What is the Russian auto industry? How can you relate to him? I'm asking you, yes you, the owner of an average crossover with a price of about a million rubles. Do you think you're a tough guy? Do you have a four-wheel drive, or have you decided to save money and your SUV cannot even boast of this? And have you heard something about real frame SUVs that will not go where lady luck will allow, but where you need it? Soon, this class of cars may be a thing of the past for good, so be on your toes.
It often happens that the attitude towards the car is formed even before the ride on it. And if we are talking about the Russian car industry, then the attitude is almost always negative.
It is difficult to love something that does not look very good, and rides so-so, and in terms of comfort, it clearly does not reach the same class in foreign cars. But if money is scarce, then what about?
For the first time, the Patriot is equipped with an electronic stability control system ESP. Traction Control System (TCS) functions as electronic cross-axle differential locks to optimize traction at the drive wheels
Sergey GusevThe first step is to understand what you really need and what you can donate when buying. In the case of Patriot, serious compromises cannot be avoided.
Because this machine says no more often than others. Do you think a 2.7-liter engine is enough to push the trigger to the floor and accelerate from 120 km / h to 160 km / h? It was not so. First, accelerate to at least 120, and I'll see what kind of ace you are. "UAZ Patriot" at the first acquaintance is simply bewilderment.
This is an obese, clumsy and uncouth bummer, who, however, does not try to seem like someone else.
He does not want to accelerate or slow down in any way. About acceleration later, but the brakes of the SUV turned out to be excellent, they are enough always and everywhere, but to squeeze the brake pedal, you need to make a lot of effort.
It is good that after the restyling, a hydraulic braking assistant (HBA) appeared, which in difficult times will come to the rescue and in a critical situation will "brake" the car.
Town? No, mountains!
According to representatives of the brand, "Patriot" is a universal car and is suitable for both the city and off-road. Moreover, according to the manufacturer,
the overwhelming majority of buyers - about 80% - use an SUV in the city, without even going off-road.
The interior of the renovated Patriot has been completely transformed. But the materials of the door cards and dashboard still leave a lot to be desired.
UAZWell, all that remains is to feel sorry for the inhabitants of the stone jungle, because this car gives an almost unlimited flight of opportunities on the off-road. I happened to be convinced of this in the mountains of Armenia, where there are so many attractions and natural beauty that you have to constantly be distracted from the road or what is called it.
The country of mountains, serpentines, gorges and unprecedented hospitality, despite the calendar winter, met with warm sunny weather. Having barely got under way, the question involuntarily arises, is everything all right? The trigger is on the floor, the roar of the engine, but there is no acceleration in its usual form. Four-cylinder ZMZ engine when driving dynamically, you need to constantly "twist". I slightly undercranked it, switched to a higher gear early - again the roar of the engine, and you just need to forget about dynamic acceleration.
On the highway, the Patriot's suspension can shake your spine out of you, because it is sharpened for off-road. You feel with your whole body every unevenness of the roadway.
But as soon as the car drives off the asphalt and falls into its element, everything falls into place. The shaking does not go away, well, okay. The suspension is very energy-intensive, with gigantic strokes, which makes it possible not to pay much attention to the quality of the grader or the track of twenty centimeters. Moderate ford - yes, no problem, ascent with a slope of 30 degrees - please. What else can you imagine, lover of trendy crossovers? Everything unattainable for you is available to this heavyweight, now with a reinforced frame and a bunch of technical "goodies" that this SUV could only dream of before.
The SUV has reached a new level of safety. With front airbags and pre-tensioned seat belts
Sergey GusevAppearance is not the main thing
A small digression about the appearance. The radiator grille and the UAZ emblem were redesigned, otherwise everything remained the same. But from the inside, this goof has become completely different. The torpedo has been completely redesigned, a new heated steering wheel, paddle shifters are installed. Climate control, leather-trimmed seats and multimedia with a rearview camera are now available. Steering column in the event of an accident, it now knows how to fold, and the airbags with advanced seat belts will not allow injury. The front panel, door cards and armrest are made of hard plastic, which doesn't add to the comfort and gives a cheaper look, but someone was expecting something different? Only our grandchildren will be able to drive a Patriot with an abundance of good soft plastic in the cabin.
Importantly, now the car has one plastic gas tank instead of two metal ones.
As for the "stuffing", the SUV has become more modern, advanced and smart. New systems active safety made the Patriot even more passable. The ESP system monitors the trajectory of the entry into the bend. The Hill Start Assist (HHC) system turned out to be an indispensable thing in general - it keeps the car on the brakes for a couple of seconds, and now you don't have to frantically try to engage the gear so as not to roll back. The traction control system (), new for the model, performs the function of electronic cross-axle differential locks. With these bells and whistles "Patriot" shows the highest class in overcoming difficult terrain, mess under the wheels, steep climbs and other joys of "jeepers".
To my surprise, in "UAZ" you can talk calmly, without raising your voice, at all speeds available to it.
The cabin has become quieter by 6-8 dBa.
The new UAZ "Patriot" looks almost unchanged. Only the radiator grill has been updated, now it has chrome elements and an enlarged chrome logo of the factory
UAZNow about something more prosaic. The minimum cost of a new "Patriot" in the "Standard" configuration is 809 thousand rubles. For this money, the buyer will receive a "naked" car even without air conditioning, not to mention music and cruise control, and most importantly, such a car will not have new off-road systems. And without them "Patriot" will be more difficult on rough terrain.
At maximum speed, the updated "Patriot" will cost 1 million 30 thousand. The price, of course, is already completely "unpatriotic", but for those who want new car with ample opportunities - quite acceptable.
Is it possible to advise "Patriot" for urban conditions? Probably not. Yes, it is big, roomy, tall - you can storm any curbs and look down on your neighbors in a traffic jam, but without a "machine" and with a gluttonous "appetite", this pleasure will be very dubious. And not everyone will be able to get used to the rigid suspension. But he is best at kneading the dirt. No matter how UAZ tried to make a city dandy out of the Patriot, it is still more of a peasant, albeit a very modern one. And a very stable demand for this model will certainly remain - not only thanks to generous government purchases.
