Test drive Opel Astra Sedan 1998 - 2008 Sedan

Golf class without golf

The new, fifth Golf was so proud of his folk origin that he had gone to play the Premier League. It costs almost a ten more expensive than rivals and can compete with the representatives of the group D at a price. It is not clear because in such a situation his rich relative A3, who clearly will have to be squeezed. And below, a bunch of vacancies formed on the golf floor, where the agile rivals rushed. Wow marketing! But we, in fact, are not about golf, but about competing models in the mass sector of the automobile market. There are a lot of them, but one hatchback from three leading countries is easy to choose. Renault, Opel, Nissan is much more popular?

Nissan almera i Opel Astra I Renault Megane II
      
We managed to observe several conditions for an objective comparison, but we had to come to something. What matches: all three five -door hatchbacks. The equipment is average, the prices are comparable. The power of the engines is comparable, but the engines are different. Almera and Astra 1800 cm3. Megane is one and six. But the dynamics is similar and dishonesty in the approach here. By the way, a car with a smaller engine is cheaper. Well, the most inconspicuous moment of the Nissan automatic machine against Opel and Renome manual transmission. We'll have to make a small correction for the style of car behavior. What else is worth paying to? Astra is a complete fresh woman, he just appeared on sale, Megan II also had not yet managed to become confused for a year and a half, but Almera is a long -standing player in the market and one of the best -selling models. Although in appearance the car looks quite modern, especially after restyling in 2002, and is unlikely to be replaced. In addition, it is now valued in dollars and the base model costs cheaper than the main Japanese competitors.
The dynamics of Renault breaks up with the axle box and throws forward in expression. Avant! To the barricades! Yes, he leaves the place noticeably more freaks than you expect. Very lively motor! But he asks to be twisted, and long gears do not provide for other handling of the machine. The main thing in them, in the programs, fall. No, I’m not complaining, the experience of the AZLK-2140 twenty-year-old, however, prescribed me, helped me intuitively push the free-back amorphous lever of the CP into the right luster. There is even some charm in this precisely verified movement. So a drunk billiardist-professional drives someone else from the side to a corner. In general, the connection of the handle with a specific transmission is not traced. You feel the moment of turning on only by turnover, and then you will find out or did not hit. That's it! But the Frenchman slowly slows down tenaciously and almost to Yuza. ABS works at the very end. At small speeds, Megan is not so comfortable not enough traction. And when you throw the gas and try to move into the second, say, transmission, the car begins to twitch and strives to stall. As well as at the start, it is better to hold speed, at least 2000 per minute. Otherwise, jerks are provided. But from the point of view of the dynamics, the little car flies, as stung, you can’t even say that the motor is so small. And as it turns out, this is enough for a city ride.
The second went! Opel accelerates like a German electric locomotive, inevitably, briskly, quietly and impassive. The Ecotek 1800 cm3 motor is known for its uniform traction at all speeds. Many engines of other manufacturers with the same volume sin with addiction to high speeds require promotion. Other power units, on the contrary, give out good traction on the bottoms, and then go out. The Astrin's heart managed to combine both qualities at least in the way go, even put the arrow of the tachometer to the right. In moderately, stretched gearboxes also allow you to not pull too often by the lever. Namely, on the new Aster, you sometimes forget to do this. Once and then you are transplanted from the car to the car, sometimes you do not hold in your head the filling of the machine or mechanic. And you switch purely reflexively. And here, on the back of the pollutant man man man man trail, under the middle finger, a large chrome key responsible for blocking the rear. Typically, for the same purposes, a ring or an additional spring is used to make the rear -line power force to be higher than that of the position of the first speed. And similar buttons typical of automatic transmission. And the tactile skin receptors give the signal, take your hand off the lever, a fool! You are not on the mechanics! And only when the programs for some reason do not switch, it comes that you fell victim to the unconditional reflex, like Pavlov’s dog. True, in the evening I already had a word for the Ophevsky box and stopped noticing a cold smooth key on the lever.
From the automatic almere, they did not expect feats. I remember with mechanics she flew be healthy. But since such a complete set came across. The automatic transmission selector here is important not to slip past the position D, in which there is no final fixation, and the emphasis falls only at the number 2. otherwise you will howl with the second gear until you realize the selector to one position back. Acoustic acceleration is not too impressive. The motor roars straily, and the inclusion of the next transmission makes you wait more than you calculate. To complete the sensation of the slipping of the clutch nonexistent, only the smell of burnt pherodo is not enough. But, if you drown the gashter not to the full, but at least 80 percent, all the discomfort from the extinguishing disappears. The engine reactions to the set of gas were surprised by their liveliness. It’s hard to blame the box of thoughtfulness, the very climbing could happen quickly. We throw the gas, and pretty soon the lower gear shows. And the smooth, non -construction movement on Nissan completely gives pleasure: no jerks, everything is imperceptibly, transitions from one program to another are reduced. What is needed for the city.
The controllability of an inexpensive compact car is obliged to behave neutrally so that his not too experienced driver does not run into surprises and surprise in a dense and non -bureaucrat stream. At the same time, I would like something more active and sophisticated to brighten up everyday travel to work. In this regard, each of the cars presented here professes their own family and even national philosophy. But with a reducing correction to the golf class.
Astra ideal of German correctness. Step to the left, a step to the right is not welcome. The car quickly puts in the place of the presumptuous improviser. We abruptly throw the gas and twist the steering wheel to the side. Reluctantly, but the car goes into a smooth skid, from which it is easier to get out than to go. Reactions on the steering wheel are more than adequate both in terms of control and applied effort. This also applies to reactions from road irregularities, which are literally able to manually judging by shocks on the steering wheel and lever KP. But otherwise, the suspension damps the features of the domestic relief well and the guardian manages, without too shuddering, to maintain high stability without unnecessary rolls. But if you perform these body movements not in a clean asphalt field, but on the road, you will have to apply. And this elementary effect on the last models from Ryusselshaim requires jewelry control skills of steering wheel levers. They are electronic, and a short touch causes a triple blunder. And a longer press activates the inclusion of constant blinking of a turn signal. But turn on half the age! It is more difficult to turn off. You should also carefully push the lever with your finger, and the other side begins to blink slightly. But we did not order this, and the Czechard begins to eliminate the consequences of the rushing way done. And those who pass by begin to shy away from you, like a plague, and scornfully bibb. Barbaras! They do not understand anything in technical progress.
Almera, in a good way, is an old -fashioned car. Soft, capacious pendants, if possible, protect the riders from all the charms of the road surface. A paradox, but the car is firmly on the road. You feel the front -wheel drive as an organic property of the car. This means insufficient rotation, a clearly expressed demolition of the front axle in the case of loss of contact with the roadbed and an active desire to return to a given path when a revolution. The rulers look transparent and understand no lubrication and delay. I was pleased with the Nissan and the large angle of rotation of the controlled wheels. The greatest area of \u200b\u200bthe body glazing also contributes to maneuvers in the city. Here is a new all-Russian steering wheel leather, beautiful and more or less convenient. I would attribute to his disadvantages, oddly enough, semicircular tides on two and ten hours. They have sharp edges that crash into the fingers with full grip. It would be better not to make such jewelry at all that, except for naked Vidovukha, they do not carry any payload. But, if you grab in the half -frail and half -watering, palms caress the pleasant skin of the steering wheel of a comfortable cross -section.
Renault, as befits the Frenchman, is most expressive and unpredictable. If you set the goal of getting the car out of balance, it will be not easy. He has long resisted human bullying over the mechanism. Megan is very tenaciously grabbing the road, while having a pronounced tendency to a straightforward movement. On a winding road, the steering power steering slightly spoils the case, not always cope with variable diversified loads. But, if you abandon the reaction on the rim, then the car itself prescribes a snake simply perfectly. But, do not give, God, to fly away from this trajectory. A short Megan with a heavy muzzle begins to twist around the vertical axis, and it is possible to catch it only after a radical reset of speed. And here it is good if this was done before the transition of rotation around another axis, that is, departure to the ditch! In other words, the hatchback rather reliably protects a not too experienced driver from rash maneuvers, and then, as if waved with his hand: Ah, still nothing happened! Compared to him, Megan-Sedan, who recently visited our hands, seemed much more balanced and correct. And his suspension looked much more capacious, damping shaking. And the five -door modification counts all the passed fits and potholes in more detail.
   
