Test drive Volkswagen Bora 1998 - 2005 sedan

Mozart and Salieri

Do not believe Pushkin in fact Salieri in life and did not offend the fly! Even a wonderful composer was known: among his students Beethoven and Liszt. The only problem is that Mozart was a little more talented. This gave the Russian classics a reason to fantasize on the topic of poisoning. Just a little, the sparks of God, for a long time, was not enough for the Ford model of the escort to shift from the throne of the European class with Volkswagen-Golf. For almost a quarter of a century, the German car turned out to be a little more reliable, a little more comfortable, a little more original and therefore always went out the winner in the dispute for the hearts, and most importantly, the wallets of customers.
But times have changed. The escort was sent on a well -deserved rest, and the newcomer - model focus, was already involved in the fourth generation of golf. The European automobile press, until that moment tired of the singing praises of the Teutons, choked in a storm of delight - finally, an equal opponent appeared at Volkswagen. Today, the focus was completely the best -selling car in the world. What a deafening success after so many years of stay on the second roles! Moreover, the blue oval has every chance to develop its offensive - this fall, the first Russian tricks will be made at the plant near St. Petersburg. Togo and look the segment with the golf, they will be renamed the focus class. Or is it too early yet?
To answer this question, we decided to reduce the rivals in a full -time dispute. Mindful of the long-standing attachment of our fellow citizens to the sedans, they opted for the three-bobbin-focus and Volkswagen-Brown, which is nothing more than a golf with a separate trunk.
   
The original catchy design is not a hindrance to superbly located controls and well -readable devices
      
   
The standard Ford's radio looks somewhat alien against the background of an unusual dashboard. But managing it is very convenient
    
Design is a thin matter
It is difficult to imagine two more different cars. Three years ago, the focus with his aggressive-appropriate style New Edge simply shocked the audience. After the calm, completely deprived of the avventurism of the escort, the current riot of lines seemed a challenge to traditions. Today, however, the appearance of the focus no longer forces pedestrians to look around. No, he was not outdated, but definitely became familiar, stopped falling out of the system. Moreover, against the backdrop of a shocking enthusiasm of the three-door hatchback, the classic sedan looks somehow slightly awkward. For some reason, his waist line is great resembles a volvo-S40, and the decorative pads covered with chromium on the radiator grille and the trunk lid cause a smile akin to the fact that new Russian, hung with gold chains, receive.
Bora is more solid and at the same time more sporty. Yes, and the name for the sedan itself, the Folkswagen marketers picked up the appropriate. Indeed, in honor of the Mediterranean cold wind of the boron (stress on the last syllable) in the early 70s, Mazerati’s sports compartment, which was no less than Ferrari, was named. To the compartment, of course, the German is far away, but the breed is certainly felt. It is no accident that it was Bora who became the first classic sedan on the basis of golf, which can be considered beautiful. Previous attempts by Wolfsburg - remember Jetta or Vento - ended unsuccessfully. In all business, the elliptical headlights were replaced by rectangular, and the trunk was blinded short and high.
Nevertheless, it is difficult to prefer this or that machine to unambiguously. After all, the design is thin - someone loves the priest, and whoever is the way. Therefore, in the tennis language, the account is still smooth.
 
The double cup holder is perhaps the only luxury of boron in standard configuration

The famous folskwagen purple backlight, in our opinion, is rather effective than effective
          
The magnificent in quality of materials and design, the salon spoils the mourning color scheme.
 
