Hyundai Trajet 2000 test drive - 2004 minivan

Your own way

Satisfied with copying the outdated Japanese models, the Hyundai Motor Company finally went its own way. And unsuccessfully. The Trajet minivan created by Koreans is quite competitive.

On the bold step of the Koreans, not only the craving for self -expression. The violent popularity of multi -purpose vehicles (MPV) promises manufacturers of such cars considerable profits. True, first you need to invest funds and strength. For two and a half years in an independent Hyundai Motor Company project, $ 300 million was driven under the code name FO. But what is the result! With such a minivan, it is not a shame to enter the market of fastidious Europe.

By the way, Trajet, which means from French means the path, journey, was created specifically for Europeans. Therefore, the technical election for the development of the car received the Hyundai design studio in Germany. When the basic Euro concept of the model approved the company's management, the final refinement of Trajet was instructed by the Hyundais Namyang R&D Center design bureau in Korea, where a prototype minivan was subsequently created.

As shown by public opinion polls in Europe, potential buyers of Hyundai Trajet praised its stylish, in the spirit of a car, outlines. It is not surprising the appearance of Trajet is distinguished by the pure and elegant simplicity that the majority understands and accepts. Healthy conservatism in modern cutting is the essence of the architecture of the Korean minivan.

The creators of Trajet made the car as convenient, comfortable and practical as possible. Compact in size minivan (length 4695, width 1840, wheelbase 2830 mm) on lively European roads among their own. It is not difficult to park, on it (getting used to an invisible nose) it is easy to maneuver on narrow winding streets.

Hyundai Trajet is available in two GL trim levels and a more saturated GLS. The machine is richly equipped even in the basic performance. At your service, a huge number of various additional equipment, for example, turning on 180 front chairs or rain sensor, automatically including wipers.

Inside Trajet is as pleasant as convenient, with a little exception. The spaces in the salon are more than enough for all seven passengers. Five rear seats allow you to create miracles of transformation. That's just labor costs, this requires considerable: the seats are heavy, and the mechanism of their fastening is not easy to master the first time.

When you get behind the wheel, you understand that the upcoming trip promises a lot of positive emotions outwardly the front panel from an ergonomic point of view is perfectly planned. The number of buttons that electrify the burdensome (like opening windows) and distracting processes from controlling, corresponds to the traditional Korean generosity on this score.

As a standard power plant, Hyundai Trajet uses a 2-liter 136-horsepower gasoline engine of the Sirius series. He established himself well on other models of the company, and he was recently modernized, so the noise and vibrations in the Trajet salon were minimized.

The motor provides a trouble-free start, accelerates the car to 100 km/h for 13.1 s, saves gasoline (by the way, 92nd), spending an average of 9 liters per 100 km. The power unit works measuredly, without much enthusiasm. However, where you come from, if the equipped mass of the minivan exceeds 1700 kg. Involuntarily there are fears that the full load will turn the car into a sleepy fly.

It seems that this circumstance was calculated. Indeed, for a traveler, shaking kilometers of the highway, the engine power is enough. And the use of Trajet as an office car in most cases is not related to weight transportation. Nevertheless, a 2.7-liter V6 Delta engine is also provided for Trajet, fully corresponding to the conditions of peak operation. By the way, it is equipped with only a 4-speed automatic transmission.

On our Trajet, a 5-speed mechanical KP is installed (the machine is mounted here by order). Thanks to the new synchronization mechanism, it is minimized in size. Switching is so easy that it is difficult to talk about the information content of the lever. Trajet’s programs are long, and this, no doubt, is valuable quality.

The steering is beyond praise. Such a balanced helm and a rarity for a car. The brakes confidently slow down the running of the machine using disk mechanisms and ABS. McPherson suspension in front and a semi -dependent beam from behind pleases the developed ability to extinguish fluctuations from road flaws. Under the cargo, the suspension becomes too soft, and the car, respectively, is too roller in corners, but it’s unreasonable to nimble from heavy luggles on board.

For a minivan, and even in such a rich configuration, Trajet is inexpensive for everything about everything $ 21998. As it was possible to notice, even those who treat Korean cars with prejudice, having experienced Hyundai Trajet in the case, say: I like him! The author of these lines among them.

Technical characteristics of Hyundai Trajet 2.0m/T GLS

All-metal body., 5-door
Number of places, people. 7
Equipped mass, kg 1729
Full mass, kg 2400
Dimensions (length/width/height), mm 4695/1840/1710
Base, mm 2830
Road clearance, mm 158
Maximum speed, km/h 179
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, from 13.1
Control consumption of fuel, l/100 km:
- City cycle 12.9
- Country cycle 7.2
- Mixed cycle 9.3
Engine:
-type of gasoline, in-line, 4-cylinder, 16-valve
- working volume, cm3 1997
- Power, L.S. at MIN-1 136/5800
- Torque, NM at MIN-1 183/4600
- power supply system for multiple injection
Mean transmission., 5-speed, front-wheel drive
Tire size 215/65R15
Mcphereson type suspension
Brakes:
- front disk, ventilated
- The rear drum
Steering gear-rake, with hydraulic power steering
Fuel tank volume, l 65
Price, $ 21998

Text: Igor Kuznetsov
 

A source: Magazine 5 wheel [10/2000]