Renault Symbol test drive since 2008 sedan

All photos of Renault Symbol since 2008

Anti -crisis coalition

It is possible that the changed situation will make you look again with interest at the model not very fashionable, but practical. The Franco-Italian anti-crisis group, led by an updated symbol, was collected by Sergey Voskresensky. Photo: George Sadkov.

Renault Symbol 1.4 liters, 98 hp, 5-speed mechanics, equipment Privilege, 466 275 rubles.
Fiat albea 1.4 liters, 77 hp, 5-speed mechanics, Comfort, options, 395 000 rub.
PEUGEOT 206 SEDAN 1.4 L, 75 hp, 5-speed mechanics, CHT equipment, 408 000 rub.
These folk sedans were ideologically formed in the 1990s. We are used to criticizing their uncomplicated appearance, focusing on disproportionately large trunk, skeptically look at the too rational interior. And we certainly know that the term high technology when evaluating their design is inappropriate. And the ceremonial numbers they show them are far from record. Or maybe this is not very necessary? After all, the demand for such cars, at least, does not fall ...

Feed for the heart
I remember him with a young hatchback, stylish and a little denim inside, harmonious in terms of driver's sensations. Of course, there were not enough budget 1.4 liters and 75 horses, but everything else was extremely balanced, like the majority of Peugeot of that time.
Today, inscriptions in Arabic seem to emphasize the constructive isolation of the sedan collected in Iran. He retained the characteristic softness of the lines and the specific texture of the upholstery materials. But he was heavier on the outside, leading to thoughts about some artificiality of the trunk attached to the hatchback.
It seems that everything is decorous and noble, in places even with a claim, to take at least a climatic installation or a grip adjustable bagel. But these are rather exceptions from the rule. Fruitment external mirrors, inexpressive, with a short pillow, the lever of the box with huge, even against the background of brothers with the passages, a brilliant and at the same time faded dash combination.
And in addition to her, a modest display, on which, a little colder, the temperature readings suddenly begin to blink hysterically to the beat of the survived seconds.
Probably, according to the plan of the creators, a large and truly spacious luggage department of the 206th was intended to overshadow all its other qualities. Otherwise, how to come to terms with a nondescript and uninteresting motor, which has one dignity is not good? Its character is so veiled, and the transmission of the box is so stretched that the car is perceived as rather lethargic.

Frankly rude pendants. Noisily and casually react to small irregularities, significantly shake on larger ones. Logic is understandable, but even for third countries it is not a sin to make more comfortable. Manageability has also gone nearly. With an empty steering wheel and cotton reactions of the sedan, you can still somehow come to terms with the athlete in the end. But how to explain his desire to steer the rear axle in almost every turn? At first it scares it, then you adapt, but still mentally shudder when, in a fast turn of the 206th, it suddenly begins to revenge with its tail, like on the virage of the hippodrome. What for? Why? The answer is one thing: it happened ...
Alas, from the point of view of the driver, this too unpretentious, partly controversial car cannot be called convenient.
A child compromise
Fiat albea as if composed of several sections that are visually not very fitting. The front part, passenger compartment, trunk, everything separately decorously, neatly, in places even beautiful. And you will put them together, begin to puff or, conversely, the corners to fail, bend the lines, a single whole is not possible.
Inside Albea does not make such an impression. Here, too, everything is ordinary, inexpensive, but a chubby steering wheel, as if inflated from the inside, the front panel, dark neat upholstices are folded into an integral interior, very nice. The driver meets a harmonious chair with a high back and emphasized side support. Compared to Peugeot here, external mirrors, pedals, and the KP lever. Even a combination of instruments, despite the cutting eye, the frequency of the scope is preferable. And the rear passengers are completely strictly dosed with both hands, but still the scope of both length and height.

The sluggish, inexpressive beginning of movement almost violated the prevailing harmony. But, having made a theater pause, the engine comes to life: it turns out that Albea is much more assertive than the 206th. Fiat is dynamic, sometimes even with a spark accelerates, showing a reliable, confident character. Alas, in the highest gears, the car becomes boring, slow, primarily due to stretched gear rates. But it slows down very well, demanding, however, a delicate handling of a too sensitive pedal.
He could serve as an example to follow in terms of smoothness. The suspensions do a great job with most irregularities, but the road trifle of chips, seams, joints of asphalt are in detail and annoyingly transmitted to the body. Strange, but at the same time, Albea’s handling is far from the standard. He does not try, as an opponent, to show independence when choosing a turning path, but he clearly does not like fast turns, scaring the rolls and unstable behavior. Nevertheless, you can be friends with him.
ZINGER
Not a handsome man, of course, but a pretty! At least in generalized neat forms of the updated symbol, something appeared, which makes him look closely at it. The car and inside is trying to look more solid than it really is. Two -color front panel with clear modern devices, skin -covered steering wheel, soft, almost plush ups of seats, climatic installation, finally. But it is enough to touch rudely and cheerful plastics, delve into the simplicity of design decisions to understand: he is still a hard worker, designed for an unpretentious owner. External mirrors are small. Do they have standards, or what, such? The seat puzzles not only high, under the roof, planting, but also a short back with the interfering with the interferences of the headrest normally. The brake pedal is lifted in relation to the accelerator. The symbol is light, comfortable, the interior is modern, but nothing more.

