Test drive by Renault Koleos since 2011 crossover

Test "Ladoga". Cross-mod

What to do when you need to compare many cars, but you can’t take them all and it doesn’t work out at once? That's right: you need to take one of those whose platform several cars were divided at once. And how to achieve the objectivity of the material? True: send all the cars to the landfill. So, in fact, we acted when we decided to compare the crossovers. We took one brightest representative and went to them to Karelia, where the roads will be cleaner than any landfill.

Test participants:
Hyundai IX35, Renault Koleos, Volkswagen Tiguan, Citroen C-Crosser

What and how
The total length of the run route was 814 km. Of these, 60 km of paths were spent on an excursion to the marble quarry. If we talk about the roads, there are not so many of them. The first inconvenience travelers begin to experience already on the site from the village of Losevo to Priozersk. Then a serpentine begins, a feature of which is not only seven bends per milenone, but also completely killed asphalt. The serpentine is followed by a primer with a length of 40 km. From Lahdenpochi to Sortavala, perfect asphalt is laid. A little worse is the plot from Sortavala to the village of Uksu. Further to Olonz, the road is noteworthy only in that some of its sections pass in the immediate vicinity of Ladoga. Following Olonets there is a boiled field, well, and there, along the Murmansk highway, to St. Petersburg, it’s already a stone's throw.

The idea to compare as many representatives of the violently developing class of underheld -districts in the editorial office of Vital for a long time. However, for a number of objective and not very reasons, this event was constantly postponed. There is no one to put behind the wheel: as a rule, to collect all journalists at one time and in one place is unrealistic because of business trips. Then the dealers of the car cannot or can be distinguished, but for some reason, the day before a specific period, this very car from them will either be bought or split. Then in general, continuous troubles. However, by the end of the year everything has grown together. Well, or almost everything. There were finally enough cars, but there was still an ambush with the drivers. Most employees returned from business trips, but all one was not enough. Then the idea of \u200b\u200blimiting the number of cars came to mind. But not with a simple deletion from the list, but, if I may say so, for ideological reasons. It was decided to leave only the brightest representatives who personify a particular platform. It is no secret to anyone that most of the cars, which are rich in our roads today, are built on the same platform and vary exclusively in appearance. As a result, instead of nine scheduled cars for a test drive, there were only four: Hyundai IX35, VW Tiguan, Renault Koleos and Citroen S-Crosser.

The first represented the platform on which Kia Sportage was built. The second was supposed to defend his interests and Skoda Yeti. The third was the honor of representing Nissan Qashqai’s favorite in his face. And the fourth was even forced to pace for himself, for Peugeot 4007 and Mitsubishi Outlander XL. Such a mathematics turned out. In addition, all these cars were about the same price niche. So, any person who sets out the goal of purchasing such a car, one way or another will look at all of them.

But where to go? Where can cars can reveal their potential? Take a couple of circles on the cad, and then pass in to the nearest clearing? It is not serious somehow, especially when it comes to an objective comparison. So you really need to go. And go far enough to truly roll into cars. However, the roads are needed different. And it is better that there are more those where cars can be driven, as they say, both in the tail and in the mane. And where are such roads in the northwest? That's right: in Karelia. Already on them you can lose their heads not only from the beauties of local, but also in the literal sense. He who walked over them will understand, but who did not happen, explain. Have you ever seen a unwound ball of thread with whom the kitten played? So the roads in Karelia have about the same configuration. Unless there are no nodes. We add to this the differences in height, select one lane in each direction and dilute it all with a coating that can be an ideal asphalt, the quality of which even a large city did not dream, or a grader. An ideal vehicle testing landfill, isn't it?

Oh yes, they completely forgot. More frost. In winter, it can reach 40 degrees below zero, which we were also glad. Why? And because the expedition that we started, there were two Renault Koleos and Hyundai IX35 diesel cars. And where, if not in conditions of cold, check their adaptation to our realities! The diesel diesel was two-liter, but the Frenchman with the Japanese genealogy could boast of only 150 horsepower, while the Korean had all 184 under the hood. C-crosser and Tiguan had 170 horses each, but the torque of their gasoline engines was not so great. All cars, with the exception of Citroen, were aggregated by automatic 6 -speed transmissions with the possibility of manual gear shifts in sectral mode. The exception of the Variel used the variator, which, however, also did not prevent the driver from twitching steering petals himself in order to choose the optimal mode of operation of the transmission and engine. But, to be honest, no one used this function for all the run for this function. They twitched, of course, for the sake of interest, and calmed down on that, surrendering to the will of smart automation. However, we will return to the beginning of the test.

