Test drive Renault 19 Sedan 1992 - 1995 hatchback

An ordinary European sedan

In our country, French cars are not particularly popular. This always surprised me, as well as the common opinion that French technology is not the best. Apparently, knowing this and observing every day under the windows of the editorial office of my Renault-R-4, who is already 30 years old, but who is still relatively vigorous, our cunning editor-in-chief entrusted this test to me. Now few people remember this, but the young Soviet government in 1925 purchased a party of car Renault for the needs of the capital. Many years later, Renault intensively collaborated in the field of AZLK technology, they even wanted to start the production of French folk cars, but for some political reasons they did not start.

 
The originality of the Renault designs never went to the detriment of simplicity, reliability, durability and low price of cars, which allows you to put, for example, Renault-R-4 in a row with such bestsellers as VW-Beetle or Citroen 2 CV. Advanced technologies provided Renault cars and engines of numerous victories in Formula-1 competitions, rally and ring racies, which contributed to the increase in the company's image in the eyes of consumers.
 

Why did we take a car born in 1988 and had a long -playing on our streets? The answer is simple-due to its price, which puts Renault-19 on a par with Skoda Felicia, Ford Escort or Kia Avella, which are in high demand with us precisely because of a relatively low cost. True, those Renault-19 that we met turned out to be Turkish, but can this change their French essence? By the way, representatives of Renault claim that cars are absolutely identical to French both in design, quality, and in materials, and in technology.
 

Renault -19 Europa cars we chose two - cherry and blue. Not because, of course, they are of different colors. On a cherry machine there was a 1.4 liter engine and a capacity of 72 hp, on blue, which is more expensive - 1.6 liters and 80 hp. In the last years of the release of this model in France, cars were equipped with injection engines, in any case, we came across only these. Here are the good old carburetors with a manual suction. Of course, this is not as progressive as distributed or even central injection, but in which case it is easy to cope with this device even at home. However, for those who wish are also offered injector (1.4 liters, 80 hp or 1.8 liters, 105 hp) motors.
 

The appearance of the car is familiar - an ordinary European four -door sedan with a large glazing area, a short but voluminous trunk, a slightly beveled hood and slightly slanting headlights. A more powerful machine has better shoes - alloy wheels, however, with the same rubber - Pirelli 175/70R13T, also, by the way, Turkish production.
 

Thanks to a carefully worked out design, the machine looks more expensive than it actually stands. All elements of the body are painted in one color, which creates a feeling of monolithic: not a single part is knocked out of the general style, plastic elements are outwardly indistinguishable from metal.
 

Soft, pastel tones, textiles prevail in the cabin. Front, with headrests, seats have adjustments back and forth and on the corner of the back of the back. The salon is quite spacious, and the long -legged inhabitants of the rear seat feel comfortable, even if no less long -legged sits ahead. If necessary, the rear back can be divided into two unequal parts, which are folded when it is necessary to increase the volume of the trunk.
 

But still the front is better. There is something that sitting from behind did not get. Firstly, electric windows, with the driver’s control modes, there are two: automatic from the stop to the stop (regardless of the duration of pressing the button) and allows you to adjust the opening value. Secondly, an ashtray with a cigarette lighter and backlight. Thirdly, a multifunctional ceiling on the ceiling, serving both individual and a common illuminator - at will.
 

The driver's seat requires some habit. I, with a height of 190 cm, had to push him back until it stops. Landing is quite convenient, there is good lateral support, but it seems that the steering wheel is too shifted to the right. The left leg feels quite comfortable, and the right one applies to the steering wheel, and it does not work to push it away - a plastic beard interferes. In the end you get used to it, although, I think, if I were lower, and these problems would not have arisen.
 

The steering wheel levers control the headlights, brushes, spray, turn signals and ... a signal - as it is started by the French. It switches all quite clearly, and you get used to it quickly. In the center of the dashboard there are arrow tachometer and a speedometer - large, with white scales on a black background, between them are the indicators of the fuel level and the temperature of the engine. All devices are easily read and are not overlapped by the steering wheel. The steering wheel itself is made in the form of a soft thick bagel and is pleasantly in his hands.

