Between UAZ Patriot and Mitsubishi pajero price gap, but SUVs are bought by the same people. They have similar conservative queries: fishing, hunting, roomy and passable car. It's just that some were less fortunate, and others more. Against the background of the rise in prices for foreign cars, many began to give preference to domestic ones - the Patriot is now one of the few models whose sales are growing.
They are almost the same age: production of UAZ Patriot began in 2005, and Mitsubishi Pajero - in 2006. Optics with fashionably drawn corners, garlands of LEDs in the headlights, a new grille and bumper attached to the body, an interior with soft plastic and a multimedia system - after the update, the UAZ Patriot has become very much younger. In any case, now it is not so noticeable that the body with rounded shapes and deep folds along the entire sidewall was painted back in the 1990s. Patriot remained classic frame SUV with fully dependent suspension. In addition, the UAZ also retained the spring-loaded rear suspension with the spring-loaded front. Transmission modes instead of a lever are now activated by a newfangled washer. but four-wheel drive - still uncomplicated part-time with a hard-wired front end. Long journeys on it on hard ground and asphalt are not recommended.
Several minor updates failed to change Pajero's brick-built expression. It generally looks simpler than it actually is. In theory, there should be a ladder-type frame under the square body and at least one continuous bridge under it. But since the last third generation, the Japanese SUV has neither one nor the other. The body is with an integrated frame, and the suspensions are fully independent. The archaic lever on the central tunnel switches modes of the rather advanced Super Select II transmission. She has center differential, allowing to move with the connected front axle on hard surfaces, rear interwheel blocking, and to save fuel, you can leave the drive only on rear axle.
Due to its enormous two-meter height, the Patriot appears disproportionately narrow. Nevertheless, it surpasses the "Japanese" in the width of the cabin, and due to the shorter base it is slightly inferior in the maximum length of the trunk. The gain in ceiling height is not as significant as it might seem when comparing SUVs outwardly. The floor level of the "Patriot" is higher due to the frame passing under it, therefore, getting into the car is not as easy as into the frameless Pajero.
Landing in both SUVs is high and there are no problems with visibility. The Patriot's seat is too close to the door, but comfortable enough to withstand more than one hundred kilometers behind the wheel. With the habitability of the rear compartment, everything is in order - there is a lot of space, and the heater with an additional fan and heated seats is responsible for the microclimate in the Patriot. Pajero has a separate climate control unit that allows you to change the temperature and blowing power.
In a Japanese SUV, the rear seat backrest can be folded back to form a berth. For ease of loading, the sofa can be folded up and placed vertically. The transformation of the UAZ is not thought out so carefully: the seat backs of the new cars lie only forward and form a small difference in height with the boot floor. To spend the night in the car, you will have to unfold the front seats, for a long time turning the knobs of the new stepless backrest adjustment.
Character gasoline engine "Patriot" is unique. It surprises with diesel traction from the very bottom and diesel vibrations. To die out, you need to try very hard. In the first gear, the SUV crawls without adding gas, and on the asphalt you can easily get under way from the second. The engine does not like to spin and after 3 thousand revolutions it noticeably sour, and its fuel appetite grows at the same time. At a speed of 120 km / h, it is uncomfortable to drive because of the noisy engine and specific suspension settings. UAZ is unexpectedly picky about the quality of the road surface - on rolled ruts, an SUV scares from side to side and has to be caught on a whim - the steering wheel is completely insensitive with small deviations. This behavior of the machine takes getting used to.
Under the hood, Pajero is an old-school three-liter V6 engine with a cast iron block, which was also installed on second-generation SUVs. With "mechanics" it is available only in basic configuration, in other versions - uncontested 5-speed "automatic". Like the patriotic 3MZ engine, the Pajero six is \u200b\u200bcapable of running on 92nd gasoline, which is a big plus in the regions. The "Japanese" is more dynamic than the UAZ, but despite its good passport characteristics, the acceleration of a two-ton carcass is not easy for the engine - it takes 13.6 seconds to reach 100 km / h. And you can't call the Pajero the standard of handling either. He is also nervous on the ruts, but in general he keeps a straight line well. The suspension is soft and therefore the car rolls noticeably in corners.
