There is a price gap between UAZ Patriot and Mitsubishi Pajero, but SUVs are bought by the same people. They have similar conservative needs: fishing, hunting, a roomy and passable car. Some people are just less fortunate than others. Against the backdrop of a 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: the 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, UAZ Patriot has become much younger. In any case, now it is not so noticeable that a body with rounded shapes and a deep crease along the entire sidewall was painted back in the 1990s. Patriot has remained a classic frame SUV with a fully dependent suspension. In addition, UAZ retained the spring rear suspension with the front spring. Transmission modes are now switched on by a newfangled washer instead of a lever. However, all-wheel drive is still a simple part-time with a hard-wired front end. Long trips on it on hard ground and asphalt are not recommended.
A few minor updates failed to change the Pajero's "brick" expression. It actually looks simpler than it really is. Under the square body, in theory, there should be a frame, a ladder type, and under it at least one continuous bridge. 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 completely independent. An archaic lever on the central tunnel switches the modes of a fairly advanced Super Select II transmission. It has a center differential that allows you to move with the front axle connected on hard surfaces, a rear axle lock, and to save fuel, you can leave the drive only on the rear axle.
Due to its enormous two-meter height, the Patriot seems 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, 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 getting 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 handle hundreds of miles behind the wheel. Everything is in order with the habitability of the rear compartment - there is a lot of space, and a heater with an additional fan and heated seats is responsible for the microclimate in the Patriot. In Pajero - a separate climate control unit that allows you to change the temperature and blowing power.
In a Japanese SUV, the back of the rear seat can be folded back to form a sleeper. To facilitate loading, the sofa can be folded and placed upright. The transformation of the UAZ is not thought out so carefully: the seat backs of new cars lie only forward and form a small difference in height with the trunk floor. To spend the night in the car, you will have to lay out the front seats, turning the handles of the new stepless backrest adjustment for a long time.
The nature of the gasoline engine "Patriot" is peculiar. It surprises with diesel traction from the very bottom and diesel vibrations. It takes a lot of effort to get lost. In first gear, the SUV crawls without adding gas, and on asphalt, you can easily get under way from second. The motor does not like to spin, and after 3 thousand revolutions it noticeably turns sour, and its fuel appetite grows at the same time. At a speed of 120 km / h, driving is uncomfortable due to the noisy engine and specific suspension settings. UAZ is unexpectedly demanding on the quality of the roadway - on rolled ruts, the SUV frightenedly shied from side to side and had to be caught on a whim - the steering wheel is completely insensitive with small deviations. This behavior of the machine takes some getting used to.
Under the hood of 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 the basic configuration, in other versions - a non-alternative 5-speed "automatic". Like the patriotic 3MZ engine, the Pajero “six” is capable of running on 92nd gasoline - this is a big plus in the regions. The “Japanese” is more dynamic than the UAZ, but despite the 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 Pajero the standard of handling either. He is also nervous on the ruts, but in general he keeps a straight line quite well. The suspension is soft and therefore the car rolls noticeably in corners.
On the highway, if you carefully work the gas pedal in the case of Mitsubishi and shift gears earlier in the case of UAZ, the consumption can be lowered below 12 liters per 100 kilometers. In a traffic jam, the numbers on the on-board computer screen begin to grow before our eyes.
The ad claims that the Patriot has been updated for the city. However, in a competition with Pajero, urban and asphalt disciplines are not as important as off-road competition. Pajero is slightly superior to Patriot in all geometric parameters. Unless the exit angle let us down because of the long rear overhang. Passport ground clearance "Japanese" is 235 millimeters. With the installation of steel protection, 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 axle housings. The frame, razdatka, gas tank and crankcase are located at a height almost unattainable for stones and logs. Pajero is more vulnerable in this sense, since its bottom is arranged more tightly. In addition, the Patriot, with its continuous bridges, has the same off-road clearance. If you are tempted by the numbers, then the Pajero should follow on the heels of the UAZ easily, but in reality it is constantly being tangibly applied to the ground by the crankcase protection. In addition, the Japanese SUV with its comfortable independent suspension is quite easy to swing - so you need to use the pedals very carefully and carefully build the route. UAZ takes brute force, a huge moment in low gear and impenetrable suspension. At the first reduced speed, he crawls uphill literally at idle. But in the case of the Patriot, the attack tactics work more effectively: tight pedals do not allow you to act filigree.