As for the final "move to the city", then this role is most likely prepared for the future compact crossover from UAZ, if the company does release it sometime.
As well as the location of the test, UAZ tried not to advertise to the last. On the one hand, competitors are on the alert. On the other hand, the "land of stones", as Armenia is sometimes called, is indeed a pleasant surprise, and how not to light up the updated Patriot in the market, where 250-300 UAZ vehicles are sold annually, which is not so little by local standards? Products from the banks of the Volga were once loved there, and they learned how to get along with it so that even the once famous shoemakers were retrained into auto mechanics ...
With the current level of improvements and the irresistible desire of UAZ to expand the audience, Patriot is in every possible way tipped for the title of family. Well, for the sake of experiment, I'm ready to present myself as the head of an Armenian family with many children, eyeing the Russian novelty.
Outside
Externally, the Patriot has hardly changed: in the arsenal, except perhaps a new fine-mesh radiator grille and an enlarged emblem. I admit that my wife will like the aggressive "bow", but it will not be very convenient for her to get into the car. Door handles, which could not withstand the general's grip, are now even unnecessarily strong. They barely give in to only five millimeters, after which the lock finally opens. It seems that a trifle remains: put your foot on the footrest and throw the body into a chair. But there is nothing to grasp with your hand! The handles on the A-pillars are not yet provided, but they seem to be promised.
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Inside
It's much easier with children. Climbing back, grabbing a chair covered with natural (yes!) Leather, a seven-year-old boy will not be difficult, and teenagers can do it too. Even the established Baby chair will not disturb the space: there are plenty of rear seats, regardless of the age of the passengers and their build.
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However, the former Patriot was notable for its spaciousness, but the new one has features. The backrests fold out into a flat floor, forming, together with a 650-liter trunk, at least a place for a two-compartment refrigerator, at least a semblance of a Kingsize reserve bed for a driver who alone made the decision to buy a car. In winter, and heating the rear seats in this case will not save him, but you can use a productive, completely new climate.
It does not take much time to warm up. UAZ abandoned the high-torque, but "cold" turbodiesel, and the well-known gasoline ZMZ-40906 Euro-4 standard and 135 hp. with. copes with the task in an elementary way. Naturally, through the Korean air conditioner Erae. In simpler versions with air conditioning, the situation does not change. There are no complaints about the stove, at least with our +5.
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The warm atmosphere of the small family living room shows that the UAZ took the "European-style renovation" of the interior with the utmost seriousness. Apart from the familiar profile of the seats with very modest lateral support, almost everything has changed. From the front panel, which has lost its softness, but has acquired smoother shapes, to a leather three-spoke steering wheel with heating and again with Korean paddle shifters: compact and extremely comfortable.
Even the fastidious neighbor on the Yerevan stream Garik, sporting a 25-year-old "Japanese" repainted, probably for the second time, will not get to the bottom of these. By the way, the Patriot is painted at first glance not badly, even "metallic". If you polish carefully, not to iron - galvanizing the body, alas, is not provided - it will shine at any time of the year.
And Garik will also get jealous of the cruise control, the buttons of which appeared on the multifunction steering wheel, of course, not on the basic version. It is adjustable in tilt and reach, which has never been the case, and in the event of an accident, the column will fold as much as 26.5 cm. Taking into account the adjustment of the driver's seat, even in height available in older versions, landing does not cause problems for any height.
No less chic for a UAZ and a multimedia system with navigation and the ability to read many formats, which used to be located a little lower, which distracted the driver's attention. Now the logic of the arrangement of the instruments has been brought into order. Above there is a multimedia system, below there are five keys, including an emergency gang with a three-time blinking mode "thank you, dear", even lower - a climate unit. All this is more for the driver, but the mistress of the house and mother are more interested in safety.
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Explain to a woman that when frame structure the body of two airbags in front, according to the designers of UAZ, is quite enough for the whole car, it makes no sense. And to answer the question about the "safety stars" in this case can only be a common phrase: "Where the stars begin, cognac ends."
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And as proof of the reliability of the structure, give an example about two additional points of attachment of the body to the frame, which appeared in the rear, and a floor with additional stamped stiffeners and crossbars, capable of withstanding almost any side or frontal impact. I confess that later I found the flyover and made sure that all this was not a fake, but quite real changes.
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And yet I had no desire to arrange even a minimal crash test on the M4 Yerevan-Sevan federal highway. Each of the virtual boys got a belt - they have already passed the five-year age, within which Armenian children can do anything, and unconditionally buckled up.
UAZ Patriot 2.7 MT
Brief technical characteristics
Dimensions, mm (L / W / H) 4 750/1 900/1 910 Wheelbase, mm 2 760 Engine 2.7 l 135 hp Maximum speed, km / h 150 Transmission 5-speed, mechanical Drive Plug-in, full
In the city and on the highway
It's not only about the rules, but also about the Patriot's stiff suspension, the rigidity of which is especially felt at the back. A good bump - and any of the unfastened passengers of the newly made "family man" risks testing the strength of the ceiling with his own head. I dial the "90" allowed by the rules, activate the "cruise" and hope for the thrill of driving.
To tell the truth, it is not very clear to me if he is really needed with mechanical box gear. Long straight lines, in which the Patriot can go to the "fifth", without switching, can be counted on the fingers. Power 135 hp with. and 217 Nm of torque with a constant climb in the mountains, to put it mildly, are not enough for a car with a curb weight of 2,125 kg. In addition, these peak performances are theoretically achieved at 4,600-3,900 rpm, respectively. But in reality everything is different. Gaining such speed under load is very problematic.
UAZ Patriot
Fuel consumption per 100 km
Here you are, on the speedometer, revived in the twilight by a new white backlight, now there are about "hundreds". And the tachometer needle is already about 3,000 rpm, even with the "fifth" turned on. To increase the revs and at least somehow accelerate, you need to go down to "minus two" and give the gas to the floor. Although there is still no special effect other than the roar.