On the highway, if you carefully operate the gas pedal in the case of Mitsubishi and shift gears earlier in the case of an UAZ, the flow rate can be lowered below 12 liters per 100 kilometers. In traffic the numbers on the screen on-board computer begin to grow before our eyes.
The advertisement claims that Patriot has been updated for the city. However, in a competition with Pajero, urban and asphalt disciplines are not as important as an off-road competition. Pajero slightly surpasses Patriot in all geometric parameters. Except that the exit angle let us down because of the long rear overhang. Passport ground clearance "Japanese" is 235 millimeters. With the installation of a steel guard, the clearance is reduced by another centimeter, and the suspension arms end a few centimeters lower.
Patriot's minimum ground clearance of 210 mm should not be misleading - this is the distance from the ground to the differential housings, and another fifteen centimeters to the half-axle housings. The frame, transfer case, gas tank and engine crankcase are located at a height almost unattainable for stones and logs. Pajero in this sense is more vulnerable, since its bottom is more densely packed. In addition, the Patriot, with its continuous bridges, has unchanged off-road clearance. If you are tempted by numbers, then Pajero should follow on the heels of the UAZ easily, but in reality, every now and then it is noticeably applied to the ground by the crankcase. In addition japanese SUV with his comfortable independent suspension It is quite easy to swing - so you need to use the pedals very carefully and carefully plan the route. UAZ takes brute force, a huge moment on low gear and an impenetrable suspension. At the first reduced speed, he crawls uphill literally at idle. But in the case of the Patriot, swoop tactics work more effectively: tight pedals do not allow you to act in a delicate manner.
The strokes of the Patriot's suspension are much greater than the Pajer's, therefore, when hanging diagonally, it must later lift the wheels off the ground and drive higher. But not everything is so simple: Pajero crawls slowly so as not to hit the hill with a beautiful painted bumper. First, on an electronic imitation of locks, biting the suspended wheels with the brakes, and then with a locked rear differential. UAZ, catching the diagonal, stops under the tragic howl of the transmission and drives to the altitude taken by Pajero only with a run. Moreover, having reached the highest point, he stops, helplessly rotating the wheels that have lost their grip, and the "Japanese" tries to cling to the last and crawl up.
But Patriot forces a puddle with a black and very viscous bottom alone - his opponent was stopped at the very approaches, leveling the mud with a crankcase protection. But the UAZ also obeys the obstacle only at a low one, in 4H mode it did not reach the middle of the puddle - it had to get out in a jump, in reverse.
Fights of equal in level fighters are sometimes not as spectacular and dramatic as a fight between a champion and an underdog who suddenly put up serious resistance. The victory on the asphalt remained with Pajero, but on the off-road it was not so convincing. And if Ulyanovsk decides to improve the Patriot's handling, it will certainly reduce the points gap to a minimum, because until 2017 there will be no major changes in the Pajero's design. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Pajero sport in the spring it will change beyond recognition and become overgrown with electronics, Land rover Defender and UAZ Hunter will leave the market, and the fate of Chinese SUVs Great wall and Haval is still foggy.
Patriot can be upgraded to a very serious level through the efforts of authorized dealers. For example, it can be equipped with an interwheel self-block - screw type "Quayf" or with a preload. Either install forced blocking with electric or pneumatic switching. The Tekhincom dealership said that the final price tag depends on the client's needs and financial capabilities. In addition, dealers offer measures to improve the handling of the SUV: equip the Patriot with a steering damper, change the tilt angles of the pivots, and install pivot assemblies with roller bearings or bronze liners. And apparently, they make good money on this. For example, locks will cost 30,000-90,000 rubles, a steering damper - 13,000-17,000 rubles, and pivot assemblies 17,000-24,000 rubles. Additionally, you can soundproof the interior and decorate it with natural wood inserts - 30,000 rubles. per set.