House - full bowl
Salon of inexpensive Volkswagenov - a secret behind seven seals. In the sense that competitors still will not understand how the quality of the materials of the Golf interior is not inferior to BMW, and the cost of the car can be kept within reasonable limits.
Incredibly, the fact - inside Bora, you definitely feel in a car for a class above. Soft plastic is everywhere where the eye is enough, the upholstery of the front racks of pleasant villous fabric, the fashionable finish for the carbonate on the central console and door handles - beauty! And here is a microlift - a mechanism that neatly returns the handles over the doorways to a non -working position, a polite backlight, patiently waiting until the owner removes the telephone and ignition key in the case, original cup holders emerging from the central console. Begless, of course, but very much, you see, pleasant. The assembly quality outside of suspicion - jewelry tolerances of gaps inspire the unshakable confidence that nothing will sag in the cabin and in ten years, will not cry out, not break off.
What could they contrast German thoroughness and quality on Ford? For the most part, fiction and imagination. Unlike the faceted boron lines in the focus - a carnival of geometry: ellipses, triangles, oblique lines and sharp corners. As if a playful child scattered a mosaic, and then in a hurry he collected it back. However, the still still turned out to be good. In addition, all service buttons and switches at hand. And here is a pleasant surprise - it turns out that the focus is not only tailored, but also sewn no worse than Volkswagen! To say the same thing about the escort would be ashamed, probably, even the most ardent apologist for the blue oval. There would still be richer in upholstery materials, and there would be no focus price.
But even in the back seat, the advantage of Ford looms, as they say, in full height. At least, having adjusted the eighty -five driver’s chair for my meter, I sat in the back without any problems - well, did I crush the ceiling a little. In Volkswagen, I felt as infringed as uncle Tom in my hut - it presses the ceiling, it is impossible to bring my knees, and nothing in the shoulders of the air is nothing.
    
What is how much?
Cars of approximately the same cost visited the test in the limousine. But how the configurations of two sedans are radically different! For $ 16,750, Ford gives the most expensive version of the GIA, as evidenced by the nameplate on the door racks. And this means that the air conditioning, a full electric packet, heating of the windshield and front seats, the central lock with remote control, will not have to pay extra. Ford dealers also offer a preferential installation of a special package, including 15-inch alloy wheels, an audio system with a CD changer, alarm with a volume sensor. For all this wealth instead of the usual 2000 cu They ask for only 800. In addition, the blue oval actively promotes its Ford program on credit, which allows organizations and private individuals to purchase cars in installments.
Bora, who visited the test, is estimated at $ 17,490. It is a shame to say, but for this money in the Volkswagen there is not even front electric windows! Differences and the basic version, which are directly naked in equipment, got into the installation of air conditioning ($ 1145) and the so-called winter package ($ 420), including the headlight washer with nozzles, heating the front seats, as well as an indicator of fluid levels in the glass-shaped tank. If you want to see a boron in the configuration a la focus, then get ready for a price for 20 thousand. As they say, feel the difference.

Let's go, beauties, ride!
But the seats are fitted, the belts are fastened, the program is turned on - it's time to go. By the way, it is more convenient to switch the programs in Volkswagen - the moves of the lever are short and clear. In the focus of the wings 1-3 and 2-4 programs are located too close to each other-it is easy and mistaken.
The previous three generations of golfs, admitted, have never been distinguished by outstanding running qualities. And this despite the fact that it was Golf-GTI in 1978 that became the founder of the class of hot hatchbacks. Engineers from Wolfsburg seemed to hint that Volkswagen is a car for the owner, and not for an active driver. Acceleration-converting-renewal-installation. And no forms there, no aggression! But the last generation turned everything upside down. The four more than any other golf gives the driver the pleasure of driving. And Bora does it even better.
A modified rear suspension and improved due to the appearance of a separate trunk, the weightlifting allow you to be naughty in corners. Sports both in execution and in the sensations of the steering wheel is a little heavy at parking speeds, but you will not regret this in vihi, where information content does not cause problems. With an increase in the speed of the boron, it demonstrates the predicted and easily adjustable insufficient rotation, and under the discharge of gas, the restoration of the trajectory occurs quite smoothly. A very reliable and understandable character, but still the Germans are far from the focus.
    
 
According to the creators of Bor, this is not just a golf with a trunk, but a sedan with a claim to sports. It is not surprising that this affects the price

Only the driver and passenger of the first row will be able to sit in Volskvagen
 
The key to the magnificent manageability of Ford, which is said so many words and so many advertising is removed, are, first of all, the general rigidity of the structure and an independent rear -parting suspension control of Blade. You will have to believe the word, but it fully justifies its extravagant name (controlled blade) and literally cuts turns. It looks as follows. As soon as the front end begins to take the turn, that is, at the first sign of demolition, the control of Blade corrects the rear wheels, and the car is literally screwed into the turn. Great! True, you will have to get used to the independence of the rear suspension, because it does not enter the work in the most critical situations.
The retreat for the sports control of the focus has become a more rigid suspension setting. There can be no two opinions here - Bora provides noticeably better smoothness. At the same time, Volkswagen does not even think to roll in corners or sway on gentle waves. And although Ford losing is noticeable, nevertheless it cannot be said that this is very annoying to passengers. As for the driver, he probably will probably not like the motor in Ford.
 
