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Chevrolet Niva, Ford Fusion, Skoda Yeti - a chance to win city snowdrifts

The quality of cleaning streets in Russian cities largely determines our need for cars more passable than ordinary city sedans and hatchbacks. Kolesa.ru took on the test three not the most expensive and not the largest cars, in the design of which the truth is the opportunity to feel more confident in the uncleaned streets and outside the city in ruts and snowdrifts.


Of course, comparing Fusion, Niva and Yeti among themselves and determine by ordinary criteria of the best it is completely incorrect. Skoda is much newer and much more expensive than the rest, Chevrolet is the most affordable and not at all powerful, Ford is not a crossover or an SUV at all

But we did not try to compare in the classical test sense. We simply appreciated to what extent that the movement in the city and outside the city facilitated this winter, coupled with all -wheel drive (Yeti) and lowering the transmission and blocking of the central differential (Niva).

Ford Fusion. 1.6 100 hp 2WD
Fusion by standard automobile standards is already an old man, but still remains respected and relevant in Russia. The hatchback-universal appeared thanks to the fiesta of the previous generation, however, next to its dandy modern version, he looks like an alien from the distant past. Still: Still, Fusion 2002 born!


At the same time, more than 3,300 Russians bought Fusion last year, and Fiesta is less than a thousand. Still popular in Russia Fusion make a reasonable price (from 491,800 rubles), a high clearance (160 mm) and the appearance of a small SUV.

Fusion has a spacious salon (which is in front, back), a torpedo from a soft polymer, a convenient three -spitz steering wheel and understandable, although boring devices. But his armchairs are too soft, noise insulation passes more noise into the salon than we would like, and as a result, for example, to manage Fusion is not at all the pleasure that in the city.


Fusion weighs a little more than a ton, therefore, a 1.6-liter 100-horsepower engine is enough for it with excess. The motor pulls perfectly at low speeds and at low speeds the car is quite vigorous. But on the highway the dynamics is no longer sports. Yes, and controllability too: when the speed increases, vibrations on the steering wheel sharply grow with it, and with a strong side wind and rut, the car tried to move out with a straight line.

Chevrolet Niva 1.7 80 hp 4wd
At one time, it was this model that was the main hope of the Russian auto industry. And today Niva with a cross on the radiator grille, having survived restyling, is also quite popular. The famous Italian studio really worked on the design on the driver's door. In general, Niva was never considered ugly, but a couple of Italian strokes came by the way. The changes were not revolutionary, but noticeable. Outside.


Inside, everything is simple and not rich. Cheap plastic, large slightly rattling buttons, a faded combination of devices, a gearbox lever slightly tilted to the driver and next to this winter! The selector switching transmission operating modes.

At idle, the engine is almost not heard and its work can be determined by a slightly trembling lever of the checkpoint. But after 2000 revolutions, the rumble persistently penetrates the salon. The programs stick easily, without effort, the handout requires more active work by muscles.


Of course, the power is 80 hp. It does not allow you to take place especially. Niva accelerates and accelerates slowly, on the highway to rivals it is not a competitor. Although the absence of ABS and ESP and so beat off the desire to swing. Especially in the winter.

Skoda Yeti 1.8 152 hp 4wd
From our Trinity Yeti the most modern car, and you can’t call it budget. Although the Skoda crossover will really cost cheaper than rivals in segment like Volkswagen Tiguan (read the test drive here) or Honda CR-V (read the test drive here), but it is one and a half to two times more expensive.


Yeti is not a car specifically for Russia, like Chevrolet Niva. But the snow person also has the strengths that we value. For example, a 1.2-liter turbo engine in the basic version (for 729,000 rubles) and a good minimum equipment (2 airbags, anti-lock and anti-circus systems, air conditioning, front electric shifts, 16-inch wheels, heating seats, electric grinders).

Yeti is perfectly assembled and does not make extraneous sounds. In a very spacious salon, pleasant materials are used, and there are no complaints about ergonomics. The only thing that disappointed the 1.8-liter engine with a turbocharger, which we initially mistaken for the hopeless unexpectedly and uninitingly accelerates Yeti with it. We expected more, especially since only all -wheel drive is available with this engine. But the mechanical checkpoint here is a sample of clarity, and on the dashboard there is an indicator of economical gear shifts that help reduce fuel consumption. Actual, isn't it?!


Thanks to Yeti suspension settings, an incredibly smooth move; Road irregularities are processed tightly and without unnecessary roar. At the same time, handling was not affected, and in response to the turn of the chassis of the chassis obediently and quickly follows in a given direction.

So what are we going to evaluate? The first behavior of the car on an ice uneven road, the second opportunity to maneuver in snow porridge and park at the sidewalk, the third ability to move along a snowy, almost non -cleaned road, part of which with a deep rut.

