Test drive Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX 2005 - 2007 sedan

The preference of the layman

Cars of the consumer basket
What, in addition to the price, is the choice of the buyer in the most common class C? Lack of queue for six months? The size of the salon and trunk? Driving qualities or aesthetics of the salon? And the appearance. How does it affect the choice? We will try to figure out all this by comparing five popular cars, which are the bottom of the price group in their segment.
 
Who is what
Ford Focus II
The price of a tested car is $ 21605
Max. Power 125 liters. With. at 6000 rpm/min.
Max. speed 193 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h 10.8 s
Renault Megane
The price of a tested car is $ 20922
Max. Power 110 liters. With. at 6000 rpm/min.
Max. speed 192 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h 10.9 s
 
Nissan Almera Classic
The price of a tested car is $ 17090
Max. Power 107 l. With. at 6000 rpm/min.
Max. Speed \u200b\u200b177 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h 13.9 s
 
Chevrolet Lacetti
The price of a tested car is $ 15590
Max. Power 109 l. With. at 5800 vol./min.
Max. speed 187 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h 10.7 s
 
Mitsubishi Lancer
The price of a tested car is $ 15490
Max. Power 98 liters. With. at 5000 vol./min.
Max. speed 181 km/h
Acceleration 0-100 km/h 12.6 s

Chevrolet Lacetti
Shevinist who changed name and nationality

 
Engine
Type gasoline
Working volume, cm3 1598
Max. Power, l. With. at about./min 109/5800
Max. moment, nm at about./min 150/3600
Dynamics
Maximum speed, km/h 187
Acceleration 0100 km/h, from 10.7
Total information
Fuel consumption (EU), l/100 km 6.4-10.1
Fuel tank volume, l 60
Wheel base, mm 2608
Length, mm 4515
Width, mm 1725
Height, mm 1440
A mass of equipment/full., Kg 1180/1665
Price, $ 15590
 
Born as Daewoo, a machine sold with us under the name Lacetti, is, in fact, three at once built on the common platform of different cars. The hatchback developed in the Giugiaro studio just brought with it the name Lacetti. The sedan from Pininfarina designers and a semi -freezing Korean station wagon had their own name Nubira. In the faces and roundings of external panels, features of various brands are visible.
 
Such an introduction, it would seem, promises a lot of cheap plastic in the cabin, but ... inside Lacetti surprises unexpectedly high quality materials. And the presence of your own, creating the comfort of style. Torpedo design can be safely called interesting. The shield is even slightly pretentious and for a small machine a little more solid than necessary. But it is not overloaded and read well.
 
Lacetti controls are simple. And in the genre of our class of cars, simplicity is the key to success. Alien looks like a Blaupunkt radio. This is especially noticeable at night, when, contrary to the green illumination of all other devices and buttons, it shines with a bright blue eye.
 
In the end, we liked the seemingly flat seats: convenient, with wide adjustment in all directions (including separate adjustment in height of the front and back parts of the pillow). For a car of this class, very good. There are plenty of place everywhere. The rear passengers will not have to be particularly crowded, even if the driver is very moving away. The trunk is capacious and quite convenient.
 
The steering wheel is thin for my taste, large in diameter and has a bulky hub. But there are adjustments in both planes of another bold plus!
The lever of the box in the hand lies easily. Fingers grop out a ring that must be pulled to turn on the back, rarely used solution today. But the main thing is the box does not shine with the clarity of switching. This is especially noticeable in 3-4-5 programs.
 
It is also inconvenient that there is no through handle inside the door from the driver's side. But the external are excellent. What can not be said about mirrors. It seems that they are not small, but you can’t call the review through them perfect. You have to constantly twist your head.
 
The dynamics of a machine with a 1.6 liter engine is quite sufficient. A peppy motor, moderately noisy and economical. If you do not yawn, correctly twist the engine and smack the necessary gears in time, Lacetti is able to go quickly. At the same time, there is exactly the same noise as the average C-class car. The tires are most audible.
 