The start day was almost successful. The chalk was a light snowstorm, a slight frost pinched the tip of the nose, and the sun did not work on this day. In general, everything was ordered. In the end, not on convertibles in Krasnaya Polyana gathered in Karelia, and on crossovers. While the Bild editor sniffs through the salons of cars with a camera in order to have time to shoot the interiors, unsuccessful by the long crossing, we are considering cars. Which of them is visually better is difficult to say. However, the outsider painted immediately. Like it or not, but Koleos calls the handsome tongue does not turn. How could the French create this? ..

It is not much better and IX35 looks better. Here, too, you won’t understand which line with which should be connected, and even if you connect, then why exactly here, and not where you expect this? C-Crosser? The C-Crosser against the background of Koleos looks like a Belmondo against a background of department. In general, the only four, whose design was apparently seriously engaged, was Tiguan. However, he is not Alain Delon. However, emotions to the side! We’ll get better than the dimensions. And the dimensions, as it turned out, is a deceptive thing. At first, it seemed to us that the biggest of this company would be Citroen, but with visual comparison, and later, when comparing technical characteristics, Koleos turned out to be the largest. It was inferior to C-Crosser only in length (it was shorter by 12.5 cm), in terms of other parameters he exceeded the compatriot. Excessed C-Crosser and Korean IX35, but only in width. But Tiguan turned out to be the highest, and it was visible. We did not fail to celebrate cars and clearance of cars during the inspection. According to this indicator, again above all was Koleos 205 mm. Below all the IX35 was pressed to the ground, its road clearance was 170 mm. 4 mm above it was C-Crosser. Tiguan climbed a height of 195 mm.

While the artist’s hand continued to fix interior sophistications on the camera matrix, we continued to study the cars from the inside. However, we began to get acquainted from the driver's seat to us during the movement. After all, only on the go can really be understood whether the ergonomics are good or bad in it, it is convenient or inconvenient for the driver among the scattering of the buttons to find the only one that he needs at this particular moment, whether it is the heating key or, God forbid, the emergency alarm button . We continued to study cars with the rear, that is, from trunk. The most spacious in this part was the IX35, slightly lost to it in volume of C-Crosser. Tiguan trunk turned out to be quite voluminous, but the widest Koleos was the smallest. However, this is with not folded rear seats. If they are folded, then places in this indicator are distributed in a completely different way, which is clearly visible in the table of technical characteristics.

Having clung, our Bild editor finally allowed us to take places in the cars, and we set off. The first segment was very short. For the purity of the experiment, all cars were required to be tucked. So it is calmer on the long road, and it will be clear right away who likes to eat, and who is not averse to stopping. According to passport data, the IX35 is able to take 58 liters of fuel with it, C-Crosser 60 liters, Tiguan is enough 64th, and Koleos per liter is larger. The first shift of drivers was outlined after 200 km. This segment should have been enough to roll to the car. But for so long it was not possible to drive in a swing. The first forced stop was made for two reasons. This is the first photography: it gets dark now early, and you need to remove a lot, and remove beautifully. The second reason is not so poetic. The fact is that already with 13 non -freezing liquid, designed for 20, did not want to pump through the nozzles of the washer on Renault. They simply froze and thereby deprived the driver of the opportunity to periodically clean the windshield from dirt. Of course, it could be assumed that the liquid is not filled with season. But in all the cars we ourselves filled the same fos, and the nozzles were frozen only at Koleos. They had to warm them with fingers, and it helped out for a short while. After a certain period of time, everything was repeated again and again. Fortunately, with the crossing of the border of the Leningrad region with Karelia, this need has disappeared. Why? Because there are usually not sprinkled there. They are simply cleaned in a timely manner, and they are cleaned well.

