Test Drive Opel Combo since 2002 Minivan
Square Round Table Knight
Large cities require small cars. Lack of parking spaces, road traffic jams. And here you, please, - the boom of small cars. Almost all European companies gave tribute to this hobby.
And the cities were flooded with machines capable of driving a fairly decent distance at one refueling for the Zippo lighter. Naturally, their sizes are quite consistent with this device. Okay. A part of the population of large cities was able to get from home to work and vice versa. And what to do the owners of small shops, who, in connection with the increase in the overall moisture, in the neighboring kindergarten ended the diapers, or the cooks of restaurants, in horror, found that a fresh fish ended? Waiting for the night when a truck can get to them. After all, in many countries of the world, it is simply forbidden to use this type of transport in the city. But everything is controlled! Loolegi did not remain forgotten. And on the basis of small hatchbacks, it began to appear that the universals began to appear, and then the machines having the name of the heel in our Russian classification, although it looks like more like boots. 
When in January 1993, Opel presented his new CORSA model, miniaturization adherents triumphars. Perhaps, for the first time, Opel designers managed to show that small - does not mean flawed. The new Corsa surprised the design, quality and number of equipment, quite comparable to larger models. This smart machine immediately won a lot of fans. A large set of engines, including diesel, and now also a super-economic 1 liter 3-cylinder 12-valve motor (55 hp), allowed the buyer from a wide range to choose a car, based on the style of driving and the thickness of the wallet. But the body of Corsa remained unchanged. On the basis of it, it did not become, as it is now fashionable, to make a five-door hatchback, nor a sedan, nor wagon. And only after some time the Combo model appeared with the body of the heel. Cooks and sellers who love the brand Opel sighed with relief.
Combo, despite the superstructure of the cargo compartment, fortunately, did not lose the charm of Corsa. The front of the car did not touch at all. The rear part as it were cut off and attached a streamlined box instead. Combo Although it became unlike its ancestor, having only round forms, more square, but the car turned out to be very balanced and elegant, which is quite difficult to achieve with such a type of body. 
Salon Corsa has never been different in large sizes. But forget about the nunning knees, cones on the head and fatigue in the back area due to the constrained landing. Combo Spacious, very spacious car. And freely in it can be located not only potatoes or beer box. On the rear bench, for example, three will fit quietly. The fact is that the back of the car is somewhat wider than the front. And if the potatoes are very much, the bench can be folded, thereby increasing the cargo compartment. There is an option and pure cargo - two places in front and compartment for cargo, without windows and a lattice partition. 
It was especially surprised, so this is the absence of any noise associated with increased sailboat and strongly fallen aerodynamics. But noise emanating from the road was enough. Yes, and that's only on a wet road, when the splashes sprayed from the wheels are thoroughly on the arches of the rear wheels, on which there was not even a hint of sound insulation. The 60-strong engine capacity of 1389 cubes is enough only on smooth roads. With the hills on which the city is worthy of Kiev (the tests passed exactly there), it was hard enough to cope. We did not load the heel on the full program, limiting only about 200 kg, but even with this weight, the motor accounted for hard. It should be noted that he still pulled, let it slowly at low gear, but evenly and confident. Combo can be equipped with a diesel engine. For such class machines, this engine may be preferable. At the same power, the torque is higher and achieved at lower revs, and this is beneficial with a large workload. And eat diesel much less.
The suspension on Combo differs from Corsa. The front, however, the same, but rear - spring. This solution can be called traditional. Thanks to him, Combo with 1.7 liters of diesel can not only take on board, but also to carry 700 kg of cargo. For what, in fact, it is intended. Spring suspension, of course, strongly affects manageability. In turn, she does not have time to work out unevenness, and the tail begins to swim over the road, which leads to some excess turning. This is especially felt on an unloaded car. It does not make sense to drive hard on Combo, even if the mentioned fish threatens to turn into sturgeon of the second freshness. In comfort, this suspension of the Corsovskaya loses not so much. And in the loaded state of hardness, the spring is not felt at all. 
Foloding in Kiev, we finally found a suitable place to shoot - a small roadside cafe standing on the top of a picturesque hill. The cafes have several cars interfering with shooting. We asked them to remove them. The young man, probably, the owner of the institution, removed the cars, brought us a rag (while we went, the rain passed and the car was slightly clogged) and then I looked at the pretty COMBO for a long time. Maybe soon the Ukrainian Opel dealer will appear another client. The car is worth it. Savva Simonov
A source: Magazine Motor [№7 / 1997]
