Test drive Honda Legend sedan since 2006 sedan

Japanese argument

Any manufacturer to perform in the representative class is both easy and difficult to think so from the outside.
 

It seems like many solutions (both design and technical) are obvious; You just can’t do without them, otherwise anything premium will not work. But, on the other hand, how hard it is to find something original here, clearly distinguishing you! After all, the highlights here should be the appropriate level ...
 

We discussed all this before the test drive of the new Honda premium sedan for the Russian market. A day later, it was already possible to evaluate Japanese raisins and understand what the Japanese were going to lure the conservative buyer.

 
Acceleration of Legend to 4,000 revolutions is persistent, but at the same time quite even. This very perseverance is felt only by the rapid take -off of the arrows of the speedometer and tachometer, without jerks and jerks. And after four, the motor opens a second wind!
 
Yeah, the hegemony of the German business class is at risk. If earlier the battle Stuttgart, Munich and Ingolstadt could only give Lexus GS, now those who have thought about buying the e-class sedan have new arguments to turn their eyes to the east. From there comes Honda Legend, which makes us look differently at the cars of the Japanese manufacturer. However, what else is there? We are already accustomed to the fact that behind the namepers H are hiding bright and powerful cars with decent handling like an Accord 2.4 or a new Civic hatchback. Well, all the more interesting how the creative abilities of Honda engineers and designers apply to all-wheel drive business departments!
  

Even working on a car of this class, the creators of Honda still remembered the branded lines: Legend turned out to be a dynamic and rapid sports projectile, largely reminiscent of Accord, albeit more smoothly, with rounded elements. It is good or bad in any case, individually. If you look at the side, the lines of the body and windows, and the short rear part only emphasize its wedge -shaped shape. And the hood merging with the radiator grille with the rib in the middle plus the wings protruding up the face of Legend not like rivals in the segment.
  

For the same money ...
... It was possible to purchase a papavon - an armored six -wheeled car, on which the Pope John Pavel II moved around the UK in 1982. The buyer, who overplayed 30,000 at compared with the initial price. e., chose to remain unknown.
 

... The most affordable deck model of the Crownline 220 EX/DB boat is presented in Russia. Its advantages: a combination of elegant shape and quite decent capacity. A six -meter vessel is great for both walks and relaxing in the company.
 

... In the middle of the fall of 2007 in St. Petersburg it will be possible to purchase an apartment-studio. In the nearest suburbs, if you are lucky, it is possible to become the owner of a one -room apartment.
 

The only thing that seems illogical in the design of the sedan is a chrome radiator grille: other products from chromium with which it would be combined are not distinguished in the front. True, a brilliant composition of the front of the front line is covered with both Mercedes, Mazda, and other companies; So, we will consider this a tribute to automobile fashion.
 

Security systems
Legend is equipped with a number of technological know-how, which increase not only the safety of the driver and passengers, but also the potential victims of the collision of pedestrians. For their safety, Legend is equipped with a lifted hood drive using pyropatrons, which is activated at the time of the frontal collision. It will be better to see Legend in the dark due to the xenon headlight of the near -light and the system of active headlight adjustment, turning along with the front wheels. It is interesting that the versions of the car for other markets are equipped with an infrared system of night vision, which recognizes hidden darkness or fog of unlucky pedestrians. And we have a rising hood for such
 

In the design of the body, engine and suspension, light alloys are widely used. A five -meter sedan could not weigh 1,885 kg (with a driver) without the widespread use of aluminum winged metal. Starting with the hood and front wings and ending with the subframe and levers of the suspension. Noise insulation was put on a diet: Honda breeders deduced a new composition of a substance that protects from the noise, which is distinguished by extremely low mass and, at the same time, high performance of 4 efficiency. The latter is difficult not to notice: the only thing that sounds in the cabin is a favorite CD.
  

More than a spacious salon, in our opinion, is not at all inferior to German competitors as materials. The chairs with a wide range of adjustments are finished with perforated skin and well -well -filed: they are very comfortable in the measured urban ride, but not worse when inertia begins to act stronger.
 

