Subaru Stella test drive since 2006 hatchback

Overview of the new Subaru Comania car: Stella L / Stella RS

Recently, it is generally accepted that the standard micro -lunch car with a configuration of its body should resemble a high passenger station wagon. Many companies have long been producing something similar, but recently, finally, such a micro universal appeared in the Subaru car family. This means that the Wagon R, Move and Life micro -liters have a new competitor called Stella / Stella Custom. Well, how, more precisely, at the expense of what qualities does he intend to fight and win in a competition? Read about this in the material of our journalist.
 
Already a familiar picture.
To be honest: as soon as I got to the driver’s place in the Subaru Stella Custom RS car and look at everything that was in front of me, I felt clear: this car was not at all new to me! I have not just seen all this somewhere, I saw it so often that I had already managed to become familiar. Here, for example, the dashboard, why is it so familiar to me? Yes, therefore, that, being a journalist of the Navi Automobile magazine, I have been using Subaru R1 for a long time to move the car. What is the dashboard! The entire front wall is entirely borrowed from this car, that’s the trick. Judge for yourself: the air conditioning control handles are the same, the shape of the cutouts for supplying air to the interior of the same shape, the transmission lever also stands at the usual place for me. Where, in this case, where to come to the feeling of novelty? Just sat down, - and went, as if you have been traveling for a hundred years!
I must say that the first impression did not deceive me, because later it turned out that in everything else, R1/R2 and Stella Custom RS cars have much in common. When choosing the appearance for the car of the R1/R2, the designers went to the risk, put a lot on the card, and their card, as you know, turned out to be a bat. As a result of this failure, the sales of the Subaru brand micro -liths fell to indecent. Subaru experts, in turn, came to the conclusion that in such a situation it is impossible to do without include a model that will probably be in demand in the micro -linear composition. That is, they were forced to urgently reorient and develop a new micro -linear car with a high body type of station wagon. Why it was impossible to think of before, and why preference should be given to the project of a stylish machine, which is still unknown how customers would be accepted by the topic of a separate conversation. But if it happened, then judge for yourself,- was it worth it to reinvent the bike (read, new micro-lines)? So, after all, one could be in outsiders at all. And the decision was ripened with lightning speed: take a loser as a basis for the model, and quickly, with minimal cost, make it what you need. It is clear that such an approach automatically implied that both cars, both R1/R2 and Stella, would have a considerable number of interchangeable nodes and details. So it happened.
For a long time, perhaps, from the very moment when the Suzuki Wagon R model appeared on the market, among the whole variety of micro -lines offered, cars began to prevail in which every square centimeter of the salon is used with maximum benefit. And yet, in order to increase the competitiveness of their machines, companies began to practice multivariate models. That is, this is when several variations are produced on one more or less successful platform. To make sure of this, just recall the Daihatsu Move or Honda Life models, and Daihatsu Tanto and Honda Zest cars. Well, let's say that in this case, the R1/ R2 lineup is in a family connection with Subaru Stella machines. But this does not remove the main question: what exactly is the Subaru Stella model to conquer the hearts and minds of potential buyers? Maybe the spaciousness of the salon? But this is still a micro-lines, it is impossible to endlessly increase its volume, therefore, acting only in this direction, you can’t correct the situation and you can’t win competition. So, only one path remains: not forgetting about the volume, after all, to pay the main attention to consumer qualities. We decided to do it. Space that pleases, or everyone is calm and everyone goes - these are advertising slogans have become decisive for the Subaru Stella model. What can I say, such definitions for Subaru cars were previously not applicable! Or am I wrong? As a matter of fact, such practicalism also has the right to exist, who argues! But on the other hand, it so happened that, pronouncing Subaru, we always suggest any next technological breakthrough. And suddenly practicality! Doesn't it seem to you that this is somewhat spoiled by a long -established image of the company? Personally to me - yes!
It is immediately clear that the main thing here is practicality.
When designers are working on a micro-lighting car, they always set the task to make sure that a small, in general, salon seemed no more spacious. How the car will look from the outside - this is decided later. This approach is also characteristic of the new Subaru Stella machine. As the external distinctive features of this car, the front headlights of the original shape and the large windshield can be called, which should provide the driver with a good review. The clearly defined arches of the front wings are paid attention to. These are general characteristic features. At the same time, the design of the car Stella is simplicity, and the Stella Custom car is given a more sports appearance. In the same way, certain differences are also inside. In particular, the color of the ivory prevails in the STELLA salon, and in the Custom salon everything is designed in black.
As I already said, I constantly deal with the Subaru R1 car, so I'm used to sitting in a comfortable chair. And here, in the STELLA salon, I had to face, or, more precisely, transfer to the seat of a sofa type. It is clear that this option was clearly not pleased with me, since comfort is not the same. However, then I noticed a pocket behind a driver’s seat, specially designed for storage a talon of a technical examination, then I realized that the back of the front passenger’s seat could completely fall forward, and all this pleasantly surprised me. Indeed, comfort is comfort, and the practical side is also of no small importance. The rear seats seemed somewhat narrow to me, but it would be ridiculous to object to this, given that it was, nevertheless, about micro-lines. The ceiling of the cabin is somewhat raised, so inside you feel quite free. Needless to say, this is not at all like sitting in the salon R1!
Earlier, I have already noted that the Subaru Stella modeling range has absorbed those ideas that first embodied in the Suzuki Wagon R model. So, if you consider the Stella Custom RS model, then there is an analogy with the Wagon modification immediately R series RR. This is not surprising, given that both in the first and second cases we are talking about the most speedy modifications equipped with turbo engines. Of course, the Subaru car is not equipped with a 3-cylinder, as is usually practiced in such micro-lines, but by a 4-cylinder engine, which gives it some advantage over competitors. But the main advantage is not even in the number of cylinders, but in the performance of a turbocharger of the Super Charger type, which is on the Subaru engine. Indeed, to a greater extent, it is his work that allows the machine that only starts from the place, immediately switch to intensive, and at the same time uniform acceleration. Although the role of the unavailable CVT transmission in this is also not necessary to damage. However, I was already convinced of my personal experience how burdensome in terms of increasing the cost of fuel, this turbo may turn out to be if it is inept to use it. Therefore, powerful acceleration, this, of course, is pleasant, but a sense of proportion should always be present. And besides, a pair of turbocharger + the engine sometimes makes noise so much that anyone can tire.
 