But not to the asphalt, but to an even coating. And this very even coating is either ice or tightly rolled snow, which in its frictional properties is almost identical. It is on such coating that stabilization systems show themselves very well, which all cars were equipped without exception. And I must say, all of them did a good job well with their duties. In any case, the column continued further movement at a single pace. True, just in case, the first was now launched by the C-Crosser, whose rubber was not packed with a scattering of spikes, but represented the so-called Velcro, which nevertheless did not stop to set a good pace of movement.

It was necessary to slow down only in frankly bad sections of the road. There were still no places of technology for a long time, in connection with which the icy losers literally knocked out their supposedly off -road arrogance from cars. Especially IX35 and Tiguan were obtained. Sharped under good asphalt, they suffered themselves and forced their drivers to suffer. To everything else, Hyundai also creaked literally every element of its exquisite salon. No less noise was also in the suspension more adapted to such road conditions C-Crosser. Sometimes his huge salon resembled a minibus with sound accompaniment. But Koleos was quiet and comfortable. Why the walkie -talkie constantly for different voices erects curses towards the road workers, the driver of Renault at that time was absolutely incomprehensible.

By five o’clock in the evening it became completely dark, and the light of headlights, which, according to the new rules, indicate the car on the road during the day, now has become a priority need for it, this very car, could move forward. I must say that none of our cars had xenon light, however, halogen sources also coped with their duties very well. During the test, each of the cars happened to lead the column in the dark, and not one of the drivers had to hear complaints towards the head light. But the one who was driving ahead IX35 had to scream into the walkie -talkie more than once so that, after rebuilding or turning, he would turn off the high light. Too sensitive, the steamed switch involuntarily puts the driver of this car in an awkward position: to stick the far when turning on the turning indicator is very simple. But how pleasant it is in this car to illuminate the instrument panel! The eye does not get tired at all. Yes, and reading icons or abbreviations on labor buttons is not. A completely different thing VW or Citroen. Their red backlighting after the wheel is already completely deprived of the orientation driver, and the buttons are pressed rather by a hunch or from memory. Renault in this regard is neither good nor bad. Of course, the orange illumination is not the top of perfection, but it is perceived by the eye much more comfortable.

The first day came to an end. However, to complete it without adventure, apparently, did not allow the classic of the genre. The first pancake should be lumpy. And this lump was a snowdrift, which hooked IX35. An insignificant, it would seem, obstacle turned out for the crossover cracks in the bumper. It is possible, if the frost is softer, these consequences could have been avoided by the bumper would not have lost his plasticity. However, by seven o’clock in the evening, the frost already crushed the arrow of the thermometer to 25. And another 100 km remained to the place of the night.

The second day began with fortune -telling: they will not start. The impudently smiling moon seemed to specially highlighted a thermometer hanging on the glass, the alcohol scale of which froze at the mark of 30. It is probably not worth saying that this temperature is also critical for gasoline engines, not to mention diesel engines. But, contrary to our fears, all the cars started, as they say, with half a pipe, stood in front of this about 9 hours in the open air. Surprise, to be honest, there was no bounds, as well as joy. Dance all morning dancing with tambourines near the overwhelming cars was not included in our plans. But, judging by the readings of the sensors of the fuel level, it would not hurt to visit the nearest gas station. This was especially true for gasoline C-Crosser and Tiguan. During the first day, they got about the same amount of fuel. By the way, diesel also used up about the same amount of fuel, but their consumption was still less, which could not but rejoice the future owner. However, neither confident starting in the frost, nor a small fuel consumption, most likely, in such conditions it will not warm it much. It will warm it up a stove. But she just refuses to warm at 30. And if after 20-30 minutes that in the C-Crosser, that in Tiguan it was already possible to remove the jacket, then in Koleos it was only about the cap with mittens, and in the IX35 I did not even have to talk about this. The Korean refused to bask on the go.

It was sad and ridiculous to look at the engine temperature indicator, which was difficult to rise above the mark of 50 degrees, or even did not show this either. More or less confidently, he is gaining temperature when the engine is forcibly displayed to sufficiently high indicators by sticking the transmission lower or anneal on the off -road when the load on the motor is quite high.

