Hyundai IX55 test drive since 2009 SUV

Hyundai IX55

In the premium segment of full -sized SUVs, the budget model, in essence, brands will not always feel at ease. Will it become an exception to the Hyundai IX55 rules?
What does cars smell like? American - low -octane gasoline and popcorn, French - cosmetics, coffee and fresh pastries. By the smell of iodine, Basabi and ginger, Japanese technique can be easily identified. It is more difficult to determine the dominant with German machines, since there can be too many different components - from detergents and cleaning products, rosin and office to whole milk, sausages and Swabian cabbage. In British cars, the smell of expensive cigars hoves, and its light notes of yacht varnish are complemented. The smell of artificial leather, carpentry glue and organ indicates that you are in a Chinese -made car. The aroma of already genuine leather with wet impurities of olive and machine oil, jumped by balsamic vinegar, will tell you that you have a product of the Italian auto industry. And only cars from South Korea do not smell of anything. They had not yet had time to get their own smells, while other people's aromas do not stick to them too much. However, having been in the Hyundai IX55, known outside Europe as Veracruz, you immediately mentally return to the United States, where the driver, regardless of gender and age, is used to feeling at least a walking excavator as a minimum of a walking excavator.
What is not Lexus?
The world premiere of Hyundai Veracruz took place in January 2007 in Detroit, and the first Russian show, it was the first European one, came to the Moscow car dealership last year, where the new IX55 abbreviation was already quite legitimate. Koreans spent two years and about $ 2,22 million on the creation of their largest crossover. A lot, but in the end they got the opportunity to declare the entry into a new premium SUV for themselves. Let's try to figure out whether this is really so, since the concepts of premium with us and Americans are somewhat different today. The Hyundai IX55 is 190 mm longer than Santa Fe, which puts it on a par with Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9 and Nissan Murano. They are all devoid of lowering gear, but they have a supporting body and independent pendants. Although competitors in this class are enough, except for the listed, all of them are 5 -seater.
Semetrotnaya, with a landing in Tekhassian (you put your leg high on a bandwagon, as if you eat in a stirrup) and an electronic compass in the rear view mirror. What is not Yankees? To match the design: without unnecessary shocking, calm, but in the spirit of time. Perhaps the specialists will find what to present IX55 in the sense of appearance. They will say, no, they say, a single, clearly formulated idea. Details (optics, radiator grille, fog lights) are painted as if on top of the body, separately from it, without taking into account the logic of its natural lines. And the lines themselves are too simple to form a single design concept and offer a new look at the appearance of the crossover. But these are experts, they are always looking for what to catch on. While common sense suggests: attach the Acura or even Lexus widler to the radiator grate, almost no one will notice the substitution. In 2007, immediately after Veracruz entered the US market, our colleagues were perplexed from the ocean: why the Lexus RX 350, offering, in fact, the same as 5-seater, having a similar power supply-270 liters. With. Against 260, Veracruz and the difference in the torque of only a few Newton meters, costs 11 thousand dollars more expensive? And by the standards of the United States, this is almost half the price, since the new Veracruz in the basic configuration cost the Americans at that time a little more than $ 26 thousand. In our opinion, this is a rhetorical question. Koreans managed to prove the thoroughness of their own ambitions in terms of creating premium cars, at least on the example of the sedan and the Genesis coupe. And the option and finish offered by IX55 put Hyundai among global companies that can look equal around the world.
An order was given: to him - on the Fate
To evaluate what this globalism resulted in, we went on a short trip to the Kursk region. Not so far from Moscow, but it is enough to test this full -size crossover. Our goal was the Fatezh, which was founded in the 17th century, is famous, however, like the entire Kursk region, with its nightingale concerts, and its surroundings. We were going to visit a quarry where iron ore was opened in an open way, and to examine the sights of the famous root desert.
