Test Drive Opel Vectra Sedan 2005 - 2008 Sedan

All photos Opel Vectra Sedan 2005 - 2008

Four Four

The question of the photographer, as always, puts in a dead end:
What color are they? Better so that
Now blue, gray and two black.
It was such a color gamma of four middle-class sedans that gathered on close editorial parking itself. The newest Volkswagen Passat and his rivals are recently transferable Ford Mondeo and Mazda 6. Opel Vectra While in the previous guise of an upgraded car shown in the Frankfurt Motor Show, not yet reached Russia. A truly new still only Passat, other restyled versions. Can I expect from the beginner of extraordinary results?
Gray, blue, black colors of business jackets. Raspberry and lemon do not count. Cars from this price group on a frak or evening tuxedo do not pull, but in a decent place you can seem. I remember read as a child the story of Robert Yang mechanical fig leaf: there it was about society, where the car became the necessary piece of clothing. Well, comfortable Association!

Ford Mondeo.

Debuted in 1993, the current generation is issued from the 2000th. Restyling 2003
Body options: sedan, hatchback, wagon.
Engines: gasoline 1.8-3.0 L (125-256 hp), diesel 2.0 and 2.2 liters.
Gearboxes: 5- and 6-speed mechanical, 4- and 5-speed automatic.
Pools: Core, Trend, Titanium, Ghia, ST220.
Price in Russia: $ 21 120 42 100.

A little more than a year passed since the restyliga, but you won't call the original Ford Mondeo. Although in its strict lines no less than the grace than five years ago. However, we do not watch to go. And first get a job. Regarding the seat, the test of the test is far from the same, the difference in the mass is twofold from 60 to 120 kg. It is clear that everyone does not please, but a solid driver in Ford is better than thin. With all the richness of the GHIA configuration, confusion with switches did not occur.

Is it necessary to get used to the audio system control panel on the steering column, especially since access to its buttons makes it difficult to select the automatic box. Climate installation without separation to the right and left parts of the cabin today is considered the property of cars below the class. The visibility is better than the average, but the outer mirrors are not enough.
Seventeen-aid wheels with a 50 percent profile tires hint at uncomplicable corners and mediocre comfort.

However, the Mondeo, despite the low-profile tires, perfectly copes with all the irregularities. (Those in which the wheel fits entirely, of course, does not count.) Ford suspension is sufficient energy-intensive for transverse waves, support the acceptable road clearance, silently swallow the seams and joints and successfully damp the splint. The behavior of the car in turn ratio is more reliable than gone. The car shakes smoothly under the gas discharge and is not inclined to drift. That's just a sliding begins early.

The combination of an automatic box and a two-liter motor will only suit fans of a quiet ride. The Mondeo is able to rush off the place, but acne will be disappeared on the second gear. The machine with four gears is outdated: it is not completely switched down, it is not capable of working optimally in a relatively narrow range of revolutions, significantly increases fuel consumption.

But in a peak some more modern, the Ford box switches smoothly, is not confused in transmissions that are actually, by the way, only three (fourth overdrive). It is a pity that Ford is noisy: at high speeds for a conversation with a passenger, you have to raise a voice.
The back seat of the Mondeo, though a considerable width, yet for two. For the middle passenger there is a headrest and a belt, but an unexpectedly a large transmission tunnel and a raised pillow is comfortable to sit down. And, of course, the average will not get the heating of the pillow and the back.

The baggage compartment of Ford could accommodate 50 l larger, but in the Russian configuration with a full-sized spare room, so much occupy polyurethane spacers, lifting the floor of the trunk.
The basic version of the Mondeo with the engine of 1.8 liters is accurately attractive, and even powerful six-cylinder cars relative to inexpensive. Therefore, choosing an automatic transmission, it is worth stopping on the engine more powerful. Especially since they put more advanced five-speed automata.

SUMMARY
Ford Mondeo is essentially a very simple car, though, connecting the reliability of control with exemplary comfortable suspension, but the age is affected by a total rating of 7.9
+ Comfortable suspension, spacious trunk, big ground clearance, heated rear (!) Seats.
- modest dynamics, sluggish brakes, outdated automatic, limited list of additional equipment.

Opel Vectra.

The third generation of the Vectra is represented in the fall of 2001 restyling in 2005.
Body options: sedan, hatchback, wagon.
Engines: gasoline, including turbocharged, 1.6-3.2 liters (100-211 hp) and diesel 1.9-3.0 L (120-177 hp). For Russia, only gasoline.
Transmission: 5- and 6-speed mechanical, 5- and 6-speed automatic.
Required: Essentia, Desing, Comfort, Elegance, GTS.
Price in Russia: $ 21 190 39 970.

