Test drive by Renault Espace 2002 - 2006 Minivan

French loaf

A Soviet citizen could not buy a Rafik for himself, since then Russians have not developed with non -combatants. And what do they need? Probably Renault Espace IV.
Single collectors have never been popular in Russia. It is not clear, true, why. Maybe the people have not tried it? The autopilot knows people who have hooked on minivans and are ready to bring a thousand arguments in their favor: from high safe landing to the ability to transport mother -in -law, refrigerator, dog and 48 three -liter cans from giving. One owner of the minivan admitted that he easily enters any departmental parking lots: the guards are sure that they come on such cars only in the case, in extreme cases, you can lie that the car was ordered.
Call mode. In Russia, the phrase Renault Espace does not call everyone associations with a particular machine. But all of Europe knows him. Since 1984, in the three previous versions, Espace has been dispersed by a circulation of 870 thousand units. The fourth generation is planned to be released before 2009 and, according to the manufacturer, during which time another 450 thousand cars will be made. So the car as it was and will remain recognizable, at least, in Europe. In most potential Russian buyers, acquaintance with Espace will begin from scratch. And there are many features of the car.
For example, the lack of a key in the usual sense - instead of it, the owner of Espace has an electronic card. Without taking out the cards from the pocket, the driver opens the door and starts the engine with the Start button. Previously, you just need to press the brake pedal on a car with automatic transmission or clutch - by car with a manual box. This is a protection against children who want to play the driver. In addition, the card is able to store various information - from the fuel level in the tank and the general mileage to the settings of the climatic system and adjustments of the seats.
Espace has a special landing. It is tall as in a jeep, and almost does not require settings. It doesn’t matter what kind of growth a person was sitting in front of you: you took a driver’s place, and it immediately became convenient, you can even touch anything, although at your disposal the entire necessary set of adjustments, including lumbar support, and even the height changes even with a passenger chair.
Fashion is the enemy of the people. A car with a light crunch is touching, as if breaking a thin crust of ice. The fact is that when the ignition is turned off, the car itself becomes on the parking brake, and it itself is removed from it with the beginning of movement. If necessary, the brake can be forcibly turned on. Here it fully justifies the name handbrake, although it is not quite in the usual place - on a dashboard, under his left hand.
A review from the driver’s, and from any other place in the cabin is excellent, and a hackneyed comparison with the aquarium is asked here. I don't want to be on public review? The rear windows are easily draped with five curtains.
The fashionable instrument panel, located right in the center of the torpedo, leaves a double impression. Nothing superfluous before my eyes. Even a feeling of permissiveness arises: they say, the value of speed is a certain secondary information that should not be betrayed. But with lateral vision, you notice large numeral numbers. When braking, they amusingly striving for zero, like a second counter when rewinding a video tape. The rest of the devices, for example, the fuel level, are worse, and the tachometer - the luminescent sausage jumping to the beat of the engine is not very noticeable: to understand what it shows is only approximately on the move. From the curious - an air pressure indicator in the tires. Espace does not yet know how to pump the wheels on his own.
The fashionable panel of the devices subordinates everything to its rules, which are probably described in the instructions, but intuitively completely incomprehensible. The search button for turning on the accident in an unprepared driver will take no less time than finding the Baxlash sign from a person who first sat for a computer. The emergency button was found quite by accident, in the process of idle examination of the ceiling. The claim disappeared as such.
Sedanization. At the presentation of Espace, company representatives used a funny term - sedanization. In the sense that the car is large, and you control it as a sedan. In the fourth, Espace finalized the suspension to remove the tendency to demolish the front axle that is characteristic of single -combatants, which can be regarded by the driver as a loss of handling. The fact that this problem is very urgent is clear even from a press release: in the program of the electronic system of course stability, the base for Espace, a special place is given precisely to its solution.
By the way, the ESP in Espace is disconnected, which is not worth doing, in any case, on the roads with a slippery coating: sharp turns of the steering wheel do not give a sense of control over the road, although it is stupid to demand from a high heavy car reactions of a front -wheel drive passenger car.
By the way, the first Espace at the dawn of their youth also went out in the all-wheel drive version, which would surely be in demand in Russia (we have a all-wheel drive single-breaker-UAZ Bukhanka). However, as it was announced at the presentation, no one is going to make all -wheel drive on Espace IV: who needs comfort and cross -country ability, he will still buy a luxury SUV; Who appreciates convenience and capacity will stop choosing Espace.
Very large. Traditionally, Espace is available in two versions. Simple and elongated, called Grand. Both versions are designed for seven passengers.
Grand Espace is longer than usual by 20 cm - due to the enlarged base and the rear history. On the test, short Espace were presented with seats in only two rows, which made it possible to roll back the middle armchair of the second row until it stops back and sit in it with maximum comfort, stretching the legs of a la Philippe Kirkorov: the appearance of long cars in his garage, the singer explains his remarkable for his garage With growth, although Freud's fans would surely argue with him.