 

The focus sedan is outwardly completely devoid of aggression. However, acute suspension settings give out a sporting nature. Shards Shark Plavnik headlights become a proprietary feature of European Fords

Comfort in the rear seat of the focus on the four with a plus. Until a great score, it was not enough just a little, namely air at the level of the head

 
Savings should be
The European press, and the Fords themselves have not been argued more than once or twice that the 1.6 -liter four of the new Cetete series (Zetec) is one of the most successful engines of the company. Excellent thrust, progressively increasing with rpm growth, good sound insulation, lack of vibrations, wonderful fuel economy - and this is all about it. Well, we are ready to subscribe to all points, with the only exception - excellent traction.
You feel the catch almost immediately - the problem is to move in the hill, the motor needs to be twisted as much as 2500 rpm. And a more or less noticeable pickup begins somewhere behind a mark of 3500 revolutions. What a poor bottom here! After half an hour, there is no doubt left - the engine is simply strangled. Subjective sensations were confirmed on the highway of the Dmitrov Auto Polygon, where the focus could not overcome the 40 percent rise. A shame! Weak and accelerated dynamics - 13.9 seconds to hundreds, are only two tenths of faster than nine. And it’s not easy to nimble in the road stream: to get into the planned opening, you have to switch to a reduced gear more often than I would like to. Depressing and acceleration in higher gears. Acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h on the fifth takes away as much as 33.5 seconds! The normal indicator for machines of this class is 18-20 seconds. With such data, overtaking becomes extremely troublesome.
The mysterious thoughtfulness of the motor, however, has a completely earthly explanation. According to Ford’s representative office, all Russian tricks are equipped with an engine control chip designed for 91st gasoline. Well, now everything is clear.
After the focus of Bor, it seems like a rocket. And despite the fact that the 8-valve 100-horsepower Volkswagen motor is about to retire. But the old man carefully hides his age - in the first gear, the German immediately digs the earth under him, very good and dynamic the second. Only then the engine, as if obeying the laws of logic - 1.6 liters are still not three or even two and a half - cools its ardor. Looking at the measurement results, we were surprised: up to a hundred Borus accelerated in only 12.9 seconds. It feels like it is much faster. On the high -speed direct Volkswagen, perhaps not instantly, but quite confidently gained 180 km/h, about which those sitting in the cabin, only at the speedometer arrow.
It should be noted that the German car is equipped with disc brakes of all the wheels, while the focus from the back of simple drums. Do you think the rear discs not too powerful sedan do not need anything? Well, in vain. It is much more convenient to control the slowdown in the boron, the pedal is more informative, and most importantly, the braking distance at a speed of 100 km/h is three meters shorter. Add to this a lower tendency of disc brakes to overheating and you will understand why the Volkswagen driver feels a little more confident.
 
The hood of the focus is locked on the key, which creates additional difficulties to the hijacker

The eight-valve Volkswagen, despite its age, will still give odds to more modern competitors' motors

      
 
Think for yourself, decide for yourself
And yet, was the eternal contender worthy of the throne? After a small pause - remember the strangled motor and mediocre dynamics - let's say yes. In the focus, talent, God's spark, if you want. After all, the only thing Bora objectively exceeds it is as a finishing materials of the salon. But Ford is noticeably cheaper. True, there is an important subjective factor here. The focus gives the impression of a very solid, extremely spacious for the segment from a compact car. Bora seems to be a little reduced by the Passat. What do you like - decide for yourself, and with the renaming of the golf class, it seems that it is worth it to wait for a time.
 
Ford Focus
Per
Competitive price,
spacious salon,
good assembly quality,
excellent handling,
fuel economy
Against
Strangled motor,
a harsh suspension
 
 
Volkswagen-brow
Per
Feeling a big car
good dynamics
good smoothness,
confident brakes
 
Against
High price,
scarried level of basic equipment
 
 
Mikhail Medvedev, photo Maxim Goncharov

 

Source: Magazine "Limousine" [04/01]