A restyled sample to the test did not sleep. The updated Vecture became more like the Astra, especially headlights and lanterns. Motors with direct gasoline injection are not reached. While on sale dorestayling cars with a discount of up to $ 2,000. Opel is the most compact from the fourth, almost 200 mm shorter than Volkswagen. This did not affect the cabin, but the trunk, of course, smaller than others.

The Vectra has the most industrial design of the interior. Any style has fans, but it is not easy to get used to rectangular touch padded switches. It is even more difficult to master the on-board computer. The one who finds the discharge button of the testimony is faster than three minutes, have the right to declare himself a genius spent from three to five just talent. Found a button in less than a minute disqualified, they clearly communicated with the one before. No less wise climate management: easy only to set the temperature in automatic mode. Imagine that the feet shoved my legs and asks to direct hot air down, so so that in the car it is not too hot. The task is solved, but requires a minimum on half a minute to focus on the handles and the display.

Large soft oily armchairs for large people. Lucky comfortable, but no proper side support. Her partly replaces non-slip upholstery. But the main advantage of the car with a zipper on the emblem in it is not only convenient to sit, it is easily saved here thanks to a wide and high passage. Vectra boasted and good visibility. Relatively thin and well-spaced racks do not interfere on the sides.

Former communication experience with Opell-Vectra left memories of tough suspension and mediocre comfort. Now the buyer can choose between European, suspension for bad roads and an intermediate option. The fact that on the test car. There are no complaints on the smooth road to it, but on smooth irregularities the car is intensively swinging. It does not affect the reliability of management, but it is noticeably tiring. Moreover, with small chips and potholes, the venture copes perfectly. Equally convincingly suppressed noise and vibrations, even 160 km / h, you can talk, without being distracted by control.

Lovers to drive a vector is hardly interesting, despite the highest maximum speed and good overclocking. Although the advantage of 200 working volume cubes affects, and the gearbox helps good acceleration, still the dynamics is not very impressive. And the long-terrestrial and pretty heavy gas pedal must be literally urged. Even less desire to quickly pass high-speed turns on an uneven road. All is predicted, but the star, the reluctance of the car enter the turn and too light steering wheel, do not allow us to talk about the unity of the driver-machine system.

The steering wheel of the vultures have to turn more than other machines, but the car is clearly falling out from the arc. A terrible, of course, nothing in the extreme case, the stabilization system slows down the desired wheel.
The list of additional equipment of the Vectra is inferior only by Passatovsky. Perhaps almost everything, up to the seats with electric drive and memory. A two-liter turbocharging engine will also appear in the updated machines.

SUMMARY
Opel Vectra If you like American cars, but you want European design is your choice. Active drivers are calm the nature of the elevation hardly to taste. Total estimate of 8.0
+ Spacious interior, traction motor, smart machine, low noise level, excellent brakes.
- Running on an uneven road, an empty steering wheel, confused climate control algorithm.

Mazda 6.

European Premiere 2002. Restyling 2005
Body options: sedan, hatchback, wagon.
Engines: gasoline, including turbocharged, 1.8-2.3 l (120-261 hp), diesel 2.0 l (120-136 hp). Russia is supplied only with gasoline engines.
Gearboxes: 5- and 6-speed mechanical, 5-speed automatic.
Required: Base, Touring, Sport.
Price in Russia: $ 22 900 41 050.

The grace of forms immediately highlights it from a number of classmates. When landing behind the wheel, the argument of thin and thick flared up with a new force. This is a sitten for thin drivers. Body holders Weighing from centner and more permanently on the weak design of the seat under them it breathes. But everyone came together in one: the pillow could be more authentic.

Mazda salon is the most air. Regardless of the growth and landing of the driver, all the dimensions of the car other than the rear are clearly visible. Well, there is a parking sensor and mirrors to drive with reverse, to which there are no complaints.
In the Mazda buttons it is impossible to confuse. Even the on-board computer is managed only one: short pressing the following parameter, long reset.

The six-speed gearbox hints at sports potential. This is not quite so, although the nature of the motor is really clown. Slised below 2500 rpm, it is truly waking up after 4000. With the right Trokhan and switching Mazda 6 easily reaches hundreds less than 10 seconds. The maximum speed machine lays out on the fifth gear, the sixth supporting. On the track, this should bring fuel savings. But long transmissions mean low elasticity, because of the overtakers, it is necessary to switch down to a pair of steps.

Low speeds of the engine at high speed involve a decrease in noise level. But in this area, Mazda is too early to argue with leaders.