On the third row of seats - two in their tail fit - we managed to sit only on Grand Espace. Places for the knees were quite enough there, but the head - despite the elevated roof, raised, compared to the last version, rested on the ceiling. True, this applies only to high passengers. The fact that the third row is not nominal, but is designed for comfortable trips, is said by the presence of a clothing box, cup holders and diffusers of the climatic system.
Passenger chairs in Espace are interchangeable: you can not stand in a very convenient position, they can be removed - all or as necessary. In a double version, Grand Espace has a huge luggage volume - 3000 liters.
The little things in Espace are also expanse: only five duffel boxes are located in front, large and not very. Points, and thereby allocated its place above the driver’s head, on the left.
NATIONAL ECONOMY. For Espace, Renault has a whole gamut of engines. It is expected that the most popular in Europe will be a 2.2 liter turbodiesel 150 hp. - A reasonable compromise between efficiency and price. This motor, supplied with both manual and automatic box, will be installed on every second Espace. Two more possible diesel options are 1.9 liters (120 hp, only mechanics) and 3.0 liters (180 hp, only an automatic machine). But diesel engines will not be supplied to Russia: our fuel is not of the best quality, and the savings are very speculative, according to Renault.
At first, our market will be offered a gasoline two-liter turbo engine (165 hp, mechanics/automatic) and the most powerful in this segment of the market 245-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, which is paired only with automatic transmission.
Whether ESPACE will become the first minivan in Russia to seriously change the representation of the solvent part of the population about large single -combatants will tell time. Espace IV has everything necessary for success.
 
Text Sergey Sherestnikov, photo of the author and Renault

Model/Modification Renault Espace IV Renault Grand Espace IV
Manufacturer/country Renault S. A./frances Renault S. A./Franation
BODY
Type minivan minivan
Number of doors/places 5/7 5/7
ENGINE
Basin type with multi -point electronic injection
Working volume (cubic meter cm) 1998 3498
Number/location of cylinders 4/rowing 6/V-shaped
Power, kW (L.S.) at about./Min. 121 (165) at 5000 180 (245)/6000
Moment (nm at about./Min.) 250 at 2000 330 at 3600
TRANSMISSION
Front front drive
The gearbox is mechanical, 6-speed automatic sectral type, 5-speed
SUSPENSION
Front/rear independent, spring, pseudo-maceson/half-oin-dependent, on two independent independent, spring, levers, traction of Panar Pseudo-MacPherson/semi-dependent, two longitudinal levers, traction of panar
 
STEERING
Type gear rack with a hydraulic booster gear-rake with a hydraulic booster
Min. The diameter of the turn (m) 11.3 11.8
Brakes
Front/rear circular ventilated/disk ventilated/disk disk
ABS 4-channel, EBD, EBA and ESP 4-channel systems, EBD, EBA and ESP systems
Dimensions/volumes/weight
Length/width/height (mm) 4661/1860/1728 4861/1965/1746
Wheel base (mm) 2803 2868
Equipped mass (kg) 1685 1815
Tires/Disks 225/55 R17/7JX17 225/55 R17/7JX17
Dynamic characteristics
Maximum speed (km/h) 205 225
Acceleration to 100 km/h (sec.) 9.9 8.1
Economy
The average fuel consumption (city/highway, l/100 km) 9.7/12.4 9.7/12.4
The price in Moscow is not determined not determined

 

Source: "Autopilot"