Test Drive Volkswagen Crosspolo since 2010 Minivan

Citroen C3 and VW Polo. Play Petank?

Citroen C3. Price: 640 500 rub. On sale: since 2010
VW Polo. Price: 593 000 rub. On sale: since 2010

The Citroen headquarters argue that their new C3 is able to hit the most demanding client. Perhaps this is so. But how to check? Yes, very simple. It just needs to be compared with a classmate of the year. Namely, with VW Polo. Who is, how not he is able to arrange all the points above and!

Test pilots
Oleg Kalaushin, 40 years old, car journalist, driving experience 22 years old, personal car - Renault Logan
Maxim Fedorov, 32 years old, car journalist, driving experience 6 years, personal car - Ford Focus II

Citroenovers are true. What about the new car, and the style is still the same Petanque. Petanque is such a national game in France. The goal of the game to throw a ball as close as possible to another, a larger ball of a cathedral, which is a point of reference. Such a point in 1999 was the C3 concept. Since then, the Citroen throws its C3 as close as possible to the conceptual model, the ball prevailed in whose forms. Is it good? Maybe. But only from the point of view of the layout. Visually, to make a rounded shape of graceful is quite difficult even for the most skilled master. In this regard, the new C3 on the background of Volkswagen Polo looks insufficiently tightened. He is stint, even a few muscular due to extended wheeled arches, but not such a fried as polo. The latter, on the contrary, is too dwelling. And the whole other is also self-confident. Otherwise, why such a look is improber? However, the head of the German Mordach is now excuse to him. As - in no way, the car has become in Europe. But C3 regalia has not yet acquired. And it means, in battle for the consumer, he must have something more than the original appearance.

There is something more perhaps, more this is something that Citroen boasts first. It is not necessary to walk near the machines with a tape measure to understand who prevails in size. C3 noticeably above its German opponent. Not so noticeable, but still present and priority in width. The Frenchman failed only in length. However, and Polo on this indicator passed nearby: the difference is only 2.9 cm. And the wheelbase in cars is almost equal at all. The superiority of C3 on the dimensions allowed him to significantly exceed Polo in the volume of the trunk. With the usual position of the seatbacks in the Citroen cargo volume is 300 liters, while POLO 280. The difference is even more noticeable if the backrests of both cars are folded. In this case, we are already talking about 20 additional liters, but about 168. At the same time, the organization of the luggage compartment itself still liked more in POLO. The presence of a sample, which, if desired, can not be equipped, allows you to contain a trunk in a more tidy state.

In general, the tidiness and organization in POLO manifests itself in everything. Whether ergonomics or selection of materials. The quality elevated to the cult is perhaps so one phrase you can characterize the interior of VW Polo. There is nothing superfluous and much needed. Whether it is a plastic lighting of the second row of seats or hooks for clothes on the ceiling handles. Surprised only a huge ashtray-glass, which you can pull out and put in place. You can only with the position D of a robotic DSG box. Incomprehensible sizes and logic. But, as they say, it happens to the old woman. The interior of Citroen is also not bad, but here the desire will be prevailing, and not to root in preferences. The salon is replete with jewelry, whether it is an arched visor with the lumens or a huge wave-like insert on the instrument panel, imitating the winged metal. The pseudo-alone steering wheel with the surgent of the bottom of the Citroen, taking into account the merits of the Citroen rally team, is quite appropriate. However, the excitement of himself for beauty, the designers completely forgot about the trifles, of which there is something big. Hang a jacket or jacket in C3 is no longer anything. However, they can not be removed from them: the climatic installation will not dwell even in the most hot day.

And what in the machines with a place for passengers? According to this indicator VW Polo and Citroen C3 are approximately equal. There is no special complaints about landing on the first row. As they say, all at the level of world standards. As for the second row, then there is still spacious in Polo (a smaller trunk affects). And first of all it concerns the place for the knees. Yes, and here's another: both for the German, and for the Frenchman, the third rule is quite fair. You can put it there only if you decide to embroil those who will sit for you.

You didn't work out about the comparison of absolutely the same cars. But knowing the love of our compatriots to machines with automatic transmissions, we took a 1.6-liter Citroen with a 4-speed ACP and 1,4-liter Volkswagen with a 7-speed robotic DSG. The difference in the capacity of these motors is quite large, as much as 35 horses in favor of C3, but we still put these cars in one row. They put, leveled and gave the back. As expected, the first hundred I exchanged Citroen, but Volkswagen did not press the nickname in Nigrol. Its result was only worse for a second. It is likely to be on the C3 more progressive box, he would break the Polo, and so insignificant superiority with a significant difference in power. Where the Citroen would have, have Volkswagen commensurate motor motor, and it is difficult to submit. But such a motor on POLO does not put. And sorry, because with his handling he could handle it completely. Citroen is also ruling quite well, but the settings of its electric power reader seemed too loyal. On POLO, the electro-hydroxylider is responsible for gaining the rotational torque. And this prefix hydro allows you to pour the steering wheel with a weight, so necessary for jewelry at high speed: Polo goes along the highway, as if the iron is confident and accurately. But in Citroen more comfort due to the more tolerant to the irregularities of the suspension.


Volkswagen Polo.
The new Volkswagen Polo surpassed its predecessor in dimensions, but this did not prevent him from being 7.5% less by weight. This suggestion is explained simply: high-strength steel applied in the design of the new car, which in turn also did not slow down to affect the strength of the body torsion.

Driving
With such a minor motor volume, the car shows very good dynamic characteristics, at height and controllability.

Salon
Cares high quality performance. However, it is possible to call it spacious with the stretch. The feeling of the elbow is felt in the literal sense of the word.

Comfort
Despite the more stringent settings of the suspension, riding in bad roads does not turn into torture.

Safety
In the database 2 airbags and ABS.

Price
Intelligent.



Citroen C3.
C3 is one of the most compact cars in the classroom. However, this compactness in no way affected the comfort of the driver and passengers. Plus, the car is able to please the owner and a fairly annual trunk. Well, those who lack a charm, can order a huge windshield, smoothly passing into the roof.

Driving
The car shows a good dynamics and a completely moderate fuel consumption, but the suspension deserves the greatest praise.

Salon
Spacious as much as possible within such a small exterior dimensions.

Comfort
Not a limousine, of course, but may well make a passenger, and the driver sophisticated in this matter.

Safety
Four airbags, ABS, ESP Additional option. The price is quite adequate to the image.


Our verdict
There is no dispute, Volkswagen Polo is good and fully deserved the title that he is now wears. The car really succeeded, no wonder on its basis the version of the next, already really folk car, Polo Sedan. However, Citroen C3 is also not bad. According to some indicators, he is always superior to his classmate (capacity, comfort, dynamics). So, he will have a lot of admirers. In addition, Petancu tournaments become popular in our country. And someone, as not the French, there are main consultants there.


Author: Oleg Kalaushin
Photo: Igor Kuznetsov
 

A source: Magazine 5 Wheel [August 2010]