The main advantage of the Russian SUV is its low price, which allows you to spend a lot of money on its revision. Patriot is like a base character in a computer game. The factory equipment rather gives the direction in which the owner's fantasy will move: either the version with leather and music, or with toothy rubber and expeditionary trunk... In any case, the most equipped SUV costs less than a million rubles, and the final amount of additional tuning will be lower than what is now offered new Pajero (from 1,879,000 to 2,219,900 rubles).
Evgeny Bagdasarov
Photo: Polina Avdeeva
I will skip the agony of choosing a car, go directly to the beginning of operation
Bought… Instyle grade, black. From special stages - alarm and rear parking sensors. As a consequence, it turned out that parking sensors are absolutely not required - a rear-view camera is enough for the eyes both day and night. Instyle chose because of the rear diff lock, which makes the Pajero stand out from the crowd.
First impressions: the feeling of a big, serious car, although the handling and the feeling of size did not suffer at all. Much has been written on the topic of Pajero's shortcomings and, as I was convinced, almost all of this is really present, in order of importance:
Strengths:
- Reliability
- Passability
- Interior and trunk volume
Weaknesses:
- Harsh
- Low noise isolation
- Decent fuel consumption
Review of Mitsubishi Pajero 3.0i (Mitsubishi Pajero) 2012 Part 2
Hello! The robot asked to continue - I will continue.
Almost a year has passed since the recall. The tank did not let down, it drove mostly his wife. Maintenance costs only. On the horizon, an annual MOT, since the car is almost worth it, there is not much to write about. My wife's complaints were in size, right now, like I'm used to. I go right now on L200 - compared to Pyzh - not a fountain, Pyzh is much better in everything.
Advantages: a tank - to carry everywhere, regardless of the availability of roads, a salon for basketball, in bad weather security systems work well.
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Review of Mitsubishi Pajero 3.0 4WD (178 HP / 3.0 L / 5АКПП) (Mitsubishi Pajero) 2012 Part 2
Forgot ... Maybe someone else will come in handy. I was very tormented by the question - how is the 3-liter Pajero compared to the 3-liter Prado 150 (diesel which) in terms of comparing diesel with gasoline and in general ... So ... I went for a test drive Toyota after 1.5 years of owning Pajero. I drove on it over the fields and on the asphalt. In the fields, Pajero and me are completely satisfied in terms of cross-country ability, but how a diesel engine behaves on the highway - traction there on the bottom and all that - about what is written all the time - like a 3-liter vegetable, etc.
Sat - landing is lower. The quality of the finishing is subjective at the same level. I was sitting here once in Pathfinder, like in an old cornfield. But not the point ... Let's go ... The manager says to me - let's go straight to the field. Well, in the field, so in the field. Permeability at a decent level - nothing to say. Of course, we didn't go through the swamps, but it was autumn and I know what I'm talking about.
We drove onto the asphalt - the rigidity should be lower, but not to say that it was striking. Another thing is interesting - maybe acceleration is more intense at speeds up to 30-40 km per hour, but after 40 I would not say ... But after 100 Prado does not go ... And there is no legendary diesel traction. And the manager again beckons to the field.
Strengths:
- Honesty
Weaknesses:
- Bumpers are not metal
Review of Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 DI-D (Mitsubishi Pajero) 2008
Before Pajero there were Lancer, Volkswagen Polo, Nissan x-trail... I chose a car for a long time, because in the presence of 3 children of different ages, dogs of different sizes (from a Rottweiler to a small cat), regular 6-8 hours driving around the city during rush hours in the morning and evening and the need to go home every day along the highway outside the city and further along roads rarely cleared from snow in winter. I chose a car by Traid-in between Nissan Patrol (in the old body), Pajero and Discovery.
The spouse voted for Volvo, because himself drives a Volvo xc90. To begin with, I decided to go for a test drive Pajero, and then watch the rest. First impression: you sit very high, the hood is fully visible, side mirrors huge - the full feeling of an aquarium, where you can see any point in the mirrors, accelerates easily, given its weight, the brakes are responsive - it stopped "to the point" on the ice much faster than the x-trail or Volvo, it keeps the road perfectly in the corner (test drive was in February, the icing was decent). In short, the first impression was almost on the verge of delight, especially, the differences became noticeable when after him I sat in a Volvo, temporarily borrowed by my husband, where the mirrors are small and for my 167 cm height, even with the seat fully raised, nothing is visible except the "torpedo" what kind of hood is there.