Prices for Honda Legend start at $ 69,000. The basic (and only) equipment includes a 3.5-liter 295-horsepower engine, automatic KP, AFS rotary headlights, Rear Vida, VSA exchange stability system (including ABS, BAS, anti-operating system), eight airbags, xenon, two-zone climate control and Hands Free C Bluetooth.
 

The dashboard is trimmed with wood (it turns out that the maple uh!), And the central console with climate control devices, a video system and the navigation system are sheathed with light technological and cloth metal. The main devices in the Civic style and a large navigation display are convenient for perception; Plus, all the necessary functions are at hand at the driver.
 

A convenient steering wheel fully deserves its multifunctional status: a lot of adjustments are made here: from the audio system to the control panel of the cruise control.
 

Honda Legend is an expensive business suit in which you feel so convenient that you want to put it on the morning run. Let us forget for a few minutes about a 295-horsepower 3.5-liter engine, on a unique all-wheel drive transmission, let only a five-speed automatic box remained in the drive mode. We will get the right, unmistakably the following trajectories of the urban business sedan. It goes smoothly and silently, almost silent about the disadvantages of the roadway.
 

SOHC VTEC 3.5 V6 engine
The 3.5-liter 295-horsepower V6, installed on the Honda Legend, today, is the most powerful in the gamut of the Japanese company. A modern aluminum 24-valve engine with an adjustable valve control device and electronic valves control surprises both excellent traction after 4,000 revolutions and a high level of economy: 11.8 liters of fuel per 100 km. In addition, it is perfectly balanced: you can put a full, to the edges, a glass of water, we assure the engine, not a drop will spill!
 

Such is the typical portrait of a solid business class car and what else does a business person need, whose route passes through smooth asphalt through city traffic jams daily? Find an alternative way! They count in Honda. The path where you can drown the accelerator on the floor and feel the powerful onslaught of the 295-horsepower engine, feel the fleeting of the gear and hear the rubber creak on each of the four turning wheels. The Japanese in the European market never had so generously on the return of the motor: it is only worthy of Legend. And it was on it that the unique system of the full-wheel drive SH-AWD Super Handling All Wheel Drive (super-controlled full-wheel drive system) was first tested.
  

Disconnect the VSA course stability system, dwell the gas to the floor and move to the turn. The brake, rotation of the steering wheel and the rear wheels of the sedan smoothly begin to swim from the center of the turn. Add gas again: a portion of torque, thrown by a smart transmission to one of the rear wheels, gently and easily stabilizes the car at the output of the turn. At the same time, the body practically does not make a roll, but even minimal horizontal deviations do not affect controllability.
 

Full-wheel drive Sh-AWD
Two -knuckle in front, multi -link behind, a wide track and a long wheelbase determine the excellent stability of the legend on the road. But the true culprit of its excellent controllability system of the full-wheel drive SH-AWD, which (the most pleasant!) Is included in the standard configuration of Honda Legend! If necessary, the system distributes the torque between the front and left-right wheels. In the event of a threat of loss of course stability, the system increases the speed of rotation of the wheel, actively steering and helping the car cope with the maneuver.
 

If you do not turn off the VSA, the system will cope with the skid more intelligently, chopping off the fuel supply. Effective! It will be very useful in winter (moreover, it would be unreasonable to turn it off on the ice), but you must agree: it is much more pleasant to cope with the skid independently, without relying on security systems, isn't it? Moreover, Sh-AWD allows you to do this not only efficiently, but also spectacular!
 

Arguments for
Honda introduced in the class of a fresh player with excellent running qualities, a powerful motor, a full -wheel drive system and all attributes designed to emphasize the premium of the machine. From a technical point of view, there is practically no complain about Legend. And the designers will resemble the remarks of the nit -picking: I do not like it at the level.
 
Arguments against
It will be difficult for conservative customers (and there are a lot of such in class E) to instantly accept a new competitor and transfer to Honda. For true fans of the Japanese brand, Legend is expensive: before it, the most expensive Honda in Russia cost about $ 40,000: that is, almost half as much. Finally, Legend cannot be ordered for yourself here one engine, one transmission and one equipment, without any options.
 

Automobile for the test is provided by the official Honda dealer in St. Petersburg by Ralph Art Divizn


Text: Alexander Korobchenko, Philip Berezen
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 109/2006]