Test drive Honda Legend sedan 1996 - 2005 sedan

Modern legend

There are cars for drivers, there are for passengers. The first to manage to manage, the latter provide maximum comfort for those who are being taken. Combine in one car, both few people succeed ...


The Honda Legend sedan, which appeared in 1985, closes the lineup of the company. The machine was originally created as a representative, for the domestic market, therefore, comfortable for the inhabitants of the rear seat was put in the first place, it was sacrificed to the charming qualities of control, the accuracy of the steering, etc. At that time, it probably was correct who was driving on a representative car?


The car began to be exported, and foreign buyers initially accepted it with enthusiasm was helped by the brilliant reputation of the Honda engines, won on Formula 1 routes in 1986-1991. The consciousness of the townsfolk was struck that the company with the image of the manufacturer of mass models could wipe their nose to such eminent athletes as Ferrari, Renault, Ford and BMW. But this circumstance was played with her a cruel joke of the buyer, primarily the European joke, subconsciously expected from the car with the nameplate N not only an excellent motor, but also a hint of sports in behavior. And if Honda has always been all right with the engines, then in terms of sports with the Legend model, it was just a disaster concerned with both external appearance and running qualities. It was worth increasing the speed slightly, the limousine smoothness of the course was replaced by tangible swaying and strong rolls in corners. The car was clearly made under a Japanese, not a European businessman.


The company did not give up. The new generation car, released in 1996, was even larger than its predecessor, but according to the reviews of automobile critics, she behaved much better. Due to the increased hardness of the body, springs and stabilizers, the Honda branded double -leaf suspension earned as it should, the rod and the rolls in corners decreased, the steering became more acute ...


Since then, Honda Legend has undergone a little modernization, and in 1999 cosmetic restyling. The front end changed slightly, the beak appeared in the lower part of the radiator cladding, the folds of the hood became more embossed. The car received new bumpers (fog lights are built into the front air intake to the front gap) and the trunk lid. Something has changed in the cabin. The latest version of Legend is before us, now you can see what happened to the car yourself.


The six-cylinder V-shaped 24-valve 3.5 l of the Honda pride remained the same, it is located longitudinally, which is not quite usually for the front-wheel drive car. For compactness and the best amusing, the main gear is shifted under the engine crankcase. The transmission is the same automatic, 4-speed GRADE LOGIC, the company does not offer mechanics for a car of this class in principle. Electronics was dialing. There was an anti -circus system, ABS is now four -channel, recirculation type (on the previous model there were three channels of the rear wheels slowed down synchronously).


The design of the Legend suspension is characteristic of the Honda family Powerful transverse levers with a shock -absorption counter and multi -link structure in the back. The rear suspension is interesting to a slight change in the angles of the installation of the wheels, which gives the effect of steering when maneuvering and stabilization during braking.


Outwardly, the car looks neutral. Everything is in place, everything is right, but ... somehow sterile. The lines of the body profile and its front line are caused by associations with Mercedes models. Outside, the car seems very large. However, why it seems? So it is: the length is almost five meters. The cabin is spacious. I plunge into a soft leather chair ... Electric drives help to find a convenient position of the pillow, the back of the driver's seat has adjustment of the inclination and fracture in the lower back. With a closed door, access to control keys is limited. On the driver's door, the button to memorize the settings of the chair and mirrors.


The steering column is equipped with an electric drive. Using a small chip, it can be handed over and down, back and forth. When the ignition is turned off, the same drive raises the column itself and shifts the steering wheel so that it is more convenient to get out. The control of the radio and cruise control moved to the skin sheathed with skin.


Those who had to drive Civic or ACSORD, Torpedo Legend will seem familiar to all controls are very similar and no less logical, only there are more of them. The devices are very recessed and with the ignition turned off almost not visible, so the scales are highlighted regardless of the time of day. The brightness of the glow of the red arrows of the speedometer and tachometer intensifies to their ends.


