Volkswagen Crosspolo test drive since 2010 Minivan

"Kids" in the assortment

With the approach of March 8, the male population of Russia faces a traditional question: what to give a beloved. Abroad, the situation is completely different at all a women's day, so there are presented presentations to wives and friends much more often and for other occasions. And it is not known who is easier. Our men should be shot seriously and for a long time presupposes a special scale, significance and ... price. Of course, everyone has their own opportunities. And if you are in no way able to purchase for your only pretty machine, then this is best done in March.
Of course, the fair sex we can meet almost any vehicle behind the wheel, but, you see, you can see the ladies' head more often in small -class cars than in solid full -sized sedans or massive jeeps. There are several explanations. This is the maneuverability of nimble low -profiles, and the miniature forms of the drivers themselves, and the fact that the wife of the wife, as a rule, is the second car in the family. The more affordable price of such a baby, as well as the significantly lower cost of her maintenance, plays an important role.
That is why, among the whole variety of models, we have chosen three European -made hatchbacks of a market segment V. These are five -door, well familiar Volkswagen Polo and Fiat Punto, and only the three -door Peugeot 206. For the cleanliness of the experiment, the option with five doors would be more suitable, but There was no such car in Moscow at the time of the test.
All three cars, unlike many modern-graders, have stable sales in Russia, and dealers, trying to hold the sale value at an affordable level, are unlikely to throw a lot to the cost.
Most of the most important parameters and characteristics of machines sizes, weight, engines and layout almost coincide. All the main trends in the last twenty years in this class are reflected in tested cars with exhaustive completeness. The engine with a transverse location leads the front wheels, the front suspension of MacPherson. As a rule, the design and layout of the nodes, as well as standard equipment, satisfy the principle of reasonable sufficiency.
There is no need to expect the application of ultramodern solutions here (at least because of low prices), but the appearance of models can be called, at least, fashionable and original.
Outside
Each of our three heroines today has its own unique look. Fiat, which released Punto in 1993, is replacing the outgoing UNO, clearly collects a good harvest in Europe. I’m not afraid to say that it is the small -leafing of the Fiat Horse, which accounts for the lion's share of sales of the Italian concern. The VW Polo, which replaced the previous generations, retaining its name, has grown somewhat (a typical phenomenon for all classes and models in recent years) and now has the external parameters of the first golfs. According to the exterior, the car largely repeats the Golf IV style in a reduced version. Well, PEUGEOT 206 continues to completely continue PCA’s policy to replace models in each of its classes while maintaining the appearance of the entire range. The recently passed a wave of presentations in all its glory presented the innumerable advantages of the 206th compared to the previous, 205th car of 1982, also warmly beloved French, and not only them. The appearance of the 206th more than others crashes into memory. So, the hollow windshield, almost turning into a short inclined hood, makes the body almost single-luminous, and the slanting block-framents that are far-clowning on the wing do not bring any associations with the Asians. Competitors of Peugeot, despite the worked out family design, still look more modest, although the point (as Punto translates) received the 1995 car title.
Inside
The salon of each of the three cars is combined in different ways. The spacious Puntovsky allows you to sit at the back and three, and your legs will not have to be squeezed if people of medium height are sitting ahead. Fiat with Peugeot will not give such an opportunity: a place for the legs behind is great, and, frankly, there is almost nowhere to put them.
The driver and passenger on all three models feel free and spacious, as far as the class B genre itself allows. If you adjust all this to a women's company, then four or five girlfriends or a young mother with their children can move without problems in our distant three at any distances .
The front seats did not like Peugeot their outlines are not rectangular, as is customary, but semicircular, if you look from above. It looks pretty, but the background under his knees is clearly insufficient, especially if your height exceeds 170 cm. But the seats themselves in the three -door version immediately move forward along with the tilt of the back, remembering (!) The original position. Back access is beautiful. If you throw forward a passenger pillow forward, then, firstly, a small duffel box will open, and secondly, in this position the back can be laid absolutely horizontally. As a result (in combination with the folded rear row of seats), the volume of transported cargo in Peugeot is more than that of the middle class cars, and a long baggage (up to 220 cm) will be perfectly located, and one passenger will also sit behind the driver. By the way, the trunk themselves, despite the external miniature, are quite acceptable, especially in Punto three good suitcases will easily enter there.
The most advantageous position in the number of small containers and pockets in Peugeot. Only the Frenchwoman has a glove compartment of a normal human size. Torpedo has a good excavation with high burns, and in wide doors two pockets each. Yes, and at the handbrake you can throw a couple of small things Explicit concern for Madame and Mademoiselle. The German and Italian do not indulge in such a set.
The ventilation and heating control is made according to the most logical scheme with three rotating handles and is equally convenient in all three machines.
All models in our configuration have a steering column adjustable in height. Only Peugeot in the standard puts an amazingly compact eirbeg, covered with a casing of a casing with a small silver lion cub. It is at the same time care for drivers around the world. (The fact is that the beep button in cars intended for the French market is traditionally located in the end of the left steering wheel switch.)
Both the 206th and the point are equipped with front electric windows, however, the Fiat control keys are more convenient on the driver's door, and not between the seats, where you are looking for to the touch each time. But French glass runs up and down much more vigor than sleepy Italian.
But the landing behind the wheel and the instrument panel are completely different in the entire trinity. Polo has hard German seats with only two adjustments. The location of the steering wheel and pedals does not cause complaints, but they clearly saved here on the decoration. You can’t explain this links to the class, because competitors have all the internal design much richer. In the PEUGEOT salon, this is a massive black torpedo, consisting of semi -armed. Fiat is more traditional, but it is far from asceticism. Puntovskoye, regulating in four planes, the driver's seat was especially pleased. The review of all three cars is magnificent, but, unfortunately, the hoods of the hood from the driver's seat are not visible. The rear wide racks, due to the low length of the salons, do not fall into the zone of mirrors.
   
