Mazda CX-7 test drive since 2009 SUV

Armenian adventures Mazda CX-7

Do you know that Ararat, the main symbol of Armenia, is not at all in Armenia? And the fact that Armenia is the first state in the world to adopt Christianity? And the fact that the Mazda CX-7 finally got a new motor, and the car itself has become a lot of cheaper?

At first glance, the Mazda CX-7 has no shortcomings: a well-tuned suspension, a 238 hp engine, a successful design, a spacious interior. However, when you start driving in this car, you understand: fuel consumption here is simply indecent by modern standards. Even with a calm ride, a 2.3-liter turbo engine requires 15 liters per 100 km, and if you press the gas pedal from time to time, it turns out at all 18-20 liters! And this scared away from the Mazda CX-7 many buyers, because not everyone wants to call in a dressing several times a week.

Mazda heard the moans of Russian drivers, and recently, the CX-7 supplies with a 2.5 liter atmospheric engine began to Russia (previously such a power unit was available only in the United States). The characteristics of the CX-7 2.5 look worthy: 163 hp, an automatic gearbox, the price has become less by 149 thousand rubles. and from now on is 1,130,000 rubles. Already run to the car dealership? Wait, because you still do not know that, firstly, such a Mazda CX-7 has a drive for only one axis! And secondly, it turned out that the new engine greatly changes the character of the machine.

We managed to understand this during a trip to Armenia, where the Mazda CX-7 test drive was held with a new engine. We recognize the inhabitants of Russia at the moment do not know much about this wonderful country, especially if they have no relatives there. After all, many sincerely believe that the famous Mount Ararat, which is the main symbol of all Armenians, in whose honor the famous cognac is named, which is depicted on the coat of arms of the country and local money, to which it was moored during the Great Flood in Armenia. However, in fact, this is not so! Since the 20s of the last century, this famous and very beautiful mountain belongs to ... Turkey. Alas, this was the fee for the independence of Armenia.

Our experience has shown that the inhabitants of Armenia are very friendly and kind people who, in the vast majority of cases, are trying to help a person. There should be no problems with the Russian language. In Yerevan, almost everyone knows him (at least they will understand you), and in other smaller cities with the great and powerful many are familiar, especially when it comes to people over 40 years.

And the police are on the road ... I want to write do not take bribes. But in fact, this is not entirely true. Alas, they take, although not often. By the way, if a policeman stops you in Armenia, then do not be surprised that he will not be honored, and hello by the hand is so accepted here. Moreover, the amount of the fine usually depends ... on the driver himself. If you talk correctly with the minister of the law, explain the cause of the violation and tell me where you are, then the fine will most likely decrease to the minimum, regardless of what you have violated (in terms of about 300 Russian rubles, but you need to pay exclusively in local currency ). There are a lot of patrol cars themselves on the roads, but they are not in ambush, as in Russia police on Toyota Corolla constantly go back and forth and catch violators with the help of radars.

The manner of driving in Armenia is specific. On the highway, the vast majority of drivers observe speed and behave decently. But in Yerevan, the movement of machines is chaotic: frequent unmotivated restructuring from one strip to another, non -compliance with the row, and unwillingness to use turn signals. At the same time, the sound signal is used constantly, and often on the horn is not to prevent an accident, but for a simple designation of myself on the road I am going. By the way, if you fly to Armenia by plane, then renting a car is not at all necessary. Firstly, it is not cheap due to the actually missing competition. And, secondly, in Yerevan you can safely move on minibuses, which are a huge number. Don't like public transport? There are a lot of them here by taxi, and the fare is small.

And what kind of air in this country, what beautiful views, what delicious fruits ... it's just a song. It would seem that go and rest ... alas, but tourism in Armenia is not too much developed. Of course, there are chic hotels, but even there are few of them. In addition, five stars can afford few. But inexpensive hotels are practically not at all if you plan to travel around the country, the experienced ones recommend simply contacting local residents with the question of where you can spend the night. In this case, you will most likely be very quickly sent to the right house where the apartments are rented out. The only exception in this regard is the famous Mountain Lake Sevan. Very beautiful, by the way, lake. To solve the issue with an overnight stay there a couple of trifles. There are hotels, a private sector is well developed. In the latter, you will not be offered some miracles of the service, everything will be very modest, but clean. And, most importantly, an inexpensive decent house right on the shore of the lake, where four people can live calmly, you can rent for 700 Russian rubles a day. By the standards of our Sochi, just laughter.

In the mountains of Armenia, Mazda CX-7 behaves great. Even despite the loss of the drive to the rear axle, one hundred percent connection with the car has not gone away, the reaction to turning the steering wheel is still clear and understandable, the suspension holds the road perfectly. Add good brakes here, and as a result, on the mountain serpentine, you are completely confident in the car. And very quickly you begin to go on the verge of a reasonable one, getting great pleasure from passing the hairpins under the signing of tires. By the way, the stabilization system here is not closed ... And this is pleasing to me. For safety is above all.

