Test Drive Renault Scenic since 2009 Minivan

Layout - key success

In the history of its existence, appearance, and in particular the layout of the car repeatedly undergo revolutionary and evolutionary changes. And many times fresh ideas and decisions, initially perceived in the bayonets, gradually gained popularity, and then became to the yawn of the usual and even banal. And every time you think, why about ten years ago, stupid designers did not think before?
It would be interesting to transfer auto-ventures and designers who lived and worked on thirty, fifty, seventy years ago, these days. What would their reaction to the style and appearance of a modern car? For some reason, it seems to me that most of them would have betrayed anathema those innovations, to which they remained not one evolutionary step, but a whole staircase of contradictory and complex transformations in the technical and artistic and structural improvement of the car. And what to say about us, ordinary mortals, consumers, and most often the conservatives in spirit? Therefore, the progress of automotive thoughts would probably be faster, cassuity are not cautious customers who do not want to finance new ideas of developers and choosing the usual and long-proven.
Let's talk today about one of the types of car bodies who have already pierced the path to the market. And soon, as it seems to me, such cars are moved, or even outward competitors.
Let us turn to the minor. Back in the 50s, they were a reduced copy of medium and large classic layout cars. The obvious minuses of this close salon and trunk. In the 70s, the market almost won the hatchbacks with the drive on the front axle. And so far it is that type of body in classes A, B, C and even D is the most common in the world. But in the back of this pet, the public breathes, sometimes noise and greek, the new idol: the layout solution that appears relatively recently conquered.
Of course, I mean mini and microsany. Skeptics will say attempts to apply the so-called carriage layout on small classes before. Recall the Fiat Multipla (with three rows of seats), created on the basis of the six hundred record kid, the preponderance of our humpback, and about Japanese croches who accommodate six-seven fragile representatives of the Asian race or three or four Europeans. And Daewoo Damas is now collected in Uzbekistan. But all these individual copies were calculated or fans or a large family, who had a four-wheeled crew in a four-wheeled crew. It's just that the market was not yet ready. The current public is already ready for the appetite and in large quantities to absorb one-blank vehicles, which occupy a little less than the place of the Golf class, but on the inner volume exceeding large universals. And, fortunately, designers did not go along the path of a simple reduction in the minibus one and a half or twice.
Most firms have already been included in the microwave production gamut, developed on platforms of one of the plants in production or just being prepared to get up on the conveyor. Those who have not oriented on time, bitten elbows, catch up.
We decided to take three similar cars to the test. So, Meet: Renault Megane Scenic The representative of almost the most extensive family consisting of a sedan, three- and five-door hatchbacks, a wagon, coupe and even a cabriolet. How shames the obsessive advertising machine for this life. Well ... check.
Almost coincident with Scenic on dimensions, a new one, who has just started selling Mitsubishi Space Star, Mikrovan with a cosmic prefix on a shortened platform from Carisma, and even less than Lanser.
The third activity is worth a little mansion. This is the scandalous famous Mercedes-Benz A-Klasse, which the manufacturer first declared itself as a company that produces not only solid rear-wheel drive sedans, and whose prime minister has been multiple times at well-known reasons. For the submarine I recall at the stage of the finishes and the tests, the A-class was in publicly twice put on the ears, that is, they turned over when the dual rearrangement of the dialing test (imitating an unexpected appearance on the trajectory of the movement of the obstacle, for example, elk).
Daimler-Benz laid a lot of effort to increase the stability of this small, but high car market. And he does not fit to the end to our company, firstly, because in short by half the meter, and secondly, this car was created not on a common with something else, but on her own personal personal. But, given the close indicators by weight and power, risk to compare them together.
At first sight
We deliver cars in a row and look from afar. All three at the expense of growth seem to be a little more than they really are. Mitsubishi has a one and a half volume (that is, the hood slightly acts forward), and Scenic and A-scattered finished single units. Everyone has five doors, rear up.
Merca, as it should be, a characteristic star grille and rocking family optics. The profile is extremely dynamic, although fragmented visually on five glasses on each side, and the waist line zero is bent along the back door and the racks up the roof. The car resembles a small, restless and playful peel, who jumps beside you, but does not give himself to stroke. The wiper brushes work on a well-forgotten old scheme not in parallel, but towards each other, braziness. Very low, at least, externally landing over the road (here is the desire for sustainability!) And wide low-profile tires.
The Frenchman inherits generic and family traits not to a lesser extent. Remove the emblem and do not designate Renault. Scenic as if the Bulk Megane Classic roof swelled visually, especially in the middle of the cabin. Healthy pioneer muzzle with predatory nostrils and French large front swings. Huge glazing area. So I want to quickly open all the doors and run there a funny company going on kebabs, or sit down on the rear sofa three or four children from a big and friendly family.
Japanese, in the sense of exterior, looks simpler. Especially from the rear. More square, compared to rounded a-class and megane, on small wheels. But do not think that the car is ugly or miscelly. His unobtrusive forms are concise and thoughtful. Microwan rear lights in roof racks and fashionable transparent cap headlights.
