Renault Latitude test drive since 2010 sedan

Office plankton. 6 business class sedanov

Karelia. In Karelia, great! And that is why we organize our own, already the third in a row, it is on it. But if at the first time we risked to meddle there on crossovers, then this time we decided to visit this beautiful corner of our Motherland on cars easier on business class sedans

Participants in the test
Mazda 6 2.0
Ford Mondeo 2.0
Citroen C5 1.6 THT
Renault Latitude 2.5
Opel Insignia 2.0 CDI
VW Passat 1.8 TSI

Why on them? Russian packages are the main message to drive this office plankton on a grader of Russian reality. Where are we mostly used to seeing business class sedans? That's right, they are nipped near the mayor's office, label in a taxi and even pull the strap in rolling offices. There are many of them in the hands of wealthy citizens, whose prosperity allows them to consider themselves a layer between the intelligentsia and the middle class. But one way or another, the whole life of such cars takes place in a refined environment of urban jungle. But Russia is not only millionaire cities and ring roads near them. These are also killed highways, broken primers, and sometimes just directions. And if the car gets to our market, to some extent it should be ready and that it is not easy no, no, and he will bring it to hell on the cakes. How these cars will behave in such conditions, it became interesting to us. The landfill for our research again became Karelia. More precisely, the track from St. Petersburg towards the border post of Vyartsil, which is 60 km from the city of Sortavala. But not the checkpoint in Finland interested us this time. The latter, by the way, is famous for the complete absence of queues, and primarily because of the difficult road to him from St. Petersburg. Lake Yanisyarvi is what was the end point of the route this time. It formed 700 million years ago from the fall of a meteorite, the diameter of which was approximately 14 km. What is not a place in order to check the cars in conditions that are not quite familiar to them, and look at the miracle of nature. Moreover, this is a lake 350 km from St. Petersburg. Not so far, but given the road conditions

So, on one of the surrounding autumn days, six cars gathered in the starting place of the start of the start. Preparing this test, we wondered for a long time what to take. From a huge number of applicants of this class, in view of the number of drivers, we could only choose six cars. In this regard, the column was formed according to several criteria. First of all, it was the novelty of the model. We could not take the VW Passat, Renault Latitude and Opel Insignia for these indicators. Then there was a dilemma. On the one hand, the brightest representative of the Japanese school in this class is Toyota Camry, but next year it should be completely updated, and therefore it was given a challenge. Mazda 6 was entrusted to defend the honor of the Japanese auto industry in this mileage. It was not possible to find out how the car with an unconventional suspension would behave on bad roads. And then to someone, if not Citroen C5 with his Hydractive, give preference! The sixth participant was the favorite of the wealthy middle peasants of Ford Mondeo.

In order for the test to be more or less correct, we took cars with approximately the same engine power. As a result, the ranking hacks looked as follows. Mondeo turned out to be the weakest. His two -liter power unit was given by 145 hp. A mechanical 5-speed box was called to compensate for the lack of horsepower. The next in power was Mazda 6. Its two-liter engine was able to give out 147 horses, which, according to the designers, is enough to get along with an automatic 5-speed box. Citroen could boast of 150 horses.

It is precisely to boast, because of all the participants in the test, he had the smallest engine, but the turbine allowed to inflate the power of this 1.6-liter unit to such a value. Plus, the car was aggregated by a 6-speed manual. Continued the VW Passat list. Here it was already about 152 hp. At 1.8 liters of volume and 7-speed DSG. 160 horses were located Opel Insignia. However, it is worth emphasizing that these horses were diesel, and harnessed them into one team with a 6-speed automatic. Well, Latitude became the most voluminous and the strongest. Its 2.5-liter V6 at 6,000 revolutions could release as much as 177 horses. Someone, perhaps, will reproach us that an absolutely correct comparison with such different capacities and volumes of the engine cannot turn out. At first, we also thought so, but, looking at the dynamic characteristics of these cars, we came to the conclusion that the comparison was quite appropriate.

As before, throughout the way we changed by cars, and so that each of us could grab on the same car both along a good section of the road and in a broken one. Thus, we tried to be objective, and we made the final decision on the car collegially. They did not arrange places this time. It is already painful now that those who take the courage to hang labels. This time we will simply illuminate how this or that car behaved, and you decide which of them to give preference.

