COMPANIES AND MARKETS
/ CHOOSE WITH MIND
JEEP FOR "MIDDLE" RUSSIAN
CHEAPER? IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU COMPARE IT TO
TEXT / SERGEY VOSKRESENSKIY
PHOTO / Igor Tverdunov
Choosing a car is a hot topic for everyone who intends to buy it. As the financial capabilities of our citizens increase, the choice of “auto for yourself” is noticeably expanding towards more expensive models. Of course, there is a fashion, an idea of prestige (someone evaluates you according to what you arrived at), and also your own “I”, which determines car likes and dislikes. This time it was decided to try himself in the role of choosing the “right” off-road vehicle wisely.
WHAT TO CHOOSE?
Today, a real jeep should be big, black, angular and must come from Germany. It used to fuss on the “Cherokee”, “wranglers” and other “little things”. Now in special honor "Mercedes-G500" and even with the nameplate Brabus or AMG. You’re going on this, consider it as “dad”: everyone respects respectfully, just not to interfere. Well, if you have the right numbers (for $ 2000–3000) with the coveted combination of o … oo and passes with an eagle and a tricolor in half the windshield, only mountains can be cooler, and only sky above.
All this is great, but, alas, not for me, as, incidentally, not for me the very respected now dimensionless “Americans” or “Japanese” “only” for 60, 000 “greens”. Here you need something simpler, affordable, but all sorts of "SUVs" such as "Honda" or "Toyota" - this is not serious. They are small, solid, and a snowmobile or a water bike cannot be dragged away for such. In general, I thought and decided to stay at “Mitsubishi Pajero Sport /”> Mitsubishi Pajero Sport.”And it looks rich and goes -“Sport”after all. He dismissed the cheapest ($ 29, 900) diesel versions right away: for all that money a stylish motor - thank you! But a gasoline 177-horsepower V-shaped “six” paired with a four-speed “automatic” will do, and if you don’t miss the leather interior and chrome trinkets, the car will pull 37, 500 “green” ones. It seems that money is a technique.
FOR PEOPLE AND SUITCASES
The car is kind of healthy, but the combination of a high raised (frame structure after all) floor and low doorways is something. It is risky to fly here from the start, on the contrary, you need to gradually and smoothly bring the body in, enveloping all possible obstacles. However, sitting down, you feel great. Long seat cushions, resilient, well-shaped backrests, separate heaters front and rear - what else is needed for long trips or trips out of town? Yeah, of course, the trunk. If here you get used to the level of the floor, starting somewhere at the chest level, otherwise everything is very good: even surfaces, a soft, easily removable curtain. Of course, the trunk is a bit small, but you can expand the back seat. And then…
"PAGERO" IN THE CITY
In winter, but in snowfalls, but in the city - there is no better jeep than a car. On the road, everyone respects me, you can not be careful when maneuvering and rebuilding - a sufficiently high-torque motor allows you to "jerk" when necessary. The considerable dimensions of the car almost do not bother: high landing, simple shapes, surfaces without excessive bulges - the machine, like a sharpened dagger, easily penetrates the traffic flow. The only thing you need to get used to is that the “excess” of the body length interferes with parking. At first, you have to pretty turn your head, squeezing into the turned up gap. Large exterior burdock-mirrors and good visibility help out.
SPORT ON THE HIGHWAY
Oh, it’s not in vain that I abandoned the diesel version! Even a three-liter gasoline engine is not perceived on this car as something supernatural. In my opinion, the “pensive” automatic box is to blame. "Pajero Sport" is convenient, but leisurely. It confidently reaches the “cruising” speeds of 140-160 km / h, but when overtaking, and just if you want to break away, the power of the car is somewhat annoying - a clear contradiction with the prefix “sport”. The suspension is impenetrable, but harsh: one feels a kinship with the L 200 pickup. Yes, and the steering wheel the car listens somewhat sluggishly, you especially feel it after the passenger car. Although for a real frame-spring "rogue" everything is within normal limits.
FOR RELAX
AND ENTERTAINMENT
Unlike the regular Mitsubishi Pajero, the Sport variant cannot boast of an elite Super Select transmission, which allows not only to use all-wheel drive constantly, but also to mobilize all the capabilities of an all-terrain vehicle, especially without thinking about traffic conditions and speed. The Pajero Sport is equipped with a cheaper Easy Select transmission with a demultiplier and a “rigidly” connected front axle. It allows all-wheel drive only on poor and slippery surfaces. So what? In my opinion, this is even more convenient: the fewer options, the less doubt whether to enable or not. No sooner said than done.
Having chosen a barely noticeable track in the snow virgin snow, I “cut” the front axle and, having paved the “road”, in a few minutes my friend and I are already scaring the fishermen on the ice of the reservoir. "Pajero-Sport" regularly kneads snow virgin snow and how the tank makes its way. True, the car is somewhat wayward in choosing the course and, having bit a bit, is very reluctant to obey the commands of the driver, but it does not matter. You can always make your way to a country house or to the treasured clearing for a picnic. And just to plow open spaces, to slip in a snowy captivity - what is not entertainment?
"PAGERO" BROKEN
Given the current ramification of the Mitsubishi service network, this is not a question, at least in big cities. The service is by no means cheap, but - who buys an all-terrain vehicle from economy? And in general, it doesn’t bother me much. Upon purchase, a one-year warranty was promised without a mileage limit, a tow truck and tireless concern for the technical condition of the machine.
EDITOR THANKS ROLF HOLDING COMPANY FOR THE RENDERED CAR.
Classmates
Land Rover Discovery (1998): The classic five-door all-terrain vehicle. Recently, alas, more and more actively equipped with all kinds of "four-wheel drive" electronics. It comes to Russia with two types of engines: a petrol V8 with a capacity of 182 liters. with. and turbocharged diesel - 138 liters. with. Price - $ 34, 000–38, 500.