Preparing this material was more difficult than usual: most of the official dealers of TagAZ took up all-round defense, not wanting to share information. But you can’t hide an awl in a bag - all Tager’s sores are well known and actively discussed on the Internet. Both Korando and Tager are built on proven Mercedes units and really look like two drops of water. But not from the point of view of reliability, which we'll talk about today.
TRANSITION
The most painful topic for owners of "taggers", known from the very beginning of the release of the model, that is, since 2008, is the useless reliability of a manual gearbox on cars with gasoline engines ( ZR, 2010, No. 8 ). Driving with such a box is often unsafe.
Say, if you need to shift to a lower gear in order to slow down the engine, you will face a difficult task: the lever will hit an invisible obstacle due to the difference in shaft speeds, which is the fault of the synchronizer, which does not cope with its duties, more often second or third gear. If you still manage to turn on the gear, the unpleasant crunch emitted by the box discourages the desire to even touch the lever. It’s easier for those who own the old tricks - re-gassing and double clutch release, but mastering them on a modern car, which was also bought for a lot of money, is hardly acceptable.
The owners demanded that the dealers replace the unit. And they were not ready. Why dealers, TagAZ itself got into a difficult situation: a separate workshop had to be allocated at the plant, where 183 failed boxes were repaired in the first nine months - almost every fifth! They changed the synchronizers of the second, third and fourth gears complete with clutches, but often this did not help: the repaired unit soon began to crackle again.
Some owners have had the box changed four or five times! In the meantime, TagAZ, unable to cope with the repair, came up with the idea of depriving the owners of the guarantee due to allegedly improper operation of the car: they say, you should not change gears at speeds above five thousand. But there are no such restrictions in the instruction manual, so the case sometimes went to court. As a rule, the decisions were in favor of the owners - of course, at the cost of frayed nerves. In fairness, we note that the plant recognized the defect as massive and even publicly apologized to the owners.
After all, TagAZ was also held hostage to the current situation, since SanYong hid the scale of the problem and was in no hurry to solve it. It seems that the agreement between the enterprises did not provide for any sanctions in the event of the supply of defective components. The Koreans took advantage of this: according to rumors, in order to reduce costs, they transferred the production of some units, including gearboxes, to China. An indirect confirmation of these rumors is the fact of the disappearance of the Korean markings from the crankcase.
As it turned out later, it was not only the synchronizers, but also the misalignment of the shafts. This defect was learned to eliminate at one of the firms in Yekaterinburg. There they remove all the stuffing from the box and, having assembled the parts of the crankcase, process the bearing beds in one go. And in order to fix the outer ring with an interference fit, additional bushings are pressed into the bed. And only then put new clutches and synchronizers. There are no complaints about gearboxes brought in this way, but not every owner is ready to go for repairs thousands of kilometers away.
ADVENTURE ELECTRONICS
With the advent of autumn 2008, other difficulties began: at a temperature just below zero, the Tager gasoline engine could only be started on the fifth or sixth attempt. On "Korando", by the way, there was no such problem. It turned out that the Koreans, adapting the program of the control unit to our climate and gasoline, slightly made a mistake with the settings: due to a short impulse to the nozzles, the mixture turned out to be too poor.
The defect was eliminated by changing the fuel characteristic parameter from one to four and adjusting the temperature coefficient. Reflash blocks for free, under warranty. There was only one catch: not every dealer had the necessary equipment. On the first "taggers" in the T5 configuration, the engine cooling fan was constantly running. This defect was sorted out quickly enough - it turned out that it was necessary to swap the contacts. By the way, TagAZ's dealer network is also its sore point. There are cases when, when installing additional equipment at branded service stations, they managed to undermine the squibs of seat belt pretensioners. TagAZ even had to terminate contracts with some sellers.
HOMELAND WILL HELP
All these problems have tempered the owners, and now they are actively discussing on the Web which of the domestic analogues is suitable instead of the capricious original. Some off-road vehicles already have UAZ springs in the rear suspension, which are slightly stiffer than their relatives, thanks to which it was possible to raise the rear of the body by 55 mm (this was a good help on off-road).
In order to have enough rebound shock absorbers, they are replaced by "Volgovsky". It is only important to remember that the carrying capacity of the machine does not increase from this. It’s a pity that an adequate replacement for the factory axle shafts of the rear axle has not yet been found, which, it seems, is also Chinese - with a decent “egg” in the area of \u200b\u200bthe working surface of the stuffing box. Therefore, oil leakage to the brake mechanisms after 20 thousand km is a common thing. Moreover, there are practically no original semi-axes on sale, and if they are, then three times more expensive than usual.