The central armrest of the driver is hollow and is adjusted in height. Inside, you can put a couple of cigarettes blocks. Press your fingers from the end two cup holders. Another armrest, also hollow, hides in the back of the rear sofa. If you lower it, a five-five car will turn into a four-seater.


The back is spacious. The only thing that bulky passengers can complain about, the feet of the 46th or more size under the front seats are difficult to put.


Softly, as if sucking, the door closes. Turning the key, the motor earned soundlessly, which is famous. In addition to the usual measures of suppression of noise and vibrations (balancer shafts, hydraulic compensators, dampfer supports), shortened (this reduces the knock of skirts) of the piston of high -precision manufacturing. On top, the motor is closed by a noise -absorbing pad ...


The right hand on the automatic transmission lever. The guide backstage has a broken profile that facilitates the search for the desired position of the lever. The car stuck smoothly from the place. Confident acceleration corresponds to the number of herd under the hood.


The motor is very elastic. The characteristic of the torque is hidden from 2800 rpm. This is facilitated by a rebuilding intake manifold with three -stage changes, depending on the revolutions, length and passing cross -section, on which the resonant frequency of the collector directly depends on the flow rate of the mixture. The motor is almost not heard in the entire range of revolutions, however, otherwise in the luxury machine could not be. The box switches exclusively smoothly and, as in the last Legend with some thought, responds to a sharp press of gas pedal (Kick Down).


Starting from a place or acceleration on slippery coating without problems, thanks APS. The press release on this occasion says: electronics determines the permissible degree of slipping of the drive wheels for each specific road situation, after which it accordingly reduces the engine power. What is the slip? The reins are stretched almost instantly.


The front wheels on slippery coating, the gas pedal to the floor, rubber with rustling makes no more than one turn (this electronics is enough to comprehend the situation), a special damper is triggered in the intake manifold, the power drops, and the machine is smoothly touched. At this moment it is useless to trample the accelerator, the car does not react to this. If desired, APS can be turned off.


At first, the body seems excessively wide, so you try to overtake other cars with a margin, but gradually you get used to the dimensions. In a straight line legend is excellent. In corners at high speed, the mass of the machine and the softness of the suspension begin to feel. The steering is too light and with insufficient feedback. Yes, the force on the steering wheel increased slightly: on the previous model, the steering wheel could be twisted with one finger, now two ...


Assessment of the car is complicated. A lot depends on the positions from which the appraiser acts. The objective advantages of Legend, which are unlikely to dispute, excellent assembly quality (neither knocking nor creaking in the cabin), magnificent engine and transmission, voluminous trunk, impressive sizes by the latter, the machine exceeds competitors such as the five BMW, Mercedes E-class and Lexus GS. (However, the size is ambiguous. The owner of the driver may not like that the tail or nose of a five-meter car will stick out of the row in a standard parking lot, and the businessman-attentator-and-sitting, spit on this.)


Honda Legend is worth in world markets (even taking into account a very high level of standard equipment), it is significantly less than rivals is also an indisputable fact. As well as the fact that the pleasure from managing this model with sports ambitions will receive a little.


Do I need to criticize this model for unsportsmanlike behavior, is it correct? After all, Honda Legend is a representative of a representative, business class. And what businessman will it come to mind her, say, insufficient or excessive rotation?


It is probably impossible to build a car that would please everyone, even representatives of the same social category. We assume that Legend is a car for businessmen. But businessmen are also different. Last year, Legend sales account in the UK went hundreds a year, and in Australia thousands a month ...


It is clear that, despite the magnificent motor with formula technologies, the Honda Legend car is not for the rider. But it is quite suitable for the owner of the team, who, according to its social status, travels in the back seat. This, however, does not exclude the opportunity for such the owner to sometimes move forward in order to calmly tank, say, to a suburban residence.
 
Alexey Strelkov
 

Source: Motor magazine [December 1999]