Test Drive Hyundai Atos 2003 - 2005 Hatchback

Hyundai ATOS is less outside, more inside

A small car, especially in our territories, is no longer just a convenient vehicle for the city, it's already, rather, lifestyle. Justify this from an economic point of view is difficult - about the same money you can always find a car of a little more size, even in the poorest configuration. Such models were originally prepared by the role of a female car, although I know several quite serious and wealthy people who also pilot such toddlers. But in any case, one can say one thing: with all the imaginary inaptability of cars of this class in our conditions, they are becoming more and more every year. And so we had the opportunity to get acquainted with the next representative of this few, but at the same time the popular category of cars. So, Hyundai Atos Prime.

The first impression is that very small this Hyundai ATOS, like a copy of some normal minivan, performed on a 1: 3 scale. And although cars are now produced with dimensions and smaller, ATOS seems even miniature, apparently due to the ratio of height and width. Or maybe this is the merit of designers - such a design itself brings the association with a toy, and there are also small sizes. But then the comparison with the toy ends: so minimal and uniform gaps can only have a high-quality and competently designed car. In general, the problem of the quality of assembly, as well as components, the sick question of all the creators of small cars seeking to save literally on everything, bypassing the ATOS side. At least, nothing criminal, in the sense of a testimony of a low price of the car, even the most pressing buyer will not be able to detect. The same can be said about the interior - despite the toy design, the ergonomics of the driver's workplace and the quality of the materials used fully correspond to the concept of a good foreign car, and without any discounts on the cost of the car itself. Of course, the leather salon here does not smell, in the literal and figurative sense, but also there are no rattling cheap plastic panels. The steering wheel, though a bit thin in the cross section, but nevertheless does not slip in his hands. In hot weather, which was on the day of the dough, the hands did not stick to him. Approximately the same can be said about the rest of the controls - let there not have some kindred entourage, but the convenience and functionality does not suffer from this.

The fact that the car is small, even very, you will notice only in the parking lot or in a traffic jam: For a turn to one, ATOS will be needed less than five meters. In the cabin, thanks to the semi-abnormal layout, there is no less space than in any golf class representative, and even a little more. The width of the salon at the level of the shoulder is 1215 mm, so you can imagine how convenient passengers can accommodate. The stock of space in the knee area is quite sufficient so that the rear seeds can ride the leg to foot. But to break up, as in the limousine, it will not be possible: the back of the rear seat is installed slightly more vertically and is not regulated by the slope. But thanks to this, it is very convenient to go to the car, and during short urban trips you will have every chance to appreciate it.

Of course, a lightweight car, and even with a relatively high center of gravity will not be able to ensure the level of comfort, both in the models of higher classes, but in this case the ATOS can be considered a pleasant exception. No, of course, to the representative sedans in this regard, he is far away, but the builders of the Atos saved their baby, and this is the most important thing from the whole range of sounds and sensations inherent in low-cost bastras. There is no rattling in the cabin, loaf of the suspension when driving deep holes or something in this way - the cabin panels can be called dumb, and the strongest sound is wind noise, and only when the window is opened. Soundproofing is very good, without any discounts on the class and price of the car. Even the engine that usually solorates on small trays here does not press his sound here, except that on acceleration: when you twist the engine to the ring, its restrained rumbling is going to high-frequency upwards. But in the cabin it is not heard, so in the column Comfort the most stringent experts can put at least four. Moreover, during the test, at least five people visited the test, and none of them expressed the slightest claims to the convenience of landing or the level of comfort.

Well, of course, that the Salon Hyundai Atos does not cause attacks of claustrophobia, but miracles, as you know, does not happen, so with all the advantages of the carriage layout the trunk did not succeed. Its volume is quite sufficient if it is necessary to make purchases during shopping trips, but on a long road will be able to take only a couple of suitcases, no more. And although the figure of 263 liters seems not so small, but the convenience of using the luggage compartment is not a strong side of ATOS: height it is much larger than in the depth. In principle, this lack could be eliminated by providing the luggage compartment by some grid or pockets, but we did not find anything like that. Although, in the extreme case, if the volume of the luggage compartment is more important than passenger capacity, then the back seat can be folded, thus increasing the volume of the trunk to 1084 liters.

In motion, again, due to its modest sizes, ATOS causes associations with a scooter. After a couple of minutes of calm movement, it is unexpectedly starting to start, overtake everyone on the right and to the left and climb into such slots in the stream that the nervous passengers (ki) are sometimes just pale. Such a driving style contributes to the landing of the driver. Mounted slightly more vertically than in the usual car, the pedal node and the steering column create a complete illusion that you are in the saddle of the same scooter. In addition, given the small cargoing mass of the car, the ATOS is a very transparent car, regularly transmitting the entire road information to the driver's vestibular apparatus, so that such associations may come to each person who will be driving. I remembered the vestibular apparatus to the fact that an experienced driver can, if desired, will be able to remove everything with ATOS, as you like - at least two wheels to put. Feel literally everything, even an exemplary clutch coefficient with an expensive (joke).