Let's start with Renault Latitude as with the largest of this company. After all, what is the most important for many when purchasing a car of this class? That's right, size. But before starting to admire the almost five -meter length of this Frenchman, we will go through the design. An interesting thing, but in the evening, sitting behind a cup of tea, none of us could remember how he looks. We have long tried to mentally imagine at least the contours of the car, but no one could say anything intelligible. Alas, there is no Latitude outwardly. It is likely, if he had a different color, his silhouette would play, but even dirt was lost on golden metallics. But as soon as it came to the interior, the whole company instantly revived. And first of all, everyone noted the space of the salon. Moreover, many were not even embarrassed by the fact that he was not the widest of the whole six. Latitude interior design is worked out so that the car seemed much wider than in fact, and it works. How it works and what this interior is made of. The quality of the materials is quite high, and the attention to the little things is close. How do you, for example, are that, depending on the mood in the car, one of two aromas can fragrant? And the driver's seat with a bunch of settings and a massager? To include it and not say a word to the next driver when transmitting a car has become a kind of joke. The sensations when the back of the driver's seat suddenly begins to change the configuration of the lumbar, sacral and chest roller, I must say, unforgettable. The car is quite comfortable and behind. The only thing that has to be done when landing is back is to bend hard, because the doorway in this place is quite low. But for the legs, the place is quite enough, except that the seat of the front chair would like to slightly raise the socks of the boots resting on it. If desired, the rear passengers can themselves adjust the climate in this part of the cabin, the corresponding control unit is available here. As for the ergonomics of the driver’s place, there are no special complaints about it. Unless the font on the instrument shield could be larger, but the tuning of the audio system from the habit takes quite a lot of time. Despite the fact that Latitude had the most powerful engine, he did not demonstrate enviable dynamic characteristics on the highway. The fact that under the hood of this machine is the V6 was somehow not felt. 10.7 seconds were required by the passport of this car in order to dial the treasured 100 km/h. In reality, this took even more time. But almost everyone liked the suspension. Someone, of course, considered it too soft, and therefore on the asphalt, and even with a complex profile of the road, the car was not as stable as we would like. But when it came to Grauder, everyone unanimously recognized her quite comfortable. It is also worth noting that with such significant dimensions to control the car is quite simple, to help both parking sensors, and quite large external mirrors of the correct shape.

Passat was the next rank. Being only two and a little centimeter shorter than Latitude, visually he still seemed more. Apparently, a more dynamic silhouette affected. Although, to be honest, in the guise of this German more from the tank than from the plane. It is painfully practical from all sides. If there is a place for art in its design, then this very art should be supported by functionality. Whether it is double foglights, some of which are responsible for lighting the road in a bend, or a trunk lid emblem, which is also a rear view camera. The decision, I must say, is very successful, because during any weather the camera remains clean, and it opens only when the rear gear is enabled. No less practical Passat is inside. Here everything is the same there. No freedom and damage to ergonomics in favor of a dubious design delight. This severity of the interior VW is captivating. Everything is in its place, everything is intuitive. No need to think. And even when parking. The car itself will shoot, however, if it finds a place. And the place, as the experiment showed, he needs quite a lot. In any case, most of us in those places that the automation considered insufficient for absorption are completely calm. Therefore, specifically, this option on this car found us useless. But the fact that the box can work in sports mode is very cool. The pickup when finding a selector of selecting DSG modes in position S if it does not stagnate, then it makes a heart to fight faster for sure. Plus, in such modes, the machine is quite significantly slows down by the engine that on Karelian serpentines it is perceived as good. We must pay tribute, and the car is controlled very well. No delay in steering, no excess rotation. Of course, when a grader passes at high speed, the steering wheel adjustment is required, but judging by the fact that the stabilization system in the control process is practically not interfering, the car is well balanced for driving along such roads. I also liked the suspension. Being unnecessarily tough when overcoming the bedridden policemen in the city, in broken areas, she did not annoy either the driver or the passenger. By the way, passengers feel quite comfortable both in front and behind. And this is provided that the volume of the trunk of Passat is the most impressive of all 565 liters.