 
At the distance of the elongated right hand are the controls of heating and ventilation. In both machines, they differ slightly, but the essence is one: the temperature, power and distribution of the flow are adjusted (there is an air conditioner on a blue machine). The rear -glass heating keys, emergency flashing and blocking door locks are slightly higher.
 

External mirrors are regulated mechanically from the cabin. To reach the left is not a problem, with the right is somewhat more difficult, especially on the go.
 

The knob of the lever of the mechanical box is made in the shape of the inner part of the compressed palm and sits comfortably in the hand. Programs - five, the back is turned on after raising the ring on the lever leg. The ignition lock on the steering column is on the right. It’s not easy to find him in the dark with an habit, if only to come up with a highlight ...
 

While all this was studied and felt, the engine warmed up, the stove woke up, the interior and windshield were warmed up, the rear thawed itself, you can move on the road. It should be noted that in the configuration of cars, mechanical differences were also found. For example, on a blue machine, a power steering is installed and a column adjustable in height, but on cherry - no. However, the amplifier is so unobtrusive that without it, it is also not bad, thanks to the lightness of the rhealhic steering. The pedals are magnificent, they don’t even have to get used to them, they are so comfortable and informative.
 

The view forward and sides are wonderful, but as soon as the rain began - and the rear review disappeared. Drops lie on the hollow glass and do not think to slide off it - the extra janitor would not be superfluous at all, practically without influencing the price of the car.
 

Having risen at a traffic light, they forced to pay more focus on the intraspilleous rear -view mirror, which closed the traffic light completely and forced to take rather elaborate poses.
 

Surprise was also presented by wipers. The fact is that Renault-19, for the sake of design and aerodynamics, does not have drain grooves on the roof or along the front racks, and when I tried to wash off the dirt from the glass with a spray, the turners turned on with readily crossed all this wet muck to me an ajar. lap.
 

On bumps and potholes, the rear torsion suspension and the front Macpherson show themselves wonderful, swallowing irregularities uneven for the riders. Few people now (except Renault) use torsiones on cars, but it is a pity: after all, this is a combination of simplicity, reliability, smoothness and compactness. The fact that the rear torsions are parallel, and the pendants' levers are equal to the length, the interesting feature inherent in some machines of this brand is a different base on the right and left.
 

The cars have an almost smooth bottom, all iron and pipelines are well hidden, which gives the mechanics vitality on cracked roads. From below, everything is carefully proceeded, and protection is brought under the motor.
 

The brakes did not cause complaints, although structurally - the last century: the front, however, is disk, but backwards are drum, without a hint of ABS. I slowed down and Syak - they work, and not bad ...
 

For the sake of interest, he climbed into the mud, in good, fat. And what? I got out! Where is the reason, where is it, but got out. In a icy hill, which turned along the way, also climbed. They started with Lada, he could not get into. But these are all extremes, imitation of an unsuccessful trip to the country. It is most pleasant, of course, rushing along the highway, when snow or rain is behind the window, and in the cabin tropical heat to everyone in spite, wide -up wipers clean the slurry and slush with incredible speed and you feel good, just good. On a slippery, icing-sprinkled road, despite summer tires, the car is very stable and is not at all inclined to change the direction of movement. If you provoke the drift artificially, it is very easy to return the car to the previous trajectory by a simple rudder.
 

Previously traveled to Renault-19 note his unpretentiousness, endurance and non-critical stress. For a light (slightly more than 900 kg), a 1.4 liter of a motor is quite enough, although, of course, the dynamic characteristics of the car change the excess glass of volume significantly. But personally, I would buy my wife a car with the motor weaker - away from sin. And in price there is a difference.

 
By the way, about the price. It somehow happened that it is very easy to determine it: multiply the engine volume in cubic centimeters by 10, and you will get a price. True, in American dollars, which is now not welcome.

 
Alexey Strelkov
 
 
 
 

Source: Motor magazine [No. 12/1997]