Suzuki Aerio (Liana) Sedan 2001 - 2007 sedan

The movement of a new era

New Year comes to Japan 6 hours earlier than in Europe. A new era has come even earlier. Having launched Suzuki Liana on the market, Japanese engineers decided to show all the European people, which should be driven in the new era, deciphering the name of the car as Life in a New Age.

In the presentation of the average European, Japanese cars, like other Japanese technology, designed for the domestic market, a little from the field of fantasy. It is understandable to the Japanese in the new era already stand both legs. The country of the rising sun is able to surprise any unprepared motorist with the frills of his machines with a bold design, a variety of bodies, engines, transmission and still not means to conquer. And therefore, for expansion to Europe, the Japanese traditionally prepare cars more mundane than for themselves.
 
Suzuki Liana replaced the well -known Baleno, inheriting the engine and transmission from it. But the body was developed from scratch, and Suzuki engineers follow the path of increasing the car from the inside, actually creating a compactiven on the basis of the station wagon. Nevertheless, in the Liana factory prospectus it appears as a station wagon.

Outwardly, the car leaves a very favorable impression. Liana, of course, is recognizable, despite the fact that design decisions are not breaking. The slanting block flash of the head light connects the silver strip with the emblem of Suzuki. The back door was almost entirely occupied by a hefty glass, which served as a place for a room, a fog and a back lantern, a decision in the spirit of Japanese station wagons of a decade ago, but looks unusual and modern. The proportions of the car are quite minivan body, and the hood is short. In addition, small triangular windows in the corners of the front doors unequivocally indicate the bus organization of the internal space we will be ready to contemplate the torpedo that is leaving for the horizon.
 
So it is: the front panel has grown in length and, being created from gray plastic, visually makes the salon very spacious. But she pays attention to by no means with this quality. The brightest detail in the cabin knife of the instrument panel on the LEDs, which includes a digital speedometer and a tachometer, like on F1 car. Virtual devices, I must say, are read perfectly, and they are not distracted from the road. True, the tachometer is more likely for beauty, since the gearbox is automatic.
 
The central console crings a square formed by two plugs hiding a place under the radio, ideally two -day. You can safely add a few hundred dollars only in this case, the Liana salon will gain completeness. By the way, the equipment of the car includes wiring and speakers, so installing music will not cause problems.
 
We sit well! This can be said not only by the driver, but also by passengers. The vertical, typically urban, landing does not cause complaints, in addition, the seats are located higher than in an ordinary station wagon, so there are no problems with the visibility of the driver. In fairness, it is worth noting that the tall driver may turn slightly about the insufficient adjustment of the steering wheel in height, I want to raise above, but even with the front seat completely pushed back, a passenger of any height easily fit on the back sofa. And two passengers will fit. And three too, but in this case their communication will become somewhat cramped. We add that with the landing of difficulties in the car, there are no highly located seats allow them to perch on them without any extracts, while maintaining the clothes in pristine cleanliness. Liana’s salon does not indulge in an abundance of hiding places and cup holders, which is somewhat unusual for compactwane of the new era. The soul craves Blinkov, and finds exceptionally modest sizes of boxing on the central tunnel, access to which only the driver and the front passenger have.

From the point of view of Suzuki Liana technology, the car is quite ingenuous to the Russian market is in several versions of execution, which differ mainly by engines. These are 16-valve units with a working volume of 1.3 or 1.6 liters inherited from Baleno. You can choose a transmission: front or four -wheel drive, mechanical or automatic gearbox.
 
Our Liana turned out to be all -wheel drive (with a multi -disc clutch in the rear wheels drive) and with an automatic gearbox with an overdride. Suzuki all -wheel drive is called 4GRip. In the standard traffic modes, the engine torque is distributed in a ratio of 70/30, most of which falls on before the car, which provides the car with front -wheel drive habits. If the adhesion of the front wheels with the road is insufficient, then the torque is redistributed equally between the front and the rear axles.
 
Taking into account a small road clearance (150 mm), it can be assumed that Liana does not need all-wheel drive for rally raids, but for confident movement in conditions of insufficient grip of wheels with the road. Now we will check.
 
Liana cannot be attributed to quiet cars. Firstly, in case of acceleration mode, the gas on the floor from the conversation with the fellow travelers distracts the sound of the engine (the motor itself on the idle is quite quiet). And secondly, with uniform movement at high speeds somewhere in the bowels of the trunk, a low resonant rumble is born, not really, however, straining the ears of the inhabitants of the salon. The volume of the trunk can be increased due to the rear seats, which are laid out in a proportion of 60/40, while at once the free -free headrests are inserted into specially provided grooves in the pillow of the pillow, a very interesting and practical solution.
 
Automatic selector to the Drive position, accelerator pedal to the floor. After a second thought, Liana begins to gain speed. Dependence is revealed: the higher the speed, the more vigorous. Indeed, the characteristics of the motor are such that the maximum torque falls on 4000 rpm. If you want to go quickly, turn the engine. The machine is very initiative and makes decisions on its own and, having its own opinion, does not always agree with the driver in matters of timely gear shifts, the box is clearly imprisoned under a leisurely riding. OK, we agree and slow down. Only now we’ll drive a couple of delicious turns
 
It goes like on rails this is about vihi vihi. Liana controllability is almost neutral: with provocative harsh adding gas, as with a sharp discharge, the car goes to the skidding extremely reluctantly. The intelligible steering has a clear zero and is sufficiently informative, although he does not get sharpness. The rolls are minimal, which is perceived extremely positively, especially with the adjustment to the height of the body. But will the suspension be too hard with measured movement in space?
 
Let's go more deadly. She, the path of Liana! With a leisurely urban ride, the Nordic character of the machine is perceived for granted, and the moment starvation on the bottom is not so noticeable. The suspension behaves with dignity it cannot be called soft, but discomfort is not felt. In addition, there is confidence in her readiness to torture with our roads the car adequately reacts even to serious irregularities. You can relax and talk with passengers.

And then Suzuki Liana will fully correspond to the goal set before her, turning the movement into an element of existence in the new era, reliable, comfortable and moderate-dynamic. Movement Life!

The car was provided by Suzuki-Neva.
During the test, the car is insured ASK Trust.
 
Text: Kirill Brevdo
Photo: Roman Ostanin
 

 
 
 
 

Source: Wheel magazine [No. 56/2002]