorbells in tone with armchairs, a solid torpedo, leather steering wheel, a central console with a screen of a multimedia center elegantly, neatly and in a European manner restrained. Driving seat with electrical adjustments, climate control, steering wheel adjustment (though only in height), parking sensors with a rear view camera, roomy trunk and a bunch of all sorts of pleasant little things that you do not expect to see in a car worth 850 thousand rubles.

Under the hood, the diesel is characterized by a diesel, but the vibration from it was almost not felt on the steering wheel, and good sound insulation actively extinguishes the sound even at high speeds.

And then the adventures began. I switched the automatic box selector (a 4-band hydrotransformer with the possibility of manual switching) to the drive and pressed the accelerator. The car crawled sluggishly several meters and suddenly drove sharply, so much so that I barely managed to slow down in front of the traffic light! The road was slippery, saved ABS. And so at every traffic light: first a exhaustingly lethargic start, then, after reaching 2000 revolutions, a powerful breakthrough. Agree, it is not easy to adopt such a gait.

The unraveling of this behavior of the car is simple: a two -liter turbodiesel is almost instantly gaining the declared 310 N. M. Twesh after only two thousand revolutions, that is, after the activation of the turbine. How much he gives out until the magic line is reached is unknown. However, this is clearly not enough, moreover, it is dangerous, especially during the intersection of unregulated intersections, because at one point you simply will not have time to leave it, no matter how much you press the gas.

When the turbine is active, the car behaves predictably, it becomes dynamic, the transfers switch quickly and smoothly, without jerking, in a word, it seems that you are driving a full-fledged business class sedan. Somewhat spoil the overall picture too light steering wheel and a harsh suspension. If you quickly get used to the first, then the second annoys when you move from asphalt to the laundry, the car begins to shake significantly.

How does this SUV behave outside the road behave? The front -wheel drive is connected clearly and almost imperceptibly simple pressing the button on the front console. After that, the car confidently rushes through the snow margins, climbs onto the ice slides, in general, justifies its purpose. But God forbid you to lose speed on the off -road or on Snezhnoye virgins: the weak dynamics of the motor at low speeds will simply not let you get up to be held out! And here you will face another strangeness of this SUV: there is no lowering transmission here that could solve this, in general, simple problem.

A serious trouble can wait for the driver who, having not calculated the trajectory, will manage to hang out two wheels diagonally. Do not be surprised, it is not at all difficult to get into a similar situation on Hover: the suspension passages are too short for the SUV.

Summary
The conclusions beg themselves. Before buying this car with a turbodiesel, even Muscovites need to seriously weigh the pros and cons and, possibly, find an alternative option, in any case, until the manufacturer sets another engine, more quick at the start of the engine. Although, our hover55, for sure, is suitable for people who prefer a measured driving style, leisurely moving in a seething city stream, as if clinging to the algae. This machine will open for them the rich world of gender under the gas pedal, which they had not decided to examine before. The rest makes sense to wait for the start of sales of Hover H6 with a gasoline engine with a capacity of 164 hp. and a torque of 210 N.M. By the way, weighing a new model will be only 1700 kg, and if it does not turn out to be much more expensive than the previous one, it will fully meet the formula of the ideal compact SUV for the average Russian motorist. Namely, our fellow citizens make up the majority.

 

Source: Business car club