Test drive by Renault Scenic RX4 2000 - 2003 minivan
"Scenes", on the stage!
The world premiere of the five-door high-wheel drive mini-wen Renault Renik RX4 took place at the IV Russian International Motor Show in August 1999. Sales will begin in May 2000. The machine is equipped with a gasoline 16-valve engine with a 2-liter working volume, a mechanical five-speed gearbox, and an all-wheel drive transmission. Second half of this year, a modification with a 1.9 liter diesel engine with a capacity of 105 liters will appear. With. Renault Renik RX4 is not just another novelty for us. At the aforementioned Russian car dealership, the French car received a special prize of the magazine at the wheel, so there is probably no need to explain why we were looking forward to the opportunity to try Renault on the go. And so she appeared, but what! Africa, dusty roads Morocco, desert.
Suvrealism
Before you get acquainted with the new Renault in the case, we will solve one puzzle: what is the RX4 stage-a passenger car, a jeep, a mini-wen or something else?
The great inventors of the Americans confused everyone again: along with traditional 4x4 machines, that is, jeeps, appeared here, which we already wrote about. Recall: reduction of SUV (from Sport Utility Vehicles) means a general -purpose sports car. And if it’s simpler and essentially - cars for lovers of travel, play sports, in a word, actively rest. If you want, these are ennobled jeeps with comfortable salons. In -law drivers, such vehicles were to their taste and not only for practicality. According to statistics, more than 80% of the time all -wheel drive here spend in conventional traveling around the city. Gradually, the fashion spread to Europe, where, however, they do not suffer with giantomania and they are not used to spending money. Local Suv has gained his own characteristics here. By the standards of the Old World, this definition corresponds to Toyota RAV-4, Honda HR-V and the like. The RX4 stage is distinguished from this series. This is a kind of symbiosis of Suv and a compact car with a single-combed body (mini-wen), designed for any road and off-road. Of course, within the limited limits - avid jeepers, admirers of hammers and caterpillar equipment, as they say in such cases, are asked not to worry. But lovers of mini-wen, station wagons and tourist 4x4 (SUV) should take a closer look at the novelty: all-wheel drive scenes may interest motorists with a wide variety of tastes and addictions. In any case, the Renault marketers are sure of this.
Strength and tenderness Although the RX4 does not hide kinship with other models of the mini -wen scenic, one glance is enough to understand that you are by no means an asphalt lean. The sides of the car to the waist are covered with plastic panels - they protect the thresholds and doors from stones. These hinged elements are joined with powerful bumers, the upper edges of which reach the level of door handles. The engine crankcase is also protected from contacts with the road. But that's not all. The road clearance of the car is increased to 210 mm, and the full -sized spare wheel is carried out - it rests in a plastic casing on the rear door. By the way, the door itself, unlike the front -wheel drive models of Renault stage, does not open upwards, but to the side. Tires - Michelin XRS with a dimension of 215/65 R16 with a tread, adapted for both tracks and country roads.
At the same time, the RX4 stage has a lot of attributes of a passenger car itself-large and in the appearance of light-eyed block-flaps, an elegant transformer salon with leather seats, a roomy trunk. Of course, a radio, air conditioning, an flight comprehensive comprehensive compartment, a mini-roller for drinks, and also servo drives and all, many drawers and shelves for small things in the most unexpected places of the salon. And all this in French is elegant, it is convenient and pleasant to use it.
But the RX4 scenes at first causes conflicting feelings. On the one hand, there is an extensive all -wheel drive transmission with Wytheft, subframes, an enhanced suspension. On the other hand, a sharp 16 -valve with pronounced tops. He has a peak of torque at 3800 rpm. Such features, rather, the destiny of the King of the asphalt, rather than the conqueror of the off -road, who is more suitable for painfulness and elasticity. So, is the universal car doomed to lose to narrow specialists? Both Shvets and Reaper ...
As it turned out, there is practically no. The French, it seems, managed to find the right compromise. On the highway, the RX4 stage is a purebred passenger car. Fast, dynamic, easy to control. You do not find slow reactions, rolls, swings, and just the sensations of the severity inherent in all -terrain vehicles. In the behavior of the car, one might say, the front -wheel drive features dominate. What is not surprising - Viskift transfers torque to the rear wheels only when the front ones begin to slip, and on dry asphalt this happens quite rarely.
But here we go to the ground paths strewn with viscous sand. Yes, Renault Ren RX4 is still not a jeep. Sometimes the engine is clearly not enough, but it is possible to adopt to the assault on obstacles, and it is possible enough. The tactics of actions are Niva. Instead of a tedious saw at a small course, the lion's share of the insidious areas passes from overclocking, trying to maintain high engine speeds. The principle is greater than gas - it is still not always applicable for the pits. Sometimes it happens to crawl on the off -road (on sand, for example) at low speed. At the same time, the high -speed motor has to be constantly twisted so that it does not stall. The wheels, of course, dig the ground. An ordinary front -wheel drive car would immediately bury. But Renault has barely front wheels break into the boxes - they pick up the rear. It's enough. A spectacular dust syringe from under all four tires-and mini-wen literally floats on the road.
True, it is better not to abuse such techniques - it is worth mocking the machine only with emergency. Indeed, in fact, Reno Ren RX4, although a beast, is affectionate and gentle.
Universal from all points of view, the car is probably impossible to construct the car. But you can’t prohibit the ideal. The French managed to create a very diverse and original car. She can much. To become the only one in the family - please. To supplement the existing fleet - no problem. To transport passengers and cargo on a wide variety of roads - as much as you want: a spacious single -combed body allows the redevelopment of the salon and trunk. The only thing that you should not expect from Renault RX4 is a dumping price. Alas, you have to pay well for good equipment. Renault Scenic RX4
General data: number of places - 5; Equipped mass - 1465 kg; Full mass - 1990 kg; fuel supply - 60 liters; Fuel - AI -95 unhealthy. Dimensions, mm: length - 4444; width - 1785; Height - 1730; base - 2624; The track in front/back - 1505/1480; Road clearance - 210; trunk volume - 570/1800 cm; The turning radius is 5.7 m. The engine: four -cylinder, in order, with distributed injection, is located in front, four valves per cylinder, gas distribution mechanism with variable phases; working volume - 1998 cm; cylinder diameter and piston stroke - 82.7x83 mm; compression degree - 9.8; Power - 101.5 kW/140 hp at 5500 rpm; The maximum torque is 188 N.M at 3750 rpm. Transmission: gearbox - a mechanical five -speed, all -wheel drive, the rear wheels are connected using viscousyft. Suspension: in front - an independent type of mcesson, behind - independent with triangular levers; Front -front stability stabilizers and behind 24 and 17 mm. Brakes: with an amplifier and ABS, in front - circular ventilated (disc 280 mm diameter), back - disk (disk diameter of 265 mm). Tire size: 215/65R16.
Vadim Kryuchkov
A source: The magazine "Driving"
