Test drive Opel Zafira 1999 - 2003 Minivan

Buranes and marshmallows

A car from the compactwan category is a sign of a rational attitude to their life and the less free space of cities. So, the question of both daily functionality and the civilization of the image. At least for a modern European. Therefore, this market sector is literally growing over the years, but for months, grows and will grow, no matter how much they relate to such cars in Russia. The situation is changing so quickly that those models that today are the standard of practicality and top engineering ingenuity can already be in outsiders tomorrow.

 

Under the standard, first of all, I mean the German Opel Zafira with its seven -seater salon and a perfectly configured chassis. If at the beginning of the year he still held his leading position, now he received a deadly opposition in the person of the latest Ford Focus C-Max, Renault Scenic II and Volkswagen Touran. It is no secret that several years ago both Ford and Volkswagen slowed down the development of their models, seeing in September 1997 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, a pre -production model of Opelian compactwane. Zafira was so successful that the development of competitors did not even potentially reach its level! I had to start almost with a clean leaf, and only today we have the honor of seeing the results of the work of hundreds of specialists from Cologne and Wolfsburg. They are of double interest, because they can give an answer to the key question: will that technological gap from rivals have reached, which will allow compensating for the lost years and profits?

 

In principle, German compactwaps - the topic for Russia is quite new: Zafira began to be supplied to us only last fall, recently a pair was made by Touran, from a week to a week, Focus C -Max will go on sale. Well, the players of the first round are defined: they will become Opel and Volkswagen. The price list on Touran includes all existing modifications, but the first cars came to Russia in version 1.9TDI with mechanics. The car we got in the start configuration with some options. The base here includes ESP, six pillows, a CD-resort and electric drives of the front windows. From the custom equipment-the automatic air conditioner Climatic, the color of metallic, the winter package (heating of the seats, the washer washers, the heating of the windshield washer nozzles) and the technician (cruise control, the on-board computer, the outer temperature sensor).

 

Top -Zafira - version 2.2 Elegance, and even with an appendix of options, can be opposed to such a tourist at a price. Elegance equipment is made up of an anti-boom system, four pillows, cruise control, a full electric package, a leather steering wheel, alloy wheels and fog. Available options-metallic, climate control, CD-resort and winter package (headlight washers plus heating of the seats). To catch up with Opel, from an impressive list of pre-equipment on Touran, it will be necessary to install climate control (+168 euros to air conditioning), a leather steering wheel (166 euros), a dividing grid to the trunk (173 euros), rear tinted glass (206 euros), relings (173 Euro) and foglights (159 euros). Thousands of euros no matter how it happened! But the advantages will remain ESP and a couple of pillows.

 

However, this is not all. Zafira in any version is a seven -seater car, while for two additional seats for the tourist you will have to pay (721 euros). But the seven-seater Touran, in principle, cannot be equipped with a stock, which even for a five-seater version is a 237-European option. We'll have to do with a remapard tires. So, in European!

 

The time was condescending to the back: the car looks quite cheerful, elegant and dynamic. One of the most outwardly attractive components of the Opelian gamut! On the contrary, Touran is a typical representative of the Volkswagen breed: the design of the new car is once again generated by a game with a familiar set of details and proportions. The machine is firmly knocked down, sorrowful and modern. She has newfangled little things in the form of pens for natural grip and repeators of turns on the mirrors. But Zafira is protected around the perimeter with plastic overlays, and this is much more important. And the rear side doors here cover the wheel niches, protecting the clothes of passengers from dirt. Touran is not so scrupulous.

 

From the inside, the difference in the whole generation is very felt. Maybe the interior of Turan is overly geometric and correct, and for this reason it is cold, but it is fresh. And he is more friendly - Volkswagen wins in an ergonomic dispute. Opel can boast of a convenient multifunctional steering wheel and an elegant dashboard. Both cars have a driver's seat in height and two -plane adjustment of the steering columns, but Zafira imposes a higher city landing, while Touran provides the driver with a choice. In the back of the front armchairs, the bended backs of the front seats and the gearbox lever far from the front panel are strained, but there is no hint of problems of this kind in the tour. The layout of the central console is close to the ideal: both music and climate are literally at hand, and they do not require any intellectual efforts. The sound quality of the audio system is higher than on the backwater.

 

The number of all kinds of containers under the trifle Touran is shocked. Above the heads of the front riders are three folding containers, on top of the console - a box with a lid, in the seats - drawers with shelves, huge pockets in the doorway. The glove compartment can be switched to the refrigerator mode. At the legs of the rear passengers are a cup holder and underground containers. In the trunk, there are also enough hidden places. Class!

 

To be continued. Each of the three seats of the second row of Turan is regulated in the longitudinal direction and along the corner of the back of the back. You can fold the back, you can push the assembled chair in the whole, you can even take it out of the car. Instead of three seats, you can leave two by placing them more spacious. In general, Volkswagenovites say that the number of options for transforming the salon is approaching 500! Zafira will be easier: in the second row there is a shift sofa with a whole pillow. Each of the three parts of its back is adjustable along the angle of inclination or folded. For transporting long -meters, the back of the right front chair is also folded. In the floor of the trunk, two additional chairs are hidden, which are assembled, they are surprisingly easily selected, in one appointment. This is the flexible Opelian Flex7 system. True, if there are seven passengers, they will also need a well -known flexibility: all those sitting in the back rows will experience difficulties with the location of their legs.

 

I would like to separately praise both cars for the fact that the glass in the rear doors drop entirely. As for trunk, they are approximately equally convenient. But the victory goes to Turan whose fifth door in the open position, if necessary, you can raise another ten centimeters. All ingenious is simple! Yes, and the drive of the door lock here is electric, not mechanical.

 

Autography Volkswagen Touran

Predecessor: No

Premiere: March 2003

Platform: Golf V

Engines: 100-150 hp

Production: Germany

Expected replacement: 2010-11.

 

Autography Opel Zafira

Predecessor: No

Premiere: September 1997

Platform: Astra G

Engines: 101-200 hp

Modernization: Autumn 2002

Production: Germany

Expected replacement: 2004-05
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 74/2003]