Test drive Opel Zafira 2006 - 2008 Minivan

Family or five "I"?

Should the five -seater be minivan or seven -seater? Answering a question, or rather answering demand, manufacturers prepared different options so a compact class arose, a little more modest in dimensions, but more maneuverable


Opel Zafira

Externally

The unlucking Zafira has not undergone the update for the longest from the participants in our test. But from this compactwane does not look at all older his design is still relevant even against the background of more fresh competitors. Plastic bends of the windshield in crossings to the roof and hood counterweight to straight corners and lines like keel on the hood and square windows, and at the same time parallel straight roof, windowsill, thresholds and moldings, stuck along the sidewalls, as well as along the edges of the front and rear bumper.
 

Thanks to the large wheelbase, Opel engineers managed to make the Zafira doors quite wide, and at the same time move the rear wheels from them. This allowed the rear windows to open completely.
 

Inside

Who was already sitting in the Opel Astra or Vectra salon will not see anything new inside Zafira. But he will feel. Mainly the minivan landing. The Opel driver sits much higher than, say, in Ford. This significantly improves visibility, but just as reduces the craving for active driving. Although the seats in Zafira are quite tough and grabbed to support the driver at the right time.
 

Opel Zafira 1.8 manual transmission
Specifications

(manufacturer data):

Dimensions (length/width/height) 4372x1825x1588 mm
Engine volume and power 2.0 (145 l.
Acceleration to 100 km/h 9.8 from
Maximum speed 203 km/h
Average fuel consumption 7.3/100 km
 

The design of the Opel salon echoes the exterior: the same keel conducts the axis of vertical symmetry along the central console. The steering wheel, devices and control buttons of the radio and climate are the only round exceptions in the angular-straightforward order of the interior. But with ergonomics, Zafira is all right. Unless the readability of the devices and the uninformative onboard computer (in this version) can give competitors the opportunity to score points.
  

Because in the use of Zafira leaves competitors behind. This is really a seven -seater car, although two chairs of the third row can hardly be called full -fledged.
 

In move

Opel Zafira bus landing does not mean at all that it will be boring in the movement. Despite the high center of gravity, the Zafira chassis confidently (albeit with insignificant rolls) rolls a seven -seater body into turns. The engine with a flat character of 1.8-liter is quite burdened and is great for the city. But if you use all seven passenger seats, it is better to take a closer look at more powerful modifications, the benefit of such
 

Price (rub.): From 510 000 - 717 000.
Price with automatic transmission (rub.): From 656,000
 

The clear and confident work of the checkpoint left a very pleasant impression, as well as the selection of gear ratios, which made acceleration smooth and uniform, and at the same time saved from the need to often wield a gearbox lever even with intensive acceleration.
 

The dense suspension is good where the smoothness of the asphalt is broken by one or two large pits on a broken road Opel noticeably shakes, and the suspension hardly works out every unevenness. In the turns of Zafira, he is noticeably heated, but does not lose stability. In direct areas, compactwane is also stable and reliable.


Total

Today, Zafira is perhaps the most interesting offer for those who need a seven -seater car. Let the third row impose some restrictions on the dimensions of passengers.
 

Volkswagen Touran

Outside

Technologically, the Volkswagen compactive is in front of Opel and Ford, but this did not affect the appearance of Touran. The car presented relatively recently looks like a classic Wolfsburg minivan, seasoned with chromium and a couple of other fresh strokes. The Touran style from generation to generation is corrected only by small fixed details like the headlight circuit or the shape of the radiator grill.
 

Unlike rivals, the appearance of Touran to a lesser extent claims to be qualities and dynamism. But he could with his filling! But the VW designers rely on a strict -ended style, devoid of unnecessary pointed or vice versa, rounded impurities.
 

Inside

Inside Touran no less order than outside. Want to know what the classic German interior design looks like a look inside Touran. The torpedo is divided into a strictly defined central console, a dashboard under an overhanging visor and the right side allotted for an eirbeg and a glove box. The driver's seat is equipped with excellent lateral and lumbar support, and there are plenty of adjustments even for people with outstanding growth. In general, the interior is high -quality both in terms of materials and details, and their fitting.
  

The range of adjustments to the driver's seat is perhaps enough for a person of any height. Planting behind the wheel is rather bus. Of the governing bodies, I did not like the steering wheel not too simple a profile, and it looks cheap.
  

The second row of seats is three chairs, each of which can be adjusted separately. For a fee, you can order the third row of seats.
 

Price (rub.): From 673 497 - 946 512.
Price with automatic transmission (rub.): From 807 426
 

In move

The suspension does not allow swing from side to side and quickly reacts to each degree of changes in the position of the steering wheel. Surprisingly, the chassis turned out to be much more driver than one could expect from a family car! But the lack of comfort on the pavement and maneuverability on the asphalt was the lack of comfort: Touran reacts loudly and shaking to the irregularities of asphalt, especially in dynamic driving mode. However, if the road conditions have, it makes no sense to restrain Touran!
  