DROP BY DROP
There are no special problems with engines. True, TagAZ excelled here too: if on the Korean SanYong-Korando with a diesel engine of the OM662 series the turbocharger served quite reliably, then on the Tager it sometimes leaks oil. The defect did not become massive, but where did it come from on a seemingly well-developed design? Apparently, the unknown origin of the unit again affects, this time the turbine.
There is another defect on the five-door "taggers": by 50-80 thousand km, the axis of the rear wiper can turn sour. We recommend disassembling and lubricating at the first sign, when the brush begins to crush on the glass. More serious problems also occur.
On a car that visited our editorial office a year ago ( ZR, 2010, No. 6 ), cracks were found on the frame in the region of the rear left suspension arm. We consider the fact that the bearing part did not break in half to be the merit of our test group, which discovered the defect in time. But everything could end sadly! There are no other complaints about the chassis.
Perhaps, only the front stabilizer struts are recognized as relatively weak - after 40–50 thousand km, if you please, change it. Ball bearings, silent blocks, steering rods and tips sometimes serve more than 180 thousand km. How lucky with wheel bearings. The spread over the resource is in order: from 20 to 200 thousand km. Here, by the way, Chinese components are superior to Korean ones.
Rear axle in the version with disc brakes: the stockings are still dry, but it happens that they start to sweat with oil after a run of 2-3 thousand km. Here, the input shaft of the gearbox is sweating, which is not typical.
Rear axle in the version with disc brakes: the stockings are still dry, but it happens that they start to sweat with oil after a run of 2-3 thousand km. Here, the input shaft of the gearbox is sweating, which is not typical.Both "Korando" and "Tager" cannot be called full-fledged heroes of this section, since the first is already old, and the second is too young. Therefore, we present the third table without the traditional calculation of the cost per kilometer ( ZR, 2011, No. 1 ). These machines go beyond the accepted methodology, we decided to talk about them only out of a desire to draw the attention of manufacturers to the need for a more competent choice of models for our market. So that simplified technologies do not undermine consumer confidence in a long-known model.
The TagAZ Tager SUV, which is a "licensed copy" of the South Korean model SsangYong Korando, which was produced from 1993 to 2006, entered mass production in January 2008 at the facilities of the Taganrog Automobile Plant, and, unlike the "original", in body solutions with three and five doors. On the assembly line of the Russian enterprise, the car lasted until 2014, after which it “retired”.
The TagAZ Tager evokes mixed emotions with its appearance - it looks very unusual and not quite proportional against the background of modern SUVs, however, as a “former military man”, it does not hold external aggression.
The most controversial in the car is the front part with narrowly set headlights and a small radiator grille, but from other angles its outlines are more understandable, albeit angular.
The body palette of the TagAZ Tager combines three- and five-door variants. The overall length of the SUV is 4330-4512 mm, width - 1841 mm, height - 1840 mm. It has a wheelbase of 2480 or 2630 mm, depending on the version, and a ground clearance of 195 mm.
The design of the Tager's interior is out of the canons of modern fashion, but it has a simple arrangement of the main controls and solid finishing materials. The instruments of the car are uninformative, but well readable, the four-spoke steering wheel is of optimal size, and the center console is archaic in appearance and functional in practice.
Despite a sufficient supply of free space, it is difficult to call TagAZ Tager a comfortable interior. The front seats have indistinct lateral support and a minimum number of adjustments, although the rear sofa is molded very well (in the short-wheelbase version it can accommodate two passengers, and in the five-door version - three).
The cargo compartment of the SUV is small - its volume in the "stowed" state does not exceed 350 liters. The second row of seats transforms and increases the capacity to 1200 liters, while forming a flat area. The spare wheel is hung on the tailgate to save space.
Specifications. In the Russian expanses, the all-wheel drive Tager is found with two gasoline and two diesel engines. The most powerful option works in conjunction with a 4-band "automatic", and the rest - with a 5-speed "mechanics".
- The initial gasoline unit is a 2.3-liter inline four with multi-point injection and a 16-valve timing, which generates 150 “horses” at 6200 rpm and 210 Nm of torque at 2800 rpm. From standstill to 100 km / h, such an SUV accelerates after 12.5 seconds, gains 165 km / h “maximum speed” and consumes an average of 13.2 liters of fuel in the combined cycle.
- The gasoline “team” is headed by a 3.2-liter in-line six-cylinder engine with a 24-valve timing and distributed injection, producing 220 “heads” at 6500 rpm and 307 Nm of peak thrust at 4700 rpm. On the go TagAZ Tager 3.2 is not bad: it takes 10.9 seconds to conquer the first “hundred”, the maximum capacity is 170 km / h, and the “appetite” fits into 15.9 liters in the “city / highway” mode.