No, you should not do such experiments in the presence of a woman. And you compromise yourself and the car. In general, 80-90 km / h on the "fifth" - the most optimal for the Patriot, in which you can talk without strain, and drive without fear. In this mode, I mentally convince the imaginary spouse that the car has become really quieter thanks to the improvements to the soundproofing of the engine compartment. Only a modern woman cannot be fooled by chaff. She glances longingly at the crossovers bypassing us.
Even my firm belief that this UAZ, with all its frame size and two continuous axles, is decently controlled (rumors about constant steering on the highway are still greatly exaggerated), no longer caused smiles. Of course, I did not tell the faithful about the almost complete absence of reactive effort on the steering wheel, which is not so important, but I informed about the rudder position sensor associated with active safety systems.
ESP from Bosch version 9.1 is another plus to the karma of the new Patriot. German electronics "understands" what wheel slip is, a slippery track on which you twisted the steering wheel and applied the gas or brake even in a turn, and finally, it can work in off-road mode, which will be discussed a little later. Only now it is very difficult for her to deal with the old and imperfect design of the UAZ.
The gray asphalt track is suddenly whitewashed by an overhang, in front of which I am trying to quickly switch from "fourth" to "third". And ... I hover in a "neutral" car, rolling into the snow on it in rear-wheel drive mode. The clutch pedal suddenly dropped by two-thirds of the way, and the stem of the 5-speed manual gearbox simply refuses to stick into the right "slot" ... ESP, you say, smart? Where is she against our iron ...
The plug was cured in the Russian folk way. The pedal was pushed underneath by the toe of the sneaker and pulled back. Later, the malfunction was repeated a couple more times, but then suddenly disappeared, as did my virtual family. It was pointless to refer to the location of the stars or magnetic storms that damaged the clutch actuator. The "patriotic" family flatly refused to move into further reality.
Off road
Maybe in vain! After all, the beauty in Armenia is incredible. Of course, you can drive on the asphalt from Yerevan to the beaches of Sevan, the Mimino monument in Dilijan or to the mountain village of Dsegh with the best chops in the country on anything. But climbing the snow-covered Armenian Highlands or (even more difficult) descending from it will not work without a good jeep. So let's continue testing!
In the morning, the asphalt is replaced by powdered primer, and the electronic transfer case selector takes the 4H position, transferring the car to four-wheel drive. The Off-road button rebuilds the ESP into off-road mode. All that remains of the main functions is assistance during braking and when starting uphill, but ABS now performs functions unusual for it. When braking, the front wheels are locked at such a frequency that they warm up a roller of snow in front of them. Hmm, maybe this is the way out ... Although slowing down the movement with a gear in deep snow is somehow more familiar.
A couple of kilometers up - and you can't do without a "ponder". The snow is loose, sketched a day ago. The rear differential lock is also not superfluous. With this combination, the ESP with all electronics shut down completely as intended. I will not say anything bad about the engineers who tried to improve the Patriot. But do not believe it, it became much easier for me with the “assistants” turned off.
In conditions where no other type of car can pass, the Patriot found himself at ease and finally began to live a full life. The Zavolzhsky motor showed its best qualities at rpm from 1,500 to 2,700 and 4L mode on. Without much roar, calmly and confidently, the SUV “bites through” such rises and crawls out of such snowdrifts that it is difficult to imagine. Just set the steering wheel correctly, just keep the engine in good shape, just do not brake "to the floor", and the car will do the rest by itself.
What road tests for speed and handling passenger car? What adaptability to the city, who even took it into their heads that this essentially unique product should be able to ride on paved roads as good as a crossover?
I poke the button "Off-road", which translates the already mentioned ESP into off-road mode. Here, the lift assist system has been activated. The car does not even think to roll back, you can safely turn on the gear and release the clutch without haste. Better to go straight to the "ponzhayka" - the road is frozen and covered with snow. There is no point in blocking the Etonian optional rear cross-axle differential now. The slide for the Patriot is not a test, although those who are not driving are probably intimidated.
Here is a real 2017 car. Having received a single fuel tank, airbags and ESP as part of the next modernization (after each position I want to put three or even eight exclamation marks, because on the scale of UAZ these are revolutionary changes), "Patriot" enters into New Year in the title of "car for the whole family." The best way check it out - ours. Already looking forward to the spikes and peaks of the final chart!
First of all, we will select competitors for the Patriot in order to determine the average level of this class of cars. And we will immediately make sure that it will not be easy! Technically, UAZ's rivals could be Land Cruiser, or Pajero, or Discovery, or Patrol, but they, as Kopytin would say, have three times the engine. And the price is four or five times. To equalize them, one would have to consider foreign cars of 8-12 years of age and the corresponding condition: "a pig in a poke".
No, for a correct comparison, let's still take the priority of price and look for rivals among the new cars! Let's see what else you can choose from all-wheel drive and relatively affordable. Searches lead to competitors, whose portraits I saw a few years ago in Ulyanovsk: yes, they do not have such a high degree of utility and traffic, but they are the ones that engineers, marketers and buyers look at. This is the most equipped "Duster", whose off-road qualities should not be underestimated, and the Chinese "Havel" has replaced Great Wall. The ground clearance of both is smaller, the sides are softer, but the thrust-to-weight ratio, the size and equipment of the versions close in price make it possible to compose a certain "composite" of 4WD cars for a million. More precisely, for 1.1 million - this is how much the most expensive UAZ Patriot of 2017, performed by Style, offered to us for a test drive in the mountains of Armenia, costs.
To the base price of UAZ I will add a payment for metallic, differential lock, preheater and a second heater. For the Moscow "Frenchman" we add ESP, multimedia and also metallic. We take the "Chinese" with an initial price tag, he already has everything.
Polite patriot
A steering wheel with buttons, a new climate system, a new multimedia center, new European paddle shifters - yes, he became a real intellectual, this guy from Ulyanovsk. Moreover, it sets the tone for others: it was at UAZ that the "polite emergency light" function was invented, when a short press of the button leads to three blinking of all the turn signals, a sort of unspoken "thank you" to all motorists.
