Test drive by Renault Kangoo 1997 - 2003 Minivan

All photos Renault Kangoo 1997 - 2003

There should be a lot of good car!

Is it possible to buy a car for cubic meters

Renault Megan Break - Megan with a wagon body. The price of the basic options in Russia is $ 14 500-15 900. The cost of a test car in the RXE configuration with a 1.6 liter engine, 110 liters. With. - $ 15 850.

Renault Megan stage - a compact class mini -ven on the Megana platform (ZR, 2000, No. 7). The price range in standard trim levels is $ 18 400-23 500. The cost of a test car in the RXE configuration with a 1.6 liter engine, 110 liters. With. - $ 18 980.

Renault Kanga is a cargo -passenger car, the same type with a truly van (ZR, 1999, No. 12). It is delivered to Russia in the RN configuration with a 1.4 liter engine, 75 liters. With. And it costs without additional equipment $ 11,900.

Of course, a lot - who would argue! And not outside, for show, but inside, for the benefit of the case: whether to leave with the family, what things or equipment are transported, or even a batch of cargo. On the other hand, you only carry yourself to work every day. Think here ...

The adherents of more luminous cars have something to choose from: these are classic station wagons, and more and more popular mini-wenes, and cargo-passenger vans. To understand the features of the bodies of each type, they took three cars of the same brand.

THE MIRROR OF ONE'S HEART
The car should be liked by the owner and ... to others. The first is understandable, otherwise it simply will not buy. Well, what does everyone else have to do with it? And despite the fact that we subconsciously transfer our attitude to the car to the owner. How many will seriously perceive the solid uncle in the Oka or Ford, and even funny colors? And a girl of tender age in a tinted Land Cruster wants to give way ...

A person in a brand new foreign car for 10 thousand dollars, at least, is well provided. The French origin of our Trinity will dawn you with a certain charm and spiritual sophistication. Further - individual characteristics. The owner of the station wagon is most likely practical. The balanced fathers of the family drive around the world on mini-veins (we have only public transport for most of them so far). If you, getting into a happy minority, follow the global trend, the reputation of the enlightened motorist is ensured. The case is special with Kanga - it is so similar to a working car that you will be considered, most likely, just a driver - without charm and subtlety. And do not try to convince others, proving that you are the owner - their tolerance, especially friends and relatives, has limits. Except you will justify you to boast entrepreneurial activity with a claim to European standards.

What is it?
The most stingy on the living space of the station wagon, differing from the sedan only an increase by 40 mm high ceiling above the second row of seats and wider rear door openings. In it, as in the sedan, a moderately constant four of the four, but the fifth even on a short trip, not to mention the long -range warring, is extra. There are no and any delights in terms of comfort.

It looks completely different from the inside of the scenes: it is noticeably higher and wider, especially from behind. Huge doorways, almost vertical sidewalls, a low glazing line, an absolutely flat floor, individual, high -standing armchairs - almost like on a bus. Add adjustments to the rear seats, numerous secret compartments, boxes and pockets, individual lighting and leaning tables behind the front backs - and completely express! In what station wagon will you find compartments for shoes in the back in the floor or a cooled container in the central console? For five places enough, but on vacation it is better to go four of them - to rest, so with comfort. In this embodiment, the laid back of the middle chair forms a wide armrest-diver, or you can completely leave only two places behind, moving them to the middle or back. In general, regarding the transformation of the salon and the number of bells and whistles, designed to make a long trip pleasant and comfortable, the scenes, as it should be mini-ven, is beyond competition.

And what is the cargo -passenger canga? Again, apart. In some internal size, he even surpasses the scenes, but the passenger gives the impression that he is not sitting in, but at the bottom of the salon. The seats are quite low, in the middle of the floor, the tunnel, under the feet of the bucket -shaped substetricians - almost like in a car. But huge windows extend up, and from the crown to the ceiling of a good quarter meter. The decoration is deliberately ascetic: a lot of bare iron, cheap plastic, wide back (three passengers barely touch each other's shoulders!) A flat sofa without headrests - proletarian origin is obvious, maximum volume with a minimum of comfort. Indisputable dignity - you do not get into the car, but literally enters with your head proudly raised. True, the passenger door is only one, the second - the left - is included in the list of options and costs $ 175. To equip Kanga to the level of rivals will cost about $ 3500.