- Diesel modifications are equipped with turbocharged four-cylinder engines of 2.6 and 2.9 liters with row-based “pots” and a distributed power system:
- the return of the "younger" installation is 104 horsepower at 3800 rpm and 216 Nm at 2200 rpm,
- and the "senior" - 120 "mares" at 4000 rpm and 256 Nm at 2400 rpm.
Cars on "solar oil" exchange 100 km / h after 16 seconds and conquer 180 km / h, consuming an average of 8.7 liters of fuel in combined conditions.
In terms of design, the Tager is a real off-road vehicle - a spar frame at the base with an independent torsion bar suspension on the front axle and a dependent rear axle suspended on coil springs.
The car "flaunts" hydraulic power steering and disc brakes "in a circle" (ventilated in front) with ABS.
Almost all modifications are equipped with a Part-time transmission with a rigidly connected front end and a transfer case with a lowering row, and the most powerful one is equipped with a permanent drive of all wheels with an interwheel limited slip differential.
Options and prices. In 2016, you can buy TagAZ Tager only in the secondary market - its prices start from 220 thousand rubles and exceed 700 thousand.
The simplest SUV includes in its package: one airbag, fabric interior, air conditioning, power steering, power windows, 16-inch alloy wheels, standard audio preparation and heated and electrically adjustable exterior mirrors.
The flagship version has: two airbags, leather trim, fog lights, rain sensor and some other options.
In 2008, the Taganrog Automobile Plant began production of the three-door SUV "Tagaz Tager" - a licensed copy of the Korean model. In 2009, a five-door version of the car, developed by the Korean engineering division of TagAZ, got on the conveyor (Korando did not have a five-door version).
"Tagaz Tager" had a design traditional for utility SUVs: a frame, a continuous rear axle, a hard-wired all-wheel drive with a reduction gear. Licensed "Mercedes" Korean-made power units were installed on the car.
The basic version of the SUV had a 2.3-liter gasoline engine with 150 hp under the hood. With. in combination with a manual transmission, and the drive could be rear or all-wheel drive. "Tagaz Tager" with a 3.2 inline six-cylinder engine (220 hp) had a four-speed "automatic" and all-wheel drive. And there were also two turbodiesels in the range: a four-cylinder 2.6-liter (104 hp) and a five-cylinder 2.9-liter (120 hp) - they were equipped with “mechanics” and an all-wheel drive transmission.
In 2009, the prices for the rear-wheel drive Tagaz Tager 2.3 started at 470,000 rubles, the basic equipment of the car included a driver's airbag, ABS, air conditioning, power accessories, alloy wheels. The option with a six-cylinder gasoline engine cost from 625,000 rubles.
The demand for Tager turned out to be very modest: for example, in 2009, 2462 copies of the model were sold. At the same time, many buyers complained about the low build quality, for example, gearboxes of some versions had to be returned en masse to the factory for repair.
TagAZ itself experienced serious financial problems in those years and gradually reduced production volumes, and the production of Tagers was finally completed in 2012.
In 2008, the TagAZ Tager compact SUV, a licensed copy of the popular SsangYong Korando model, was put on the conveyor at the Taganrog plant, the production of which lasted 13 years and ceased in 2006.
Tager was one of the company's most successful commercial models. Almost no changes were made to it compared to the basic version.
Therefore, for a very small amount, the buyer received reliable, passable and easy to maintain jeep. And besides, it is equipped with high-torque and economical Mercedes-Benz engines, which are manufactured by SsangYong under license.
The release continued until 2012. In 2014, the plant was declared bankrupt, despite the owner's attempts to breathe new life into it.
TagAZ Tager owes its success to the compact Korando, created under the leadership of Ken Grisley. This car has a simple but effective formula for success - brutal appearance, good engines, uncomplicated design and amazing cross-country ability.
The model is based on classic spar frame. The architecture of the suspension is as follows: an independent torsion bar with transverse levers is installed in front, and a continuous axle with trailing arms and additional springs is installed at the rear.
A body is installed on the frame, which has rather small geometric overhangs. With a wheelbase of 2480 mm, the body length is 4330 mm in the three-door version and 4512 mm in the 5-door version. The width and height are almost identical - 1841 and 1840 mm, respectively.
Exterior of the new model
The car was produced with three and five doors, but the dimensions are not too different, and there are no differences in design at all.
The narrow front part with powerful overwing niches and a small radiator grille is framed by two round headlights. A massive plastic bumper is installed under them, giving the jeep an aggressive and brutal look.