The chevrolet hinders mediocre. At least many of its competitors in the test have the best slowdown even with greater weight. And disc brakes on all wheels do not help here.
 
The suspension (in front of the MacPherson, two -leafing behind) Chevrolet Lacetti combines tangible rigidity, causing a strong shaking of the entire body on irregularities, with moderate clay clarity. It seems that she simply is obliged to give the driver the maximum information on the steering wheel, but Lacetti does not indulge the owner with an ideal passage of turning. Both efforts on the steering wheel and the trajectory are some kind of uneven, with noticeable delay in reactions. Despite the strong shaking, this car is not for incendiary gravings.

DESIGN
The first show 2003
ITALDESGN design.
OUTSIDE
In this comparative test, this is the most sarmonized car in terms of style and design. Architecture and plastic are calm, and the relief is filled and expressive. But this is not a masterpiece. The recognition of the face is low, and neither the golden cross of the Chevrolet, nor three floors of silver planks, help the cause. But, surprisingly, all together creates a sufficient background for the manifestation of the individuality of the brand. By the dense confusion of the silhouette, he can recall German design. At the back, however, also. But in general, everything looks high quality and, most importantly, whole.
INSIDE
The tonality in the perception of the interior sets the laconicism of the instrument panel, which is newly connected by a console with a lining on the floor tunnel and gracefully complemented by the upper lining, smoothly streamlining devices. Everything else only complements the declared topic. Including the four -spoke steering wheel and the upholstery of the doors, characterized by simplicity, quality of the pattern and relief.
Smooth lines make Lacetti visually larger than the car is actually

The trunk of a very decent size. And the opening is great. Volume 405 liters
 
The range of steering and seat adjustments is pleasantly surprising!

The radio and the niche under it look alien. The remaining details of the torpedo are quite sympathetic. KP lever is convenient, but the clarity of switching is small

Ford Focus II
IDEALIZATION
Contractor of desires
 
Engine
Type gasoline
Working volume, cm3 1798
Max. Power, l. With. at about./min 125/6000
Max. moment, NM at about./min 166/4000
Dynamics
Maximum speed, km/h 193
Acceleration 0100 km/h, from 10.8
Total information
Fuel consumption (EU), l/100 km 5.6/9.7
Fuel tank volume, l 55
Wheel base, mm 2640
Length, mm 4340
Width, mm 1840
Height, mm 1490
Mass equipment., Kg 1250
Price, $ 21605
 
A misfire came out with Ford. Not fundamental, but annoying. No, that you, God forbid, with the car just everything was absolutely in order. But the car, which came to the place of shooting the latter, in the irony of fate, turned out to be ... Hatchback.
 
We grabbed the phones and scored air to pronounce a lot of expressive words ... But after a couple of seconds, we exhaled, deciding that because of the championship and almost the alphabet of this car we would compare all kinds of sled and aesthetic nuances. And to draw a trunk to the car in this case is not difficult. And who did not see the Vsevolozhsk sedan? Everyone saw!
 
Ford is beautiful. Harmonious and proportional. The sedan, of course, is not as exquisite as the hatch, but still. The trunk of the second focus, unlike the first, does not look alienly attached. We take the door handle in an amazingly lying in the hand, open the door. We slam back. We twitch again ... What a pleasant sound!
 
The insides of Ford, through a strict prism of budget views, look amazing. Not artistic, stylish and unstable. Champion? Unconditionally, yes!
The instrument shield is concise and read easily. The steering wheel with four metallized knitting needles, with all its simplicity, lies excellently in the hands. The console is generally beyond praise. The version with CD/MP3-changer is also very beautiful.
 
A little thick handle of the box, but the moves and clarity of five with a plus. What else is needed for happiness? Seat? The front can be considered the best among competitors in the test. Tough, with good support. You won’t get tired of such even if you spend all day on the way. In the back in the length of the space is enough, but high passengers will get the crown to the ceiling. The back row width allows you to quite comfortably place three passengers if they are not too well -fed. Plus, the folded rear armrest does not protrude behind the plane of the back, and does not crash into the shoulder blades to the middle passenger.
 
