Test drive by Renault Modus 2005 - 2008 Minivan

Fashion on Modus

In the evenings, in the Renault atelier on the Champs Elysees is always crowded. On the ground floor of the fashionable Parisian town, thematic exhibitions of Renault are held, and a cozy restaurant works on the second. This fall, the first floor is occupied by the exposition dedicated to Renault Modus.
 
Our acquaintance with Modus took place in the technocent Renault, built in 1998 near the capital of France. The center is a huge complex of 12 buildings, in which 11 thousand people work. It has become the birthplace of all new Renault models in recent years: Espace IV, Vel Satis, the second generation Megane and Scenic family, as well as Logan and Modus. Due to the introduction of the latest computer design methods for the development and launch of Modus, the company took only 29 months - exactly two times less than the first -generation Renault Laguna was required.
 
Although Modus is not a replacement of Clio, but an absolutely independent model, you can’t do without comparing these two cars. After all, apart from that Modus is noticeable (17 cm) above, their dimensions are very similar. However, MODUS for two centners is heavier. Such a difference in the mass is to a large extent explained by the care of the designers about the safety of the car. If Modus did not have a reinforced salon cage, elements that effectively absorb the energy of the blow, and circular defense from the eirbegs, it would hardly become the seventh Renault car, which received five EURO NCAP stars, and the only representative of its class that have been awarded such a high grade.
 
The car interior causes pleasant emotions. The central console is very ergonomic: minimum buttons, and they are grouped very well. The location of the devices in the center is not new, but very convenient and, most importantly, informatively. To the left of the suffler booth with a digital speedometer there is a small glove compartment - for a mobile phone or documents. However, for valuable items, it is better to use a cache in the floor in front of the front seat - it is more spacious and not attracted to excess attention. A couple of hiding places are hiding the front passenger seat: a drawer at its base and a place for paper under a leaning pillow - a folder with an OSAGO policy will fit here perfectly.
 
The back of the cabin is also not devoid of design creativity: how do you like the half of the sofa that moves to the center? You throw back the central part, pull the lever, and the halves come together, opening the big cup holders - well, just like places for kisses in the cinema, only there are not enough pictures. However, this problem is easily solved by installing a car DVD with an LCD screen. And the rear sofa can be moved forward by 60, 120 and 170 mm to increase the volume of the trunk. By the way, the Modus trunk is also not entirely common: the lower half of its door is thrown out separately, which can come in handy in a close parking lot, when it is not possible to raise the entire door entirely.
 
The next day, we brought us to the Renault testing ground, where a test drive was delivered to the techno-center. The line of power units Modus has six positions, but for the test we were provided with versions with one engine - gasoline 1.4. Its launch is accompanied by nothing: the motor is not heard either or after turning the key. The soundproofing of the car is very good: to determine that the engine has started, you can only indicate the instrument panel. The voice of this 16-class wakes up only when you begin to vigorously drive all of his 98 stallions.
 
The car accelerates very briskly, while a comfortable suspension and effective sound insulation conceal the sensation of speed: only distracted, and already fell into the area of \u200b\u200battention of the traffic police radar. Managing Modus is very easy - the standard equipment includes the steering power steering. At low speeds, the electric assistant works in full force, and at high - with a lazy one, which allows the driver to feel comfortable both with parking maneuvers and when driving along the highway.
 
In Europe, Modus is asked from 12,650 euros - it costs a naked car (4 Eirbeg, ABS with the Brake Assistance system, an electric package, an on -board computer, a steering wheel adjustable in height and a driver’s seat) with a 75 -horsepower engine 1.2. You can also order Modus with a 115-horsepower 1.6, packed with a cd player, climate, safety curtains and even illuminating the turning headlights, but in this case the price of the machine will increase almost one and a half times. Not cheap.
 
However, for us these prices are only an approximate guideline. How much Modus will cost in Russia is unknown, because it will appear with us only in a year. We will have to wait due to the adaptation of the car to the specifics of Russian conditions - bad roads and poor -quality gasoline. True, Renault promises to speed up this process, so the following news from the company will not appear in Russia much later than in Europe.
 
Technical characteristics of Renault Modus 1.4
 
The body is hatchback
The number of places - 5
Equipped mass, kg - 1160
Dimensions (length/width/height), mm - 3792/1695/1589
Base, mm - 2482
Trunk volume, l - 198
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s - 11.4
Engine:
- Type - gasoline, 16 -valve
- working volume, cm3 - 1390
- Power, L.S. at MIN -1 - 98/5700
- Torque, N.M at MIN -1 - 127/4250
Transmission - mechanical, 5 -speed
Tire size - 185/60R15
Wheel suspension:
- Front - independent
- rear - semi -dependent
Brakes:
- front - disk, ventilated
- rear - disk
Steering - with eur
 
Text: Maxim Fedorov
 

Source: Magazine 5 wheel [11/2004]