Honda Fr-V test drive since 2007 Minivan

Seven on the shops

Compactwane is a car, as they say, without wings. It is bought not because you want, but because it is necessary. Dreams of youth go somewhere into the far plan, giving way to considerations of depressingly mundane - accessibility, practicality, safety and even moderation of operating costs.
 

Fortunately, no one forces us to buy faceless multi -seater boxes. His Majesty the market gives us the right to choose. There is an opportunity to stand out of the crowd, so there is also the opportunity to leave this crowd strongly behind. Honda FR -V will perfectly cope with the first role, with the second - Opel Zafira 2.0 Turbo. And how do they cope with the role of compactwane?
 

Honda is a real show -stopper, causing a sincere curiosity among others. To the crazy Fiat Multipla, she was far from, but it was the FR-V that closest to the creation of the reckless imagination of Italian designers. There is definitely something to examine. The brown front bears traces of efforts to enter this wide machine into the narrow framework of the corporate identity. When looking from the rear, you pay attention not so much to unusual dimensions as on the S -shaped lid of the trunk - even its glass has a noticeable bend, which required the use of a wiper of a non -standard structure. Well, in the FR-V profile, it gives rise to obsessive associations with the BMW X5. Despite the fact that there are no direct borrowings - unless the rear racks of familiar outlines. Probably, it's all about the game of the proportions of doors and glasses.


Zafira in its second generation still brings an obvious imprint of Germanic technogenicity, but in some places it has become more animated, emotional. The nasal part looks advantageous at any perspective: the front racks of the cover in the wings were especially successful and then to the large block facts connected by a powerful chrome -plated radiator cladding. The front bumper is well developed - look at the huge mouth of the air intake and the energetic relief of the skirt, however, the same applies to Honda. Neatly defined extensors of wheeled arches, which do not seem to be elaborate, as in focuses or the latest S-class, speak of good taste. But the zafira is boring - only perpendiculars.


In the gray Opelian salon, a monumental industrialist reigns - monolithic forms, sweeping lines. Large round handles and buttons, discreet displays logically fit into the strict atmosphere of the interior. All this looks like a stone cutter to work, but in general it looks whole and quite elegant. Honda is completely different. She fascinates the glossy glossy hi-tech and a bunch of futuristic bellows. The lever of the mechanical gearbox ascended to the front panel, directly below it - an exhaust handbrake, nearby - a massive drawer. The steering knitting needles are decorated with elegant silver inserts with flat buttons. But soon, from the abundance of small details of plastic of all kinds of textures, it begins to be replaced in the eyes. And this multi -colored instrument panel


The extraordinary FR-V now and then turns into conflicts with ergonomics. You have to lift the right hand high in search of a gearbox lever, reach for climate control, each time look for the windows buttons. The layout of 3+3 is also for an amateur. The back of the front is crowded: even if a child sits between adults, it is better to push him back. But then the middle seat disappears from behind. Of course, it can also be moved away, as a result of which the location of the seats in the cabin will resemble the Citroen icon. Isn't it tricky?
 

Opel is an order of magnitude more logical, more thoughtful and understandable. To begin with, the doorways are wider here. Then, this is really a seven -seater car - two chairs of the third row are absolutely full. They are laid out in one appointment, with an average sofa pushed to the stop. In general, everything is like in an old car - they are not looking for good from good, anyway, competitors have not yet come up with anything better. Probably, the only minus of this scheme is the seats of the second row seats, when the pillow in an upright position is pressed to the back, and the whole structure is moved to the front chairs. In addition, Zafira is well adapted to transport long -sized objects, for which the back of the front right seat leans forward.
 

It is also worth noting here that, compared with the previous generation machines, the checkpoint lever is located further from the driver, and it became much more convenient for them to manipulate. At the same time, there are deteriorations - these are stupid non -fixed switches under the wheel and spied on Renault Megane II.


Actually, we started the test drive from Honda, fearing, no matter how much its possibilities were faded against the backdrop of the stunning power of Opel. Everything turned out just the opposite. Yes, FR-V is definitely slower. But what is the level of technical culture! How qualitatively all the car components work, how filigree controls are tuned! I would call the reactions of the machine biological - they are quick, soft, soft and intuitively understandable. The engine is surprisingly elastic and responds to the slightest displacement of the accelerator pedal. The gearbox, despite the cable drive of the lever, switches with perfect clarity. The suspension without a trace extinguishes a micro -relief and very carefully practices large defects, and the car does not swing on the gentle waves, and the rolls remain at an acceptable level. In turns, Honda behaves amazingly correctly: the driver perceives the car as a whole and feels complete control over it, enjoying a thorough feedback on the steering wheel. And amorphous, at first glance, seats, as it turned out, reliably hold the body in corners. Miracle what kind of car!


And what about Opel? The car is equipped with an interactive IDS chassis (Interactive Driving System), which connects the electronically controlled shock absorbers, the EHPS electronic shock, the ESP Plus stabilization system, the braking system in the CBC turns and the TC PLUS anti -wax system. Numerous IDS sensors monitor such parameters as the position of the steering wheel and pedals, overload in various directions, allowing electronics to adjust the operation of various machine systems. In practice, compactiven showed himself to be sharp, rude: his reactions are not always unambiguous, often nervous and devoid of accuracy. The suspension is denser than Honda, more energy intensive, but transfers a road profile to the body too detail. There is Sport mode, activated by the button on the front panel. It exacerbates the feedback of the machine to the steering wheel, reduces the rolls, but the rigidity of the suspension becomes even higher. However, the main problem - namely, the mismatch of the suspensions, manifested in steep turns or sharp restructuring with the fluffing of the rear axle - does not disappear anywhere. On the previous car, this was not! Yes, and on the hot hatchback Vectra GTS 3.2 the same IDS chassis is much more convincing. It is annoying, especially since direct Zafira is infinitely stable and reliable.


The motor is strong, there is no dispute. True, at low speeds, the work of the turbine does not manifest in any way, and only upon reaching the 3000 mark does a smooth surge of traction begin. Well, after 5000, the engine finally fadows, instantly resting against the limiter. And so - in every gear. Extreme Opel! However, outside the autobans, its extremeness is unlikely to be justified. For family transport, I would like something calmer and more likely. For example, diesel.


Honda also remains to Honda. Undoubtedly, the FR -V model is a sample of technical perfection, but this compactiven is as stupid as Stream as a multi -purpose car. Honda is trying to invent a bicycle, although in the class of large minivans has long been playing with the Odyssey model, built without twisted, according to generally accepted canons. And plays successfully.


What do you want? And once again I want to engage in genetic engineering and derive a viable cross of two types.
 

The car is provided by Ralph Art Division.
The Opel Zafira car was provided by Pragmatist, the official dealer of General Motors
During the test, the car is insured by Rosno.
 

Text: Leonid Klyuyev
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 97/2005]