Touching. How is he going? Excellent. The only common Ford defect, requiring addiction and some dexterity, touching the mountain. The car stalled a little with gas. Little crossed the jump forward. A subtle game with gas and clutch on the tricks with a mechanical box is the only task that visually facing the future owner.
 
In all other respects, it is easy to drive and an exceptionally obedient car. If not legends, then dresses for sure. Dozens of times we have already experienced the delight of steering in this car. Thanks to the rear multi -link suspension, Ford Focus is the standard in this discipline. As with the brakes that lost in the intensity of slowing only equipped with disk mechanisms behind Renault. If, however, you do not get a budget version with drum rear brakes, great worsening a pleasant picture. What is annoying in Ford? A deaf knock of the suspension and quite large vertical accelerations when the police travel. To obtain perfect steering, part of comfort had to be sacrificed.
 
DESIGN
The first show 2005
Design under the leadership of Martin Smith.
OUTSIDE
The branded dish of the European Ford 2006 model of the model year, the kinetic design is only cursed here and is still careful. But still, the key specified by the pattern and plastic is energetic and emotional. We admit that the first Focus was more characteristic. In profile, perhaps, too. Let us recall the bold relief of the wheel arches and the excellent union of the third side window and the rear lamp were beautiful. However, time goes on and we can enjoy the very fact of novelty.
INSIDE
Finally, a cream cake crawled to the side, in which the panel of the first Focus devices was solved, sunk into oblivion. Now everything is t-shaped, traditionally and ... less expressive. Even in plastic there are few words from kinetic design, the image of silver elliptical defrosters leads somewhere from the main and declared topic.
Attention to the details made Ford's appearance recognizable and harmonious. The sedan is of course less elegant, but much more capacious
 
Great seats, comfortable steering wheel, beautiful handle of the box. All together comfort on the road
   
The third headrest is better to remove. He interferes with the review back

Large trunk. The volume of the sedan is 525 l, the hatchback 385 liters
 

Mitsubishi Lancer
Provocateur-san
The evolution of the drive

Engine
Type gasoline
Working volume, cm3 1584
Max. Power, l. With. at about./min 98/5000
Max. moment, NM at about./min 150/4000
Dynamics
Maximum speed, km/h 181
Acceleration 0100 km/h, from 12.6
Total information
Fuel consumption (EU), l/100 km 6.8/10.7
Fuel tank volume, l 50
Wheel base, mm 2600
Length, mm 4540
Width, mm 1695
Height, mm 1465
A mass of equipment/full., Kg 1275/1780
Price, $ 15490
 
Each Mitsubishi Lancer sitting behind the wheel and at least somewhat familiar with the automobile world, mentally adds to the name the treasured word evolution. Well, or at least remembers him. Some who have an outstanding fantasy imagine themselves athletes and try to feel themselves in an ordinary car on narrow wheels standing at one end of the set of sets, the same, roaring, nourishing a miracle that closes this line on the other side.
Are there any traces of his fire -breathing brothers in the simplest of the Lancers? Eat!
 
Not in appearance, of course. The appearance of this sedan is laconicism and unpretentiousness. Even after restyling, who is only a tribute to fashion, and not a scream of the soul of a designer. But not a challenge and everything that, given the traditions of the eastern auto industry, is already good.
 
And in the salon you will not find anything that would say about Evo IX about two hundred eighty horsepower and overclocking to a hundred in less than seven seconds. Everything is simple and twice as slow. For our exacting taste, almost utilitarian. And at the same time everything is at hand.
 
Is the corner of the panel on which the receiver and climate handles are located? Unusual? But they are available, and certainly they will not have to reach for them either with a hand or a look. This is good when all the attention is on the road. Still, the distant echoes of Evo? The handle of the KP seems long. But the moves and selectivity what you need! Do not miss. Another step for the best results on the highway?
 