I stopped at Pajero IV in 2008, diesel, the mileage was a little more than 30 thousand at the time of purchase, the owner was elderly, neat, he only drove to work at home, he packed the car with a ceiling TV with 2 sets of headphones, + a good standard audio system (CD, Mp3 , DVD and navigator in one bottle) and rear parking sensors, we added the front ones (although in fact they are unnecessary, as I said, the hood is visible perfectly), a couple more headphones, the spouse added a couple of "wires" - legitimized the iPhone-iPad with audio auto system (convenient for long journeys watch maps or movies), put a radar and a video recorder - that's all that we have invested in the car for at the moment 98 thousand mileage. No repairs, replacements, etc., even the brake pads were not changed, although they write that they wear out at Padzh quickly, the only thing is that the brakes creak for 60 thousand, I went to the service, they tightened the timing belt and said that it would still serve decently. More than a standard oil change and air filter did nothing. Although my husband loves to go to car services and regularly sends me there at the slightest rustle, but so far with the assurance that "everything is fine with you," they send me home.
Meet the debutant comparative tests Chevrolet Trailblazer; Mitsubishi-Pajero Sport, which has recently undergone a light restyling; updated "UAZ-Patriot" with an electronically-controlled Korean handout, as well as the time-tested, but quite relevant "Great Wall Hover H5". Who will be the most all-terrain and hardy? And which one is better suited for the role of an everyday car?
HOVER PLANE
Since its appearance in our country, Great Wall Hover has been rather positively perceived even by those who disdain Chinese cars. And if the okay body shapes that did not have time to plague the eyes, as well as the pleasant interior with human ergonomics, are the merit of Japanese designers and engineers (the Hover was built according to the patterns of Isuzu-Axiom, which was not officially sold in Russia), then the decent build quality and acceptable reliability, which created a good image of the car, is the undoubted success of the Chinese.
Today "hovers" for Russia are assembled in the village of Gzhel near Moscow, and they differ from the original "Isuzu" updated design the front end and the interior of its own design. However, by the nature of the fit, layout solutions and even fittings (keys, buttons), he refers to the old "Japanese". And that's not bad! The only thing I really wanted to complain about while driving was an unnecessarily hard and flat seat. But the rest is in order.
The rich equipment adds points to the car: leather interior heated front seats and electric driver's seat, multimedia with support for all possible carriers, rear view camera, climate control and heating windscreen.
The latter is especially relevant, since in conditions of high humidity and low temperatures climate control copes with his duties with difficulty, and the glass instantly sweats. It's annoying and strange, because the interior itself warms up quickly.
Despite the shortest in this four wheelbase (2700 mm), in the back row I was able to freely sit behind an almost two-meter photographer, while in the trunk there was a lot of space for our bulky bags. In general, in statics everything is very good, and if you take into account the origin of the car - even good! Shall we ride?
On the asphalt, Great Wall is doing well. Smooth running and noise isolation from the road - at the level of more famous counterparts. Only 136-strong gas engine tediously buzzes when overtaking, accelerating a heavy jeep, to put it mildly, not too fast.
However, is it necessary to go faster, when, at the slightest enthusiasm for speed, a weightless steering wheel with a lack of feedback, and soft suspensions send the car into a deep roll? Don't make the Hover jump over your head! Only then will he please with his friendly behavior, good controllability and pliability of the engine and gearbox. The 5-speed manual lever travels are moderately long and the gear engagement is not bad.
It is no coincidence that we took the version with mechanics for the test. The fact is that only it has a downshift in its arsenal ("hovers" with a machine gun are deprived of it), and in off-road conditions this is important. Which we appreciated in practice, going to the sand pit.