A little smaller of the trunk of Mondeo 550 liters. And the Ford itself is less than VW for the same two centimeters that Passat lost to Latitude. However, at the same time, the Mondeo is wider than all of the cars presented here, and therefore its visually flattened silhouette resembles a deep -sea fish that rose from the abyss for hunting. They work for such a perception and a huge mouth of the grate-trapping in the bumper, and the foglights moved to the edge, adjacent to the ribbons of daytime running lights. And even the rear lights stretched as best they could. Wide in one word. It is just as widely in the cabin, however, the interior filling is so scarce that the sensation of the spaciousness begins to border on a sense of incompleteness. This is especially noticeable against the background of opponents. However, the majority of such a situation looked. You involuntarily begin to remember the salons of American cars of the seventies. Huge panels of the devices, huge seats, a huge hood in front of the nose. By the way, for some reason, it is in Mondeo that the hood seems endless, and if it were not for the front parking sensors, then in general, the habit is tight. Despite the fact that Ford had one of the weakest power units among cars in this mileage, his dynamics turned out to be quite tolerable, and with a certain quickness of the driver when manipulating a mechanical box from the car, it was quite possible to squeeze out 10 seconds up to a hundred. But the fact that sometimes many of us on the straight lines wanted to add the sixth gear, suggests that the engine's engine speeds are clearly high. And the suspension on bumps left much to be desired. On the comb, the rear axle strove to steal, and if not for the stabilization system, it would be problematic to maintain high speed. And insufficient noise insulation of the wheeled arches was noticed. But how comfortable and imposingly the driver and passenger on ideal asphalt feel comfortable and imposingly, now it is clear why most of our small bureaucrats prefer this particular car. More often they would carry them on it on bad roads, then, you see, they would be less

The next in size was Opel Insignia. You can’t say anything, the appearance of the car turned out to be memorable. He reminded some of us, he reminded the bristled fish-hedgehog, some of the German helmet from the Second World War, but one way or another, the image of the car was in his head. The spectacity of LED running lights in the corners of the headlights is pointless to deny. As well as the fact that if the growth of the passenger is slightly higher than the average, then he will inevitably touch the ceiling, if he is seized on the second row of seats. By the way, the landing in the previous three cars did not cause inconvenience to the same people. We did not argue about the fact that nevertheless the noise of the diesel engine, especially at idle, is an order of magnitude stronger than from hissing gasoline under the same conditions. We were unanimous in my opinion when we discussed the dynamic characteristics of this car. A rather impressive torque allowed Insignia on equal terms to compete in races behind the treasured 100 km/h, and the fact that its result was 9.6 seconds is quite logical with such characteristics. But the fact that the stabilization system begins to intervene quite early in the process of driving on gravel, one liked it, while the others considered it reinsurance. However, if you take into account that the machine has a small tendency to redundant rotation, then this is not bad. And everyone shocked everyone in a huge number of buttons on the central console and on the beard adjacent to it. And there is also a handle that not only spins, but also slows down, plus a scattering of buttons near it. And let it be ergonomically performed at the highest level, all one is close from habit. In this connection, as a rule, the column was waiting for the one who sat in Insignia: even a fluent familiarization was required a little more than in other cars. But on the other hand, for all the time of the run, Opel showed the smallest fuel consumption of 6.7 liters per hundred. And this is in Karelia, where you can only dream of a uniform ride due to a complex landscape and roads winding it. By the way, on these looping roads it was noted that the outer mirrors are not as good as they could, they had a different shape. And if the chamfer had not been removed on the mirror elements themselves, then with a certain angle on a sunny day, a rather unpleasant glare would not have appeared on the ends.
 
The next in the dimensions was Citroen C5. What hopes did we have on this car before a mileage, a hydraulic suspension promised unsurpassed comfort on a grader and impeccable handling on the asphalt. Alas, hopes, although they were justified, but only partly. Yes, in most cases, controllability on the road with a hard surface of this car was not bad. Of course, he was far from the removal of the same Passat, but in the sport mode from driving, one could have fun. In addition, Citroen struck many of us with his dynamics: with a 1.6 -liter engine volume, it was quite easily kept at the level of competitors. Imagine our surprise when, looking at the dynamic characteristics, we saw that for a set of hundreds it took only 8.6 seconds. The best result of the whole six! True, in order to achieve this result, the arrow of the tachometer cannot be lowered below 3000 revolutions. Nevertheless, the car struck us in this indicator.
 