Seats. Dense, with friction insert of fabric. You no longer stink from side to side. And support is present. And behind the normal sofa for three, and the average passenger will not rest on the shoulder blades.
 
Lancer’s trunk is large, but the opening of the oblique surfaces of the rear lamps is great.
 
Flaws? They are here. Born right -handed, Lancer has a handbrake on the passenger side of the tunnel. Remembered the good old Japs from the eighties? To say that this machine is easy to control anything. She goes naturally. Without demanding any special skills or any complex manipulations from the driver. Her steering wheel is transparent like the first autumn ice on a puddle. He feels every trifle, but he will save even a beginner from errors. The low -volume engine in 98 forces fully pulls in a rather large speed range. It is also nice that he comes to life without delay even with a slight touch of gas pedal. There are also no complaints about clutch and disk brakes in a circle.
 
Thanks to all this simplicity and naturalness, the car constantly provokes on a sports ride. Then we will accelerate a little cut, with pleasure noting the competent selection of gear rates of the box, then there we will be rebuilt almost in the mode of rearrangements. Lancer can and does all this with great pleasure. And this pleasure is necessarily transmitted to sitting at the wheel.
 
DESIGN
The first show 2005
Design under the leadership of Akinori Nakanishi.
OUTSIDE
The aura of secondary style and design soars on this model with the inevitability of the appearance of the next Evolution series: VIII, IX ... It seems that all this originality and design and style is made for the sake of utilitarianism and functionality of the WRC brand. Hence, the facial features are so inexpressive and the contours of the silhouette are clearly clamped, which is clearly not successfully tricked (from a consumer point of view), and is not endowed with due expressiveness. Perhaps this is the only case when the anti -wing on the trunk lid should be preferred with holey overlays on the pedals.
INSIDE
There is something in it. He is honest and, in a certain sense, no. Rather, the same as the exterior. Any of its parts or functional blocks can easily be removed and replaced with a serious device necessary for participation in the world championship according to WRC. It will not be worse. Will be better.
 
The long lever of the box does its job perfectly. But I would have changed the steering wheel to a more modern
 
Seats with developed support are well fixed by the driver and passenger

Champion trunk. Volume 590 l
 
Nissan Almera Classic
Success recipe
The second derivative
 
Engine
Type gasoline
Working volume, cm3 1596
Max. Power, l. With. at about./min 107/6000
Max. moment, NM at about./min 146/3600
Dynamics
Maximum speed, km/h 177
Acceleration 0100 km/h, with 13.9
Total information
Fuel consumption (EU), l/100 km 7.6
Fuel tank volume, l 55
Wheel base, mm 2535
Length, mm 4510
Width, mm 1710
Height, mm 1450
A mass of equipment/full., Kg 1240/1700
Price, $ 17090

This sedan gives the impression of the largest of all cars in our test. Although this is just a radically redesigned Korean version of the well-known Almer, which for some time existed under the name Samsung SM3 and was once again turned over for some markets, among which we were also.
In the forms of Classic, a deliberate resemblance to large classes is felt. There are hints on Passat and Mondeo. In general, a rather expressive machine. Notable in the stream, and, thanks to its unusually large lanterns, not like anyone.
 
Almer's door handles are classic to full -fledged through through and did not reach. The only in the test. And inside you have to pull the door over a not -so -convenient depression in the armrest.
 
Inside, of course, for the most part, familiar Nissan forms and details prevail. A slightly different plastic compared to the former almer. Cute in appearance and not too pleasant to the touch. An uncomplicated shield on which there is everything that the driver needs, and a less intelligible console. The climate control buttons and handles are located in front of the KP handle. This is not too comfortable and not at all clearly. Even old -fashioned. Here competitors are clearly ahead.
 
But the steering wheel is good! It lies tightly in the hands, the diameter and cross section are optimal, and the devices through it are perfectly visible.
 
The front seats are flat in a native, although the driver’s adjustment of the front and rear parts of the pillow in height has separate adjustment. But support is not enough as if reminds that the lateral accelerations are not the element of this machine.
 