By the way, don't think, looking at the stickers, that this car is specially prepared for off-road marathons. He is the most common, with the exception of those same stickers. Engine, suspension, body, tires - everything is standard. And not the best thing about our quartet. We plunged the Hover into a helpless state much more often than others. The reason for this is the lowest ground clearance in combination with low hanging thresholds, and a weak engine with a modest torque, and relatively small entry angles.
If you do not want to get stuck, it is better to storm serious terrain (of course, soft ground or sand), because at low speed the Hover will sit on its belly much earlier than there is a need for a lowering, which is activated here by a key on the center console. Then you can't do without a shovel or a cable.
Taking into account the lack of cross-axle locks and electronics that could imitate them, we will not recommend the Hover to those for whom off-road assault is not fun, but a vital necessity. And although this car in difficult conditions will go much farther than the average crossover like the X-Trail or Outlander, it will noticeably “merge” to another test participant. I'm talking about the UAZ-Patriot, which costs almost as much as the Hover.
PATRIOT ZEMLI RUSSKOY
Of course, I'm not the first to make fun of writing the model name in Latin, but it really looks funny. "Patriot" even in this aspect is equal to foreign counterparts, trying not to yield to them. I must say, with each new modernization (they have been following with amazing frequency lately), he succeeds in doing this better and better.
The result is yet another - an electronically controlled transfer case, thanks to which the condo lever, which succumbed only to brute force, disappeared from the cabin. In its place is now a compact washer: it connects the front axle and activates the lowering, ratio which increased by more than 30% (from 1.94 to 2.56). Does this mean that the UAZ off-road began to feel even more confident? We settle down in a Korean-made chair, grab the steering wheel of the Japanese-German company Takata, squeeze out an equally foreign LuK clutch and ... go ahead, Patriot!
How wonderful it is to rush through sands, mud and deep puddles with a persistent feeling that there are simply no barriers for the Ulyanovsk all-terrain vehicle! Even without a downshift (in 4H mode), the Patriot perfectly row with all four, and the phenomenal ground clearance (340 mm under the bottom) and short overhangs (hence the large entry angles) will not allow the car to sit on its belly. Despite the less power than that of the "Hover", the torque is slightly higher here, and this is noticeable. After all, even I, an asphalt driver to the core, did not manage to catch the Patriot by surprise.
And as soon as the steering wheel was handed over to our instrument operator and part-time off-road expert Sasha Krapivin, he effortlessly flew onto an almost sheer sand wall. And then, effectively burying in a muddy puddle rear wheels on the upper edge of the disc, got out using a reduction gear. I just didn't like the algorithm for turning it on: the washer needs to be held in the extreme right position for some time, after which the clutch should be squeezed out for a few more seconds. In this case, the gearbox lever must be in "neutral".
And yet, the Patriot won the off-road battle against the main price competitor with one goal - dismantled the Great Wall of China and was like that! But after all, the overall victory depends on a number of variables, and on the asphalt the UAZ falls through with a deafening crash: it prowls on a perfectly straight road even at 80 km / h, and in ruts it unwinds with an amplitude of up to a meter! That the reason is the walking corners of the front wheels, design features steering, leaf spring rear suspension? Or all together? Obviously, there is a lot of work to do with this. Yes, and over the reduction of vibrations and extraneous noise worth conjuring. Of course, with the advent of the Korean transfer case there are fewer of them, however, the lever of the 5-speed mechanics still convulses when driving vnatyag, and on high revs engine itches like abnormal.
Surprisingly, the interior, inherited by the UAZ as a result of last year's renovation, is silent as a partisan! And it looks great. Here, soft plastic is not only at the top, but also at the bottom of the panel, and its installation is much more accurate than on the pre-reform machine. Our "Patriot" already has the options available recently: heated windshield and even the back sofa.
And how much space is there! Alas, not everything is perfect: the ergonomics of the workplace (driving a Patriot is just a job!) Has remained the same - for the fifth gear you have to drag somewhere down and to the right, the clarity of the switch is below average, and how monstrously cute-looking the audio system, which lost most of the radio stations, was worth driving 50 km from Moscow ...