The rim-warm steering wheel can be adjusted in two directions, the panel is thinner and lighter, and more space allows for better positioning of the seat belt - behind the shoulder, rather than at its level. The updated car has many advantages, and I was about to put one of them as an assessment. I closed the door and tried to adjust the seat ... In vain! The gap is so small that the hand does not fit, and it is better to adjust the chair with the door open. Touching the handles, pressing the buttons, remembering the old algorithm for turning on the rear stove, resting the lever of the box on the handbrake, you understand: the car was hewn, but not polished. This means that engineers will have something to do with the next modernization!
For the time being, I am recording that the Patriot, although it has not got rid of some of its shortcomings, has reached a good level: plus or minus gives an average figure.
HE IS NOT A STRANGE HERE!
I sincerely and honestly believe that the main new feature of the Patriot, not only in 2017, but also in all subsequent years, is the ESP stabilization system. Before, I almost seriously argued that any UAZ can be on the highway only in a position across, on the road from one mud to another. Now, having driven along the roads of beautiful Armenia in the strongest snow and ice, I say: on the "Patriot" you can travel both off-road and on the autobahns. I would probably try to further increase the angle of inclination of the kingpin - experiments with the caster during the high-speed marathon "60 hours behind the wheel" led to excellent results, and with ESP ...
Remembering how I got into a skid on one of the first Patriots, having gone over the gas at an intersection (there was a wet “zebra” under the rear wheels), I try to repeat the experiment now - on an icy road. Everything works out! That is - it does not work, the car is confidently walking like a thread. Of course, the Patriot remained a massive rear-wheel drive car with its own characteristics on the track, but overall it became calmer to drive.
As you can imagine, I did not have a chance to evaluate the work of passive safety systems - belts with pretensioners and airbags. All I know is that Patriot's airbags are pink (no, not flowered). And I know that he did not pass the crash test of colleagues perfectly; however, show me a car of the same price, but with five stars!
Let's go further. Once upon a time it seemed to me that the power of the 2.7-liter engine should be limited, that it was too much for the heavily controlled Patriot! Now the engine is desperately lacking - not quite run-in cars on the 10% rise of the Sevan highway ask first for the fourth, and almost immediately the third gear. Lack of motor? The dignity of the chassis?
WE ARE CLOSE HERE
Part of the picture from the rear-view camera is blocked by the spare wheel hanging on the rear door. There is no other way to position the lens, engineers sigh. And I sigh after them: big car but there is no room. Also take a breath in the parking lot. And in the alley. And in the yard. And in a traffic jam.
For dynamic movement, the Patriot lacks a motor, and in this case it is for the best. Its length and width are too great, maneuvers are difficult, and squeezing into a place somewhere in the parking lot, you risk brushing off a car inopportunely by the door. His only virtue in the city is good overview, from top to bottom on all cars (just so that the windows do not sweat so much in the snow!). Otherwise, he must look at them from the bottom up, realizing that the city is not his element. This fully applies to all other 5-meter SUVs ... and it's a pity that not all of their drivers understand this.
In general, quite a logical urban minus. Let's see what will happen next.
ALL NOTHING!
One of the remarkable properties of ESP is the ability to grip the slipping wheels with the brakes, simulating the locking of differentials. By the way, the rear one can be locked and forcibly, now there is such a function! Only the front remains free, but taking into account the same ESP, the ground clearance under the axle bulbs of 210 mm, a downshift and a general predisposition to off-road exploits, against the background of rivals I give him the maximum rating: two pluses, the first case in the practice of 7D tests!
Let's digress from our direct competitors for a moment and look at their technical counterparts. I understand that, in theory, other vehicles have the same remarkable (but not unique) cross-country ability, but unlike them, the Patriot is not a pity! This is not an ambiguity, this is a compliment: the UAZ will stoically endure (and you along with it) scratches from branches, chips from stones, bits of clay ... It is impossible that every blade of grass leaves a scar both on the paint and on the owner's heart.
The only remark: in my opinion, the Ulyanovsk residents were a little too clever with the "off-road" buttons that turn off the ESP and rebuild the work of the electronics. One is enough, and the function of the second is easier to shift to the transmission control knob: use it with all-wheel drive, and a lower gear, and the entire off-road arsenal of the stabilization system.
BEFORE THERE WAS 9 PLACES
Yes, yes, the first UAZ-3162 models had five main seats and two more double banquettes in the trunk. Is it any wonder that a potentially 9-seater car is so roomy? It will contain everything and everyone.
However, those sitting in front may want to move away from the doors, while those in the rear would prefer a lower step ... And in the trunk, I would like a shelf, not a curtain. And the handle, necessarily the handle from the inside on the fifth door, otherwise it is inconvenient and dirty to shut it. Consider all these little things - and just right to ask for an additional plus. And now he is "only" one. Let me remind you that the total score is already three pluses and one minus.
OCCURRENCE TANK
While there were two of them, those who drove with such tanks did not like it. At one time I was annoyed by the small capacity of each tank (less than 40 liters), the fuzzy operation of the transfer pump, the vulnerability of thin tin tanks (I have several dents on my account).
As soon as the factory workers solve all these problems by installing a single plastic tank, those who have not even tried the car yet did not like it: the capacity is small, and the strength is insufficient, and the clearance is now less. You cannot argue with the latter, the clearance under the tank is now less than 300 mm ... only under the main pairs of bridges it was and is (on standard tires) 210 mm anyway, so the new tank did not affect the cross-country ability. Its walls are thick, 6 layers, and the resistance according to modern standards had to be made even higher than that of metal containers. Finally, the smaller volume (68 liters) is redeemed by the convenience of refueling. But this is so, arguments on behalf of a specific user ... who did not really understand why all this plastic fuss.
As for the consumption, it can be 9, 11, or 15 liters of AI-92 (!) Per hundred. I can easily meet the first number on the highway. Which is what I wish for you. The account is still the same.
THERE WILL BE LITTLE!
This subtitle fully illustrates both the strengths and weak sides"Patriot". Let's start with the latter: a range of four trim levels is not enough. We need one more motor, or better two. Diesel is a must. Alas, the Russian ZMZ-514 has been discontinued, but, marketers hint, when demand arises, we will offer an imported engine, which we are still planning only for export.
Since the Patriot has become such an all-rounder, it's time to think about the automatic. Fortunately, the improvements made like a new tank already allow it to be built in. Everything will be, the plant workers assure, wait two years - until the next modernization.
