Test drive by Renault Megane Sedan 1999 - 2003 sedan

Grinders

Do you know how they grew up? You can pass very little time, literally a couple of new auto-carriers, 1012 years and a golf class will step over five meters long! The sizes of compact models do not just become more, but increase in increasing. Remember, in the 7080s. Did the segment car fit four meters? And the latest players on this field have already exceeded 4500 mm! They outgrew the children's line of size and had to be called the class D for a long time if D had not crawled closer to e ...
Our triple test seems to me not an equilateral triangle, but rather isosceles. Because we took the two cars, just entering the market in a four -door design: Mazda3 and Renault Megane II. And the well -known Ford Focus was pulled into the company. But in technical terms, we tried to be the correct sedan for all the body, the engine of 1600 cm3, the mechanical box and the almost basic version. The size and weight also beat almost one to one. But the price is noticeably different. Although it is not always a reflection of advantages, and sometimes dictated by conjunctural market considerations. It is also interesting that the entire trinity of various origin. Mazda is a purebred Japanese, what is customary to be proud of. Like, quality and all that. Well, let's see. The fact that Mazda3 has a common platform with Ford should not embarrass, because this is the next generation focus platform. The Vsevolozhsk car itself is trying to prove its Russian hurricane-patriotic. So, for example, when setting up the traffic police, Focus is not required to show the forensic expert, only the inspector is enough. Why? Why, the car is domestic! And do not forget that syneal production in the St. Petersburg province is considered the best in the European system of Ford factories. So neglecting your lips and pestering: ah, I understand that we do not recommend the Russian assembly. In addition, his focus, which ran to the present moment, on the instructions of the editorial office, about 40,000 km without breakdowns and complaints, a clear confirmation of this! About the same situation with Renault. Turkish assembly production is under the vigilant control of the French. I had to go to the factory in Bursa, and I can personally testify that I did not see such purity and order in the workshops in the homeland of Renault. Or is someone sincerely believes that the Americans are sewn, Martini pour exclusively Italians, and Blaupunkt solder in Germany? And these brands did not become worse from the transfer of the final place of release.
Dynamics if you choose a machine with a 1.6 -liter engine typical of class C, then you are not a racer. Well, thank God! Not every inexpensive city car is obliged to show frantic acceleration and show miracles of controllability. Moreover, such successes, as a rule, are achieved due to the loss of other important advantages of such, for example, smoothness, economical, clearance (referring to its reduction), and even the convenience of planting.
But how differently each of the three copies of the presented copies behave! I’ll start with Ford, a good friend to me, as I already mentioned, according to a long test, held in the editorial office. The 8-valve Duratec engine with a chain timing drive of South Africa is known for its excellent draft on the bottoms. On the fourth, you can move about 40 km/h at 1000 rpm. And at the same time, a sharp press of gas pedal causes a noticeable revitalization that turns into an increase in speed. And acceleration from the place looks something like this: very briefly on the first, the lever is the second from one and a half thousand to two and a half, as well as on the third, and in a wide range of the fourth. You can even be satisfied with the fifth, which in the city you almost do not use at most maneuvers from 60 km/h and above it stretches. And this style of speed set has nothing from the manner of driving a frightened grandfather on the Volga. The focus pulls excellently, taking you forward without a roar and strain. If you look at the Ford tables, you will even find that the modification of 1.6 liters when accelerating to a hundred only 0.1 s lags behind 1.8-liter! But then you have to pull the handle much less often and there is no need to twist the engine.
Mazda3 is the exact opposite. To dignily disperse the car, you have to stoop it up to 56 thousand. Then she is at ease: screams, screams, but goes vividly. When switching at smaller speeds, the Japanese woman sours and refuses to accelerate. In principle, you can get used to it quite quickly. And in a day you begin to even rush, like stung, reveling in the fact that passers -by and passers are staring on a beautiful car, and it holds on the road, like a glove. The illusion is even created that the dynamics of Mazda is better than Fordovskaya. But objective numbers say different (see table!). It is not clear only why to buy a car from which you need to squeeze all the juices, namely with a 1600 engine? After all, there is a kopeckoy that so delighted us all at the first acquaintance. Here she drives properly! It is worth adding that the Mazda3 slows down not only better than the rest, but also more adequately pressing, with pharmaceutical accuracy. Say, the focus pedal must be pushed properly and it resists elastic. And Renault, even with partial braking, bites a little if the pressing force is constant, then for some reason the effectiveness of the brake action increases. And to achieve the desired result, to play with a middle pedal.