The three of the back is frankly crowded. But if there are two passengers, the armrest with the cup holders.
 
Of the obvious advantages of this sedan, it is worth noting a full -sized spare wheel under the floor of a spacious trunk, the cover of which can be opened not only from the cabin, but also with a button from the key fob.
 
We try the classic almer in the case. The new 1.6 L motor is noticeably more than one and a half -liter predecessor. Noisy, but fast and unexpectedly responsive to the pedal to the floor.
 
What can not be said about the box. You can’t call its selectivity high, the moves are large and the transfers are turned on quite slurred. Perhaps worse only Renault. But the Almera Classic slows down well. With all four disc mechanisms on the four with a plus. And dose the effort is easy.
 
Nissan Almera Classic with an adapted multi -link suspension floats high above the road, and inevitable rolls accompany each sharp movement of the steering wheel. Not that it does not fall into the turn, but we know the bow more tangible than many classmates.
 
But nothing happens just like that. The same suspension, thanks to large moves and elasticity, allows you to practically not notice the majority of irregularities. And easily allows you to climb the highest curb. Without any risk, to tear something somewhere. For this special and deepest bow to the pendants.
Moreover, it was possible to preserve quite a lot of branded Nissan smoothness.
 
This is a big plus.
 
What really announces is the vibrations of the engine at idle and the noise from tires at high speeds. Otherwise, noise insulation is acceptable.
 
DESIGN
The first show 2006
Design under the leadership of Shiro Nakamura.
OUTSIDE
In comparison with the previous model, the design became, on the one hand, more European, and on the other, it lost its individuality. From the face, the car began to resemble the products of the VW concern. The silhouette, although harmonized in terms of proportions, looks too correct and, as a result, simply no. Not too much
the common location of the license plate in the rear bumper is perhaps the only entertainment for the sophisticated gaze. When the night hooligans are torn from the lid of the trunk of the circle emblem, the individuality will finally fade. Alas...
 
INSIDE
Everything is very neat and correct. Such sensations arise mainly due to the well-balanced T-shaped composition of the instrument panel and its extremely cooled details, each fragment of which has its own role. As a result, everything together looks almost perfect and, of course, a little boring.
 

The classic salon is traditionally smooth Nissan lines and neutrality in everything. But nothing cuts the eye
 
The seats are soft, the premature with a large range of adjustments. But the support is not enough

The trunk is good for the truth, the opening is slightly narrowed with lanterns. Volume 460 l

Renault Megane
Meganastration
Renovodes and Francophons

Engine
Type gasoline
Working volume, cm3 1598
Max. Power, l. With. at about./min 110/6000
Max. moment, NM at about./min 151/4200
Dynamics
Maximum speed, km/h 192
Acceleration 0100 km/h, from 10.9
Total information
Fuel consumption (EU), l/100 km 5.6/9.1
Fuel tank volume, l 60
Wheel base, mm 2625
Length, mm 4210
Width, mm 1755
Height, mm 1455
A mass of equipment/full., Kg 1230/1335
Price, $ 19299
Even outwardly, Renault Megane looks completely unlike the rest of the test participants. It looks like a hatch, but still a sedan. And from here the first question is immediately. How to access the trunk? So-so. The short lid, although it opens on a large corner, does not expose a too great opening, to load into which, say, a large suitcase is inconvenient.
 
We dive into the salon. Along the way, we note convenient pens inside and outside and some frivolous sound with which doors slam.
The puffy seat joyfully accepts the rider with its pleasant texture and correct softness. With a fairly strong support at the back, the front seats pillows seem almost convex. A strange combination.
 
The steering wheel looks bulky due to a huge hub size. This too large visual spot constantly clogs all the other organs and devices. The steering wheel itself has too large tides where the thumbs should lie, and it is more convenient to place your hands below at the level of spokes.
The shield is simple, although digitization is small. On the convex middle console, familiar from all models of the brand button control of radio and climate are located. Although not too familiar, but without large mysteries.
 