During the test, we moved several times from the roads to the ruts and each time we were convinced that the one who has a higher clearance wins in deep snow. And every time it was Koleos. He showed himself well outside the road and Tiguan. An honorable third place was divided by IX35 and C-CROSSER. And what about the dynamics, you ask. Who is faster from this quartet? To be honest, we ourselves would not mind knowing it, but in the conditions that we had with us, we could not find out this.

Firstly, there was no more or less direct site. Secondly, try to get the declared characteristics on the ice of pure water profanity from the car. However, according to the latter, the best indicators for this discipline for Tiguan. IX35 is in second place, even though it is diesel. On the third C-Crosser. And the Koleos column closes, which on the way back we really sent a column into the tail. Well, in general, of course, under such extraordinary conditions that fell to the fraction of cars in the run, the maximum speed and the dynamics are not the most important indicator.

We liked the route: the amazing beauty of nature plus roads for every taste. We plan to conduct the next mileage in the spring, and the summer and autumn departures in further plans.

The very first developments of marble in the career are dated to the end of the 17th century. Swedes began development for the purpose of obtaining construction lime. A little later, marble began to be mined for building foundations and walls of buildings in the vicinity. The industrial production of Ruskeal marble began after 1768. The main work on the extraction of marble (from 1769 to 1830) was carried out on Mount Belaya. The peak of the intensity of the development of Ruskeal marble fell on the years 1820-1830. It was actively used to clad walls and floors of the Isaac's Cathedral, built by Auguste Montferrand. At that time, from 300 to 800 people worked in the quarries in Ruskeal. The local marble also went to the manufacture of platbands of the windows of the marble palace, the cladding of the southern facade of the Mikhailovsky castle, the manufacture of window boards of the Winter Palace, the construction of the pedestal of the monument to Peter I in front of the Mikhailovsky castle and other buildings and structures of St. Petersburg. Marble was used from the Belaya Mountain and in the construction of the Oryol Gate, the frieze of the Catherine Palace and in other buildings of that era. At the beginning of the XIX century, Ruskeal marble britches were under the jurisdiction of the construction of the Kazan Cathedral. It is known that in the main marble breaking of Ruskeal more than 200 thousand tons of marble was obtained.

After 1870 and until 1930. The Ruskeal quarry totaled 7 horizons, 3 of which were underground. In 19731985 In Ruskeal workings, a decorative and exposure stone was mined using Italian cable-proofs. The marble, mined there, today can be seen at the metro stations Primorskaya and Ladozhskaya in St. Petersburg. Now the marble canyon of Ruskeala is listed in the state register of objects of national treasure. Its length from north to south is 460 meters, width up to 100 meters. The distance from the upper point of the side of the canyon to its bottom is over 50 meters. The transparency of water reaches 15-18 meters.


Hyundai IX35 (1 335 900 rub.)

driving
IX35 is almost perfect on the highway with a good coating, quite dynamic, it steer well. Systems of active security are also doing their responsibilities.

salon
Pretty spacious and thought out from the point of view of ergonomics.

comfort
There are no complaints about comfort on good asphalt, but it is worth getting to the broken areas, as each of the plastic parts in the cabin begins to complain of the other about its hard fate.

safety
In the database of 6 airbags and ABS.

price
At the level of competitors, although it is clearly overstated.

OPINION:
Andrey Mashnin, 47 years old, deputy. editor -in -chief of the magazine, driving experience: 12 years.
Personal car: Mitsubishi Galant

About three quarters of the journey I drove to the Hyundai IX35 and a quarter to Renault Koleos, so I can compare only these cars. The fact is that I prefer classic automatic transmission, and I treat cars with a variator as a potential buyer wary: the variator is good, but God forbid this collapse of the family budget will break. Definitely, I liked the IX35 more. Climate and music management are easier and more understandable in it, the steering wheel in the position configured for me does not overlap the upper part of the main devices, as in Koleos. And the backlight is more pleasant. I can’t complain about the rigidity of the suspension, this is not a stool at all. The diesel does not tear from the place, but accelerates decently. On ice roads, the car is confident, and it relaxes, sometimes so much that you can fly out. It is clear: you can not lose concentration in difficult conditions.