The suspension travels of the "Patriot" are much larger than those of the Pajer ones, therefore, with diagonal hanging, it must later tear 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 simulation of locks, biting the suspended wheels with brakes, and then with a locked rear differential. UAZ, having caught a diagonal, stops under the tragic howl of the transmission and drives into the height taken by Pajero only from a running start. Moreover, having reached the highest point, he stops, helplessly turning the wheels that have lost their hook, and the “Japanese” tries to cling to the last and crawl up.
But the puddle with a black and very viscous bottom Patriot forces alone - his opponent was stopped at the very approaches, leveling the mud with the crankcase protection. But UAZ also overcomes the obstacle only at low speeds, in 4H mode it did not even reach the middle of the puddle - I had to get out of the swing, in reverse.
Fights of equal level fighters are sometimes not as spectacular and dramatic as a duel between a champion and an underdog who suddenly put up serious resistance. The victory on the pavement remained with Pajero, but off-road it was not so convincing. And if in Ulyanovsk they decide to improve the handling of the Patriot, then it will certainly reduce the gap in points to a minimum, because until 2017 there will be no major changes to the design of the Pajero. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport will change beyond recognition in the spring and acquire electronics, Land Rover Defender and UAZ Hunter will leave the market, and the fate of Chinese SUVs Great Wall and Haval is still vague.
Through the efforts of official dealers, Patriot can be upgraded to a very serious level. For example, equip it with an interwheel self-block - screw type "Quayf" or with preload. Or install a forced lock with electric or pneumatic activation. The Tekhinkom dealer center said that the final price tag depends on the requests and financial capabilities of the client. In addition, dealers also offer measures to improve the SUV's handling: equip the Patriot with a steering damper, change the angle of the pivots, install pivot assemblies with roller bearings or bronze liners. And apparently they make good money doing it. For example, locks will cost 30,000-90,000 rubles, a steering damper - 13,000-17,000 rubles, pivot nodes 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 a low price, which allows you to spend a lot on its refinement. 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 option with leather and music, or with toothy tires and an 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 the price for which the new Pajero is now offered (from 1,879,000 to 2,219,900 rubles).
Evgeny Bagdasarov
Photo: Polina Avdeeva
I’ll skip the pain of choosing a car, I’ll go straight to the start of operation
Bought … Options Instyle, black. Of dopov — alarm and rear parking sensors. As a result, it turned out that the parking sensors are absolutely not required - the rear-view camera is enough for the eyes day and night. Instyle chose because of the presence of a rear diff lock, which distinguishes the Pajero from the mass of similar cars.
First impressions: the feeling of a big, serious car, although the handling and the feeling of dimensions did not suffer at all. A lot 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
- patency
- Cabin and trunk volume
Weak sides:
- Harsh
- Low noise isolation
- Decent fuel consumption
Review Mitsubishi Pajero 3.0i (Mitsubishi Pajero) 2012 Part 2
Hello! The robot asked me to continue - I will continue.
Almost a year has passed since the review. The tank did not let down, drove mainly his wife. Maintenance costs only. Annual MOT is on the horizon, since the car is almost worth it, there is nothing special to write about. My wife's complaints were in terms of size, right now I seem to be used to it. Right now I'm driving the L200 — compared to the Pyzh — not a fountain, Pyzh is much better in everything.
Advantages: a tank - to carry everywhere, regardless of the availability of roads, a basketball salon, in bad weather, the security systems clearly work.
Strengths:
Weak sides:
Review Mitsubishi Pajero 3.0 4WD (178 hp / 3.0 l / 5automatic transmission) (Mitsubishi Pajero) 2012 Part 2
I forgot ... It may still be useful to someone. I was very tormented by the question - how is a 3-liter Pajero compared to a 3-liter Prado 150 (which diesel) in terms of comparing diesel with gasoline and in general ... So ... I went for a Toyota test drive after 1.5 years of owning Pajero. I drove it through the fields and on the asphalt. In the fields, Pajero and I are completely satisfied in terms of cross-country ability, but here's how the diesel behaves on the highway - traction there on the bottoms and all that - which is constantly written about - such as a 3-liter vegetable, etc.
Sat down - landing is lower. The quality of the finish is subjectively on the same level. Once I sat here in the Pathfinder - there, as in an old field. But that's 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 left on the asphalt — the stiffness was lowered, but not to say that it was directly striking. Another thing is interesting - maybe at a speed of up to 30-40 km per hour the acceleration is more intense, 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 in the field.