Summing up the first results, let's say that the French interior seemed to us the most modern, Italian is the most convenient, and German ... the most German.
The ignition locks were slightly surprised. In the 206th castle, the steering column is located too deep in the casing, and the key is inserted at an angle uncomfortable for the hand, and on the Punto the key is almost rested on the driver’s right knee and, in the event of even a nonsense, will surely injure the leg.
In move
With the apparent proximity of parameters, cars behave differently. The accelerated dynamics does not fascinate, although the most seemingly low -power Volkswagen, at first, takes away much more frozen than others. And then other participants are easily arranged, which is associated with the setting of engines. The maximum power is achieved in Peugeot and Fiat at higher speeds, which seems to us to be preferable for this class. Although a calm driver will like switching in the range of 2.53.5 thousand rpm. And here Polo presented a surprise to stick the first gear from the Germans far from the first time, it was more convenient to turn on the second first, and only then transfer his hand forward. How ladies will cope with this, I don’t even know. The experts, however, assured us that after the running -in everything would fall into place, but why does the box work easily and clearly on our other cars taken from scratch?
The most convenient in the steering wheel seemed to us the same VW, by the way, not equipped, unlike competitors, by a hydraulic wiper.
It seems that even weak women will not seem excessive on the steering wheel, especially considering that a clear connection with the road will constantly maintain. Apparently, this is facilitated by the smallest wheels 155-13. Peugeot and fiat have fourteen discs, and rubber wider.
The French car also steer well, but hard springs are much more conveyed by all the bumps of the road. At the same time, the plastic salon creaks slightly. The Italian version of the energy -intensive suspension and a high road clearance seemed optimal to us are most suitable for our conditions. On the VW there is a big risk of clinging the curb with a low -range front bumper.
In parking, the most liked Fiat he had the smallest radius of the turn.
In the city stream, a small machine always has its advantages. Even if you are not missed by self -propelled owners of expensive cars, you can seep through the smallest gaps between neighbors in a dense movement the advantage is not the most powerful, but the most lady. In suburban spaces, the driver of such a car is unlikely to have a desire to rush headlong. After 70-80 km/h, the noise of wind and motor increases, and the stability of the light crew decreases. In general, let our women travel around the city.
If you happen to pierce the wheel, then on the Polo and Punto the reserve is traditionally placed under the rug in the niche, and on the 206th under the trunk of the trunk (the spare wheel of the Frenchwoman is also a narrow doktka). With our dirt, the driver will have to not only ask for help the gentlemen, but also apologize for their stained suit. Although what can you do for the sake of a lady?
What is the end? It would be better if we took a woman's test drive. She would more accurately give us the sensations from driving. But we do not have such a vacancy yet. We, to the extent of the possibilities, overlapping the inferiority complex, honestly skated for three days. And at the end of the program, they even imbued with these babies with some special tenderness.
It is not easy to give advice, but in such a case as a gift, even more difficult. Those who are seduced by an extraordinary design, novelty and the ability to stand out, we will advise you to take Peugeot 206. Those wishing not to advertise themselves, but to get a truly German, and therefore theoretically less brittle car, is intended for VW Polo. Well, practical buyers will not fail by acquiring Fiat Punto, especially since its price is now more than tempting.
Vladimir Smirnov photo Alexander Kolesnichenko

 

 

Source: Cars