Renault Koleos (1 214 000 rub.)

driving
The car was equally good both on the road with a good coating and on the primer. You can only be complained of a certain sluggishness of the diesel-ACP tandem.

salon
Surprisingly spacious and quite comfortable. Conducting with its volume and trunk. It can only upset the interior design is already painful.

comfort
The main component of comfort in this car is the suspension. You can move with pleasure both along the highway and in the ground.

safety
There are only two aerobes and ABS in the database.

price
At the level of competitors.

OPINION:
Stanislav Shustitsky, 57 years old, automobile journalist, driving experience: 29 years;
Personal car: Chevrolet Lanos.

Big. And inside is simply huge. Real family car. Of all the crossovers participating in the mileage, it has the most comfortable suspension, moderately soft, but without a tendency to excess rolls in corners. At height and exchange rate stability. Big clearance adds confidence both in travel and when maneuvering by the courtyards uncleaned from snow. Perhaps two complaints to the diesel version: in combination with the automatic transmission, it provides sluggish acceleration and in the frosts very slowly goes to the working temperature regime, which clearly does not contribute to the rapid heating of the cabin. There are plenty of options for the operation of the heating unit and the ventilation system, but to find the necessary buttons on the go in the darkels in the placers. But these are already the costs of ergonomics, which you get used to it over time.


Citroen C-Crosser (1,233,000 rubles)

driving
The machine is quite predictable and allows you to move even along a very slippery road at a fairly high speed. Not an obstacle to her in this and non -navigated rubber. The stabilization system rigidly stops all attempts to slip from a given path.

salon
Spacious and convenient. It is also nice that the luggage compartment has a sufficient volume.

comfort
If you exclude the plastic of the cabin, the car, the car, can be called quite comfortable. But how can this be excluded?

safety
6 airbags, ABS and ESP & TC in the database.

price
Attractive.


OPINION:
Tikhon Sikuler, 28 years old, designer, driving experience: 10 years;
Personal car: Ford Focus II

Large, family crossover, with a spacious trunk. But at the same time, quite dynamic, endowed with reliable and acute handling. And even if under the wheels of ice, you can go through the gambling, despite the Velcro, if necessary, the unshakable stabilization system will intervene correctly and help. But on an uneven road and in the rut of the C-Crosser, it begins to scour your backwards and deviate from a given course, and a rigid suspension on bumps fills the interior with a creak of door skin panels. The variator helps to accelerate the car smoothly, without jerking, but noticeably stupid with a sharp press on the gas pedal. The interior is made without delights and with miscalculations to read on the move fuzzy symbols of buttons and handles with slurred carrot light on the front panel. But pleasant sound was pleased with the standard radio.


Volkswagen Tiguan (1 197 000 rub.)

driving
I am impeccable on the highway and very good on the serpentine. The stabilization system intervenes exactly when it is necessary. The dynamics is delighted.

salon
Despite its small dimensions, the car still has a rather spacious interior. The interior details are fitted perfectly.

comfort
Despite a rather stiff suspension, for all the time of the test, no interior element made a sound. Nevertheless, on the bumps in the car it shakes quite noticeably.

safety
In the database of 6 airbags, ABS and ESP & TC.

price
Acceptable.


OPINION:
Igor Kuznetsov, 48 years old, automobile journalist, driving experience: 31 years;
Personal car: Skoda Yeti

If you do not particularly pay attention to the relatively high cost, Volkswagen Tiguan crossover, pleasant in almost all respects. The main trump cards is a controversial economical turbo engine that endows the machine with a living character with a moderate fuel consumption, elastic sports and imperial suspension, which allows you to ignore road flaws and providing trajectory stability in high-speed turns, a comfortable quality salon, captivating with its thoroughly balanced ergonomics and pleasing to earnings further study.
A pair of tablespoons of tar is a poorly readable blue display on the central console and the red backlight of the keys, which after a few hours spent behind the wheel in the dark, merges and is perceived very poorly.


Our verdict:
Two days on the cold and 814 km of roads passed, as expected, they allowed to roll into cars truly, which in turn made it possible to most objectively evaluate the capabilities of each of them. Much was expected, much has become a frank surprise, and much and just disappointment. As for our choice, even after all grades were placed and the places were assigned according to them, each of us remained with his opinion. We will allow us to make our choice too.
   

Author: Oleg Kalaushin
Photo: Igor Kuznetsov


 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [February 2011]