The side faces of the body with impressive wheel arches, having 16-inch wheels, are trimmed with plastic lining and at the bottom end with metal thresholds that make it easier to get into the car.
The stern drops almost at a right angle. The tailgate is equipped with a spare wheel mount - it is installed in a special plastic casing.
Salon
Tager's interior comes from the 1990s - this can be seen immediately and irrevocably. The usual dashboard with massive white scales, hard plastic and simple chairs with a claim to lateral support.
However, it can not be called completely dull. The plastic, though hard, is not bad, and the center console is painted silver and creates a nice accent to the overall dark background.
The rear sofa is designed for two passengers - the third one will be really uncomfortable there because of the narrow cabin and the fact that the sofa just rests on the arches. By the way, its peculiarity is that it develops, and in 2 positions - forward and backward. In the second case, you get a full double bed.
In normal state trunk volume is 350 liters, but with the rear seats folded down, it increases to 1200 hp.
For its time, especially at the beginning of the issue, TagAZ equipment was very good. By default, ABS, a driver's airbag, air conditioning and electric windows and rear-view mirrors were set. If necessary, an additional pillow for the front passenger, leather upholstery and electric heating of the front seats were installed.
Specifications
Tager is equipped with licensed Mercedes engines, which are deservedly popular due to their reliability:
- petrol 4 with a volume of 2.3 liters, developing a power of 150 liters. With. and a moment of 210 Nm;
- turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel 2.6 liters per 104 liters. s./215 Nm;
- 5-cyl. turbodiesel 2.9 l, (129 hp, 256 Nm);
- in-line gasoline atmospheric six with a volume of 3.2 liters, 220 liters. With. and 307 Nm.
With the first three motors, a 5-speed manual transmission is offered. There is also a 4 tbsp. automatic - it is paired with a 2.3 liter gasoline engine, and is available as an option for 2.9 liter units.
The maximum speed of the car on a diesel engine is about 150 km / h, on a 3.2 liter gasoline engine - 170 km / h. At the same time, acceleration to hundreds is 16 seconds for the first and 10.9 s. at the second.
Fuel consumption in the combined cycle is from 10 to 16 liters per 100 km, depending on the motor.
patency
The car is offered in a rear-wheel drive version or with all-wheel drive. Herself the transmission is implemented as a part-time 4WD. On a normal road, he rides on the rear traction, but on the road, using a special key that activates the electrovacuum clutches, the front drive axle is connected.
The peculiarity of 4WD is that it works immediately, you do not need to drive several meters, as in other jeeps. A limited slip differential is installed in the rear axle in later models, which improves off-road performance.
Price
You can buy TagAZ Tager in Russia only with mileage on the secondary market at a price from 250 to 500 thousand rubles. The cost depends on the year of manufacture, engine, transmission and body variant.
Tagaz Tager is probably the most controversial representative of the SUV class. Numerous reviews of its owners indicate that they both like it and not at the same time. Weak technical characteristics, but at the same time good cross-country ability and excellent design. Lots of advantages, but no less disadvantages. Therefore, you can add up your opinion only by looking at the photos and videos of this car.
When you first look at Tagaz Tager, you get the impression that in front of you is a true representative of the class. Impressive forms, full content and characteristic spirit inherent in such. But looking under the hood, you can find a good ten problems that all domestically produced cars face in one way or another.
History of appearance
The history of this SUV dates back to 1984, when SsangYong began producing cars for US Army soldiers, and a few decades later, Tager was produced on the basis of these vehicles, already assembled in Russia at the TagAZ plant.
Taganrog Automobile Plant was opened in 1998. At that time, he did not have time to get any success, as there was a default and the company was forced to "freeze" its activities. In 1999, the first attempt was made to produce a car under the Orion series, but this action did not bring any results and failed before it even started. After that, the plant is heading for the beginning of cooperation with PSA and Hyndai. As a result, the production of cars is gradually being established and already in 2008, the consumer becomes a witness to the birth of the Russian off-road vehicle "Tagaz Tager".
Can Tagaz Tager be called an SUV?
Of course. Despite the fact that initially, it was coldly received due to the fact that in the price category in which it was announced, there were models with great potential and already proven themselves on the market. But later, the drivers still realized that there is something in this car that both women and men can like. Gradually, sales began to grow.
There were many reasons for this. Of course, the body of an SUV, which literally hit the Russian market thanks to the echoes of traditional US jeeps, which were in great demand in the market of the same name. Thanks to this design decision, the car acquired:
- Extended wings.
- Elegant yet simple front.
