Test Drive Renault Espace since 2006 Minivan
Clane business
If you do not know the main thing, then these cars can be written to classmates from the go. They are identical on the concept and appointment, comparable in size and mass, have the same capacity and even similar to name pronunciation on E. But how to explain almost double difference in price? And let it be a thousand acquittal reasons for Esmax and Espas, the main version will be considered a redistribution. The most common market redistribution. Ford invaded the clan of family minivans with an explicit intention to establish their orders here. 
What did you know about S-MAX, say, a year ago? Probably the same as I am nothing. Even in the main car letter, in the AUTOMOBIL REVUE 2006 Geneva directory, it was shown something - blurred photography, incorrect signature Focus S-MAX and zero technical data. Say, I started the Ford to build some other family minivan, and nothing more is known. And now this summer, this one minivan suddenly receives a car of the year 2007. The world auto-reprehension begins to pick up a novelty so that the compliments become similar to clumsy flattery. Having decided to check the sincerity of colleagues, we staged a duel for S-Max with the strongest classmate - Renault Espace, which, by the way, is generally considered the father of the magnesium-sized minivan clan. In Europe, this car has a reputation very high. But for some reason, the Espa is rare. As we tried to find both cars in the same configuration, but a problem with the motors came out. Ford got with a 1.8-liter diesel and handle, and Renault Espace was found in Moscow only with a machine gun and a gasoline engine, and twice the larger volume. Well, offsetting on acceleration (agree, it is not the main quality for such cars) will have to strike ...
As a truck Renault Espace performed by Privelege is not as good as a novelty Ford, - Completed with folding full (!) Rear armchairs (which, by the way, feasible for extra charge at $ 1772) a little limit the ability to accommodate baggage, especially long. But the French car is much better adapted for long journeys by a large company. Comfort passengers provide individual air conditioning systems with temperature control, sunscreen curtains (in the standard - two, for surcharge - six) and surprisingly the Cabasse musical audio system. The front armors are made removable, have armrests and tables, in addition, laid out in a comfortable sleeping place. Star father. I dispense the tradition to represent a beginner first and first tell about the French car. Infinitive surprise K.
Fourth-generation Espace does not fit. This is too weak verb. The machine is capable of shocking. I got it late in the evening and, sowing in a pitch darkness in Espace for the first time, tested panic. Of the things that were found in their places, only the steering wheel and pedals will call. All steel - as if stolen! Instead of the ignition lock at the wheel, sacrifted on the tunnel slot under the card. The dashboard turned out to be a narrow strip under the edge of the windshield with glowing digital indicators. The radio tape recorder was covered under the lid above the right knee, which, fortunately, was equipped with a remote control in the form of a joystick on the steering wheel. Climate control management is generally made on the door. The central console, as such, it simply did not turn out to be the buttons that it is accepted on it to be placed with dense sowing, powered by the number and sat down on the ceiling. In short, you can fuck! Does the French do not allow the French to admit that the interior for this car did not create a person, but an aliens? The radical approach to the interior design and the ergonomics of the driver's seat serves not only with the excuse of the Space Name of the Minivan. We must admit that all controls are easily accessible and are in sight - a newcomer driver in Espace looks sorry and puzzled for five minutes, no more, and after the Spirit. Rewarding driver's habits flows without hysterical. Having drove just a couple of city blocks, in Espas gets in with the flying plates. Even a light insult rolled up: this chic UFO, capable, seems to be smelted for a million parsec, still leaves in front of the obstacle to the universal scale - Moscow traffic jam.
Sale Max. The official version, which is indicated by the Lithery S on the name of the new Ford Blank, no. But if you take into account the creative pusher invented by advertisers for S-MAX, it is not difficult to decipher this esmesk: sport, style and, if you like, sex. Of course, the maximum. Ford attempt to knock off a longing from a utilitarian wagon and give him the features of the car almost for extremals (the target audience is a young energetic steam, in the future - a large-fashioned one, and now - surrounded by friends and friends), of course, deserves respect. Yes, and the new Kinetic Design, undoubtedly, gives the car with strong and recognizable features (imagine a moment that it does not have an evil face, powerful arches and embossed barine, and see the increased once in a fifty computer mouse). But all this is nothing more than a marketing stroke. And the S-MAX itself is a beautiful packaging, which is easily hiding pouched by the bustle of the days. The true value of the essay is open when peering into the price list. Sale! For a big beautiful seven-letter car with a transformer salon, which has passed EURONCAP crash tests for five stars, asks less than $ 30,000. With Renault, even parallels to spend awkwardly. The price of a ticket to Espace begins with $ 38,999, and if the first class, then prepare all $ 60,000 (again for comparison: S-Max Titanium with an excellent 250-strong turbo engine from Mondeo ST220, with packages of extra charges, barely bore $ 40 000). Now it is clear why journalists, choosing the best car, for the first time so strongly gave votes for the minivan. From the proposal that Ford did, it is impossible to abandon - the saved money is enough for another car.
