Test drive Kia Ced 2007 - 2009 hatchback

Whose faces are more acute?

Universals today are not just comfortable wagons - rivalry with the minivans made them more multifaceted. The wagon disputes of Chevrolet-Latsetti and Kia-Sid SW is judged by Sergey Voskresensky. Photo: George Sadkov.
 
Chevrolet Lacetti
The wagon debut took place at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2004. A little later, the car began to be sold in Russia.
Engines: gasoline 1.6 and 1.8 liters (109 and 122 hp).
Gearbox: 5-speed mechanical.
Complete: Plus, Star, Elite, Platinum.
Price in Russia: 410 900-498 300 rub. ($ 16 600-20 200).
Kia Cee'd SW
Following the hatchback, which debuted at the end of 2006, Sid Universal was introduced in Geneva. At the end of 2007, sales in Russia began.
Engines: gasoline 1.4-2.0 liters (109-143 l.), Diesel 1.6 l (115 hp).
Gearboxes: 5-speed mechanical, 4-speed automatic.
Complete: LX, EX.
Price in Russia: 503 500-650 100 rubles. ($ 20 400-26 300).
The creators of the station wagons did not forget that these machines must be spacious. But at the same time, they increasingly take up the prefix sport and experiment with the appearance. Others, however, remained devoted to the classics of the genre.
Our rivals illustrate this perfectly. Chevrolet Latsetti gravitates to classical forms and proportions. Restrained lines; A recognizable, but slightly heavy appearance is respect for itself! He is attractive in his own way, but perhaps too straightforward
The creators of Kia Sid SW clearly wanted to take a little risk. To the prefix Sporty Wagon - feed with an openwork cascade of lanterns and side windows. Appearance warms up interest: how will rivalry develop?
Consumer rights
A colleague rushing to the training ground with all his ski props does not get tired of praising Latsetti. A practical salon, an impressive, easily transformed trunk, of course there are disadvantages, of course, but by and large the Korean chevrolet meets mass requests.
But the partner only climbs into Kia for a second and when, finally, (after half an hour!), The accents are clearly shifted in an aesthetic plane. Now we are discussing a collective, but nevertheless expressive design; We approve of neat, solid plastics, which, it seems, smells differently ... Indeed: even fleeting communication with cars tunes in a completely different way. Practicality is important, but the soul requires something memorable.
Oh, an ungrateful lesson to look for raisins in the good-conservative Lazetti! Having not been nearby, such an expressive competitor, interior -shell would not cause such despondency. After all, the cabin is quite spacious; The finishing materials are not young, but they look neat. With a bright personality here, alas, intensely, but its absence partially replenishes the cheerful (especially with illumination) a combination of devices. Maybe come to terms with the depressed quality of the sake of voluminous luggage compartment?
Wide, but small, it at first really inspires optimism. Then you notice that under an open cargo door you will not stand in all even medium - eighty meters - growth. You find that the back of the rear seat does not lie horizontally. Annoying little things? But finding them, you cling to others.
You squeeze into the driver’s place between a massive steering wheel and a wide medium persistent, meekly fall into a wide amorphous chair, in which you swim for a long time in search of a support point, and taking up the gearbox lever, complain at the size of the moves and the low clarity of switching. Latsetti, it seems, from where they did not think about these trifles at all.
Behind the pretty appearance and comfortable interior of a competitor is not just the effect of novelty. SID SW is spacious and roomy, its cargo compartment looks more impressive than that of a classmate. There are many secret places for small things in the bowels of the trunk. But the main thing is that it easily transforms into the compartment for large cargo, clearly making it clear that the sport -wagon can be practical. Having appreciated the balanced and thoughtfulness of these decisions, the spacious rear sofa is already perceived for granted.
But the front seat of Sid is rustic. From his right embrace you expect more expressiveness: Sport-Wygon after all! To justify this name, the station wagon was equipped with a small fret trunk, adjusted, by the way, in two directions. They did not forget about interesting devices, a clear lever of the box, comfortable pedals. In a word, the necessary accents were placed.
Self -sufficiency and expressiveness
His pendants are comfortable. On the road, the station wagon, like a small ship, imposingly exceeds various irregularities. It slightly does not like any trifle, noisily thumping under the wheels, and at high speed due to the buildup of the body, it can cause symptoms of seasickness. However, in general, Chevrolet Latsetti copes with the duties of the vehicle responsibly.
He has a moment, and therefore a convenient engine. Manageability is also solid, understandable and predictable. I will not focus on the body rolls in corners, as, indeed, on late movements of the steering wheel. High accuracy management - the destiny of athletes. And here I visit only to the rumble of a motor with 2500 rpm, brazenly breaking into the salon. Thus, according to the creators of Latsetti, there should be an inexpensive station wagon: comfortable, phlegmatic, completely devoid of desire to deliberate and surprise. Consider a different point of view?
Sidu would have been enough to attract attention standing against the general background of forms and internal well -being. Its creators should only pay more attention to comfort. And they coped well with the task: the cabin is surprisingly quiet.
The engine is almost not heard up to 3500 rpm, and in more rigid modes its work does not annoy. But according to the plan, this is not just a family station wagon, but a whole sports vagon. Sid seeks to contrast himself with an opponent in everything. Therefore, the engine, demonstrating the peace -loving character at low and medium speeds, after reaching 4000 rpm, as if gaining a second wind. Sid becomes a groovy, fully justifying the prefix sport.
Forget about comfortable moods! No, the motor did not work louder, but in other settings of the car, a clear excess of expression was felt. Dense, with excellent energy intensity of the suspension, string to shake on any irregularity. The brake pedal and the steering wheel instantly respond to your actions with temperamental reactions. Compliments follow one after another. Here is a bright, youth character! But a little time passes, and the thought begins to torment: is a family station wagon need such uncompromising chassis settings? After all, on a long journey, all this can quickly tire
Age qualification
It's great when there are different approaches to the concept of the same type of car. The point is not only that the SW Kia SID is more modern: it is designed for another age group, which appreciates the brightness of properties above functionality. And although with the latter Sid is in order, it is possible that exaggerated sports will seem far-fetched to someone. And then it is worthwhile to take a closer look at the Chevrolet Latsetti. In his omeded balance, there are many rational decisions, albeit not always thought out to the smallest detail. Making a car universal, multifaceted is not easy. And accents even in the station wagons can, as it turned out, be placed on different faces.
Sergey Voskresensky: Among the inexpensive station wagons, I considered Chevrolet Latsetti very successful. And he was a lot surprised how the at ease of spectacular Kia Sid SW squeezed the opponent. But the price plays in Latzetti's hand.
Chevrolet Lacetti is a typical middle peasant: practical, but boring. Slightly old -fashioned and not devoid of shortcomings. But he has no direct competitors for the same price.
General assessment 7.7
+ A spacious interior, rational trunk, comfortable brakes, accelerated dynamics and handling.
- Close passage to the driver's place, poor selectivity of the gearbox, not a very successful transformation of the rear seat.
Kia Cee'd SW is an interesting combination of practicality and bright sledged opportunities. It will seem too expensive and youth to someone, but in general, the sport-Wegon prefix is \u200b\u200bquite justified.
General assessment 8.1
+ Convenient, spacious interior, roomy and functional trunk, very expressive chassis settings, excellent sound insulation.
- Too sensitive the brake pedal, mediocre smoothness.
 
 
 
 



  
 

Source: The magazine "Driving"