Finally, it's time to make a factory version for those who value cross-country ability: on large toothed wheels, with a winch, protection and everything else. This is promised in the near future, and it pleases.
Now about the strengths. Nobody else will provide you with so many meters and cubic meters of a car for one million rubles. And this is the strongest feature of the Patriot: look how much bigger it is than its equal crossovers! This I still do not repeat about the patency ...
And this, of course, gives him another plus.
« UAZ-Patriot ”, as promised, showed a very uneven diagram, each category has advantages and disadvantages. The grand total is unique: four pluses and one minus. And you know, besides the winning score, this is the first UAZ I'm talking about: if you need to carry a lot and everywhere, I recommend it.
The whole photo session
In my opinion, there is no better reason for buying a real male car... In our case, the updated UAZ Patriot. Several years ago, my other half, just climbing into the salon of this car, immediately asked to go outside
But now times are different. The Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant is actively "fitting" into the market, and over the past year and a half, its "civilian" model has already undergone two significant updates. "Civil" I call "Patriots" to distinguish them from commercial UAZs - "Farmer", "loaf", "nurses", "tadpole". I think that even if their update is just around the corner, it is still planned. It would be time already ...
However, UAZ "fit" into the market began, of course, earlier. Not all of the steps taken were commercially successful. So, the model "UAZ Patriot Sport" with a shortened wheelbase did not find success among buyers, but the modification with a pickup body, on the contrary, "went to the people." But we will talk about it in detail in another review, but for now we will take a closer look at the twice updated SUV.
Updates and concerns
I admit, this is the first time I got behind the wheel, except for a short trip during one of the presentations. He sat down not without excitement and, as they say, in anticipation of ... the worst: a test drive just around the building of the dealership left, to put it mildly, not a rosy impression. Then I thought that I would hardly be able to withstand a long trip on the highway on this car. In off-road qualities I had no doubts about the Patriot, but I still have to get to the interesting off-road. Perhaps, on this "tank" I will get to the cherished fishing spots for ages, because even a speed of 100 km / h will certainly be prohibitive for him. Humming units, indistinct gear shifting, low directional stability, late reactions of the car to steering wheel control, the need to constantly steer ...
On my then mid-size Korean SUV, I did not experience even a tenth of these difficulties. I had to fly 700 kilometers a day on it and not get particularly tired. As far as off-road conditions are concerned, I would hardly have climbed deeper into the jungle on the Patriot either. Overcoming the "mud" has never been an end in itself for us, but just a part of the leisure program, the main point in which most often remains fishing. "Patriot" as a potential replacement for my not new already SUV attracted, first of all, a huge trunk, as well as the price. But trying to present Russian model wife turned into a complete fiasco. She absolutely did not like the “artisanal” (in her words) interior design and hard plastic, “ringing” when the doors were closed. Even from a short trip to get to know driving performance she flatly refused.
After starting on a cold morning, 2.7-liter 128-horsepower gasoline engine"Patriota" starts roaring all over the street. As a matter of fact, it is not he who roars, but an additional device in the heating system with a motor, which seeks to quickly pump the "hot" liquid into the "stove".
And here I am in the salon newest version"Patriot". The plastic here is now really soft, however ... I liked the design of that “ringing” interior better. Stylishly lined up deflectors of the heating and ventilation system were adjacent to a powerful handle-bracket on the dashboard, with which it was so convenient to climb into the salon, located at a decent height above the ground. Now the handle is gone. There is also no handle on the A-pillar, and the one above the door does not help fit. In this regard, the driver is more comfortable: he can drag his body into the cabin, grabbing the powerful wheel.
The body has to really be dragged in, the landing process looks peculiar. The new footrests are now located very high, at the level of the body sills, that is, at a height of 44 cm! To get behind the wheel, you must first lift your leg up, put it on the step, then raise yourself off the ground, fold like a penknife, and "reverse" yourself into the seat. For a person of average build, this exercise does not deliver much difficulty, but for a well-fed, and even in winter clothes, it is not very comfortable. For older people, too.
The seats in the cabin have been changed, the old ones, repeating the contour of the "San'eng's" seats, gave way to new, flatter ones, practically devoid of lateral support. Their stuffing is dense, there is an adjustment of the lumbar support, but still many complain that the back gets tired on a long journey. I confirm this. On the SsangYong seats, I have already covered more than 200 thousand kilometers, and I never had to complain about back fatigue. Inconveniently located near the front "patriot" seats and backrest tilt adjustment knobs - it is easier to reach them from the back row. The driver's seat has a "microlift", and, frankly, it is pleasant to raise it higher. But at the same time, the legs on the pedals will not be located optimally (as if from above), so it is better not to overdo it when the chair is raised. The large polyurethane steering wheel is height-adjustable only.
In front of the driver is now a new instrument cluster, vaguely reminiscent of the "tidy" BMW. The scales are clear, with a pleasant-looking green backlight, the brightness of which can be adjusted. Between the main scales is the on-board computer screen, which displays many useful indicators. Only now it is inconvenient to take them out: you have to stick your right hand behind the steering wheel and rotate the small handle, which usually serves to reset the daily mileage. Doing this is not handy on the go.
The dashboard top is soft, but the black interior looks a little dull. The "lump" of the torpedo is huge and ... empty. A seven-inch multimedia system monitor is simply lost on it. In addition, the characters on this screen are small, especially the names of musical compositions. But the system itself is multifunctional, you can't take that away from it. There is also the ability to play audio files from a USB-drive (the wiring with the corresponding connector is in the glove compartment), and a navigation system with Navitel maps, and displaying a picture from a rear-view camera. Particularly impressive is the bright and beautiful compass, which shows, however, very arbitrary cardinal points when the car is stationary. On the way, he begins to navigate correctly.