But on the acceleration of Megane II Sedan I liked the most. Good traction in a wide range of average revolutions, conveniently selected gears. Perhaps only the first high when touched is great risk to stall. This shameful phenomenon is also facilitated by a short clutch pedal. A couple of times and I fucked up at the intersection, but then quickly got used to giving initially a little more gas. The main thing is not to forget that the starter button only works when the brake pedal is squeezed, otherwise it is unpleasant to hear the signals of the signals in the back: what, fell asleep? So far, you will realize that there is no ignition on the steering column, but you will find the starter round ... there is no key here, but, like on all the last renoshki, a flat map with remote control buttons. In the panel of the devices, a slot for it. And this is much more convenient than the traditional larvae of locks. But in the doorway of Mazda when unlocking you have to poke the key to the remote control even as options.
Management on this topic can be spread much more liabily than the volume of material allows. In order: Mazda3. A small masterpiece of the Japanese auto industry. Although the size is not so small we will consider it mediocre. If you are not an enemy for yourself and have real driving experience, this car will please you immensely. He obviously obeys the helm, minimally rolls in a bend and finds himself exactly at the path where you directed it. Each control of management finds an instant response. But you have to pay for everything. The treshka is not just hard, it is almost wooden. Those who like to drive, but did not pick up money for a two -liter complete set can come to terms with this. And in relation to the rest, it is not clear why to purchase a perfectly controlled, very hard, but not too fast car? The car really counts every asphalt joint, each fossa and a bump, ugly rummaging with a suspension and forcing the driver to doubt the correctness of the purchase. But even more disappointment will befall lovers of fashionable narrow -eyed silhouettes when there is a desire to shoot at an angle to the sidewalk. A vile grinding sound from the contact of the front bumper with a border will take a hunt for such experiments for a long time. And the attempt to miss a tubercle of a quite innocent height ends with a long crunch and a terrible iron rattle. Well, it is in FIG, such controllability, fraught with the need to either bring down all conceivable road adversities, or scorch the belly.
Focus behavior has long been recognized almost reference, although the model has been produced for more than five years. High landing, high energy intensity. Fords were not too lazy to build a multi -leaf, chimary rear suspension! And even put in an awkward, almost hopeless, position, Focus willingly bear his riders to the right course. Yes, at long distances in this machine, he is rocking, yes, near zero on the steering wheel, the reaction is not super -flower, but neither a beginner nor a pro, they will confuse and do not shock the habits of the most massive foreign car in the domestic market. This is supplemented by clear switching of the KP and the tangible fixation of the steering wheel levers. By the way, on the Mazda switches of light and wipers are flabby, limp and soundless.
MEGANE SEDAN behaves most interestingly. Firstly, he is very, simply extremely high, stands above the road. Between the 16-inch wheels and the edges of the arches, a palm enters, and the entrance to the curbs, usually available only to SUVs, is fun and simple. It seems that it was the new sedan that lifted up, equipping a Russian extreme bag. A year earlier, a hatchback on a shortened base is much more squat. Of course, the hingedness responds with a wolfness in corners, but a rather oak suspension does not immediately give up under the onslaught of centrifugal force. And at first, Renault smoothly shifts out as it increases the speed, without surprises and tricks. And then it breaks and goes into an unreleased skid! But for some reason, I believe that Megan-Sedan will be liked by those who do not find much sense to conduct such risky experiments. The steering wheel power power also imposes its specific features on the tax process. It works in a slightly unusual algorithm, joining the action a moment later than the effort is applied to the steering wheel. And as the speed set, the steering wheel is stiffs. And it is right. It is in high -speed modes that Megan shows her best qualities, becoming accurate and unambiguous. But remaining wax! Now, with regard to visibility. Both on Mazda and on Megan-sedan back there is no better reason not to look around. Narrow embrasure -like back windows do not contribute to the convenience of city parking. This partly compensates for large, convenient external mirrors. Even on a French car, a widespread front racks can be a hindle, carried far ahead of the driver, which means that more often flickering in the viewing area. But on the Ford of the mirror to please the design of the insufficient area, and there is a real risk of not to notice the car entering the dead zone. But this is just compensated by almost panoramic glazing. And the rear headrests, often interfering with the review, do not make focus in simple versions.
Ergonomics considering the advantages of interiors, you come to two conclusions. The first here is three completely different, but in their own way of interesting schools, three approaches. The second conclusion of Mazda3 to the case makes competitors. Its decoration from the class is much higher and not one, but two steps higher. First of all, landing. Here you feel a rigid connection between a hard, reliable steering wheel, a dense seat and a lever of a KP with short high -picking moves located in the right zone. And what a miracle-bar: three knitting needles, skin, implanted radio adjustment buttons! The skin sheathed with skin lever the box is matching. A very wide, comfortable site for the left leg. Even the handle handle does not look at the driver's seat, and in Japanese she perched closer to the right chair. So it is more convenient to linen it with a sudden movement, having previously succumbed to the gasket in order to spectacularly spin on the spot. And in Mazda3 it turns out even with a 1.6 engine! True, with all the advantages of the location at the wheel, the knees when pressed on the pedals are slightly rested on a massive steering column and a wide solid beard.