In general, despite the final penultimate place, “Patriot” disappointed rather than pleased. Having become better in individual nominations, globally, he did not learn anything at all. After all, his predecessors, starting from 469, were able to courageously storm off-road, but the asphalt behavior, as it was, remained terrible. The build quality of the body is still lame, the efforts on the external door handles are shocking ... They say that in any business, in order to succeed, you need to love your business, respect your product and give your whole soul to work. Despite notable efforts, the Ulyanovsk people have not yet fully achieved this. Well, let's wait for the next restyling and wish you good luck.
THIS IS THE NUMBER!
I confess, before I met personally, I was biased towards this car. And all because against the background of the previous "Trailblazer" the new generation seemed a step backward. Remember the “American” who held out on the assembly line from 2001 to 2011? It was imperfect: it was equipped with the most powerful (at least 273 hp), but not powered by engines, devoured fuel in decalitres and rumbled with cheap plastic, but it had genuine charisma and was reputed to be a smaller version of the Tahoe so desired by many.
The successor, developed by the Brazilian branch of GM, is aimed at the unassuming markets of third world countries and for this very reason is perceived by many as Cobalt on steroids. At the same time, the price starts from almost one and a half million. What is this money for?
I look around inside - and only strengthen in my skepticism. Oak (but easily washable) plastic, an ordinary radio tape recorder with a monochrome display - and no navigation or a rear view camera. What age are we in the yard? As a consolation: sitting in the driver's seat is very comfortable (against the background of previous characters) - the floor level is surprisingly low for a frame off-road vehicle, the seat profile is good, the width of the Chevrolet's interior is second only to a truly giant patriot one.
In addition, the "Trailblazer" is the only one in the test that offers a third row - as it turned out, it is quite suitable for two passengers of average height. There are even individual air vents on the ceiling!
Finally, the opinion about the car turns from head to foot, it is worth waking up the 180-horsepower (and lifting taxes!) Diesel "four" and go out onto the roads. No joke, 470 N ∙ m of torque! Yes, with such an indicator, even a more than two-ton SUV is simply obliged to have a solid reserve of traction under the pedal - which Chevrolet demonstrates with success. A highly tuned 6-speed automatic, thanks to which the car shoots up to the first hundred, according to the sensations, in nine seconds, plays up to the high-torque diesel engine.
Ask, isn't it scary to drive so fast in a tall frame jeep based on a Colorado pickup? Not at all! The suspensions are perfectly tuned, the rolls are minimal, and the “feedback” on the steering wheel leaves no chance for the opponents. At the same time, the smoothness is the best among the test participants, and there is no unnecessary noise. In a word, on the asphalt "Trailblazer" is a clear favorite of the test. What did I say there about the Brazilian chapter and the developing countries?
Satisfied with the tires of a purely asphalt pattern, the Chevrolet with 275 mm of clearance under the bottom climbs the dunes, if not with the persistence of an UAZ, then almost as confidently. Electronics makes its contribution, imitating the locking of the rear differential (it brakes the skid wheel). Do not forget to turn off the stabilization system. And at first you forget, because the previous competitors did not have it.
Four-wheel drive and downshift are engaged here, as in the UAZ, with a washer on the central tunnel. However, shamanic dances with its extreme positions, squeezed grip and countdown to five are not required. Learn, Ulyanovsk!
Through such an adapter, it is suggested to connect external media. Not the most aesthetic option.
Well, as for the geometric cross-country ability, on the contrary - teach. By permissible angles entrances "Chevrolet" fairly loses "Patriot", which we appreciated on our own experience, it was worth starting to attack the ford, jumping from a small dune straight into the water.
As soon as the spray subsided after passing the next obstacle, it was discovered that the Chevrolet had lost its number. He was corny washed away, and he treacherously hid at the bottom of a muddy puddle, forcing him to spend a quarter of an hour searching. So the shovels came in handy - we tapped the bottom with them. Is the car to blame? If you think about it, not really. However, look at how Pajero Sport's number is fixed: this one will definitely not go anywhere. But will the wise "Japanese" be able to impose the struggle on the ambitious newcomer in everything else?