Ergonomics I will immediately say claims to the quality and decoration of the cabin and the driver’s workplace can be presented to everyone. It remains only to solve what shortcomings you are ready to put up and make a choice.
Astra with developed lateral support, in German, is tough in the most convenient chairs. The only remark is a short pillow, there is not enough polling stop. But the mutual location of the seat-Rul-Pedali-Krychak KP can be called optimal. In Renault, you can find fault with the pillow profile of the edges of the seat, protrude up, and you can fit there with comfort only with a size of not more than the 50th. And in Almer, it attracted that the driver’s pillow is adjusted in height and along the front edge and on the rear, so you can change both the angle and position above sea level.
From the point of view of the inner room, ALMERA here is the most profitable to look most profitable here and a lot of air. Astra is inferior, rather psychologically: the finish, ascetic, validly, visually steal the volume. But the German car represents a maximum of comfort to passengers of the second row of the leg, of course, you will not stretch out, but the scope is not at all C-class, but comparable to the machines of a larger scale. In this sense, Renault makes you squeeze your paws and leaves the only way to go in front of tall people. Megane, as it were, hints, is the same option with the body sedan, and the base is there more. Here on it and carry the oily of fastidious passengers of two -meter growth!
From an acoustic point of view, the favorite of Opel. Even at high speeds, neither the motor announces, nor the noise of the wind manifests itself. NICSANN The quietest at the idle speed of the engine can be said, it is not heard at all. But then he begins to flood, although no extraneous noise arises. But Renault, alas, pampering the riders with a whole gamma of quiet, but extra plastic sounds of creaks, squeaks and crusts. At high speeds from under the hood, a loud but pure tenor with intonations of the French folk song comes.
Of course, the presence of a tape recorder is often the issue of configuration. But, if there is only an audio training and a plug in the center of the panel on a megan, even in the rich version, then on both its competitors there are good stereo systems of an individual format. And this, in comparison with a standard radio, interesting for adolescents, even without a panel, contributes to their safety. As well as the safety of locks and glasses. The only thing in Almer on a single display using the same buttons and pens alternately displayed the entire layer of information. And you can’t figure it out without a hundred grams in the confusing menu, although the owner of the car will probably select the switching algorithm. Against this background, the iron German logic of climate and music of Astra liked and seemed to the standard.
From the point of view of the convenience of planting, Japanese door handles lose the natural grip that is increasing more and more. By the way, both the French and the German car of the past generation also demanded to raise the pen, and the current generation was equipped with a progressive system from the point of view of ergonomics. By ease of landing, Pioneer Megan. Its wide doors and handles-handrails significantly facilitate the process. And Nissan has an advantage of unlocking. One press on the button is unlocked only by the driver's door, two others. This is one of the safety elements laid down in a model, whose anti -theft resistance has become the subject of special worries of designers. According to rumors, they even consulted with professional hijackers, and the multi -stage protection system made Almer almost unchanged.
   