In the still waters. From Espace, under the hood of which there is a slight 245-strong six, I approximately knew what to expect. This is a very sharp car, despite the stupid machine, in addition, very high-speed. It is characterized by smooth move and fairly clear reactions - sensations, by the way, are comparable to a trip to some crossover, and not among the cheap. You fly over the road, slightly swinging, and the difference is felt only when maneuvering and braking: Espace steals in the turns simpler, like a typical front-wheel drive car, response to the brake is sharper. Winning looks Espace also by level of comfort and noise. Even at high speeds in the cabin, silence is preserved. With the E-class sedan standard, but very close. Upset only readings of the onboard computer, which issued the voracious motor. Hold the appetite of the Frenchman within the twenty hundred on the city conditions did not work. Now tell me what is 9 liters of diesel fuel at a hundred at urban S-MAX ride? Nothing! When to roll over a long time, efficiency becomes the main advantage of the new Ford. And the level of comfort is at least acoustic - at the height. The rest of the S-MAX is perceived as a compromise car. The suspension is tougher, the controllability is sharper (but this does not mean that it is significantly better). The 1.8-liter diesel is not too wide a traction range (over 4000 turns to twist it meaninglessly), but the magnitude of the moment on the shaft, at least causes respect. When it is not too lazy to vigorously work with a mechanical gearbox to hold the rotation of the motor in the desired range, you get an impressive acceleration dynamics. At the initial step of overclocking, when the speed does not exceed 60-80 km / h, the S-Max is almost no lag behind the French competitor. Acceleration problems start only
on the highway speeds in 110-130 km / h. Disarm faster 150-160 diesel car can not. But I want! So if you like speed, you should look at Max with a motor 2.5. There, the bukova s \u200b\u200bmeans what it is necessary ... Ford S-Max trucks are very impressive. With the fully laid sacchables of the second row (by the way, they are arranged and shifted individually) and when the tailgate of the rear seats are removed in the underground (flat folding mechanism) in the machine, there are two baggage cubic meters - no less than any small commercial van. The actual luggage compartment has a volume of 285 or 1051 liters (respectively, with seven-or-five-seater transformation of the cabin). For convenient laying of goods or for the carriage of long gestures, the floor of the luggage compartment is made retractable. For small things there are many niches. To the fact that they are located under the seats, access is simplified. But there are also places of storage under the floor - real tunes.
Your monastery. A man puzzled by a humane price of S-Max, probably, will immediately look back in the car. And nothing but overly the bright sound of regular music and not the best way to fit the dashboard decor, it will not find. Aesthetes may complain about the too a pathos view of false aluminum (or false titanium, you will not understand) - designers with him slightly moved. But the finish of the door panels is also different, and elegance. Salon with sports seats from perforated suede (for surcharge) looks at all luxuriously. Front seats profile (with five-speed heated!) Ideal.
Pedals are tugged, but without sports extreme. The ergonomics of the driver's site is typically easy - you will go away and hang, without even thinking about what you keep, in fact, a small bus, not a sedan. Rear passengers are very spacious on the second row and tolerant on the third, although it is unlikely that this argument will help you persuade someone from adults to take the last places. But if it turns out, there will be no problems with the bookmark. To deal with the principle of action of folding seats in the trunk, do not possess the player's erudition that, where, when?. Everything is thought out, and most importantly - everything works as it should. Someone else's charter. Espace causes strong emotions, but not always positive. The same interior is qualitatively done, but the design will seem too eccentric. In fact, it is not necessary to fear
The wrong arrangement of the button of the emergency and climate control consoles, and five gloves (they wake up, while you find the niche, in which the mobile phone grumbled). The visibility forward exceptional, the dead zones is practically no, but the mirrors of the rear view are some sled. There are complaints and pedals. You can forgive them excessive softness, but the small distance between the accelerator and the brake is very annoying. The landing behind the wheel of the Espace is rather off-road, high. At the same time, the second row of seats is still slightly lifted. So intended that the passengers look not in the nape ahead of the sitting, and also watched the road. That's just those whose growth exceeds 180 cm, the elevated position will cause disappointment rather - you have to sit, prying the knees. On the third row, I would not advise at all until the second chairs are deployed against movement. Then the gallery becomes a spacious and homely cozy. Text Ruslan Tarasov Photo Andrei Danilov
Ford S-Max 1.8 TDCI Diesel engine, 4 in a row
Working volume (cube. Cm) 1753
Power (hp at rpm) 125 at 3850
Moment (nm at rpm) 285 at 1750
Drive front
6-speed gearbox, mechanical
Length / Width / Height (mm) 4768/1884/1610-1658
Mass Curb (kg) 1736
Maximum speed (km / h) 164
Acceleration to 100 km / h (c) 11.4
Fuel consumption (city / highway, l / 100 km) 7.9 / 5.2
Price in Moscow (Price of the Tested Car) from $ 30 090 ($ 36,490)
RENAULT ESPACE 3.5 V6 Gasoline engine, V6
Working volume (cube. Cm) 3498
Power (hp at rpm) 245 at 6000
Moment (nm at rpm) 330 at 3600
Drive front
Gearbox 5-speed, automatic
Length / Width / Height (mm) 4861/1860 / 1746-1798
Mass Curb (kg) 1770
Maximum speed (km / h) 225
Acceleration up to 100 km / h (c) 8.1
Fuel consumption (medium, l / 100 km) 12.4
Price in Moscow (Price of the Tested Car) from $ 56,799 ($ \u200b\u200b63 387)
Thank you for helping the organization of shooting Renault RUSSIA, (495) 775-4042, and CJSC Ford Motor Company, (495) 777-8500.
A source: "Autopilot"