Strengths:
- Honesty
Weak sides:
- Bumpers are not metal
Review Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 DI-D (Mitsubishi Pajero) 2008
Before Pajero 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 small dogs), regular 6-8 hours driving around the city during peak hours in the morning and evening and the need to drive home every day along the highway outside the city and further along roads rarely cleared of snow in winter. I chose a car by Traid-in between Nissan Patrol (in the old body), Pajero and Discovery.
The husband voted for Volvo, because. I drive a Volvo xc90 myself. 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 completely visible, the side mirrors are huge - the feeling of an aquarium, where you can see any point in the mirror, it accelerates easily, given its weight, the brakes are responsive - it stopped “on point” on ice much faster than the x-trail or Volvo, the road keeps excellent in the turn (the 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 got into 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 for the “torpedo”, what a hood.
I stopped at a 2008 Pajero IV, diesel, the mileage was a little more than 30 thousand at the time of purchase, the owner was elderly, neat, he only drove work-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 front ones (although in fact they are unnecessarily, as I said, the hood is perfectly visible), a couple more headphones, the husband added a couple of “wires” - legal iPhone-iPad with audio auto system (convenient for long trips to watch maps or movies), put a radar and a DVR — that's all we have invested in the car for the moment 98,000 mileage. No repairs, replacements, etc., they didn’t even change the brake pads, although they write that they wear out quickly at Pudge, the only thing is that the brakes creaked for 60 thousand, went to the service, they tightened the timing belt and said that it would still decently serve. 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 of the Chevrolet-Trailblazer comparison tests; Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, which has recently undergone a light restyling; an updated UAZ-Patriot with an electronically controlled Korean transfer case, as well as a time-tested, but quite up-to-date Great Wall Hover H5. Who will be the most all-terrain and enduring? And which one is better suited for the role of an everyday car?
HOVER PLANE
From the moment it appeared in our country, the “Great Wall Hover” was quite positively perceived even by those who are dismissive of cars from the Middle Kingdom. And if the well-shaped body shapes that did not have time to irritate the eyes, as well as a pleasant interior with human ergonomics, are the merit of Japanese designers and engineers (“Hover” was built according to the Isuzu-Axiom patterns, which were not officially sold in Russia), then decent build quality and acceptable reliability, which created a good image for the car, is an undoubted success for the Chinese.
Today, “hovers” for Russia are assembled in the village of Gzhel near Moscow, and the cars are distinguished from the original “Isuzu” by an updated design of the front end and an interior of their 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 wanted to seriously complain about while driving was an unnecessarily hard and flat seat. But the rest is in order.
Rich equipment adds points to the car: a leather interior with heated front seats and an electric driver's seat, multimedia with support for all possible media, a rear-view camera, climate control and a heated windshield.
The latter is especially relevant, because in conditions of high humidity and low temperatures, the climate control system can hardly cope with its duties, and the windows instantly sweat. It's annoying and strange, because the interior itself warms up quickly.
Despite the shortest wheelbase in this four (2700 mm), in the back row I managed to comfortably sit behind an almost two-meter photographer, while there was a lot of room in the trunk for our voluminous bags. In general, everything is very good in statics, and given the origin of the car, even good! Shall we ride?
On asphalt, Great Wall goes well. Smooth running and noise isolation from the road - at the level of more famous analogues. Only the 136-horsepower gasoline engine whirs tediously when overtaking, accelerating the heavy jeep, to put it mildly, not too rapidly.
However, is it necessary to be faster when, at the slightest enthusiasm for speed, a weightless steering wheel with a lack of feedback makes itself felt, and soft suspensions send the car into a deep roll? Don't make the Hover jump above your head! Only then will he please with friendly behavior, good handling and tractability of the motor and box. The 5-speed manual lever travels are moderately long, and shifting clarity is not bad.
We took the version with mechanics for a test not by chance. The fact is that only she has a downshift in her arsenal (“hovers” with a machine gun are deprived of it), and in off-road conditions this is important. What we appreciated in practice, going to the sand pit.
By the way, do not think, looking at the stickers, that this car is specially prepared for off-road marathons. It is the most common, with the exception of those same stickers. Engine, suspension, bodywork, tires - everything is standard. And not the best in our quartet. We threw the Hover into a helpless state much more often than others. This is due to the lowest ground clearance in combination with low-hanging thresholds, and a weak motor with modest torque, and relatively small entry angles.