Eh, I will pump! It turns out that almost a hundred Turkish horses under the hood is great, but they are in a peculiar way. Either ecology, or is not enough volume, and most likely, both ... Until 2000 rpm, the symbol does not seek to demonstrate its capabilities. It is noticeably livelier than Fiat, and even more so as a peg, but still sluggish until the shooter of the tachometer crosses the treasured mark. Only then will the car finally justify hopes and rush forward, manage to switch the programs and turn the motor without sparing!
At good speed, the Renault-Simvol is noisy, not because of the engine, but through the fault of aerodynamics: something is annoyingly buzzing after 100110 km/h at the upper edge of the windshield. But the temperamental, sensitive steering wheel, verified reactions allow you to control a lively, mobile machine without discounts to the origin. Hard pendants? Yes, on gentle waves, they are at times too elastic, they repeat the profile of the roadway in detail, but they damp more serious potholes and fight with small irregularities well. In similar conditions, fiat is more comfortable, but the symbol is noticeably easier, and most importantly, more interesting to manage in most situations. For this you forgive him a lot.
Practical rating
It's a shame that we have not developed with Peugeot 206. When communicating with this, albeit not new, but undoubtedly, causing interest to the car was haunted by the feeling that he did not live, but survived. It seems to be a neat (albeit cramped) salon, good transformation opportunities, acceptable price, the presence of a machine gun in expensive configuration, but it drives pale and not always safe. Two other folk cars are made better, and on the road to be bustled. Detailed assessments and measurements, as always, you will find in the tables we believe that they will help you choose the optimal anti -crisis program for each consumer._x0008_

Cars for the test are provided by Lyon Peugeot and Renault Russia.
Peugeot 206 Sedan
The model made their debut in 1998. The sedan has been collected in Iran under a license, sold in Russia since 2006.
Engines: gasoline 1.4; 1.6 l (75; 110 hp).
Gearboxes: 5-speed mechanical or 4-speed automatic.
Configurations: XR, XT.
The price of basic versions: 339 000473 000 rub.
+ A spacious, easily transformed cargo compartment, good equipment.
- Close up for the rear passengers, inconvenient for the driver, mediocre dynamics, smoothness and behavior on the road.
General assessment 7.5
Today in Russia it is already not enough to be well equipped with budget sedan. It would be nice to add character to this.
Fiat albea
One of the first folk cars. Since December 2006 he has been gathered in Russia, in Naberezhnye Chelny.
Engine: gasoline 1.4 liters (77 hp).
Gearbox: 5-speed mechanical.
Complete: Base, Classic, Comfort.
The price of basic versions: 329 000389 000 rub.
+ _x0007_ rational, comfortable interior and trunk, balanced behavior on the road, energy -intensive pendants.
- _x0007_hid at low revolutions, vibration load on small irregularities.
General assessment 7.9
A reasonable car for reasonable money, but there is very much variety of options, such as an automatic box.
Renault Symbol
The sedan has been produced in Turkey since 1999. In 2008, the radically updated model was presented at the Moscow Motor Show.
Engine: gasoline 1.4 liters (98 hp).
Gearboxes: 5-speed mechanical or 4-speed automatic.
Complete: Expression, Dynamique, Privilege.
The price of basic versions: 371 275483 275 rubles.
+ Good interior design, expressive sledged capabilities, roomy luggage compartment.
- Close up for passengers, noisy, limited transformation opportunities.
General estimate 8.0
After the appearance of Logan, he simply must look more dynamic, more emotional, more expensive. In many ways, this succeeds, although in some it sins the deliberate nationality.

Always shine
It is rarely possible to directly compare headlights in real conditions. As a rule, a saturated counterclaim, bad weather and lack of time interfere with. This time we were lucky: it got dark early, and the weather was perfect.
Peugeot 206: The Sector of the Near Sveta is blurred, there are spots in it, there is no clear boundary of the right side of the roadside. The high light only slightly improves the situation.
Fiat albea: Very good close light is wide, with clearly defined boundaries. But the distant is poor: adds brightness to the neighbor, but for some reason it does not want to shine far. I just want to raise the headlights higher.
Renault-Simvol: Not in vain, updating the appearance, the creators also conjured over lighting equipment. The headlights shine perfectly in the near and distant modes, allowing you to perfectly control the road.
Sergey Voskresensky: The updated Renault Simvol showed himself gambling, more interesting than rivals. In addition, it is better equipped: in particular, it offers an automatic transmission. That's just more expensive, which, however, is natural. When choosing, it is worth carefully weighing all the pros and cons, remembering, for example, that the fiat's salon is more convenient and practical, and the Italian rides is also not bad.