The once extraordinary, modern focus interior now became familiar, bored, stopped shocking with his broken lines. But in five years of acquaintance, a fresh impression of design, which opened the brilliant-industrial combinations, did not erase. Ford managed to combine the incompatible thick plastic lamb of large diameter, primitive, but comfortable seats and the absolute transparency of the buttons and control handles reduced to a minimum. Unless it is far from reaching the radio. The possibility of automatic control of each of the four glass windows is also pleasing here. When you click on the button half-heartedly, you manually control, and you want to send the command to close, you completely press it to the end.
Renault also looks very attractive. Its large salon (the most spacious in our trinity) owes much to a noticeable increase in the database compared to hatchback (+61 mm). It is high and light here. And light, solid and practical plastic leads thoughts into an informal and carefree state. The brake brake bracket bracket looks cool. But the KP lever is inconvenient in form or location. The pedals are crowded. The noise level is high from both the motor and from the tires. But the general impression is cute, not supported by rational arguments, but only emotions. And of the characteristic features, the locking of all doors during movement. Blocking can be heard by a light click after starting. At the same time, the output is free from the inside, and it is useless to pull on the outside! But when electronics gives the good, they say, open the gate, do this is very pleasant because the outer door handles are covered with a matte metallized layer. Still, Megan, like other Renaults, does not have a tight tanning cork on the hatch itself, a dense elastic band, tightly clogging the neck. Do not forget about the achievements in the field of security both obtained during tests for Euro NCAP and expressed in five stars, and noticeable in the study of the set of completion. There are six pillows in the basic version!
The resume is always difficult to make a conclusion from the point of view of the average consumer. The range of preferences and the scales of estimates for each. Aesthetically the most attractive Mazda3. It will be preferred by those to whom the form is more important than the content. But the pleasure fee will be great about $ 20,000. And Ford Focus is just in competition with the price. This largely ensures its highest sales volume in the class. And I note that the relative cheapness did not go to the detriment of the consumer qualities of the machine. Well, MEGANE II Sedan is clearly a hit of the coming season. And because the sedans love us, and because for a long time they adapted him to the Russian market for a long time: they lift and taught him to travel not only on asphalt. As a result, not only taught, but also it turned out to be interesting at a price.
HOW DO THEY LOOK
Nikita Rozanov
Outside: straighten the wings of the slogan not from the field of aviation. This is an advertisement for Renault Megane II with a sedan body. Hooray! We all waited for restructuring in the architecture of compact sedans, which no longer look for forcely decorated hatchbacks, and they finally developed their own, quite harmonious image. Among the tested three, perhaps only Focus looks like an old acquaintance in many ways due to associations with the canonical appearance of the WRC victorious car. True, still age. But it looks, in general, well done. And Mazda and Renault look like sedans were created. But this is not so, and therefore the dynamics and swiftness of the form is a direct Hatchback inheritance. In recognition from the face, five stars only have Focus, but this is a profit and, judging by the onslaught, soon the fives will achieve both Mazda3 and Megane II. The French car firmly leads the silhouette in the category, demonstrating maximum integrity, fashionable flowing of the front rack into the wing and characteristic tension and massiveness of the posterior. The details of the whole three are amazing intimacy. Each has a flirty adjustment of the door frame in black, and three side windows, and a mandatory strip of narrow lateral molding. The most characteristic Megane II is behind, and all because of the oval of the lower abrisor of the rear window and the sensual branded arrow, in which the trunk handle is hidden. At the sight of the rear of Mazda, something from the style of the 90s is recalled, and the Ford's composition of the rear panel resembles something Far Eastern.
Inside: six years of self -affirmation of designers who have developed the Focus panel, the term is considerable and not everyone will withstand it. Another thing is Mazda3, which in fans of the oriental cuisine gives rise to several associations at once: the ardor of the circles of the device combination, of course, is alpha, and the coldness of the organization of the middle console Volkswagen. As a result, a steep mix, which, certainly, will not get bored quickly. The architecture of the Megane instrument panel is the most curious and original and, perhaps, to the greatest extent corresponding to the design of the body. The interface of the climate control unit is unusually friendly and understandable the first time, which is now rare. The combination of devices is also unusual due to the lack of familiar common cover glass that will appeal to true bikers and just those who love originality in everything (they also dedicated the P-shaped handle handle). The most organic steering wheel at Mazda, it is the most modern (with buttons), and the most respected and three -spitzes class inquiries.
Summary: If you are disappointed in the appearance of your Clio sedan, the matter is small at one of these three beautiful cars. Focus is intended for those who know exactly how the New Edge, Mazda are translated by those who only dream of Alfa Romeo, and all the rest of the megane II car of high -quality, stylish and very modern design.
Text Vladimir Smirnov photo Alexander Nozdrin
 

 

Source: Cars