If you don’t want to get stuck, it’s better to storm a serious terrain (we are talking about soft ground or sand, of course), because at low speed the Hover will sit on its belly much earlier than there is a need for a lowering, which is turned on here by a button on the center console. Further without a shovel or a cable is no longer enough.
Taking into account the absence of cross-wheel 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 further than the average crossover like the X-Trail or Outlander, it will noticeably “merge” another participant in the test. I'm talking about the UAZ-Patriot, which costs almost the same as the Hover.
PATRIOT ZEMLI RUSSKOY
Of course, I'm not the first to tease the writing of the model name in Latin, but it really looks funny. "Patriot" even in this aspect is equal to foreign counterparts, trying not to concede to them. I must say, with each new upgrade (they have been following with amazing frequency lately), he is doing it better and better.
The next result is an electronically controlled transfer case, thanks to which the condo lever, which yielded only to brute physical force, disappeared from the cabin. In its place is now a compact washer: it connects the front axle and activates the lower gear, the gear ratio of which has increased by more than 30% (from 1.94 to 2.56). Does this mean that UAZ off-road began to feel even more confident? We settle down in a Korean-made chair, wrap our arms around the steering wheel of the Japanese-German company Takata, squeeze out the no less foreign LuK clutch and ... go ahead, Patriot!
How wonderful it is to rush through the sands, mud and deep puddles with a strong feeling that there are simply no barriers for the Ulyanovsk all-terrain vehicle! Even without a downshift (in 4H mode), the Patriot rows perfectly with all four, and the phenomenal ground clearance (340 mm under the bottom) and short overhangs (hence the large entry angles) will not allow you to land the car on its belly. Despite the lower power than the Hover, there is a little more torque here, and this is noticeable. After all, even I, an asphalt driver to the marrow of my bones, failed to take the Patriot by surprise.
And as soon as we handed over the steering wheel to our instrument operator and part-time off-road expert Sasha Krapivin, he effortlessly flew onto an almost sheer sandy wall. And then, effectively burying the rear wheels in a muddy puddle along the upper edge of the disk, he got out using a downshift. I didn’t like only the algorithm for turning it on: you need to hold the puck in the extreme right position for some time, and then keep the clutch depressed for a few more seconds. In this case, the box lever must be in "neutral".
And yet, the off-road battle with the main price competitor "Patriot" won with one goal - he dismantled the Great Wall of China brick by brick and that was it! But after all, the overall victory depends on a number of variables, and on asphalt the UAZ fails with a deafening crash: it scours on a perfectly straight road even at 80 km / h, and unwinds it in ruts with an amplitude of up to a meter! What is to blame - the walking corners of the front wheels, the design features of the steering, the spring rear suspension? Or all together? Obviously, there is a lot of work to be done with this. Yes, and over the reduction of vibrations and extraneous noise is worth conjuring. Of course, with the advent of the Korean transfer case, there have been fewer of them, but the 5-speed manual lever still convulses when driving in tension, and at high speeds the engine itches like crazy.
Surprisingly, the interior, inherited by UAZ as a result of last year's update, is silent like a partisan! Yes, 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 a pre-reform machine. On our "Patriot" there are already options that have been available recently: heated windshield and even a rear sofa.
And how much space is there! Alas, not everything is perfect: the ergonomics of the workplace (riding a Patriot is exactly work!) Remained at the same level - for fifth gear you have to reach somewhere down and to the right, the clarity of switching is below average, and how monstrously the 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" rather disappointed than pleased. Having become better in individual nominations, globally, he did not learn anything at all. After all, his predecessors, starting from the 469th, were also able to bravely storm the off-road, but the asphalt behavior remained terrible as it was. 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 job, respect your product and give your whole soul to work. Despite notable efforts, Ulyanovsk has not yet fully achieved this. Well, let's wait for the next restyling and wish you good luck.
THAT'S THE NUMBER!
I confess, before a personal acquaintance, I was biased towards this car. And all because, against the backdrop of the previous Trailblazer, the new generation seemed like a step backwards. Remember the "American" who lasted on the assembly line from 2001 to 2011? It was not ideal: it was equipped with the most powerful (minimum 273 hp), but motors that did not drive on their own, devoured decalitres of fuel and rumbled with cheap plastic, but it caught on with genuine charisma and was known as a smaller version of the Tahoe so desired by many.