Interestingly, the Patriot's front seats can be folded flush with the rear sofa and get a couple of comfortable berths. Only the head restraints must be removed first. I haven't seen this for a long time. The rear sofa has been moved 80 mm back, so there is not a lot of legroom for those sitting here, but VERY much. Between the cushion of the rear "sofa" and the driver's seat, set in "my" position, - 36 cm. True, the cushion is located low, so to sit here, frankly, is not very comfortable. But there is enough room in width for the eyes and three anglers, equipped for ice fishing. If it is cold outside and even special clothing does not warm them, they can use an additional heater and activate the heating of the rear seats. These are the options our "Patriot" is now rich in! True, they are available only in the maximum configuration Limited.
The second row seats can be folded in parts, in a ratio of 1: 2. To do this, you first need to install the pillow vertically, then put the back in its place. All this economy is taking shape tightly, with efforts, while a noticeable step is formed in relation to the boot floor. In an imported car, such a decision would look sloppy (and there really are such cars), but for some reason you forgive the Patriot. The trunk in "par" is truly huge. Its length from the back of the rear seats to the “wicket” door is 99 cm, the height under the curtain is 64 cm. The shutter is roll-up, self-winding. Unfortunately, it has a strange tendency to "self-reel" on the move.
Door luggage compartment huge, but easy to open. It is conveniently located on it spare wheel under a branded cap with PATRIOT inscription.
Tanks in the city!
After starting on a cold morning, the Patriot's 2.7-liter 128-horsepower petrol engine roars all over the street. As a matter of fact, it is not he who roars, but an additional device in the heating system with a motor, which seeks to quickly pump the "hot" liquid into the "stove". This is the sound !!! Initially, I even thought that all the units under the hood at once "ran out" of bearings ... Moreover, this motor did not "stop" soon, only after a few kilometers. The engine also took a long time to warm up. But the heated seats worked quickly, as did the heated windshield - these are the pros.
All pedals in the "Patriot" are tight, requiring male, forceful pressure. You have to get used to it. It is problematic to drown the car when starting off, throwing the clutch too abruptly, but making it zealously jump forward is easy. The engine responds to an increase in fuel delivery almost instantly. Despite the modest number of "horses" under the hood, our off-road monster starts confidently and even almost easily. Even if not without a roar.
On the very first meters of the city path, you feel how high you are sitting in relation to other drivers. Now your “level brothers” are “gazelists”, and drivers of cars and even crossovers are somewhere far below. At first, this is a little scary: it seems that you are about to not notice someone and will touch someone. However, the huge outside mirrors help a lot. Here is the salon mirror here is small, it barely "fits" the glass of the tailgate, moreover, it is partially obscured by the case of the spare wheel. But when reversing, parking sensors and a rear-view camera help. True, a piece of the spare wheel case also gets into the camera lens.
Forward visibility is also good, the windshield is unusually wide and high. One day on a bright sunny day, I pulled down my sun visor - and forgot about it until late in the evening. The front pillars are thin and do not interfere with the view at all. The door windows are also wide and high.
But the dynamics, which seem decent on the first meters of the road, are not so good for heavy city traffic. The peak of the impressive torque of 210 Nm is achieved at 2500 rpm, but in fact, it is better to "twist" the motor a little - up to 3000-3200 rpm. Then you can accelerate from 60 to 80 km / h in fourth gear in 8 seconds, and in third - in 6. Agree, these are not outstanding figures. Above 3500 rpm, the engine begins to roar deafeningly, while apparently not adding in thrust (although the peak power should be reached at 4600 rpm). It is noteworthy that the tachometer scales are the same on the Patriots with gasoline and diesel engines.
These cars and gearboxes are the same. Actually, the transmission is the only one here: a five-speed "mechanics". The gears are clearly selected, although the lever has long strokes, and a lot of effort has to be applied to it. I did not have any "misses" past the required step. I liked that it turns on perfectly reverse... There is no more “hand-out” lever in the cabin, it has given way to a washer for selecting off-road modes.
But if you can still put up with the modest dynamics, then getting used to the operation of the steering gear is problematic. The car zealously responds to the turn of the steering wheel and willingly rushes in the right direction, but at the same time it turns out to be extremely inertial: if it has already gone sideways, then it has gone, it is very easy to "steer" in one direction or the other. You have to adjust and adapt, making proactive actions with the steering wheel. The steering wheel here is very "long" (almost four turns from lock to lock), and its information content, let's be honest, is zero. Perhaps, if you first became the owner of the Patriot, it makes sense for you to practice driving it in a closed area or in the yard, before going out into the streets with heavy traffic. Better on the site - this bulky car is cramped in the yards. Its turning circle is quite significant - 13.6 m. I remember how difficult it was for me to turn at the exit from the car wash in the underground parking of a shopping center.
The track can also be a good "simulator". Three riders in the cabin, plus a dog and a full trunk, did not seem to the Patriot a significant load, and on an empty morning highway, he pleased the dynamics ... which one? Surprisingly, the manufacturer does not provide data on the acceleration of this car from zero to 100 km / h. Why be ashamed of something? Yes, not 10 or even, perhaps, not 20 seconds - but for a heavy frame SUV with a lot of "ballast" you don't need more! This is not an automobile "lighter", but a solid adult car, "sharpened" for its goals and objectives. Is he incapable of overtaking quickly? So you should not rush on it. The quieter you go - the further you will be: the efficiency of the Patriot depends very much on the degree of pressing the gas pedal!
Urban fuel consumption during the test was about 16 liters per 100 km. On the highway at speeds of 120-130 km / h on-board computer in the mode of instant consumption, it frankly frightened me, giving out now 14-15, then 17-19 liters "per hundred". However, on average, less than 13 liters came out. I tried another, quieter driving mode: 90-100 km / h. And I got about 9.3-liter consumption, even less than the passport!
Gas station "Patriot" - a whole story. It still uses two fuel tank with a capacity of 36 liters. In this case, the engine takes fuel from the right tank, and as it becomes empty, gasoline from the left tank begins to be pumped into it on its own. The driver does not control this process, he can only control the levels in one or another tank. To do this, he needs to press a button on the central tunnel. Or you don't have to press: if the fuel level in the right tank is close to zero, it means that there is nothing in the left tank either, and it's time to refuel.
"Free swimming"
Before the test, what I feared most was not the awkwardness of a bulky SUV in town. And not for the dynamics, and not for the brakes, which, by the way, demonstrated good efficiency. Even ABS pleased us, both on evenly slippery and mixed surfaces. The car slowed down, as they say, strictly on the course.