And then the grader began, and here it became clear that the vaunted hydraulic suspension of Citroen was no better than the usual spring. The car shakes no less, if not more, plus it works quite noisily on the hang up. Lightly saves the situation and mode of comfort. In this connection, the recommendation: if you prefer this suspension exclusively for considerations of comfort, then this is not the case. It’s quite another matter if you need to move out of the road and get somewhere along the rut. Then hydraulics to help you. Increasing the clearance from 110 to 210 mm for her is not a problem. And then you can crawl those hundred meters to the summer residence that will not on the shoulder other participants in this run. And C5 pleased with the trunk. And even if he is the smallest of the whole company, but he has the largest opening. And all thanks to the opposite bend of glass. It will not be difficult to bring into the salon through such an opening. We did not leave without attention and seats. Perhaps in C5 they are the most convenient of all. And tough in moderation, and the profile is correct, and lateral support at the level. Now, if there weren’t before the driver so overloaded with the buttons of the steering wheel. Perhaps only the Insignia has more on the central console. Well, as for the design of this car, it may either like it or not like it, the third is not given.

It just so happened that Mazda 6 was at the end of the story, but this is not a reason to believe that there was no more prestigious place for her due to ordinary qualities. She just turned out to be the smallest of all. The difference in length with the head of this list Latitude is as much as 140 mm, which by car standards is quite a lot. However, in fact, in the internal dimensions, the car turned out to be spacious. For example, the same pilot, who complained about the lack of space in the back row in Iinsignia, found it quite normal in the six. But many considered comfort on the front seats insufficient. And first of all in view of very hard seats. Plus, the development of an adjustable lumbar support was clearly insufficient, and therefore three of the seven complained of fatigue and lower back pain. Ergonomic miscalculations were also found. So, for example, it is completely incomprehensible why the route computer, which is controlled from the steering wheel, is displayed on the farthest display from the driver, and even in the far corner. Or why bite changes in the volume level on the steering wheel and activation of cruise control and strive to catch on the palm of the palm of the hand.

But the greatest dissatisfaction was caused by the operation of an automatic gearbox. The programs switched for so long and so reluctantly that it became just a shame for the car. Indeed, in essence, he could ask the heat to everyone here, because he had no equal in handling this time. An indescribable delight caused how he was literally screwed into the turn without the slightest hint of a loss of controllability. I did not pass the suspension in front of the grader. Of course, she pierced her frank pits, but this happened extremely rarely. It was also amazing that with such insignificant sizes, the designers managed to cut a place under a rather large trunk. Its volume is 504 liters, which is even more than Latitude. In general, a worthy car. That's just the slurred work of the box spoils everything.

Route sheet
The past two runes took place directly around Lake Ladoga. This time we decided to deviate from tradition. Why? Boring. Oh, how boring it is to go around Ladoga after when you cross the northern point and then pour into the stormy streams of the traffic of the Murmansk highway. Karelia is completely different, it is there that the essence of the car is fully revealed on its narrow serpentines and graders.

This time we decided to go deeper a little north, and then come back. Thanks to this, all the mileage participants, without exception, were able to drive on all cars along those sections of the roads that did not fall to them on the first day of the run.
 

Renault Latitude 1 085 000 p.
Stanislav Shustitsky, 56 years old, journalist, driving 26 years old, personal car - Chevrolet Lanos

It is good in it. I mean, in the Latitude salon. There are even certain excesses. I mean such chips as flavorings and an ionizer of air, the function of massage of a driver's seat well, there is, it is. But for the use of steering wheel switches, you need to have a truly musical fingers short levers. But this is so, rather grumbling, and getting used to this feature of ergonomics is not difficult. Not a sprinter, but not an outsider for a measured (do not forget about the car class) driving a 177-horsepower V-shaped six is \u200b\u200bquite enough. Good and suspension. According to the even asphalt, the car floats like a ship, but without fervor in corners, small road defects calmly swallow.