The power of its engine is 140 hp, almost like competitors, but what kind of strength it is! The Germans removed such indicators from a 1.4-liter engine using a direct fuel injection system, with a sequentially located compressor and a turbocharger. Paired with the automatic gearbox DSG, Touran is rapidly accelerated, perfectly pulls in the entire speed range, plus the car is deprived of any turbo-tracks inherent in the previous generations of turbocharged engines. As a result, we get the most pleasant in circulation, but also the most demanding in terms of fuel consumption 140 hp
 

Volkswagen Touran 1.4 automatic transmission
Specifications

(manufacturer data):

Dimensions (length/width/height) 4391x1794x1652 mm
Engine volume and power 1.4 (140 l.
Acceleration to 100 km/h 9.8 from
Maximum speed 200 km/h
Average fuel consumption 7.4/100 km
 

However, VW offers a fairly wide range of engines. If the exotic engine scares you, take the traditional one.


Total

Touran is more expensive than competitors, but technically, not much, but more perfect. If you delve into ergonim or design, then there is no advantages of a folk car. Finally, we will not forget about overpayment for the brand - Volkswagen today is prestigious than Opel and Ford.
 

Ford C-Max

Outside.

Fords themselves are still talking about their compact vein as a family focus (although the word focus from the name of the car has gone). Like, the updated C-Max is not only a fabulously practical, but also a truly stylish car.


The style of the car body unequivocally hints at the appearance of the older brother, Ford S-Max, came to the taste of the European public. Here it is, kinetic design in action! The current C-Max adopted a lot from a relative, with the expectation to win a younger buyer. The updated headlights and bumper gave the machine aggressiveness, and the highly mowed front racks still hide the true size of the car.
 

From our trinity, the C-Max looks most dynamic in his appearance much more from the station wagon than from Miniven. It is not surprising that the car’s interior is not burdened with the third number of seats in any of the configurations, so the high roof descends to the rear window.
 

Inside.

I wonder what Ford engineers were guided by when they trusted so many functions by the steering wheel switches? If the goal was to unload the central console, they did it, but it’s only more convenient for the driver from this.


In general, the C-Max salon left good impressions: a strict (possibly even over) the interior is suitable for this car. In what other minivan will you meet five (!) Shades of black in the door decoration? And the plastic of the front panel of the dark tint looks rich, and is pleasant to the touch.
 

It is difficult to find fault with the digitizing large, well readable, and the scales do not glance in the sun. The same applies to the on -board computer on the central console everything is clearly and convenient, but not everyone will like to poisonous red backlight.
 

Ford C-Max 2.0 manual transmission
Specifications

(manufacturer data):

Dimensions (length/width/height) 4372x1825x1588 mm
Engine volume and power 2.0 (145 l.
Acceleration to 100 km/h 9.8 from
Maximum speed 203 km/h
Average fuel consumption 7.3/100 km
 

Special thanks to the ergonomics specialists for the steering column more precisely, for the range of its adjustments. That's where the driver of even heroic addition will be really convenient! And the landing in the C-Max is not bus, but almost car. That's just seats with a wide pillow without significant side support do not have to speed ups on the bends of them simply fall out of them.
 

The rear passengers of the C-Max are provided with three separate chairs with individual adjustments. Naturally, they can be folded (or removed at all) to transport a long load.
 

Price (rub.): From 510 000 - 717 000.
Price with automatic transmission (rub.): From 656,000
 

In move.

Our test car was armed with a 2.0 liter gasoline engine with a capacity of 145 hp. This is the most powerful option in Nyshiroka only three engines of Russian gamut. For minivan, a equipped mass of less than one and a half tons, the option turned out to be, as they say, with pepper - the motor was happy to spin and confidently pulls in a wide range of revolutions.


I also liked the five -speed mechanics - the clarity of the inclusions did not cause complaints, and the long -lasting second and third programs for the crowds of city streets are the most. When typing the speed, which first seemed to be a cotton steering wheel was obediently filled with heaviness, but at high speeds of its information content it was not enough, the whole thing is that the test car did not have time to renew the winter tires
 

The rear multi-link suspension promised the excellent control of the machine, but the high center of gravity C-Max contributed at speeds of over 80 km/h with a sharp rearrangement of minivan has noticeably cracked. Less extreme maneuvering the car withstood without any problems. In general, not too hard the suspension did an excellent job of obstacles like tram rails, but she did not notice small polls of asphalt at all.


Total.

Ford C-Max is suitable for those who are looking for a universal car, and is not burdened with a large number of potential passengers. The memorable appearance of the machine will play a not the last role in the choice, but the presence of two more additional places for competitors for someone will become a more significant argument.

 


Cars are provided by Atlant-M Lakhta (GM), TDV-AUTO (Ford) and Neva Auto (VW)
 
Text: Alexander Korobchenko, Philip Berezen
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 122/2007]