Hyundai Matrix test drive since 2001 minivan

Great family man

The goods are face
Mini-wen Hyunde-maitrix is \u200b\u200bmade on the basis of Elantra. Debuted in 2001. In the same year, the option with a three -cylinder one and a half -liter diesel diesel is represented by Kommon Rail - 12 valves, 56 kW/76 liters. With. Along with it, the car is equipped with four -cylinder gasoline engines - 1.6 l (79 kW/107 hp) or 1.8 l (90 kW/123 hp). With the latter, the price of a car is $ 16,790, and if there is an automatic machine, $ 17,990.
Official dealers offer cars in Russia only with a 1.8 liter engine, but the gearbox can be selected - a five -speed mechanical or four -speed machine. You have to pay for greater comfort: 14 km/h smaller maximum wir (170 versus 184) and increased by 1.4 with the acceleration time to hundreds (12.7 versus 11.3). By the way, fuel consumption increases. In the city - on a liter, on the highway - by 0.3 liters. We have chosen mechanics for the test.
The car is sold, in fact, in one configuration - GLS: airbags for the driver and passenger, air conditioning, electric package, ABS, heating seats and mirrors, fog lights, radio with six speakers, 15 -inch alloy wheels. The hydraulic wrap and the central castle are of course for course.
There are almost no direct competitors and, at the same time, classmates from Meitrix, one might say, almost no. Everything that is close in size, as a rule, is not minivanous. And almost everything that we will no doubt attribute to mini-wenes is usually noticeably larger in size. Closer than other of the famous Renault Megan stage. It is 15 cm longer and will offer a 1.6 liter engine for a close price. The option with a more powerful 2-liter engine will be noticeably more expensive. The appearance of several other strong players in this field is expected - Opel Meriva and Ford Fuzn will be about to bring to Russia. But as far as they pull in dollars or euros, we still did not know at the time of preparation of the material.

WHAT IS INSIDE
Perhaps this is the case when they began to think about the rear passengers before design. Of course, the designers did not create a car for them, but they clearly counted on the whole family of the driver, and not just on himself. The point is not even the adjustments of the seats bordering the trunk - they can move forward and forth and accept one of three fixed positions along the angle of inclination. There is unexpectedly a lot of space for the knees, and the height of the cabin behind is almost no different from the one in front.
Korean machines are characterized by a minimum of reserve over the driver’s head, which partly explains the ratio of heights in front and rear unique by European standards. We believe that a driver of 185-190 cm and a passenger sitting behind him will be able to coexist quite comfortably (180-185 cm). You rarely find more scope for the driver in Korean cars, and it is generally indecent to require the rear passengers from the car, which barely stood up for four meters, is generally indecent.
Another feature of the salon is a combination of devices in the center of the panel. In the usual place, there is only a limited number of control audience. Maybe this will not seem convenient to the driver, but the mother -in -law sitting next to it will be better to see how speed he leads the car. So in this sense, Meitrix does not welcome individualism.
There are enough adjustments to the driver's seat. In addition to traditional ones, you can separately lift-the front and back of the pillow. By the way, the seat itself is very convenient - it is moderately dense, but not yet tough, with moderate lateral support. But what seemed controversial in the ergonomics of the driver's workplace is the range of steering wheel adjustments in height - it is shifted down.
The gear lever does not come out of the floor, but from the central part of the front panel. The orientation of the lever in space is quite convenient.
The front panel does not differ with special delights, but there are no complaints about its layout. Unless for the ashtray there was not the most suitable place - in the niche behind the lever gearbox. I liked the control of the climate - the big seized twins with understandable to every symbol.
The trunk is not small and not large - 350 liters, forming close to a geometrically correct rectangular parallelepiped. In addition, moving the rear seats forward, you can slightly increase this volume, and folding them, bring the capacity to 1285 liters.

How to go
Meitrix with its 1.8 liters of working volume and 123 liters. With. Power is subjective to calm, although quite responsive small. How many eyes will you give him a hundred seconds to a hundred? I would, without hesitation, promise about 12.5. In the technical characteristic, 11.3 s is listed. In general, as Kopelian's voice in a famous series would say, the character is Nordic, restrained. Add to this: it is morally stable, that is, it does not provoke all kinds of hooliganism - it respects the rules of the road.
There are no complaints about the location of the pedals and the efforts of them. The steering wheel with a hydraulic wrap is moderately sharp, however, the upholstery of the steering wheel is slightly slippery. Efforts are quite normal for the male driver, but for a fragile lady may seem slightly large. We emphasize - slightly.
The gear lever reluctantly deviates to the left and right, but the moves forward or backward when turned on are already light. The gearbox, thus, will put a four with a rag minus.
The suspension is configured so as to smooth out small and medium -sized coating defects as much as possible. On a normal road and at moderate speed, she copes well with her duties.
A mini-van will respond to the manifestation of driver's ambitions on a winding road with slightly more noticeable rolls than an ordinary passenger car. On the lane - it will require accuracy, tea, not an SUV. Do not forget that there is no steel protection in the new car, but it will be put at your request (and for your money).
Perhaps it is worth saying about good visibility and good maneuverability. So in the city, Meitrix feels good ... with partners in the party is extremely polite and respectful.

If passengers want to have a bite to eat, their service is a hinged table.

The rear seats are equipped with armrests and adjustments.

The volume of the luggage compartment is from 350 liters.

The gear lever does not come out of the floor, but from the central part of the front panel.
The signal lamp block is located in the usual place, but the speedometer and tachometer moved to the center of the dashboard.

Comfort Elements: Electrost -window control unit and a seat with an extended set of adjustments.
 

 

 

 

Alexander Budkin. Photo: George Sadkov

Source: The magazine "Driving"