No complaints about the steering settings, absolute control at any speed. The suspension also worked well on Karelian gravel roads, but a quick riding of the country is clearly not to the face of a royal thing. Nevertheless, under the machine -gun fraction of the compression of the seams of shock absorbers (by the way, not a single breakdown!) And the warning winking on the ESP indicator, Latitude easily withstanding the pace set by colleagues in the test.
 
Driving
The dynamics was not impressed. But handling at a quite decent level.

Salon
Sometimes it seems that the car is even too large. The quality of the finish is quite high

Comfort
Even a long trip will be a pleasant trip

Security
ABS, ESP, 6 airbags

Price
Nightly, well, the car is not small. In addition, it is well equipped
 

Volkswagen Passat 1 064 000 p.
Igor Kuznetsov, 50 years old, photo editor, driving experience 30 years, personal car - Skoda Yeti

In the spirit of Volkswagen, the last generation of VW Passat looks restrained and at the same time elegant. The peculiarities and style of the machine are given by details that emit quality. Such, for example, as headlights. The dimensions of the salon allow you to feel quite relaxed, although before the impressiveness of other bulky competitors, Passat has not grown. The sedan has a laconic and very thoughtful ergonomics. The hand instinctively reaches for the place of the alleged button and accurately finds it there. And the eye pleases not only the visibility of the dashboard, but also the quality of finishing materials. The sedan has an extensive package of onboard goods, which can be repeatedly expanded due to additional options. The 152nd strong turbo engine with a modest volume of 1.8 is enough for Passat if necessary to turn into a hurricane. Automated transmission without delay and delay sends the engine energy to the wheels.

The suspension is traditionally stiff, but being densely knocked down, it is distinguished by gutta -perchery and swallows most road flaws. Excellent brakes allow you to accurately dose force on the pedals, and a fairly sharp steering wheel to track and, if necessary, adjust the trajectory of movement. In general, Volkswagen Passat is a well -balanced car.

 
Driving
The dynamics is quite worthy for a car of this class. Brake system is beyond praise

Salon
Worked out to the smallest detail. There are no complaints about ergonomics at all

Comfort
If the road is of good quality, there will be no problems with comfort with a long trip

Security
ABS, ESP, 6 airbags

Price
Acceptable


Ford Mondeo 1 003 000 p.
Alexey Smirnov, 39 years old, designer, driving experience 9 years, personal car - Volvo 940, Renault Logan

In general, the car left a pleasant impression. It looks solid, has easily recognizable features both on a dynamic facade and a tightly tailored rear. I liked the enlarged radiator grille a la sport, the LEDs of daylight lights look spectacular. I did not like too pot -bellied wheeled arches, noise insulation and a driver's seat (it was not possible to adjust a comfortable position). More about the minuses. The salon is not as spectacular as the exterior is not any unifying venture. The design of the front panel with a display, which is displayed much less information, looks rustic than it could fit. It is inconvenient to communicate with the menu, the data of which are also displayed on a large screen between a tachometer and a speedometer: much more presented would fit on such an area.

Perhaps more pluses. The main management and dynamics. A convenient handle of KP with short passages, a pleasant obedient steering wheel. The speed is gaining fervently, without tension. It is comfortable both on a high -speed highway and on a bumpy lane. With intra -breeding maneuvers, the size does not bother at all that there is absolutely no feeling of heavy slowness.

 
Driving
Dynamics are not much worse and not much better than competitors. A sort of middle peasant. Controllability
at the same level

Salon
Spacious. And quite comfortable, but against the background of competitors it looks somewhat faded

Comfort
Passengers of the second row feel the most comfortable as possible here

Security
ABS, ESP, 7 airbags

Price
It is quite adequate
 

Opel Insignia 1 129 000 p.
Tikhon Sikuler, 29 years old, designer, driving experience: 11 years old, personal car - Ford Focus II

The diesel inSignia is noisy as it is, the same: the soundbotta of the motor fills the salon of the tuning of the inaccurate, noisily decent to the future. The salon, despite the enthusiastic external size of the car, is quite cramped. The very interior is beautiful Yayen. The general images of the buttons are initially heavy, although some functions are duplicated by frights located by the national tunnel. Council, the screen of the multimedia system is non -combustible, which shall be used by navigation, in a vkothic, by the way, there was a sightseeing map of Karelia. The algorithm work of the glass gunner of post -spraying the water, the janitors make only one wave, which is not pleased, which is not enough for the Karelian gravel. It is difficult to review back: the mirrors of small size are not enough and the sophisticated is cont pollinated.

