Renault Symbol test drive since 2008 sedan
Sedan of public use
A number of number one just such a title was worn by Renault Symbol in the late 90s of the last century, even before the arrival of cheap Korean clones. One of the symbols of that very first generation is parked every evening under my windows. And, frankly, I could not understand what exactly made this car purchase. However, very soon it turned out that neither the clumsy lighting technology, nor the hump of too large rear rack, nor grayness, I mean the coloring of the appearance: everyone perfectly understood the car, was assembled in Turkey, for the third world then (to which this very world was then belonging and Russia). So we will not find fault with appearance! But the machine in comparative tests gave more than one point forward, which had just appeared on the market, VAZ-2110 and became the first of foreign cars assembled to the Autoframs joint venture. 10 years have passed since then and Symbol is ready to return to Russia. Again from Turkey, but already in the new quality of the intermediate class sedan. Like, this is not Megane yet, but no longer Logan! So what is it? The answer was found in Turkish Bodrum, in the vicinity of which I drove more than one hundred kilometers both on mechanics and on the machine.
In the development of the updated Symbol, the French concern invested 100 million euros. First of all, the model will be intended for developing markets. 50% of the new Renault Symbol will go to Russia, Turkey, Romania and Algeria, the second half will be put on the markets of Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Renault decided to produce this car in his Turkish factory in the city of Bursa all the main markets at the side. Thus, the plant in Turkey, capable of annually producing 360 thousand cars, now manufactures 5 models: Symbol, 3 and 5 door Clio III, Clio Estate and Megane.
The new Renault Symbol, whose world premiere took place in August at the International Motor Show in Moscow, the fruit of the joint work of the technical centers of France, Turkey and Romania, which worked on it for 26 months.
The machine is equipped with a 1.4 -liter gasoline engine with a capacity of 98 liters. p., a 5-speed mechanical or 4-speed automatic gearbox is offered to a choice. A model with a diesel engine will also be available. Compared to the previous Symbol, the length of the novelty increased to 4260 mm.
Exactly! Slow down for two days on the shores of the Aegean Sea under the hot Turkish sun, while in Moscow the thermometer barely rose above the mark of +8 for this can be understood and forgiven, and we, a group of journalists from Russia, have already agreed among themselves that We will not scold the novelty too much. However, it soon turned out that the Renault Symbol was simply not for the scolding of Renault Symbol: the car got into the top ten in all respects except one. But about him below, at the very end.
In the meantime, the first acquaintance.
Several dozen cars lined up opposite the international terminal of Bodrum Airport. The colors are dark gray and light beige; The Renovtsy claim that in general the body of the body will be 12, and three new ones, and these two out of the last three. Well, in this color here, on the east coast of the Aegean Mora, there are pluses: dust on the paint is practically not noticeable.
The test drive is built very competently: the pre-shock is at least. Take the keys, look for a partner, get behind the wheel. To the hotel is 80 kilometers or an hour and a half, but no one limits plans. The only wish to be in a press conference. Three hours before her. Will we have time? We will have time! We will have time ten times.
But first, look at the car.
Over 10 years with the symbol, the same thing happened that usually happens to a man: he matured. He still has artless features, but they look more consistent, or what? Maybe thanks to adult optics? Or maybe due to the fact that the notorious hump disappeared: the third glass is cut into the back stance. Moreover, the hardness of the body from this was not affected by the rib of stiffness itself, the glued glass element itself protrudes. When you look at the car in the profile, the thought involuntarily arises: a very nice hatchback could have turned out from the sedan! But maybe this is in the future? Cherry from Clio II, but the base is increased. Absolutely new lighting equipment, fashionably crawling on the wings, stylish fog lights. It is only a pity that under the hood is a single engine so far. And 1.2 liters with a capacity of the same 100 hp, and a more modern 16-class 1.4, and diesel, all this may be, but so far is not available.
What else can be noted? The chrome lining on the edge of the hood (it involuntarily comes to the PRIORA mind now with it will compare the new Symbol) larger, 14 or 15-inch cast drives of a huge trunk, opening with a button, stylishly inserted into the company’s framework, pressed the lid, and the lid itself went up. At first I was looking for a key from below there is a stamping in the rear bumper, but I did not find it. Then why is this stamping in it only dirt gathering?! It turns out that they thought about Russia in Renault: what if the lid spreads?
The trunk is huge (506 liters), but not too functional. The rear sofa is not laid out in parts, but to transport a longmer, first you have to tinker with a screwdriver. On separate versions, the rear spoiler will be available.