Most of all I was confused by the directional stability of this car on the track. Perhaps the fears were not in vain, but ... there was no need to fear so much. Indeed, this car is not too fond of driving in a straight line. Its course must be constantly corrected, even on a smooth highway, as it constantly strives to "float away" somewhere. Moreover, it should be adjusted with caution, since the inertia of a heavy car is incredible. It seems that you only set out to rebuild to the adjacent lane, but for some reason the Patriot thinks that the maneuver must be continued, as if it wants to make a turn by all 90 degrees ... Naturally, you have to “steer” in the opposite direction, but this should be done be extremely careful, as the SUV will react with excessive zeal, and again will need to be corrected. It takes a lot of work and time to get used to this behavior.
What is its reason? In a continuous front axle? Probably not - rather, in an archaic "screw-ball nut" steering mechanism. I experienced similar sensations on a Sobol car with a similar steering mechanism. But he had a backlash that significantly exceeded the permissible value. After replacing the mechanism, the backlash decreased, but the sensations remained. The test “Patriot” had a play in the steering mechanism, if it was, it was very insignificant, it was impossible to determine it by the movement of the steering wheel. So it’s a matter of design. Eh, here would be a rack and pinion mechanism, which is used on many, many heavy SUVs! In the end, GAZ cars of the NEXT generation have already switched to this one - and the driving experience is much more pleasant!
But so far there is no such mechanism, and one has to get used to "free floating". Gradually, the "sense of balance" comes, and you get used to driving with pinpoint accuracy. By the way, at the place of the buyer of the new (and used) "Patriot" I would definitely check the angles of the front wheels. It's okay that a one-piece front axle is used here, no one has canceled the toe adjustment, and the rod with a threaded coupling is in the most prominent place.
And when driving on the highway, I would advise you to move as in a tank. Did you see a pothole in the asphalt ahead? Feel free to ride it at full speed, guided by the principle "more gas - fewer holes." Yes, a car with rough suspensions (front dependent spring, rear - dependent spring) will shake passengers and luggage well. But there is no need to "catch" it after a sharp maneuver, sometimes even on the verge of a skid, and also to frighten the riders with significant body rolls.
I was very much afraid of all this when I received the car for a test and was preparing to set off on an 800-kilometer voyage along the highway. But, as it turned out, he was afraid almost in vain. I am familiar with this peculiar handling of GAZ vehicles, on the Patriot it is much less problematic, so I got used to it in just a couple of hours. For those who are not familiar with the operation of such steering mechanisms, this may take a couple of days. Hardly more.
We add here that during the update, "Patriot" acquired a stabilizer lateral stability v rear suspension... Whether the handling has become better from this, I cannot say, since I did not go on versions without this stabilizer. But I know that experienced owners of these cars prefer… to dismantle this boom right away, and I understand them. The fact is that it goes around the crankcase rear axle, forming a "loop", ready to catch on something off-road. Looking under the car, you immediately realize that this is a very real situation. However, the creators updated version consider such a solution progressive, since it justifies the advertising slogan of the updated UAZ Patriot: "Built for off-road, updated for the city."
So, on the highway, the car can be driven quite confidently and not particularly straining about directional stability. Moreover, with a set of speed, it, in general, improves. Well, exactly like on "Sobol": even with a desperately backlash steering mechanism, it was necessary to "catch" the desired interposition of its parts - and the car began to move along the track with the confidence of an ocean supertanker. But, of course, until the very first movement by the wheel ... How fast can you go on the Patriot highway? Feel free to count on 100, 120, and even 130 km / h, he really CAN do it. True, the noise in the cabin already at the "hundred" begins to put pressure on the ears, and at speeds of 120 km / h gasoline literally flies into exhaust pipe.
As for the passengers, they do not experience much discomfort. Of course, this car is both harsh and noisy, but only frank sissies will complain about this. The rest of his comfort will seem, albeit relative, but acceptable. Pillow rear seat smallish, on a long journey from a not too comfortable landing, you can get tired. But the ceiling is high, and when jumping on irregularities there is no risk of punching a hole in it with the crown of the head.
On broken local roads, as well as on dirt roads, this danger increases. It will not be possible to "knock down" here, even if you go alone. The car mercilessly throws in different directions on irregularities and in ruts, and to provoke a skid of the rear wheels is a trifling matter! Especially considering the "long" and extremely uninformative steering wheel. Gape a little, and the SUV was literally across the road, or even caught a parapet of snow on the side of the road. It is not easy to keep it. Connection front axle improves the situation on soggy primers, but not one hundred percent. On descents, try to brake with the engine.
It is somewhat difficult to describe the behavior of the Patriot on the off-road. The fact is that the same (or, if you prefer, standardized) conditions for testing all-wheel drive simply do not exist. Does the car confidently move on snowy snow a quarter of a meter deep? Somewhere yes, but somewhere, maybe not: depending on the density of the snow, what is under it, what tires. Under the conditions of our test, the Patriot confidently plowed virgin soil at near-zero air temperature. The snow was wet, heavy, but interspersed with patches of last year's tall grass. Tires - "Kama-221", by the way, are very relatively winter: there is a snowflake-shaped icon, but the tread blocks are not dismembered by small cuts-sipes. Such a protector is enough for snow, but on ice and on rolled surfaces it is obviously powerless.
Four-wheel drive on the updated Patriot it is switched on not by a lever, but by turning the selector washer. To enable 4H mode, simply turn the washer to the desired position, even on the move, but at low speed. It is no longer required to get out of the car and manually turn on the wheel couplings-hubs with a special key: they are permanently connected. As it turned out, many drivers of Patriots with new couplings are thinking about installing disconnectable devices, and here's why: when driving on the highway, this gives a liter, or even one and a half liter fuel economy (for every hundred kilometers). Let's face it, a tempting effect! But, as it turned out, there is a downside to this savings. When the hubs are turned off, the front propeller shaft stops rotating, and this leads ... to its premature wear: when not engaged, it starts vibrating, experiencing vertical movements on irregularities, and all this together reduces its service life faster than constant rotation. It is believed that this is why the plant decided to use non-disconnectable hubs: so that there are not too many claims under warranty, with requests to replace the backlash front universal joint. By the way, we will inform you about one more "chip" of the updated "Patriot": it now uses unattended cardan shafts, their connections no longer need to be injected after passing any puddle.