Thanks to the wings, all the originality of the extraordinary appearance is preserved. This solution, of course, was made by professionals who know how to combine simplicity and perfection. It was this element that did the impossible, fully justifying the hopes of consumers for the functionality and invisibility of this design solution.
The front part is a source of pride for all owners who bought this car. Most buyers in the Russian market have long been accustomed to the ridiculous patterns on the grille and the intricate shape of the headlights. The manufacturers of Tagaz Tager did not want to surprise the consumer with anything, and this is precisely what they were able to impress everyone with. The fact is that the hood has remained absolutely standard, there are no unnecessary details that distract the eye, only a classic appearance that speaks of how good the classics are.
Advice. Tagaz Tager has an increased fuel consumption, if this fact is important to you, then it is recommended to look at other cars of the same price class, which are more gentle on the amount of fuel in the tank.
Car interior trim
Throughout the decoration of the car, a tribute to the classics is felt, the most simple forms, uncomplicated patterns, but at the same time convenience is present in everything. Here is the salon, in the absence of frills, it causes only admiration. Armchairs, sheathed in leather, headrests changing height. The rear seats have removable armrests and visors with mirrors and a llama. Floor, in the cabin and trunk, velor. The doors are illuminated when opened, just like the ignition switch, cigarette lighter and, of course, the trunk. This is an extremely wise decision by designers, as the convenience of using a car is felt throughout.
The drive handle is located to the right of the driver. All interior details are made in the same color style. Factory assembly involves light tinting of all glasses. A huge plus are the mudguards with opposing coating. The trunk is small, but can be enlarged by folding the rear seats. Again, returning to the topic of convenience, it should be noted the tailgate, which opens to the left side, which allows you to load from the sidewalk without experiencing any inconvenience.
In general, the interior leaves only positive impressions, many drivers note that despite their size, the cabin is still spacious, which means it is comfortable to be. Of course, this SUV has significant disadvantages, which will be discussed later.
Vehicle characteristics
No need to expect unrealistic technical indicators or other frills from this car. You need to understand that it was created solely in order to pass where a regular car cannot pass, so we didn’t even talk about speed. , installed in Tagaz Tager, has a power of 120 hp, so you won’t be able to race on the track.
Acceleration to 100 km / h takes 16 seconds. For modern SUVs, this characteristic is too low, which does not paint the car in any way. Of course, you should not pay special attention to this parameter, since who in their right mind will need to accelerate from a standstill in an SUV. That's why he is an off-road vehicle to drive through swamps and forests.
Attention! Tagaz produces a modification of the Tager, which has an engine power of 220 hp.
If we talk about the main disadvantages of the car, then one cannot fail to note the huge fuel consumption, which will make you spend a lot of money on refueling. If you are going to drive a car every day and at the same time dream not to spend money on it, then Tager is not for you. After all, 100 kilometers of driving around the city will “eat up” almost 16 liters of fuel. This figure is simply terrifying and instantly destroys the dream of a cheap car. That is why Europeans practically do not use this SUV and prefer to use their own brands.
Price category
The biggest advantage of the Tager is its cost - 600 thousand rubles. This indicator allows buyers to purchase a really worthwhile SUV for little money, which will satisfy them in all respects, except for fuel consumption, of course. You need to understand that the car is not as good as many want, but it can easily meet the needs of motorists transporting their family.
In this price category, the Tager has practically no competitors, except for a few notable foreign-made cars. But their technical characteristics leave much to be desired. Of course, when buying, you should think about the fact that even a small car repair can result in a large amount. Indeed, today, there are not many mechanics who are ready to take on the repair of this SUV, and spare parts, most often, need to be bought from the manufacturer. All this makes car owners spend a lot of money.
Advantages and disadvantages
Car owners who have tried this car agree that before buying, you need to carefully consider the purposes for which the car is bought. After all, if you want to drive fast cars, then this is not the option. And lovers of hunting or travel will find their ideal in Tager. In general, the advantages of the car are as follows:
- classic design of American jeeps;
- ergonomic and spacious interior;
- nice price;
- good off-road capability.
But we should not forget about the disadvantages, including:
- just a huge fuel consumption, which can negatively affect the budget of many families;
- weak, by today's standards, engine;
- a lot of noise in the cabin;
- maintenance costs, sometimes exceeding all reasonable limits;
- small trunk.
Based on the pros and cons, you can form your opinion about this car and decide whether to make a purchase or not.
For such money, Tagaz Tager is an excellent off-road vehicle, whose performance allows you to travel equally well where there are no roads, and where they are. Fuel consumption is extremely high, and parts are expensive, but usually, this does not bother drivers too much, since they have long understood that using a car is always associated with costs.
Video review of the car Tagaz Tager