Like in a frying pan
We take the handle of the door handle on the new Symbol under the reverse grip and too large, but only in my opinion. I sit in a hot chair and close the door. It slamms with a distinct metallic sound. Not thoroughly? So Renault does not claim. The salon, of course, is made of inexpensive and hard to touch plastic. Minus? At all practical! In addition, it is two -color, and the multi -block control of climate and audio system is also released by coloring. Plus a plastic insert for aluminum. Here she may seem superfluous to someone. But the designers, apparently, wanted to emphasize that Symbol not only grew up, but also rose. Everything, by the way, is collected so that the gaps between the details and the nail cannot be stuck. And plastic does not creak, which is important.
The French especially emphasize: everything inside Symbol is modern, you can connect GPS navigation, there are flash drive connectors, for iPod.
On the back sofa is natural! ISOFIX mounts, proprietary development of Renault. Front seats with heated. True, now in Turkey the heating is not relevant. Rather, on the contrary. In the sun, everything inside was heated so that you sit on a pan. But enough
turn on the air conditioner so that after 10 minutes the situation becomes quite comfortable. Under me, one of the expensive versions: the driver's seat has several degrees of freedom (you can even adjust it in height), the details are handed out by a white thread (like the leather steering wheel here is the breed). I close the windows to keep cool! And on the road. And then one of the main advantages of the car is clarified: it is surprisingly quiet inside! Even increasing engine speeds during overtaking do not interfere with talking in the cabin without switching to increased tones. So with sound insulation and aerodynamics, Symbol is in perfect order.
Rezrevability is not a short -haired concept
Of course, the main check of the new car is the road check, especially since in Turkey they are not too different from the Moscow Region. Under the hood 98-horsepower engine with a volume of 1.4 liters, which sometimes clearly lacks torque (127 nm at 3750 rpm). But the consumption is small 7 liters per hundred.
For overtaking and acceleration in the hill, the fourth gear is too high, you have to switch to a third or even to the second. But on the other hand, the engine pulls on a flat road and in the fifth gear, allowing him to stay in the rhythm of the flow. And the speed framework here is tough: in the city 50, outside the city 90 km/h. And local traffic police posts on every corner. But still, sometimes you want to accelerate so much! And accelerated. True, to no more than 140 you can fly to the sea from the cliff.
Symbol had to ride on a serpentine. Then an unpleasant feature was noted: the jumping rear suspension forced Symbol to go to the side, and the back of the car went towards the outer radius of rotation, almost dumping the car into the skid. On the other hand, it is unlikely that any of the potential owners of the new Symbol will want to pass mountain turns at a speed of 120 km/h. A little lacks the steering steering wheel, it is empty, as fans of an active drive say. But after half an hour you get used to this, and you feel the car in a bend intuitive is this not an indicator? By the way, about the drive. I know many colleagues who, having sat at Symbol, will be baking that this is, they say, not the driver of car. Yeah. Exactly. I subscribe. And what, every driver must be a driver? Especially when you consider that by this word we are understood as lovers of active driving, passing turns with a squeal of tires and leaving the traffic light under the smell of burned rubber. So, thank God, we have not so many such drivers, otherwise the devil would have been going on on the road. And Symbol, he for a normal (emphasizes) driver. In this regard, it is very well balanced.
The return trip to the airport, past the airport to the city with the beautiful name Yatagan and was again made by car with a machine gun to the airport. This is an elderly (already 15 years!) An adaptive 4-speed box. And no one expected any surprises from her, although the French are trying to update it every three years. There really were no surprises: he stuck in position D and went. To the mountains. At a height where the ears are already laid, and diesel trucks are barely weaving, they do not have enough air. And then the machine gun was quite enough for active driving, and on unsafe overtaken it was necessary to hit the gas pedal so that the box would imprint a reduced gear. And on the slopes, the machine was very competently inhibited by the engine. So, almost imperceptibly, they flashed 150 kilometers one way, then 100 to the other. And not the slightest signs of fatigue: Symbol did not push the active drive. This Renault is really a symbol of practicality. He is one of those cars to which he sat and drove. I think that fans of the first Symbol will be happy to replace.
But the price is unlikely to be happy. The basic version of the car costs from 370 thousand rubles without air conditioning and electric windows. This is much more expensive than ask for cars of the same class Skoda Fabia, Hyundai Accent, Lada Priora and others. And the top version pulls 490-500 thousand rubles. Well, what is there to say? With such a modest form, it seems to me, and the price could be more modest. Otherwise, it will be difficult to return Renault Symbol your title of foreign car number one competition is not the same.
Bodrum Moscow
Dmitry Semenov
Photo by the author and Renault
