Test Drive Mazda CX-7 since 2009 SUV

Seventh color

Despite the lack of a compact sedan's most popular in the model range of our compatriots (the former Astra, collected in Togliatti under CChevrolet Viva, do not take into account), Opel has achieved an impressive sales growth in Russia. Imagine how the Opeless reports will look like now, when such a car finally appeared? However, the second question arises: why in Rüsselsheim, when in 2004, the entire range of new Astra was covered, the sedan was not immediately designed, but only three years later? It doesn't seem to be in Opel to allow such a marketing miscalculation.
Notchback will offer customers in three versions. The initial Essentia is equipped with only the most necessary: \u200b\u200bfour pillows, central locking, power windows in the front doors. Enjoy the most winning option for price / comfort. There is air conditioning, audio system, heated. The richest equipment at Cosmo: light alloy wheels, two-color door facing, piano central console, covered with skin steering wheel.
Old, whistling on all the Lads of the 154th Tupolev gently touched the landing strip and roared the reverse so that the ovation of happy passengers was muffled. Three hours of fear and you are in Paradise, joked a healthy-softy from airfoot, sitting in the next chair. Under the paradise, he apparently meant Antalya with a 32-degree heat for October. In Moscow, at that time it was only +4 and waited for snow.
 
One of the parking in front of the airport was forced by new sedans. I and Vadim from DRIVE.ru got a car at number 13. But worse than just that it turned out to be dark and still with a black interior. Having stood under the scorching Turkish sun, it turned into a red-hot hell boiler on wheels. Do not mind if I head the car? Asked colleague. I nodded, and I thought about myself: in such a hemp, you just want air conditioning.
 
The desired microclimate in the cabin was established quickly, and a positive worldview was returned with him. Excellent machine This Astra Notchback. It goes softly, not very noise, does not rattle and stinks plastic, even the audio system sings Haifino. The quality of the interior decoration is not inferior to the same Opel-hatchbecks. This is not irony, but a compliment. Those who are familiar with Astrami different sowing will confirm: the new generation of the interior quality from the predecessors differ as the sky and the earth. In 2004, when Opel showed a new Astra, it was her salon that, without hesitation, would call the best in the CD. However, and now in the notchbeck, he looked freshly angular style at all outdated, the black piano gloss of plastic panel adds elegacity.
 
I wonder why in official documents the novelty is classified as notchback? If the Germans wanted to say that the trunk opens like in Hatche, along with the rear windshield (like, for example, at Skoda Oktavia), then they will enter the buyer to delusion. Cut car crown the usual lid. Probably, this is an unequivocal hint of a more dynamic than the usual sedan or hatch with an extensive back, the image of the new Astra. During the official presentation of guesses, the leading the ceremony has long and enthusiastically talked about how the harmonious line from the hood goes into the roof, envelopes the rear doors and falls to the trunk. I will not argue everything like that. Astra's rear gentle: it looks sports, does not waste the car visually, but it has a giant 490-liter capacity. I will add: many competitors tried to achieve a similar effect in C-class sedans. As a result, close salons. But the Opolev engineers managed to avoid it. How? Watch in profile. Wheelbase. It can be seen even without a line at the Astra-sedan, it is huge (more than Vectra)! To do this, engineers did not even have to invent anything to be the foundation, they borrowed from Astra-Universal.
On the four-band motorway coming from Antalya to the east of the country, there are traffic lights. At one of them, the Astra sedan of the previous generation was stopped next to us. The spikeness of the situation was that he, too, was new, as if only from the salon. The Turk, who was sitting behind the wheel, looked at our Opel view of Jigita, who was stolen by the bride. What did he think at that moment?
 
No, what did you think about in Rüsselsheim when they planned the entire lineup? Why tightened with a sedan? After all, this flower turned out to be in Klumba Astra only the seventh on the bill, he blossomed later than the wagon, a commercial car, sports car OPC and even after a twin-top convertible coupe! Marketing miscalculation? Unlikely. Opel, the treasured new generation of Astra, did not spray forces and focused on the most relevant hatchback in Western Europe. Then the whole German auto industry experienced a serious crisis from Opel was not the right to an error. And they managed to make a great car. And now, removing the cream, come out with the sedan, the success of which seems to be guaranteed. If we take into account that in the old world interest in such bodies is returned, then the prospects of the novelties are identified as cloudless as the sky over the Mediterranean coast.
 
A significant part of our route took place on a mountain road to Canyon Kopra, where in the summer is always full of those who decided to have fun rafting. Serpentines with frequent height differences, for which the tourist bus is nauseous for at least an hour, on Astra we went through thirty minutes to shoot. Sometimes she was drunk in full support, but fear was not. This car is generally not able to scare in this, I was convinced when my turn came to sit behind the wheel. Her reactions as a personnel of slow motion. All inhibitable (due to the soft suspension), but predictably. The only one who is capable of this sedan is a smooth, sometimes vibrating demolition of the front, which is quenched by itself when resetting speed. Boring, but reliably, even the newcomer will feel in time and will resolve. At the same time, the advantages will take modern brakes. The basic configuration includes ABS, brake force distribution system in turn and emergency braking assistance.
On models that will go to Russia, until 115- and 140-strong gasoline Ecotec are put. Both engines, in my opinion, are weak for a car with such a mass and dimensions, like the Astra-sedan, and are noisy on medium (highway) revolutions. With a manual box, the difference in the dynamics of overclocking is small, so I would choose a motor 1.6 for economy. But if you need a car with automatic transmission, then 1.8-liter version deserves more attention. Let it stand on it an archaic 4-step automatic, due to which the characteristics of the machine are less attractive than that of 1,6-liter versions with a robotic isitronized, but it goes such a car with great comfort, without jerking.
 
Finally rolled in the Astra and in the back seat. Plenty of room here such as the current Vectra. Here it is, it seems, and will be a major competitor ... a novelty. Astra-sedan expensive hatchback (with the same equipment and the same engine) somewhere in the 15 thousand rubles. A pay another 41 000, you get a full sedan class D. Do not become thoughtfull?
 
ABSTRACTS pursuit
1 The mission of the national car passed on to another brand in the GM Chevrolet. Innovation, technology, German quality here is a new associative array for the Opel brand.
2 In the Opel factory in Gliwice (Poland), where already collect Zafira and Agila, the new Astra Notchback started to produce in parallel with the previous generation sedan Astra Classic.
3 In Western Europe, the compact sedan buyer selects only one out of twenty. But in Russia, as well as in Turkey, two out of three. So that the new Astra is derived explicitly for our gardens.
4 Notchback will be in Spain, Greece, Finland and even in Canada under the name of Saturn Astra.
 
OPEL ASTRA NOTCHBACK
Petrol engines, 4 in a row
Working volume (cubic. SM) 1598 (1796)
POWER (LS / rpm) 115 6000 AT (AT 140 6300)
FRONT DRIVE
TRANSMISSION 5-SPEED MECHANICAL
Length / width / height (mm) 4587/1753/1458
Curb (CG) 1334
MAXIMUM SPEED (km / h) 191 (207)
Acceleration to 100 km / h (c) 11.7 (10.2
) FUEL CONSUMPTION (city / highway, l / 100 km) 8.8 / 5.3 (10.0 / 5.9)
PRICE IN MOSCOW ON 528 000 rub. (FROM 558 000 rub.)

TEXT: Ruslan Tarasov
Photo by the author
 

A source: "Autopilot"