The gear shift handle for the slurred access to the desired speed competes with Nissanovskaya. The business connection of manufacturers is visible.
The pedal node of Renault, according to tradition, is very shifted to the side. So much so that transplanting from the car to the car, at first you do not get into the right leg.
A handbrake with a transverse handle and a button on the side also looks in a special way. But it is just quite convenient.
 
Touching, going. Very quiet. This is a plus. And softly. Small bumps swallows, not noticing. But to a certain limit. Then there will be a tangible jump accompanied by a boom. You need to ride this car carefully.
 
The dynamics of the motor is sufficient for urban conditions, but the speedy drift of this machine is contraindicated. The motor, for the pleasant of environmental requirements, is slowly gaining momentum and, coupled with the viscous shifts of the box, does not add confidence in the day the driver.
 
Now let's make Renault Megane turn. It is forced, so reluctantly the machine responds to the movements of the steering wheel. Crages and goes out of turn. The elastokinematic beam from the back is not a Ford Melchka to you. And we began to ride smoothly and twist the steering wheel slowly. Why, in fact, this machine was created.
 
And everything has become much harmonious. You just don’t have to squeeze all the juices out of Megan. Drive calmly? You will like this car. Especially if a woman is driving. Because caring Frenchmen supplied the car truly a brake superpower. Thanks to which the Megane leader in his class along the length of the brake route.
 
DESIGN
The first show 2004
Design under the leadership of Patrick Le`keman.
OUTSIDE
For modern design, the same survivability of a bright style in a rapid hatchback and a balanced sedan is a rarity. Renault stylists demonstrate the ability to do this easily and gracefully. Cognacibility from the face is magnificent and obeys the corporate rhombus emblem. The silhouette is completely harmonized, and the trunk ledge does not look like a rudiment or violence, it is organic and even begun.
 
Do not confuse him from behind. Thanks to the lanterns and the V-shaped understeping on the trunk lid, the image is correlated both with modernity and with the Renault brand.
 
INSIDE
The composition is pure, and the style is intelligible and simple. This does not reduce its originality, especially in comparison with other participants in the test, which are traditional, and sometimes even boring.


In the cabin, Renault Style is all! With the exception of the receiver, not a single straight line. A lot of curved super-nasals and non-standard solutions
 
Seats material is unusually pleasant to the touch

The trunk is very roomy. The lid opens on an unusually large angle. Volume 520 liters

Definitely, when choosing an inexpensive car, the price of the issue comes out in the first place, however, with the advent of modern cars equipped with a multi -link suspension, advanced brake systems, the attitude to them, as primitive vehicles, changes. Increasingly, such machines can not only bring to the goal, but also deliver a lot of pleasure.

1 PLACE
Ford Focus
+ Excellent handling, good dynamics, high -quality salon and ergonomically verified controls. In addition, this car is out of competition by combination of price / quality
- knocks of the rear suspension when passing irregularities, insufficiently powerful drum rear brakes in budget versions
2ND PLACE
Mitsubishi Lancer
+ Transparency and simplicity of all controls and pleasure received from driving. Explicit plus hardy suspension and small price
- The interior looks nusy, the sound insulation of the engine and wheeled arches is weak
3RD PLACE
Nissan Almera Classic
+ The suspension of this car is the best suited for domestic roads. Great noise insulation at the level of cars by the class above. In addition, Almera has an extraordinary and quite modern appearance
- tangible rolls in corners and fuzzy gear shifting
4th place
Chevrolet Lacetti
+ Quite high quality interior decoration. Relatively low price. Spacious salon, good seats
- fuzzy gear shift, insufficiently comfortable suspension, uninformative steering mechanism
5th place
Renault Megane
+ No one like the design of the exterior and interior. Excellent brake dynamics and high -quality interior decoration
- Traditionally, for machines of this brand, a displaced pedal node, smeared reactions to the movements of the steering wheel, weak side support of the seats

Text Evgeny Khapov photo Leonid Deduh
 

Source: Cars