But if there are no complaints to controllability, then this is the combination of the motor and a 5-speed gearbox here ... for an amateur. Especially if you recall the conquest of the turbocharged Mazda CX-7. That car was a real beast. 238 hp, who worked together with a very quick 6-speed gearbox, literally threw a large car forward, and the reaction to gas pressing was very fast and predicted. In general, the version with a 2.3-liter engine was offset.

It is easiest for residents of Russia to get to Armenia by plane. Quickly, without problems, but, of course, not cheap (a ticket from Moscow to Yerevan and back to the economy class costs about 14-16 thousand rubles). But alternative travel routes are very difficult. Due to the Russian-Georgian conflict, the train does not go through Abkhazia, so by rail from Moscow to Yerevan you can only get through the territory of Azerbaijan and Georgia (they say that the total time is about 4 days). By car, it will be necessary to drive through Georgia (we need a visa) ground boundaries with Azerbaijan are closed due to the conflict about Nagorno-Karabakh. Citizens of Russia can enter Armenia without any visas. But at the same time it is necessary to remember a foreign passport is required

And what now? It is clear that the Mazda CX-7 with a 2.5-liter atmospheric engine that produces 163 hp, a priori should be less dynamic. After all, the difference is almost 75 horses and immediately in 145 Newton meters. However, I did not expect the differences would be so serious! Compared to that machine, the Mazda CX-7 2.5 simply does not go.

Acceleration 0-100 km/h occurs even more or less adequately (according to passport data, the front-wheel drive crossover takes 10.3 s., A turbocharged machine 2 seconds faster). But if you already have 60-80 km/h on the speedometer, and you need to overtake some kind of truck, then you will face problems. You shy with all your heart on the gas pedal, expecting powerful acceleration and ... and almost nothing. Probably, now the Kik-Dawn mode will turn on, and we will jump forward ... but no. The machine is very slowly beginning to accelerate, forced gear shifts does not improve the situation. Is it really Mazda? After all, the Japanese taught us that without exception, all the cars of this brand are distinguished by a perky sports character (this statement applies even to a simple 1.6-liter Mazda3 with an automaton we know what we are talking about, this car was on our long test).

Alas, the 2.5-liter Mazda CX-7 is made of another dough. This is also understood in the Mazda company itself, otherwise how else to explain their words that CX-7 2.5 buyers are residents of megacities who travel around the city or multi-lane highway and do not need overall dynamics. And this is a pure truth with overtaking dynamics here are big problems. And choosing Mazda CX-7 with a new motor, you need to be aware that it will be difficult to nimble on this machine.

So it turns out that the Mazda CX-7 2.5 is not a wolf in sheep's skin, but a sheep in a wolf outfit. The car looks for all the money, has very decent controllability, even despite the lack of all-wheel drive, but its dynamics are very mediocre. And the average consumption is rather large in the city 12.7 liters. And this is according to passport data! It does not make sense to talk about some kind of cross-country ability by and large, we are not even a crossover, but a station wagon of increased cross-country ability (the road clearance is still 208 mm, which, by the way, is a very good indicator).


The interior of cars with a 2.3-liter turbocharged motor and an atmospheric volume of 2.5 liters are no different from each other. And this is a good design of the Mazda CX-7 salon can be recognized as very successful. In addition, the equipment of the machine is already pleasing in the database there is everything that is needed. True, you have to pay extra for the rear view camera with the CD changer. By the way, the image from the camera is displayed on a small display located under the second visor. As we already said during the previous CX-7 test, this solution is very controversial: the monitor is small and is far from the driver's eyes. In addition, there is still a couple of claims to the machine’s configuration. So, the climate control here is only a single-zone (now it is customary to put at least a two-zone), and heating the front seats does not have any adjustment, which also does not please

But sales experience shows that many buyers are completely not embarrassed by sluggish acceleration. Design, sports image and attractive price do their business, the front-wheel drive CX-7 is already in good demand. Judge a large and spacious car with an increased road clearance yourself costs 1,130,000 rubles. Moreover, the basic equipment of the 2.5-liter machine will be no less rich than that of the turbocharged version: climate control, six pillows, stabilization system, alloy 17-inch discs, music and much more. In theory, now you need to compare the Mazda CX-7 and understand whether it is a lot or a little. And here we are faced with big problems.