So, let's start with the IX55 salon. Firstly, it is quite large and has a reference sound insulation. In addition to the two seats of the third row, where only people below average growth will be comfortable, the giant will fit almost everywhere. By the way, if you put everything that can be folded here, namely two back rows of seats, you get more volume than Mercedes GL. Leather seats, the central console for aluminum, inserts for wood throughout the cabin. The feeling of monumentality is complemented by a massive two -section armrest with a cooled box inside. The driver's place has ten electrical controls with memory and heating - 300-400 km in such an armchair fly unnoticed. A dual-zone climate control is responsible for the atmosphere in the cabin with the control of the heating and ventilation system from the second row. In general, comfort, an excess of free legs, a lot of utility containers and so on, which is designed to smooth out inconvenience on a long journey.
IX55 devices are extremely intuitive. The necessary buttons are found exactly where the hand stretches behind them. Light control and wipers can be used blindly at the first acquaintance with the car. The first time you find yourself in the desired regimes wherever possible, which allows us to say that the IX55 has adapted to its future owner very well. In a word, everything was done somehow at home, comfortable, but at the same time quite rich. Only a block of windows and mirrors control buttons pumped up: it is too massive and looks rustic. On the steering wheel - order. Excess buttons are not observed. Strictly and concise: cruise control and control of the radio. In one of the three closing compartments on the front console, other compulsory attributes of a modern car were discovered - connectors for IPOD, AUX and an additional electrical stop.
Accurately the opposite
On the IX55 road, he behaves as a typical American. It is equipped with a LambDA gasoline engine with a volume of 3.8 liters and a capacity of 260 hp. at 6000 rpm. It is installed on special supports that reduce the level of vibration, it is aggregated with a 6-band AISIN automatic transmission with manual switching function. This tandem is able to disperse IX55 to hundreds of 8.3 s. On a long straight line on which you do not often need to resort to the help of a rather stiff brake pedal, this combination can be called almost perfect. Power is enough for overtaking and maintaining cruising speed. In general, character traits IX55 form the image of a typical representative of this class of cars. The steering wheel is good so as not to make troubles with sharp movements, and some spreading in the nature of the KP excludes aggression in the behavior of the driver. In a word, the IX55 behaves on the road as a large, confident family car, quite powerful, safe and comfortable, but devoid of extreme driver ambitions. ABS, EBD and ESP systems are installed here, which make predictable riding. Under normal conditions, the drive in IX55 is on the front wheels. The electronic ITCC all -wheel drive system, if necessary, automatically redistributes the moment to the rear axle, up to 50% of the engine power, and not only on ice, can be transmitted here.
Configuration of brake efforts, electronics will easily tear out a massive car from the beginning skid. As already mentioned, there is no lowering gear, but you can forcibly block the clutch of the rear axle connection. This helps on off -road, although the asphalt settings of work to the end of the non -disconnected ESP IX55 do not bring on heavy off -road. When slipping of one of the wheels, electronics, redistributing the moment between the axes, including drops the engine speed, which makes part of the torque on the bottoms inaccessible. So in a snowdrift, the Korean will have to be tight, even despite the clearance of 205 mm. At speeds above 40 km/h, the locking of the coupling automatically turns off, returning the IX55 of the former monopianism.
Well, in America okay, and who needs all this with us, you reasonably ask. Sales statistics are still minimal, dealers have just started sales of the first cars, but it is already clear that the IX55 will attract the attention of those who do not seek to make an image purchase. Having three different levels of configuration and a relatively small price range (from 1592 thousand to 1729 thousand rubles), IX55 is a typical car for every day. A spacious, safe, having the necessary set of off -road capabilities and ready to accelerate sharply at any time. In terms of quality and level of equipment, the Hyundai IX55 is not inferior to many competitors, but sometimes surpasses them. He will probably appeal to those who are not used to fussing, soberly evaluate their capabilities and meets the needs with common sense. And given the cost, the IX55 can even claim an honorary title of the best offer in the classroom
 

Technical characteristics of Hyundai IX55
Dimensions, mm
4840x1945x1750
Base, mm
2805
Front/back, mm track
1670
Radius of turning, m
5,6
Clearance, mm
205
Trunk volume, l
2457/1133
Equipped mass, kg
2066
engine's type
gasoline V6
Working volume, cubic meter. cm
3778
Max. Power, L.S./rpm
260
Max. moment, nm/rpm
348
Transmission
automatic 6-band
Drive unit
full
Front/back brakes
disk
Front tires/back
245/60 R18
Max. speed, km/h
190
Acceleration time 0-100 km, with
8,3
Fuel consumption (average), l/100 km
9,6
Tank volume, l
78
 
Ilya Rybakov
Photo by Yana Segal
 
 
 

Source: Avtopanorama magazine