The successor, developed by GM Brazil, is aimed at low-key Third World markets and for that very reason is perceived by many as "Cobalt" on steroids. At the same time, the price starts from one and a half million almost. What is this money for?
I look around inside - and only strengthen in my skepticism. Oak (but easy to clean) plastic, an ordinary radio tape recorder with a monochrome display - and you don’t have navigation or a rear view camera. What century do we have in the yard? As a consolation: sitting in the driver's seat is very comfortable (against the background of previous heroes) - the floor level is surprisingly low for a frame SUV, the seat profile is successful, the width of the Chevrolet interior is second only to the truly gigantic patriotic one.
In addition, the Trailblazer is the only one in the test that offers a third row - as it turned out, quite suitable for two passengers of average height. There are even individual air vents on the ceiling!
Finally, the opinion about the car is turned upside down, it is worth waking up the 180-horsepower (and lifting taxes!) diesel “four” and driving onto the roads. No joke, 470 Nm of torque! Yes, with such an indicator, even more than a two-ton SUV is simply obliged to have a solid supply of traction under the pedal - which Chevrolet demonstrates with success. High-torque diesel fervently plays along with a perfectly tuned 6-speed automatic, thanks to which the car shoots up to the first hundred, it feels like, in nine seconds.
Ask, is it not scary to drive a high-frame jeep so fast, based on the Colorado pickup? Not at all! The suspensions are set up perfectly, rolls are minimal, and the “feedback” on the steering wheel leaves no chance for rivals. At the same time, the ride is the best among the test participants and there is no extra noise. In a word, on the pavement, the Trailblazer is the unequivocal favorite of the test. What did I say about the Brazilian branch and developing countries?
Content with tires of a purely asphalt pattern, the Chevrolet with 275 mm of clearance under the bottom climbs the dunes, if not with the tenacity of an UAZ, then almost as confidently. The electronics imitating the locking of the rear differential (it slows down the slipping wheel) makes its contribution. Know do not forget to turn off the stabilization system. And at first you forget, because previous competitors did not have it.
Four-wheel drive and downshift are switched on here, as in UAZ, with a puck on the central tunnel. However, shamanic dances with its extreme positions, clutch squeezed and counting to five are not required. Learn, Ulyanovsk!
Through such an adapter, they offer to connect external media. Not the most aesthetic option.
Well, as for the geometric cross, on the contrary - teach. According to the permissible angles of entry, the Chevrolet is pretty much inferior to the Patriot, which we appreciated from our own experience, as soon as we started attacking the ford, jumping from a small dune straight into the water.
As soon as the spray subsided after passing another obstacle, it turned out 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 at fault? If you think about it, not much. However, take a look at how the Pajero Sport number is fixed: this one is definitely not going anywhere. But will the experienced "Japanese" be able to impose a struggle on an ambitious newcomer in everything else?
JAPANESE GOD
This question remained open. Despite the excellent reputation, the “sportsman” is noticeably older than his main opponent: if Chevrolet debuted exactly a year ago, then Mitsubishi has left the assembly line almost 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, redrawn the 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, the Pajero is still long and narrow ... In general, for an amateur.
There is also a sense of age in the cabin, although they tried to disguise it with a new multimedia system with a touch screen and a rear-view camera. (What is missing in the Chevrolet!) True, the plastic of the dashboard in the Sport is hard, as in the Trail Blazer. And the main complaint is that, unlike the competitor, Mitsubishi has a much higher floor level. With a modest lift of 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.
Good for the back too. The only inconvenience in the second row is the high (again!) floor, forcing tall people to take the lotus position. The chassis of the "Japanese" is not as assembled as that of the "Chevrolet": there are more rolls, the reactions to the steering wheel are less intelligible, besides, the steering wheel makes more than four turns from lock to lock, so even in high-speed traction it has to be turned at large angles. However, do not think that the 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 minimum difference that we could feel is on the conscience of a slower machine. By the way, in Mitsubishi's hydromechanics, one step is less - only five. It turns out that while the old-timer of the market is quite a bit, but inferior to Chevrolet.
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 angle of entry than that of the Patriot. And finally, the test copy is shod with more toothy tires than the Chevrolet (also standard).
