Test drive UAZ Patriot 2005-HB SUV
On the slope of the stone stamp
A small stone slipped out from under the wheel, and I froze. The rustle of a crumbling breed flew into the open window. Inside, as if something was curled up into a small ball. With another half a minute he sat motionless; Two hearts, mine and cars, worked in unison ... PHOTO FOR MEMORY
So close to the abyss will never drive back, even for the sake of the photo. UAZ Patriot, whom I met in the mountains of the North Caucasus, pushed to a careless act. You know, an intelligent small one.
Correspondence acquaintance with the car took place for a long time (ZR, 2005, No. 3, 6). And the fact that the changes in comparison with the predecessor Simbir knew a lot. But how did the plant dispose of imported components, which gave the modernization of production, will the results of the argument with the engineering company Prodrive be visible? The car itself should answer these questions.
Hey buddy! Are you satisfied with yourself? .. The motor rummaged quietly, climbing into another gravel rise. The sound of the engine now has become quieter and noer, probably satisfied.
On the mountain roads, it is a sin not to evaluate a convenient steering wheel and imported hydraulic power steering, a new gearbox and better sound insulation. As, however, it is difficult not to notice the vibration of the steering column during the passage of the puffin. The factory workers say that they were able to significantly reduce it, but they still had something to work on.
Being familiar with the previous model, he feared that the cooling system could not cope with high loads in the mountains glanced at the temperature indicator, sniffed. Fortunately, it was not the smell of antifreeze, but only the sound of an additional electric fan.
So, mastering, I came across pleasant (with rare exceptions) little things that were not there before. It was thought that Patriot became extremely close to a universal car, and not purely utilitarian, which we used to see any representative of the brand. And
although the off -road does not scare him, the Patriot will most likely spend most of his life on the asphalt. Yes, by the way, he is. Herring on a serpentine
A small, one hundred and fifty meters, a straight section allowed the truck to overtake, and until the next one can break away again. The Korean box Dimos (Dymos) counts the programs, and we are discussing with the colleague what we like in the car and what should be repaired for.
The main reason for praise is just a named unit. It not only allows you to quickly sort through the gears up, but, which is especially important in the mountains, it easily turns on, allowing the engine to slow down on any descent. I do not remember another domestic car, where at a speed of 40 km/h the first, and the second gear would turn on 80 km/h.
The most serious claim to the steering of the patriot. It is generally much better and more precisely than that of Simbra, but the steering wheel decisively does not want to return to zero reactive effort is almost absent. Perhaps the lack of could be corrected by slightly reducing the gear ratio. And the steering wheel would become sharper. And here is the next truck, again to the half.
Look that there is back in the ceiling (I do not want to spin behind the wheel, so I look in the mirror). Large, the size of a book ventilation hatch-exhaust.
And long handrails above the fifth door for those who sit on folding benches in the trunk.
The Ulyanovsk people did not save on trifles in the back of the central tunnel were installed by deflectors for passengers of the second row, the front seats and space under the rear were closed with plastic casings. Glue are clearly fixed (not yet
the pillows, there are two of them), the doors gently close, the upholstery and armrests look better. In the meantime, I again have the opportunity to overtake I suggest that the motor work hard. It was more complicated to circumvent a sort of sausage on the rise than in straight sections, so at the beginning and at the end of the maneuver I had to rotate a couple of times. I immediately remembered the gas -filled shock absorbers modernized for the sake of handling of the front suspension, lightweight to three sheets of springs from behind. After all, this is no longer a lot of Simbir with his deep rolls with quick work by the steering wheel. It is far from modern SUVs, but what you compare with them already well. However
When you tune, like a tuning fork, in a different way, the impressions are changing again. I would like to have modern chairs, a comfortable platform under the left leg, another steering wheel, which has already been mentioned. Although the pedal node has undergone changes, the brakes remained old (at least it seems). On a significant part of the course, the pedal almost does not resist, and only then you feel the effort, and the machine slows it down accordingly. The inhibition process is, as it were, two -stage first choose a move, then dose the effort is perhaps, it is worth returning to the previous tonality.
The price segment There is no doubt that in a niche up to $ 15 thousand, the market received a strong player. A large all -terrain vehicle, with 20% of imported components (including gearbox), quite decent behavior on the highway and good geometric cross -country ability. This is not a foreign car, but no longer UAZ in the usual understanding for most. It was without reason that he turned into UAZ, the manufacturer writes his name Latin: Patriot.
Now we have a 2005 model year’s car, still without ABS and airbags, but all this is provided for by the design. Work continues on the cooling system and steering, engine systems and climatic options. The next year, air conditioning will appear by car. And cheers! Diesel is promised. In a couple of years, an option with an independent front suspension will be available, and there, you look, and the pickup will be reached. I knock on wood ...
What today? They promise unprecedented hard quality control, they say that everything is galvanized from below, and the final system is generally from stainless steel (I can confirm). The plant announces a very attractive guarantee for 2 years or 50 thousand km of run. What will be reliability? In two days, a heavy dough for a car and approximately 450 kilometers have burned out one fuse. If such a nuisance is the largest in the fate of each patriot, the plant can be proud of a reputation.
Alexander Budkin
Source: The magazine "Driving"
