Test Drive Honda Legend since 2009 Sedan
Honda Legend Car Overview
Easy car in the class of elite - is it possible? The Honda Legend car is equipped with a SH-AWD full drive system, and, according to the advertising booklet, it is significantly acquiring. The correspondent of the Japanese magazine Navi Suzuki Machito made a test trip behind the wheel of a new elite car, developed by Honda, whose salon supposedly is what the driver needs.
Inside the car hides the magic gnome
With the new Honda Legend, I was able to get acquainted before, as it was on sale. It happened on Hokkaido, on the Test track of Honda in the city of Takanosu. It is clear, it was only a preliminary version of the car.
The annular track was not chosen by chance. The fact is that it is on it that it makes it easier to evaluate the operation of the SH-AWD protrusion system. And the main thing, on the test track there was a Legend of the former generation of the model, so the appreciation of the innovation was supposed to be done, so to speak, by the comparison method. Thanks to this, I can immediately announce my conclusion: what was before, and what we see now are two completely different things! Of course, the Legend family has a big story, and each next car is obliged to contribute something new to the model. Nevertheless, the current product of Honda comes far beyond the simple update of the model range.
On a closed, specially equipped area of \u200b\u200bthe test track, the speed quality of the machine can be fully experienced. But it is so clear that, perhaps on gas, nothing terrible will happen. Machine enters the turn? Please - click on the brake, twist the steering wheel and see what will happen. Yes, nothing, strictly speaking, special: the car, describing the correct arc, confidently changes the course. At the same time, the distribution coefficient of traction force between the front and rear wheels is changing in the range from 30 to 70.
And in the ligament of the left and right rear wheels, the allocation of force may vary in the interval of 100 to 0. And the change is smoothly, according to a stepless scheme. This is the main effect of using the SH-AWD system. But, while driving, do not even suspect that all this is accompanied by such complex transformations. It seems that somewhere inside the car hides some kind of magical gnome, who helps everything to do as it should. Of course, the ease with which the machine supports the high speed of movement, herself can carry anyone. But it should be borne in mind that for those drivers who are completely confident in their skill, the idea that somewhere inside the car there is a force that can actively intervene in the management process may not cause special delight. So it is so, but after after all, Legend is not even just the highest class sedan, it is an elite car, as it imagines to Honda. And there everyone believes that the speed possibilities of the car should be closely related to ensuring the safety of movement, even if for the sake of this ligament it is necessary to perform a certain correction of control in unconditionally, without asking for the driver's consent.
Each movement is easy
Yes, it should be considered that Honda Legend is a car included in the group of elite machines. But, moving along the annular track, I was inclined to forget about it and tried all the time to add to the turn of Gaza. Useless! And no matter how much the driver would not complain about the fact that why the car engine, which overcame the bar in 280 horsepower, if it is equipped with such a tough system of self-control, nothing can be done here. This is not a sports car, and the receptions of the handling with the heavy duty engine here must be fundamentally different. When I finally got on the road to the public, I, I assure, immediately appeared reason to make sure that this approach was correct.
Leaving to the city, I stopped to look at the car from the side. Yes, the appearance gives it a very active in nature. Starting somewhere with Odyssey, Honda deliberately gives its cars slightly blowing expressions of individuals. The flagship of the model range of Legend did not escape this fate. Yes, it is in such an appearance that this car plans to conquer the city. But maybe such an expression of his face and at a meeting somewhere outside the city will produce in the counter no less effect. Recently, all high-class sedans - no matter, imported or Japanese - as if they had conspited to demonstrate their sportiness. But Honda Legend adheres to another tactics. At least she can force the driver to forget about its enlarged body not only movement along the ring of the test route. As soon as the car rises from the spot, the feeling immediately arises that you are driving the car with a light body - it is so easily given to her any movement. And this is despite the fact that in fact the weight of the car is not so small - as many as 1760 kg. But when driving, this weight is incomprehensiblely felt by the driver at the level of somewhere 1200 kg. Such a feeling does not disappear and then when the car turns out to be on a high-speed highway. The speed begins to grow rapidly, but this is evidenced only slightly increasing, but remaining at the same time light noise of the motor. The car easily moves from one strip of movement to another. And at the same time, the driver begins to feel more and more young.
The pleasure of driving is a positive moment, but
So, driving this car gives pleasure. There is no doubt that it is a big plus legend. But it should be borne in mind that we are dealing with a representative of a group of elite cars, with a sedan who claims to be high-class. And I just did not remember this. And if you make a comparison of different machines of this class - for example, with Toyota Crown, I personally would prefer Honda! Yes, only here is the snag: I, as you understand, not the one for whom such machines are created. So, from the point of view of those who do not recognize any machines, if they stand below Crown in a car hierarchy, such a remark, how light noise can be interpreted as an annoying sound. And the definition will be perceived in the sense that does not give to focus, isn't it? So my choice in favor of Legend is due only to the movements of two compared machines, and absolutely does not take into account the other characteristics, which, in fact, are forced to consider Crown with an exemplary elite car.
And now I want to try to look at Legend through the eyes of the most elite driver. What does he see? Overview through the windshield, which opens from its place behind the wheel, can not be called perfect. The front panel, trimmed under metal, is not perceived as very expensive. The long-awaited dashboard under the tree looks somewhat raised. The desire to compose the salon on the sports type leads to the fact that the existing useful area is planned by a manner that does not cause the desire to name the salon rich. And what's the fact that the buyer guess the desire to seem highly class in the car? After all, you want - does not mean to be! Thus, I fully admit that those who are addressed by this machine will perceive it ambiguously. So, it's time for me to finish. The Honda Legend car of the previous generation seemed to me a model standing at a crossroads. What will happen to her further where she goes - it remained only to guess. Finally, priorities are marked: power and only power. And everything else? Of course, the market is sometimes forcing something and something to copy, and to someone to imitate, not without it. But what's the point in imitation, if the product knows not to be sold - this is what the question! Specifications Honda Legend
Body sizes (length / width / height)
4930 mm / 1845 mm / 1455 mm
Wheelbase
2800 mm
Weight car
1760 kg
Drive unit
Full
Engine
3.5-liter, 6-cylinder with V-shaped cylinders, SOHC with 24 valves, developing power - 300 hp at 6200 rpm, the maximum torque is 36.0 kg / m at 5000 rpm.
Transmission
5-speed automatic transmission
Basic price of the car
5.250.000 yen (about $ 47.700)
Price of the car on which the test trip was performed
6.279.000 yen (about $ 57.100)
Author: Sudzuki Mahito (Suzuki Mahito)
Photo: Takahasi Nobuhiro (Tahakashi Nobuhiro)
January 2005
A source: webcg.