Urban fuel consumption during the test was about 16 liters per 100 km. On the highway, at speeds of 120-130 km / h, the on-board computer in the instantaneous flow mode produces 14-15, then 17-19 liters "per hundred". However, on average, less than 13 liters came out. In a quieter driving mode (90-100 km / h), the consumption is about 9.3 liters per "hundred", even less than the passport!
The downshift algorithm is as follows. Stop the vehicle completely. Place the transmission lever in neutral and release the clutch pedal. Turn the selector to position 4L and "squeeze" it clockwise until it stops (non-fixed position). Hold this for about five seconds, during which the corresponding symbol should light up on the instrument panel. Everything is ready, you can feel like a tanker.
However, it must be said that the "decrease" is not particularly felt, even though ratio"Lowers" increased to 2.542 (for comparison, for Chevrolet TrailBlazer it is 2.62, for SsangYong and Great Wall it is 2.48, for Chevrolet Niva it is 2.135). But what is felt is a change in the reaction of the car to pressing the gas pedal. You do not expect such a "jump" forward, and it is better to be ready for it, especially if in a difficult situation you just need to "move" the car a little bit.
In the course of our off-road experiments, we have never observed any cases of non-inclusion of all-wheel drive modes, or their spontaneous shutdown. Likewise, there were no complaints about the operation of the rest of the equipment of the test "Patriot". An exception is the external door handles, which work on the “reverse” principle: the harder you pull on them, the worse they work. All doors slammed shut tightly and effortlessly (although still with a "tinny" sound). Interestingly, on the diagonally hung car, its passenger doors, as well as the huge "gate" of the luggage compartment, opened and closed easily. This means that the frame on which the body is installed has become stiffer. Although, if you look at it from below, a large number of cross-members are not observed, and those that exist do not impress with their fundamental nature. Measurements ground clearance showed that under the rear axle crankcase - as much as 250 mm, under the front axle crankcase - 220 mm. This is more than the official figures, although the test car was not "lifted". Inaccuracy of measurements is also hardly possible: they were carried out on asphalt.
The family gives the go-ahead
In less than a week, my family members frankly became akin to Pariot. We could not get used only to the peculiar "behavior" of the outer door handles (simply because we did not know their secret). Otherwise, the car suited us completely. Of course, the comfort in it is far from "Korean", but, on the other hand, not the "cargo" one, which I was afraid of. I liked the equipment of the Limited version (heating of the entire area of the windshield, air conditioning, additional heater and heated rear row of seats, multimedia system), as well as a huge trunk volume. Controllability? Yes, a little not "female", although, I must say, my wife also coped with this car on a soggy dirt road, although before that she was familiar only with a passenger model, on which she learned to ride in a driving school.
So, she now unambiguously agrees to purchase the Patriot as a vehicle for traveling and fishing. However, for now, you can take your time with this and wait a year or two, for which, we hope, the popular Russian SUV will finally acquire a MODERN steering mechanism. To be honest, I wish I had it installed more than electronic system stabilization, which should definitely appear in the next update. And in 2017, it is planned to begin equipping the Patriot with a driver's airbag and an automatic transmission. It would be interesting to know how ...
A headline like "Patriot with an automatic machine" would be too obvious and, accordingly, vulgar. And transparent political connotations threatened with schism and curses from readers who were alien to irony. But it did not work out completely to get away from analogies with weapons and love for the homeland, these concepts are built into the very DNA of the UAZ. Even such a bourgeois modification as the Patriot with the "automatic". Its presentation took place the day before in Ulyanovsk, in conditions close to combat. And with elements of unpatrioticity.
In 2020 Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant will release new car, which, according to the head of the enterprise and the main shareholder Vadim Shvetsov, will become an analogue of Toyota SUVs, but based on domestic material. We got the first - and most important - details about this project.
The very idea of driving the UAZ Patriot back to Moscow was like a thorn in my brain. I probably spent a year in correspondence with my friend Mikhail with enviable regularity, like a mantra, repeating the sentence: “Let's drive the UAZ back”, to which I received the answer with the same regularity: “Go to ... No, in general” 😊
Two navigators, an anti-radar application, a Ci-bi-radio ... There were times when I went to Sevastopol using paper maps and road signs. Now, voice prompts are pouring from gadgets in an endless stream, interrupting each other: “There is a traffic jam ahead of the“ thirtieth ”column. The camera is on the runway after 800 meters. Turn right. Thanks bro!" - head is spinning. True, the mileage to Sevas was shorter then - one and a half thousand with a tail. Now, having laid a route through the Crimean bridge, you can see an impressive 1,838 km on the navigator screen. My family and I will have to cover this distance in the updated UAZ Patriot. Thus, confirming or refuting that the Ulyanovsk SUV is suitable for long journeys.
It's warm in Primorye in autumn. In October, you can still swim and even sunbathe, but the fact that it is still autumn, and not summer, is reminiscent of the night when the temperature drops to + 8-10 degrees. Therefore, savages rarely travel to the sea for more than a day. But not when you have a huge UAZ Patriot and a burning desire to make a "sleeping bag"!
In September, the Patriot went wrong. Either because of the measured city driving and the lack of field trips, or because of the autumn depression, breakdowns crawled like worms after rain. But first things first.
To the left of the Ainovskie Islands is the Norwegian coast. On the right, the northernmost point of the European part of Russia, Cape German, dissolves into a light haze. Directly ahead, the cold blue of the Arctic Ocean ... Now I know that the end of the earth is not a figurative expression at all. It can be seen, photographed, touched and even chipped off as a keepsake. It has a name and coordinates. We drove to the Rybachiy Peninsula, 120 km north of Murmansk. updated UAZ Patriot. The 2019 SUV has an upgraded engine and suspension. The conditions for testing the updated "Patrick" are the most suitable.