JAPANESE GOD
This question remained open. Despite an excellent reputation, the "athlete" is noticeably older than his main opponent: if "Chevrolet" debuted exactly a year ago, then "Mitsubishi" has been rolling off the assembly line practically unchanged since 2008.
Of course, the Japanese did not rest on their laurels - all this time the car was gradually improved. The last restyling of Pajero Sport happened just the other day, but here are its results: they installed modified rear optics, re-painted the radiator grille and slightly changed the shape of the front bumper. You won't notice right away! And you can't say that the car began to look fresher and more modern. All the same proportions: in appearance, "Pajero" is still long and narrow ... In general, not for everybody.
The cabin also feels age, although they tried to disguise it with a new multimedia system with touch screen and rear view camera. (What a lack of such a thing in Chevrolet!) True, the plastic of the dashboard in Sport is tough, as in the Trail Blazer. And the main complaint is that, unlike the competitor, the floor level in Mitsubishi is much higher. With a modest lift in the driver's seat and the absence of steering column adjustment for reach (however, the rest of the test participants do not have it either), the landing becomes very specific. But the chair itself is one of the best in the test, and the ergonomics are in order.
Not bad at the back too. The only inconvenience in the second row is the high (again!) Floor, forcing tall people to assume the lotus position. The chassis of the "Japanese" is not as assembled as that of the "Chevrolet": the rolls are more, the reactions to the steering wheel are less distinct, moreover, the steering wheel makes more than four revolutions from lock to lock, so even in high-speed drafts it has to be turned at large angles. However, do not think that Pajero Sport is poorly managed. According to this indicator in our quartet, the "Japanese" is second only to the "Trailblazer", while in terms of acceleration dynamics it is quite comparable with it, and the minimal difference that we could feel is on the conscience of the slower machine. By the way, in the Mitsubishi hydromechanics there is one step less - only five. It turns out that while the old-timer of the market is quite a bit, it is inferior to Chevrolet.
Will it play off-road? There are prerequisites for this! Firstly, "Pajero Sport" is the only one in the company that allows you to forcibly lock the center and rear differentials. Secondly, the short front overhang provides it with an even greater approach angle than the Patriot. And finally, the test specimen is shod with more toothed tires than the Chevrolet (also standard).
How stubbornly Mitsubishi walks through mud and sand is truly amazing. As in the UAZ, in most situations, the help of a lowering is not even required. And if you decide that you cannot do without it, just select the desired transfer case lever mode. Unlike the previous Patriot, in Mitsubishi this procedure does not require any effort - put the machine selector into neutral and move the lever with at least two fingers. True, it is difficult to discern the mode diagram on the knob - such vibrations shake it.
But in general "Pajero Sport" off-road is a delight! Oh, it would be interesting one day to compare UAZ and Mitsubishi, shod in the same tires!
UPWARDS
The degree of underbody protection is a burning issue for such cars. It directly depends on whether you break through the crankcase or a gas tank somewhere in the wilderness, or get home without any problems. We studied the cars from below and came to the following conclusions.
The engine, transfer case and gas tank of the Hover are covered with steel sheets:
And that's wise! After all, the clearance under the engine protection is only 180 mm.
The Patriot units are practically devoid of protection, the only cover for them is the cross member of the stretcher and a small metal shield:
The electric motor of the new UAZ transfer case looks vulnerable:
you hit a stone - and that's it! Here, and a clearance of 215 mm will not help.
"Trailblazer" is protected conscientiously:
the engine, transfer case and tank are hidden behind steel armor. The minimum ground clearance is 210 mm for engine protection.
Pajero Sport does not lag behind Chevrolet in terms of protection level, and its clearance is even higher - 215 mm:
WHO IS THE DARWIN AWARD?
Even the creators of almost flawless cars often commit ridiculous punctures. They were also found in our four.
We give the first place in the hit parade of absurdity to "Chevrolet": in a car with the price of 1,777,000 rubles. there was no heated front seats. The incident is due to the fact that initially the production of cars was established in Thailand, where there is no need for "heating pads". And for some reason, marketers forgot to change the package bundle for Russia. However, according to the promises of the company, in 2014 this option will become the base for all versions.