In more detail
But it is only worth climbing inside the cars, as you understand that the appearance for this class is not the most important thing.
The first thing is striking, both in Mitsubishi and in Renault, this is a space, space in everything. Above the head is full of place. From the driver's chair to the lobovik you will not reach your hand, and the elbow on the armrest does not rest in the passenger. Honors, of course, not visible, and park a bus front bumper ends almost immediately behind the lower edge of the glass. The bus and steering wheel is very healthy, it is tilted from the vertical plane, and at first it is a bit unusual.
At first glance, the Scenic Salon looks poorer, but it is more convenient to sit in front of SPASE STAR. It is also good here a display with a data output of the radio and climate installation.
Renault pools passengers with the most complete set of cupcakers, boxes and tables. Here also the most options for transformation of the reverse seats. In addition, the Mitsubishi and the seats are folded into two parts, and on the megane for three. Interestingly, the seat belts for all passengers three-point rear in the ceiling are attached three coils with two tank buckles, skip through one latch and reappeat another. Unusual! The rear seats everywhere have a longitudinal adjustment, allowing to vary between a comfortable fit with elongated legs and clamped, almost standing position (in the event that the entire volume of the trunk is used). Naturally, based on the length of the car, and the obstacle is most of all at Scenic, a little smaller from Space Star and quite a bit from Mercedes, in which it is completely closed. Especially uncomfortable in the A-class to get out and sit down, you will definitely make the wheeled arches and coats.
A-class is generally different in everything (from others). Despite the absence of traditional wooden inserts, you know what you are going on Merc. All bodies are similar to the older brothers from Stuttgart: the same one is a submitter switch, familiar to many generations of cars, the same three round heating and ventilation handles. The steering wheel is also located in the usual position. Several frivolous instrument panel We have written off on a common cheerful design. Little surprised the absence of not only hours on the shield, but even the temperature sensor and suddenly boil?
The location behind the wheel in the A-class and the truth is good under the ceiling. Highly sit far away. Explanation of this double sandwich floor that takes over all the energy in case of impact. Complement the high level of passive safety four (!) Eyrbega. On such a class and side in the standard that means the company!
Slightly upset outdoor mirrors due to the original body silhouette they are somewhat behind, than it is accepted, and you have to change your head noticeably to take a look at what is happening behind your back.
The trunk, which is natural, are great, as far as possible, and the main profound. At the A-class no less, but did not like the other: to open the luggage compartment, you need two hands on the button, and the other pull the handle. On Mitsubishi and Renault, this operation is simpler: pulled up the door on the back plane of the door and will open, more precise, will rise.
Ride?
Rent! We will not hide, we did not count on special impressions of the ride. What you take from the family chamber? If only I went, did not break. Therefore, we deliberately took the machine to the test with the most weak motors: Mitsubishi 1.3 l, Mercedes 1.4 L and Renault with a 1600 cm3 engine, and 75-strong (and sometimes 90 hp).
Space Star started so vigorously and it's easy that I doubted Maybe they did not slip up 1300, and 1800 cubes? I open the hood, I look into the documents. No, everything is normal. Tiny motor. Yes, truly the Japanese are great. How does he pull! In the city, I leave the traffic lights much more confident stream, and only then in the back with a whistle they overtake me and take away the distance toned BMW and Audi, offended by the bark of my shiny crumbs. For urban conditions, probably, it makes no sense to put in small cars powerful, voracious engines. Somewhere up to eighties accelerate not tightening, and only for a hundred speed stops ceases to occur as if playing and joking. In other words, on the autobahn you will not feel yourself a hero, but in the city quite.
A-Class also goes to nostril. But you feel less solid and confident. On a man in such a cool car, look with an ironic smile. Perhaps this crew is speedy for ladies. In addition, he is the whiskey of the whole Trinity. Merca can even be parked even across a number of cars looks very effectively.
Megane was slightly upset by the dynamics, and at the same time the suspension, which showed itself a noisy and passing irregularities, and the sound of the engine. The most capacious and minivanic of all, it was also the risks in turn. The German after the processing of the suspension is definitely at the height. Stands on the road as the wrong. Our sweat, despite the justified fears, hang in the air when the snake passes, at least one of the wheels was not crowned with success.
The most pleasant surprise of Mitsubishi Space Star is surprisingly comfortable riding on the pits, koldobin and tram rails. All unevenness remains asleep somewhere deep under the bottom. By the way, the Japanese's clearance is enviable even the high borders do not get to the thresholds. The exclusion is the rear Sve, which flows the transversely located tank of the muffler. How many times the owner fell in the process of congresses from the sidewalk and parking back, you can only guess.
Our tasks did not work out to study the behavior of machines on the highway and autobahn, and even more so on the carries, but we understood well for this week that Microwaves are optimal design for riding in the city. And now they are ready to recommend to everyone a small class car, compact outwardly, but so spacious inside.
Vladimir Smirnov Photo A. Nozdrin
 
 
 

A source: Cars