It turns out that we have very few large monoprodic crossovers with an automatic machine. Unless you can recall the Trinity Mitsubishi Outlander/Peugeot 4007/Citroen C-Crosser. The most affordable Citroen C-Crosser among them with a 2.0-liter engine (147 hp) and the variator costs at least 1,014,000 rubles. (that is, 116 thousand rubles cheaper). Kia Sorento with a drive for one axis is equipped only with mechanics, and the equipment for such a machine is very simple (2.4 liter engine, 174 hp, the price is from 979,900 rubles). Sorento with an automatic and all -wheel drive is already noticeably more expensive from 1,239,900 rubles. A similar situation with Hyundai Santa Fe, which in the database has only mechanics (price from 1,059,300 rubles).

Denis Smolyanov
Photo by the author and Mazda




 
Genocide
The basis of the national consciousness of the Armenians and their main national idea is the problem of genocide, which was carried out by the Ottoman Empire in relation to the Armenians. Immediately warn the topic that is very difficult for discussion, the opinions of historians are sometimes diametrically opposite. As you guess, Turkey has never recognized and, it seems, never recognizes the fact of the Armenian genocide as purposeful destruction of the people, which was carried out from the knowledge and at the direction of the state. Armenia and many other countries did not doubt genocide, and it did not pass in 1915, as it can be heard very often, but from 1894 to 1923. Moreover, for example, in France, a criminal liability was introduced for the denial of the Armenian genocide (exactly the same responsibility, by the way, is for the fact of the denial of the Holocaust).

In the Ottoman Empire, Armenians, like a number of other peoples professing Christianity, were considered second -class people, but they played a huge role in the life of the state of the Armenians, the Greeks and other Christians controlled the essential part of the country's economy. And in ordinary Turks, back in the 18-19th century, a stereotype of Armenians took place as cunning and successful people who can trade and deceive.

And everything would be fine, but from the end of the 19th century the Ottoman Empire began to lose in wars, which led to the loss of territories in the Balkans and a huge stream of refugees. These same refugees began to be placed in the Armenian regions, and from the Armenians themselves they began to take away property and land. At the same time, the self -awareness of the Armenians, who began to demand equality, ensuring security and even independence, began to grow sharply. The Armenians believe that genocide began back in 1894-1895, when protests began in a number of cities, Armenians refused to pay too high taxes and demanded to protect them from Kurdish raids. The punishment was very cruel by demonstrators, the massacre of the Armenians began, and not only the soldiers, but also the local population participated in it. According to some estimates, about 100 thousand Armenians were killed in the Ottoman Empire only in 1884-85 (and some historians talk about 300,000 people at all).

However, all these were flowers compared to what began after the outbreak of the First World War and the announcement of Jihad against France, England and Russia. And many Armenians supported Russia, believing that thanks to the latter it would be possible to gain independence (although there were many Armenians bravely fought in the Turkish army). This additionally spent chauvinistic moods in the country.

The Russian authorities, of course, used the current situation, and, as a number of historians assures, began to arm the Armenian population in the border territories, and in the Russian troops there were many volunteers from Armenia.

It was decided to deport the Armenians from the border territories, which can be attacked by the enemy, as well as the removal of their weapons. This led to additional resistance. In April 1915, in the city of Vana, the Armenians actually refused to provide workers for defensive work, after which repressions began in relation to them. As a result, the Armenians rebelled, which largely helped the Russian troops capture this city on May 16. After that, anti -Armenian sentiments in the Ottoman Empire intensified, many began to consider the Armenians the main enemies and causes of all defeats in the wars. It was decided on the mass deportation of Armenians from the entire territory of Turkey.

But it only sounds so easily deportation. In fact, this resettlement was actually the destruction of people. It was during the deportation that the bulk of the Armenians died. They drove people around the clock with almost no rest, food and food, the columns were constantly attacked by bandits and all kinds of local tribes, the violence of women took place every day, people themselves and soldiers themselves were massively killed. As a result, only about 20% of people reached the final point (and Armenians were driven into the Syria deserts).

According to the Armenians themselves, in May 1918, the very fact of the existence of the people was in question. In Eastern Armenia, an uprising began against the Turks, which led to the formation of an independent Armenian republic.

How many people died as a result of a genocide, which, according to the Armenian side, continued until 1923, it is impossible to say now. Some Turkish sources call the figure of 200 thousand people, but the Armenians themselves speak at least 1.5 million. And this is given that at the beginning of the 20th century, a little more than 2 million Armenians lived in the Ottoman Empire.

The Turkish authorities assure that there was no policy to destroy the Armenians. They simply wanted to move them to another region so that they did not have the opportunity to help the enemy. In Turkey, it is also believed that the Armenians did not move at all because they were Armenians, but solely because they tried to cooperate with the enemy. In addition, at the beginning of the 20th century there was still no concept of genocide and, therefore, to use it incorrectly (the word genocide was invented in 1943 by the Polish lawyer of Jewish origin Rafael Lemkin).

Dmitry Gaidukevich
 

Source: Auto.mail.ru