Without hesitation, we give the second place to UAZ. Backdoor, swinging open on the Japanese model to the road, is still with him, and there is no explanation for this phenomenon. Maybe in Ulyanovsk they park on the opposite lane?
Bronze medalist - "Hover". In this case, the claims are only to our specimen: the decorative threshold is very slippery, you run the risk of falling, stepping on it. Well, if not in a puddle.
Mitsubishi: the car with the richest multimedia filling and navigator does not give out the trip computer data? Nonsense, gentlemen! And also touched by the plug-indicator of the disabled passenger airbag with Cyrillic "Pillow pass."
That's who the true patriot is!
SEAT
The Hover's seat is the worst in the test - hard and flat. But there is an electric drive.
The Korean armchair "Patriot" - with a good profile, but the ergonomics "leaves much to be desired."
It's good in Chevrolet: both the chair is comfortable and the geometry of the landing is right. But where is the heating ?!
The Mitsubishi seat is excellent, but the high floor makes it difficult for tall people to find a fit.
DRIVING FOR ADVENTURE
Transmission design Hover H5 depends on the type of engine and gearbox. Have diesel versions with an automatic machine, the traction between the axles is distributed by an electronically controlled clutch, and the mode is selected (2H or AWD) using the buttons on the console. In 2H mode, all torque is fed back, while in all-wheel drive configuration, torque can be fed to both the front axle and the rear. The required ratio (from 0: 100 to 50:50) in this case will be selected by the electronics. Such "hovers" have no crawler gear.
"Great Wall" with mechanics differs from "automatic" in that the front axle is connected rigidly. There is no clutch and, accordingly, there is no active distribution of the moment along the axes, but there is a reduction gear. The driver selects the driving mode (2H, 4H and 4L) also using the keys. There is no forced inter-axle blocking, as well as inter-wheel blocking.
A similar scheme for "Patriot"... The only difference is that the modes (2H, 4H and 4L) are selected not with the keys, but with the washer on the tunnel.
B - blocking; B - viscous coupling; D - differential; E - electronically controlled clutch; PP - reduction gear; C - connection of the front axle.
Almost identical in design and Trail Blazer: front-wheel drive rigidly connected, the washer manages the choice of modes. In addition to the Patriot's arsenal, there is an imitation of a differential lock rear axle through brakes... I would like to note the assistants at the start uphill and downhill.
"Pajero Sport" - the owner of the advanced transmission "Super Select". The moment between the axles is distributed by a free differential, working together with a viscous coupling. Differentials are forcibly blocked - center and rear axles. Select the transmission mode using the mechanical transfer case lever. Front axle - switchable.
Despite the constructive similarity of the participants, the test was quite logically divided into two equal parts. And since the buyer who came for the Patriot or Hover, for obvious reasons, is unlikely to leave for Mitsubishi or Chevrolet, I will summarize for each pair separately. In the price niche of up to a million rubles, the UAZ won in terms of points, however, because of its inability to control itself on the highway, I have the right to recommend the Patriot only to those for whom it will not be the only one. Great Wall, on the other hand, will do a great job. family car for every day, but on serious off-road it will noticeably yield to a competitor in geometric cross-country ability. However, opportunities for off-road tuning this model has wide ones: you can raise the body, put the evil rubber ... There is something to think about!
The incredibly dense results of the second pair, where the price tags exceeded one and a half million, are confirmed not only by numbers, but also by subjective feelings: we were not ready to name the winner until the estimates were counted. Both applicants are able to drive almost equally well on roads with any surface, as well as in directions without it. And if you are tormented by the agony of choosing between these options, take the one to which your soul lies. But just remember that the Chevrolet has a more pronounced asphalt slope, while Mitsubishi is off-road.
CONCLUSION
Unexpectedly, I got great pleasure from testing real off-road vehicles in their natural habitat and now I understand people who choose such cars much better. It's nice that Chevrolet decided to release new model according to the old canons, and Mitsubishi, Great Wall and UAZ do not forget to modernize their bestsellers.