You will not think that such transparency causes some discomfort, on the contrary - such a feedback simply provokes the driver, forcing it to believe in its own, sometimes non-existent, driver's skills. But at the same time, again the sensation of the driver is akin to the fact that it is experiencing an experienced igniper-scooterist. And now you are already imperceptible for ourselves you begin to lean in turns, as if holding the balance, and at the crossroads always strive in the first row. And with this, by the way, there are no problems - a little less than one and a half meters the width make this scout ... Sorry, the car is very prompt. It comes to the point that, if necessary, you can even catch up to the right of the unwanted drive away from the trolley busement stop. If you don't like such maneuvers, then in a dense urban stream you can still find the use of this feature of Hyundai ATOS. After all, this is the usual thing - he became some rice on his bimmer for one and a half of the row: and you will not turn it on the right, and the border prevents from the left. Only this is for the driver of an ordinary car problem, but you are on ATOS. Throw a look into the rear view mirror, quietly circle this surprised citizen with any parties you like, occupying a strategically favorable place in front of him. Let the laba on the back door read and admire the interesting form of the rear lighting devices of your car. As soon as green lights up, you can surprise it once again - overclocking dynamics. It is only home-grown Schumachers think that ten seconds will be not enough until hundreds, you will not be more important to make sure that there is much more important in a dense stream to have modest dimensions and good visibility.

However, with all the others at ATOS, too, everything is in order - it is overclocked for 6.5 seconds, which is quite enough to break away from the flow. Next, the case is not so fast, but this car can look only on the background of at least six-cylinder fellow. Actually, how dynamic will ATOS, depends on you, more precisely, from the number of passengers in the cabin, because the Curb Mass Hyundai Atos Prime is only 810 kg, so you can imagine what percentage of total weight can make a lot of at least Two passengers. In business class sedans, it is imperceptible, but in this case the overclocking dynamics directly depends on the degree of car load, especially at high speeds. The catalog says that from space up to 100 km / h, such ATOS accelerates in 15.1 seconds, but after the test I have a feeling that this is the dynamics of a loaded car. At the very least, the city of Atos seemed very dynamic. If a dispute went on this topic, I would put money that overclocking until hundreds of this car takes no more than ten seconds. True, for such jerks it is necessary to work very vigorously with the lever of the gearbox, because, in the absence of a tachometer, skip the peak of the maximum torque can be easily, especially if we consider that the greatest return occurs somewhere in the range of 2300-4000 rpm, it is on the ear.

From the very beginning, the engine seems a bit phlegmatic, although the turn of the torque is quite enough for the movement of the latitude, but when the imaginary arrow reaches the imaginary tachometer of the aforementioned turn range, the machine starts to accelerate very cheerfully, it can be said, even with a slight undermining. The first transmission is a bit short, so noise is much larger than the opponent's actual, but if you don't miss the moment and do not allow the speed limiter, then you can win a few seconds on the start. And then it all depends on the situation on the road - either pay a fine for speeding, or you will reach the destination for minutes ten before your opponents. By the way, during the test I myself, without noticing, went to ATOS in the city at a speed of about 80-90 km / h, and even such a frank provocation I could not attract the attention of inspectors, and thank God. But everyone else looked at the temporarily ended my car very frankly, especially the beautiful half of humanity. Apparently, if men are mostly dreaming of all about Ferrari or Lamborghini, then the woman does not need it, the car perfect for her is such a bug of a pretty color.

Hyundai Atos Prime confirms its readiness to become the second car in the family not only an attractive price and inexpensive service, but also in the range of versions with automatic and even semi-automatic transmission. Unlike other automakers, Hyundai initially did not try to give the ATOS Prime model, the view of an expensive and strict car, which is also visible on the range of colors offered and design. What, by the way, automatically translates it into a detachment of more prestigious cars. Why? If your spouse drives, let's say, on the golf class model, then some worships can assume a sinful thing that you use the machine in turn. But with ATOS, such an happening cannot happen: it is immediately visible - a gift to her, beloved.

Thinking about the prospects for cars of this type in our market, I involuntarily came to the thought of potential Hyundai Atos Prime competitors. And as it turned out, they are, in fact, and no - all cars are about the same dimensions are traditional three- and five-door hatchbacks, and therefore cannot provide the same stock of space in the cabin. True, there are still similar on the design of Suzuki Wagon R and Daewoo Matiz, but the first in our republic is not officially sold, and the existence of the second brand has been sort of for several years as under a big question, so that direct competitors at ATOS-but have not yet been observed. However, why is the knowing slowness of European automakers in relation to the development of models of new, unconventional classes, it can be said that this car has a big advantage. Of course, it would be possible to predict a large pressure from the only competitor of the European brand - Double Susuki Wagon R car Opel Agila, but the local dealer seems to not bet on this model. Yes, as it happened more than once, a European classmate, with imaginary presence of imaginary advantages, will surely cost an order of magnitude more expensive that in this class it plays a far from a latter role.

I do not know how soon the concept of the second car in the family will cease to cut the ear of our fellow citizens, it is not in my competence, but I suspect that at about the same time we will finally understand the purpose of such cars, like Hyundai Atos Prime and the like Hyundai Atos Prim. It's not a secret that even for those relatively small money for which a new ATOS Prime is offered with an annual warranty, the absolute majority of us will prefer even a very used car, but more sizes. Several generations of our car owners all their lives used one, often completely poorly as in terms of design, and technically, vehicle, trying to squeeze out of it that is not provided for by the design. Now the times have changed, and each of us has the opportunity to choose - by means, to taste, according to technical specifications, finally. Well, in the fact that there are people who will choose a comfortable and beautiful car for the city, which, in essence, and is Hyundai Atos Prime, do not have to doubt - he is very good this kid!

Pavel Kozlovsky

A source: Autogase / N 16 (319) of 05/30/01