Even in the parking lot at one of the Skoda Yeti car dealerships, he managed to get stuck literally out of the blue. With one reservation: a layer of snow was even 15-16 cm high. Yeti was not bogged down, and so settled a little, and then the reasoning got out

Apart from the easy forced Skoda stop, then the Chevrolet Niva prepared the first surprise. This happened when three cars moved along an icy road with a snow -side road, and the first SUV from Tolyatti at a speed of about 4 km/h slowed down and turned right. Instead, Niva turned 180 degrees! The second driver of Fusion was very surprised when the nose was to the nose with the Niva.

But we expected Ford Fusion to stop the first of the three in front of snow-tagging obstacles. Although in general, in the end, this happened: Fusion really stopped, not managing to climb the hillbox from the first or the second time (climbing 8-10 degrees according to our estimates) behind Niva and Yeti so without any problems. Although it must be admitted that the conditions at the starting place were worse than nowhere - a shallow rolled track and classic porridge. Something like that appears in the city on uncleaned roadsides.

Ford was brought up by the unsolved winter tires and a passenger, only having landed, Fusion from the dispersal nevertheless took an obstacle.

Separately, it is worth noting a small optional spoiler, which was under the front bumper Fusion. This part of a few centimeters reduced the angle of attack of the car already with the smallest clearance from the three. It is good that it is made flexible (although it is painted in the color of the body), and therefore survived until the end of the test day.

Full -wheel drive cars have no passable problems in this place.

Movement on a completely unbroken village rut, where Pajero, Tuarean and Cruisers of all stripes and years of release, did not require a full -wheel drive. They threw everyone from side to side in accordance with the direction of the track, but not one of the cars stuck anywhere, and managed to turn around without problems. Unless Fusion and Yeti from time to time rubbed the bottom of the snow inside the rut.

For Niva, this day, apparently, turned out to be unloading, we did not even have to touch the levers of the hand -box. The joint brainchild of GM and AvtoVAZ was only once embarrassed before lifting along a snowy road in the second gear, the openly weak 1.7-liter engine refused to drag the car up and almost stalled the inclusion of the first speed.

So ... as we expected, least of all, winter affected the cross -country ability of Chevy Niva. It seems that it can be parked even on a pile of snow, which is unloaded on the outskirts of the city. The suspension optimally manifests itself on small irregularities, with which the winter road is replete. That's just on the icy asphalt you need to be careful about active security systems here. In general, the movement even in an uncleaned city on an SUV does not cause problems. Although, of course, a more powerful engine would not have prevented the Niva: where it becomes possible to develop the speed of Chevrolet is in the lagging behind.

Riding on a more comfortable Skoda Yeti is more fun and pleasant: due to accurate control, good dynamics and, of course, vigilant security systems. We did not manage to plant Yeti in the middle rut, but then the pounds on a shallow shallow snow, where the electronics could not replace hard locks. But in the city on uncleaned curbs, the car proved to be excellent: it easily climbed, did not skid, elementarily drove into an even asphalt.

Before starting the test before Ford, I wanted to apologize. Still, initially his off-road opportunities seemed the most modest. And, of course, a light (1,165 kg) Fusion with a 100 -horsepower engine showed that being an SUV and to be like an SUV is not the same thing. Ford is certainly ready for winter in the city, but grazes in the snow. On it you can go to the country only if there are no lifting ups on the road, (or they, at least, are cleared). And for the city, even this winter, it is generally suitable.

Prices
The starting Chevy Niva L costs 428,000 rubles, which are asked for a car with a 1.7-liter 80-horsepower engine, a mechanical checkpoint (there are no other engines and transmission) with glass windows, electric-risk, a hydraulic stipulate and an adjustable steering column. In the GL Shevi-Niva configuration costs 478,000 rubles due to heating of seats, wheels of larger (16th) diameter, fog headlights, isothermal glasses. For air conditioning, you need to pay extra 29,000 rubles.

The initial price of Fusion 491 800 rubles. In the minimum configuration: a 1.4-liter motor (80 hp), a manual gearbox and a basic set of technical goods. With a 1.6-liter (100 hp) engine in the Trend version (with air conditioning, CD magnet, electric grinders and front electric windows), the car costs 569,500 rubles, and with a machine gun in the top version of Elegance from 620,200 rubles.

A front-wheel drive Czech crossover with a 1.2-liter turbo engine (105 hp) will cost at least 729,000 rubles. Active's standard equipment includes ABS with an anti -circus system, air conditioning, front electric windows, height adjustment, heated nozzle nozzles, front airbags, electric grinders. The all -wheel drive version of Yeti (with a 1.8t engine - 152 hp) costs that 929,000 rubles costs, and with an automaton and diesel 2.0 TDI 1 139 000 rubles.

Compare the road clearance:
Ford Fusion 160 mm
Skoda Yeti 180 mm
Chevrolet Niva 200 mm


Cars were provided for test by Peter Lada (official dealer AvtoVAZ), Alarm Motors (official Ford dealer) and Sofoda Autocenter (official Skoda dealer).

Authors: Alexander Korobchenko, Philip Berezin
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 

Source: Wheel magazine [January 2011]