The resume of the cars presented is not easy to choose the right one, without exception, for most positions. Lovers of non -standard design will probably be attracted by Megane II. It will especially impress those who are not burdened with a large company and like to squeeze. Astra for people who are not constrained in funds who want to purchase an expensive, high -quality, technically perfect car for long -term use, but not as large as Vectra. The car is verified stylistically and constructively and claims to the title of golf class standard. In fact, Volkswagen has already lost his place to him, but now Opel is simply obliged to maintain the level and be afraid of those who step on his heels.
ALMERA is a reasonable optimum. This is the most European model of Nissan, created by Europeans for picky Europeans and produced in the UK. At the same time, the creators did not set the tasks of overtaking competitors in individual positions, but together it turned out to be a very good cocktail. And, importantly, for more than acceptable money.

HOW DO THEY LOOK
Nikita Rozanov
Outside: by and large, this time I would allow only two Astra and Megane II cars to a comparative test test, so it will be more objective. The design of Almera, with all its solidly executed appearance, in comparison with the couple’s mentioned couple, alas, yesterday. Moreover, with the advent of the new chief designer of Shiro Nakamura, the Nissan design has become a qualitatively different and original designer. Thanks to the characteristic facing of the radiator, the whole three is well recognized from the face: the Japanese car thanks to the V-shaped, and French, thanks to the L-shaped central jumper on which their emblems are located. Opel, although it demonstrates a completely new style, is also easily recognized. In the nomination, the lateral silhouette still does not have equal Megane II with its playful imbalance of the solution of the front and back parts of the body. From comparison with him, both Astra and Almera look like the very personification of integrity and harmony. The same picture opens from behind, where Renault stylists managed to find characteristics in each line and the smallest detail.
Inside: the interiors of cars of this class are traditionally distinguished, utilitarian and simple and never bathed in the elaborate excesses of pseudo -based decoration. The architecture of the panels of the T-shaped devices, and the main difference is contained in the interpretation of the central console and the method of implanting a fashionable multifunctional display into its composition. Not everyone can organically do this. For example, the central screen of ALMERA is so self -appropriate and significant that it suppresses everything and everything around. Compared to it, the Astra screen looks like the first television device in the world. Harmony and balanced only in the design of the Megane instrument panel, where all the details are subordinate to the topic of rounds, including even a visor of the combinations of devices. But the most stylish steering wheel in a German car, and the most Japanese, for some reason is hard to four-spokes and simply ugly. In general, the feeling of organicity from the entire interior arises only behind the wheel of Renault, where you realize that its creator Patrick Le Keman has not been in vain developed a whole ergonomic program of Touch Design Trouble Design.
Summary: If you love French cuisine rich in the finest taste of the nuances, then you should take a closer look at Megane. If you prefer aesthetic to a portion of pork slices with cabbage your style Astra. Lovers of sushi, you yourself understand, is waiting for Almera ...
 
Text Vladimir Smirnov photo Alexander Nozdrin
 

A source: Cars