A two-way pendant is more complicated by Mac-Ferson, but softens the impact from leading wheels on the steering wheel. He really does not give the hands of motor moments, and the characteristic of the hydraulicer is chosen competently. Mazda-6 chassis is a good compromise between sports habits and comfort. The reactions of the machine may, and rescue for the average driver, but there is nothing dangerous in them.

Mazda confidently stands on uneven asphalt, but at high speed the accuracy of the trajectory is difficult to control. But the energy intensity of the suspension is sufficient.
On the road clearance of Mazda is not a record holder: 128 mm even under powerful steel protection. There are no naked brake tubes and connectors of oxygen sensors on our roads. Surely there is something to hook.

A short wheelbase forced Mazda designers to move the interior ahead and drown the rear seat into the space between the wheels. Therefore, in the back comfortable only two, but sitting down, you have to bend too much in the lower back. But the trunk managed here the gear is the absolute leader.

SUMMARY
Mazda 6 The brightest four-way car bribes overclocking dynamics and a living character. All this is not to the detriment of comfort and efficiency in solid equipment. Total rating 8.2.
+ Good overclocking speaker, acute handling, excellent ergonomics, big trunk.
- Limited selection of complete sets, aerodynamic noises at high speed, modest finish materials, no individual climatic installation mode.

Volkswagen Passat.

European Premiere 2005
Body options: sedan, wagon.
Engines: gasoline, including direct fuel injection and turbocharging, 1.6-2.0 liters (102-200 hp), diesel 1.9 and 2.0 l (105-140 hp) .
Gearboxes: 5- and 6-speed Mechanical, 6-speed automatic or automated manual box.
Required: Trendline, Comfortline, Highline.
Price in Russia: $ 24,815,50,000.

The Passat of the previous generation was established by a unlawful, but an indisputable standard for its class, which included comfort, handling, dynamics, interior sizes, finishing materials. The level to this day will be achieved far from all.
New Passat, especially in black, and with chrome finish, almost a representative class. By the way, in size, it is inexpensive a little bit.

It is even inconvenient to say that under the hood the entire two-liter atmospheric motor, albeit with the immediate fuel injection. The engine is not bad: acceptable bottoms, good middle, easily spin to 6500 rpm. Just have time to click the transfer. The entire high-speed range of Volkswagen is proportionally cut into six pieces in accordance with the traction capabilities of the motor. The sixth transmission does not increase, but working.

As a result, a good dynamics for a large and pretty heavy machine and the ability to overtake without unnecessary switching. For the noise of the engine at elevated revolutions, it is not worth worrying.
In the passenger compartment, a wide console decorated with polished aluminum. Instead of the winged metal there may be a noble tree. The innovations are enough: the electromechanical handler is activated by the button, the ignition key must be pressed, and not rotate, a large display with two Soft-keys columns (their functions depend on the current program: radio, telephone, navigator, etc.). All this is impressive, but requires addiction.

Salon disputes this time broke out not because of the seats: they turned out to be fit and large, and small. But low doorways are forced to fit when landing even a person of medium height, especially in the back seat. Although inside is convenient and two-meter passengers. A little disappointed trunk: I expected to see the immense trum, and here just a large box. But it found a full-size outpost on the alloy disk. With the size of the tires 235/45R17, this is essential.

Test Passat without adapted suspension. Now you can order the car and with it. Radically, since the ground clearance without protection is only 120 mm, and the perseverance with which the car voices all the defects of the road surface borders with the annoyance. But there is no complaints about the manageability. Even in the limit turns on a pretty wavy road, the Passat is absolutely confident and allows you to withstand a trajectory with jewelry accuracy.

The fee for this is the annoying repetition of the road profile and the insufficient energy intensity of the suspension.
List of additional equipment is long. After catching how much the most expensive Passat will cost, we easily reached 50 thousand dollars. The basic model starts from half of this amount. Price superiority is no less weight than technical.

SUMMARY
Volkswagen Passat Spacious, quiet, with perfectly tuned chassis, is ready to re-become the benchmark in its class. The offer of additional equipment requires not one hour to think about taking into account the prices.
Total rating of 8.3.
+ Comfortable driver's seat, spacious interior, expensive finish, rich equipment, excellent tuning of the electric power steering, otned gear mechanism.
- Mal road clearance, limited suspension energy intensity, average efficiency, high cost of additional equipment.

After fitting
Let's go back to the jackets and scored points. The first looks gorgeous, she sews well, but still not very much on the figure and clearly expensive. The second trendy, sits like a free, but looks cheaper. The third is not the baggy, but not very convenient. The fourth one is no longer fashionable, but what lining! Still, the choice of clothing, especially the car the case is thin, it is very dependent on personal taste. By the way, starting to him, reread Yang ...