How stubbornly the Mitsubishi goes through the 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 can’t do without it, just select the desired transfer case lever mode. Unlike the previous "Patriot", in "Mitsubishi" this procedure does not require effort - move the machine selector to "neutral" and move the lever with at least two fingers. True, the scheme of modes on the knob is difficult to see - 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!
DOWN UP
The degree of underbody protection is a burning issue for such cars. It directly depends on whether you pierce the crankcase or gas tank somewhere in the wilderness or get home without any problems. We studied 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 protection of the engine is only 180 mm.
The Patriot units are practically devoid of protection, the only cover for them is the cross member of the subframe and a small metal shield:
The electric motor of the new UAZ transfer case looks vulnerable:
you run into a stone - and that's it! Here, a clearance of 215 mm will not help.
"Trailblazer" is protected in good faith:
the engine, transfer case and tank are hidden behind steel armor. Minimum ground clearance - 210 mm for engine protection.
"Pajero Sport" in terms of protection does not lag behind the "Chevrolet", and its clearance is even greater - 215 mm:
WHO WANTS THE DARWIN AWARD?
Even the creators of almost flawless cars often sin with ridiculous punctures. They were found in our four.
We give the first place in the hitparade of absurdity to Chevrolet: in a car priced at 1,777,000 rubles. there was no heated front seats. The incident is connected with the fact that initially the production of cars was established in Thailand, where there is no need for "heaters". And for some reason marketers forgot to change the equipment for Russia. However, according to the promises of the company, in 2014 this option will become the base for all versions.
We give second place to UAZ without hesitation. The back door, 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 against our copy: the decorative threshold is very slippery, you run a great risk of falling by stepping on it. Well, if not in a puddle.
"Mitsubishi": the car with the richest multimedia stuffing and navigator does not give out trip computer data? Nonsense, gentlemen! And I was also touched by a plug-indicator of a disabled passenger airbag with the Cyrillic “Pillow Pass.”.
That's what a true patriot is!
SEATS
The Hover's seat is the worst in the test - hard and flat. But there is an electric drive.
Korean chair "Patriot" - with a good profile, but ergonomics "leaves much to be desired."
It’s good in Chevrolet: both the chair is comfortable and the landing geometry is what you need. But where is the heat?
The Mitsubishi's seat is excellent, but the high floor makes it difficult for tall people to find a fit.
LOOKING FOR ADVENTURE
Transmission design "Hovera H5" depends on the type of engine and transmission. For diesel versions with an automatic transmission, an electronically controlled clutch distributes traction between the axles, and the mode is selected (2H or AWD) with the keys on the console. In 2H mode, all torque is sent to the rear, while in all-wheel drive configuration, torque can be sent to both the front axle and the rear axle. The required ratio (from 0:100 to 50:50) in this case will be selected by the electronics. There is no downshift for such “hovers”.
"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 torque along the axes, but there is a downshift. 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 ones.
A similar scheme for "Patriot". The only difference is that the modes (2H, 4H and 4L) are selected not with the keys, but with a puck on the tunnel.
B - blocking; B - viscous coupling; D - differential; E - electronically controlled clutch; PP - downshift; C - connection of the front axle.
Nearly identical in design and "Trail Blazer": front-wheel drive is hard-wired, the choice of modes is controlled by the washer. In addition to the arsenal of the Patriot, there is an imitation of a rear axle differential lock using brake mechanisms. I will note the assistants when starting 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. Forcibly blocked differentials - center and rear axles. The transmission mode is selected using the mechanical transfer case lever. The forward bridge - disconnected.
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 the "Mitsubishi" or "Chevrolet", I will summarize for each pair separately. In the price niche up to a million rubles, UAZ won by the sum of points, however, due to 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. The Great Wall, on the contrary, will perfectly cope with the role of a family car for every day, but on serious off-road it will noticeably concede to a competitor in terms of geometric cross-country ability. However, this model has wide opportunities for off-road tuning: you can raise the body, put on evil tires ... 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 right up to the calculation of the ratings. 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 the soul lies. But just remember that the Chevrolet has a more pronounced asphalt slope, and the Mitsubishi has an off-road slope.
CONCLUSION
Unexpectedly, I got great pleasure from testing real all-terrain vehicles in their natural habitat and now I understand people who choose such cars much better. It's nice that Chevrolet decided to release a new model according to the old canons, and Mitsubishi, Great Wall and UAZ do not forget to upgrade their bestsellers.