On the move, Opel left dual impressions. The painful diesel engine gives the car a good dynamics. InSignia's inputs are reliable, but a certain slurry of the smell: the effort will be named with a snowball in speed. The suspension is stiff, the novator has a tendency to work on the waves. In a word, the diesel Opel Insignia is not for lovers of drive, adlaspock, and nower movement of the balance.
 
Driving
There is no complaint to the dynamics and brakes, but there is a problem with controllability

Salon
Comfort is comfortable. Some designer delights cause bewilderment, but in general, everything is quite harmonious

Comfort
At a completely acceptable level, except that the suspension is a little harsh

Security
ABS, ESP, 6 airbags

Price
Great, but this is the payment for diesel
   

Citroen C5 938 000 p.
Sergey Zhukov, 55 years old, editor -in -chief, driving 36 years, personal car Ford Focus II

It is more likely to recommend a machine to people with a defective lifestyle of the Isemi pairs to sow more who appreciates comfort than drive. Despite the 1150l. The entire power growth is ensured by the boost. In order for the car to ride, the engine constantly has to twist. Dynamic destruction begins C32003500Min-1, i.e. The stood of the moment when the turbine begins to pick up. Naturally, it is all tooon not to affect the tag of the car. Therefore, you constantly have a dilemma: either quickly go, or save fuel. The suspension conquered and the judge at the same time. The smoothness of the course of Nashosse is simply amazing, but you just have to move out to the clock worse, the igropneumatic suspension is in the way. The controllability is medium. The sport mode of specialty is launched.

One joy of a variable clearance, which is able to help out for a long time: to move through the curb, to move out of the inescence of the embarrassment of Nabryukho. Very comfortable seats are the front features. A pleasant surroundings of a torpedo with a shawl, a hypnicious interface. The exception is, perhaps, the steering wheel of the snow -free central part of the extra -circuits limits the grip.

 
Driving
Despite the insignificant volume of the engine, you can’t complain about the dynamics of the car

Salon
Convenient driver and front passenger seat. The salon is quite spacious

Comfort
Hydraulic suspension on an uneven road does not add comfort

Security
ABS, ESP, 7 airbags

Price
Overpayment for hydraulics?
 

Mazda6. 929 000 p.
Andrey Mashnin, 48 years old, deputy chief editor, driving 12 years, personal car - Mitsubishi Galant

A strange story came out this time. I got a car, and while I drove to my garage through the whole city, the lower back was ill so that everything else stopped paying attention only to get. I tried to adjust the chair on the move did not help. In the morning, when we went to mileage, again twisted adjustments and put a curled jacket under his back, and rode. After a couple of hours, they changed their cars, and at the next stop, my colleague complained to the same back.

The next time in my Mazda, I got in the next morning in front of the return road and that’s surprisingly: I drove home without these problems at all. Apparently, after five more people twisted the chair, it has gained some optimal human position. On the way, with numerous overtaking, it was necessary to take into account that the car makes a jerk after a pause. But then the acceleration, accompanied by a vigorous buzz, passes quite actively. The car is easily controlled on the asphalt and on a dry grader. After the rain on the wet clay, it was somewhat turned, he suddenly drove into one of the turns at speed sideways, then he became more careful. Everything is fine in the cabin. The steering wheel is convenient, only often, together with the turn signal, I turned on the highlight here the movement of the hand should be more accurate.

 
Driving
Great steering. But the work of the automatic transmission and, as a result, the dynamics, leave much to be desired

Salon
Pretty spacious and well -styled for a sports car. There are some claims to ergonomics

Comfort
The seats are hard. There are not many places above the head of the passengers

Security
ABS, ESP, 6 airbags

Price
It is quite adequate
 

Our verdict
The Karelian training ground once again proved its viability and the opportunity to try out cars on roads with different profiles and different coverage. We set up your priorities for models this time, you have to arrange your own. But, one way or another, each of the cars participating in the mileage unequivocally deserves attention.

Oleg Kalaushin

 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [November 2011]