So, if you evaluate comfort and space, then the universal in a moderate dose is inherent in the first quality, the cargo -passenger car is the second, and to the maximum, and the mini -wen - both to an excellent degree.

Big trunk - a large suitcase
Not satisfied with the numbers of technical characteristics, we armed with ruler, foam blocks and, well, measured ... surprisingly, in the starting position, a record volume is 456 liters - the luggage compartment has by no means a convertible truck and not even a busy mini -wen, but a modest station wagon. After all, he has the longest body and, therefore, the trunk - as many as 1100 mm! And if according to the rules, they load the car to the level of glazing, that is, under the shelf, then the ceiling height does not matter. However, we will be fair: Kangaa lost only a little. The cargo compartment scenes turned out to be smaller, but almost perfect, rectangular shape, especially beneficial during the transportation of bulky cargoes; In addition, the regiment here can be installed in two positions in height.
If you spit on the rules and load as usual - how much will fit, the positions change. Kanga (1290 mm of the inner height) goes into a distant gap with a volume of 2800 liters. But there is an even more spacious modification with an enlarged rear overhang. By paying $ 220, you can order Kanga Hydroly from 500 to 800 kg of carrying capacity. The universal Break contrasted this split rear seat and the large length of the cargo platform (1760 mm) resulting in its folding, which, on occasion, will serve as a berth. The undeniable advantage of a mini -wen is the ability to fold, rearrange or completely dismantle three rear seats, depending on the shape and size of the cargo.

How to ride?
Looking at whose taste. If the purchase for cubic meters is a step in some ways forced (and racing ambitions are burning in your soul!), From the whole trinity, the Breek station wagon is more suitable for you. This is not a sports car - just a solid passenger car. Moderately, healing in control, he tenaciously holds onto the road, minimally inclined to build-up and completely allows you to drive dynamically. After a sedan or hatchback, you only have to get used to the wide rear racks.

The scenes will be liked more with balanced drivers: bus sensations (a kind of landing, horizontal steering wheel, soft suspension, low noise, an abundance of comfort elements) dictate a corresponding model of behavior. Of course, on it you can rush as a bitten, especially since the same motor allows with the station wagon. But this will be violence against the machine - it protesters with large body rolls, rocking on the waves, and the steering wheel is completely unsportsmaning. The mini -wen driver has advantages in the city crowding: high landing and large glazing area provide an excellent review, the ability to look over the roofs, as well as a good feeling of dimensions - with the exception of, however, an invisible hood. By the way, the body is a quarter meter (!) In short than that of the station wagon, which is important in a close parking lot.

Compared to this pair, the cargo -passenger canga looks simpler: the suspension, more noise and vibrations are tougher, but the devices are only the necessary minimum. He has only 75 horses, but the working range of the motor is shifted to lower turnover, which, combined with short gears, allows you not to feel damaged in the city. True, there is almost no remaining on the highway at high stock speeds. The assets of this hard workers have huge external mirrors (the inheritance of a cargo van), the shortest, less than four meters, a body and the largest road clearance. By the way, motor compartments of all three cars have a powerful steel protection from below.

So who is the best?
Fortunately, there is no unequivocal answer to this question - otherwise the streets would be clogged with cars of the same brand, model and, perhaps, even color. If you are still interested in the author’s personal opinion, if you please-he has long, but so far without reciprocity, in love with mini-wen.

I like to travel with the whole family, and therefore I prefer the cars spacious and comfortable.

The editors thanks Renault and Avtomir for the cars provided. Information about the sale - in the section of dealers' prices.

Text / Yuri Nechetov
Photo / Vladimir Knyazev