In different modes - a different car.
The traction characteristics of the STELLA car with a simple (not turbo) engine were indeed outstanding. The sailing of the STELLA and R1/R2 body is different, and the weight of these machines is almost the same. Nevertheless, if we take into account the movement mode, usually practiced in the city, then the rod to set the speed is enough. On a high -speed highway when driving at a constant speed of about 100 km/h, the car is almost noisy. But you just have to try to give the car acceleration, as noise increases sharply. In a word, while you hold the accelerator pedal motionless, then, regardless of whether you are moving around the city, or outside the city with high speed, the car behaves quietly. But as soon as you start to press the pedal stronger - the car simply cannot be recognized! In general, we can say that it demonstrates sufficient acceptance and controllability. You should only make a reservation: sufficient only within the machines of this class.
It should be noted that one of the undoubted advantages of the car of the STELLA of the STELLA of the STELLA is the coordinated and smooth operation of the suspension. In fact, neither deaf strikes nor shocks are almost not noticeable, as is usually the case in cheap micro -litigation machines. Engineers claim that I had to do this seriously, because there were many comments from drivers, especially about discomfort, which, supposedly, constantly experienced passengers in the back seat. Of course, how the rear passengers feel, - this is a very important factor, especially since, as a rule, both old people and children sit down there. And, nevertheless, tell me, when did Subaru take care of how passengers feel in their cars? No, truly, subaru, but not that! Here, for example, it was necessary to choose the shape of the door. So what do you think, they began to think how to make her such as to make a child in a children's chair on the back seat, it was more convenient to do it! When developing models such as Legacy or Impreza, such a issue is not even discussed. But it became necessary to make a completely different car, and then, I had to!
If we consider the problem in general, then the neglect with which Subaru previously referred to such mundane machines is nothing more than a serious miscalculation. As a result, it turned out that the market of mass cars was out of sight of the company, which caused failure at first. Well, what are the prospects of the corrected version of the Subaru brand micro -lighting car? We watch the numbers: only a week after the start of the sale of Stella / Stella Custom cars, 5438 applications were issued for them, which in itself can be considered an outstanding achievement. Who mainly takes these cars? As polls show, a considerable share of future owners of Stella cars were previously owners of Subaru pleo or Vivio cars. In a word, these are the same devoted adherents of the Subaru brand. And as it turned out, among there are many of them that have long been waiting in this family of micro -ligning addition in the form of a high passenger station wagon, which everything was not there and was not.
It may seem that such leisurely, one might even say, the slowness is the cut of the lost benefit of either the company or its fans. But there is no thin one without good. Judge for yourself: at first it was decided to develop and release the micro -litter car of the R1/R2 model of luxurious configuration. The car did not justify hopes, and then another attempt was made. At the output, a car has now appeared with another body, the type of which is currently the most popular among micro -lines buyers. But the quality of manufacturing this machine is no lower than that of the luxurious R1/R2! And the interior was borrowed without any serious changes. So it turns out that Subaru went in a roundabout way, but she learned a lot on the way. In a word, the experience is negative, and the result - see for yourself.
 
 
Technical characteristics of the car Subaru Stella l:
Length 3395 mm x width 1475 mm x height 1645 mm.
Wheel base: 2360 mm.
Machine weight: 860 kg.
Drive: on the front wheels
Engine: operating volume 0.66 liters, 4-cylinder with an in-line cylinder arrangement and a 16-valve gas distribution mechanism, developed power of 54 hp. at 6400 rpm, the largest torque 6.4 kg/m at 4400 rpm.
Car price: 987 thousand yen.
Technical characteristics of the car Subaru Stella Custom RS:
Length 3395 mm x width 1475 mm x height 1645 mm.
Wheel base: 2360 mm.
Machine weight: 890 kg.
Drive: on the front wheels
Engine: a working volume of 0.66 liters, a 4-cylinder with an in-line cylinder arrangement and a 16-valve gas distribution mechanism, forced intake of the Super Charger type with an intermediate air cooler, the developed power of 64 hp. at 6000 rpm, the largest torque is 9.5 kg/m at 4000 rpm.
Machine price: 1 million 396.5 thousand yen.
  

A source: Webcg.net