Test drive Ravon R2. Start Small

The correspondent of “My Motor” has just returned from Rome, where there are more places than inhabitants, and SUVs on the roads – fewer than sunny days in his native St. Petersburg. An interesting observation is that the free citizens of the “Eternal City” value practicality and ease of use above their own status, so most of the fleet to Rome is a city, a car class.

Lately everything is different – just the opposite. Large clumsy SUVs and budget and business class sedans have almost completely replaced our roads with a small car. Look at the catalog of the annual Latest Car of the Year awards. What do we see? If we exclude exotic smart cars and the Fiat 500 from the list, there are only the Ravon R2 and the Kia Picanto. Cars of the same level, but different price categories.

The Uzbek Ravon R2 is the previous generation Chevrolet Spark. Its main feature is a four-speed automatic transmission – the old Japanese “automatic” Aisin with a torque converter, characterized by predictable action and high reliability. In particular, other transmissions consisting of Ravon R2 in the current market. Manual gear shifting (like the Ford Focus II) is not provided, but there is a “panjika” (l) and a special mode, the so-called intermediate, corresponding to the panel in the “I” position. The latter is supposed to be used when driving “down” on winding roads, when towing a trailer. On climbs, it provides the necessary power, and on slopes it provides a slight deceleration of the engine. The “L” position will be useful for the most severe driving conditions, the engine does not spin “idle”, and pull confidently in overcoming, for example, snow-covered sections of the road. To get into the “L” mode – it's easy – it's the last one in the line, but sticking “D” and “I” is sometimes a problem – you can skip it.

The choice of engines in the Ravon R2 is either. The manufacturer offers only a 4-cylinder unit with a working volume of 1.25 liters, developed in the late 90s of the last century for Opel (later it was repeatedly upgraded, and today it meets the requirements of the Euro-5 environmental standard). The output of the motor is 85 hp. with. (peak power is reached at 6,400 rpm) and torque can reach 112 Nm at 4,800 rpm. min. Front wheel drive. Questions for the repair of the box the engine will serve the owner of the car “faithfully” throughout the entire life cycle of the car. They say there are times when he poured more oil than necessary. Understanding this is problematic – there is no probe. But if the automatic transmission will attract attention noise (howl) in the first minutes after the start of movement, take the time to contact the service. A mechanic at a service station checks the oil level in the automatic transmission (there is an inspection hole in the box). In general, the maintenance schedule for the engine and gearbox from the Ravon R2 is indicated in the service book issued to the new car.

recently, as you understand, Ravon R2 is considered a car exclusively for women. Probably because it is small and slow. Both of these can be argued with. Although the number of head restraints on the rear sofa is three, the full name of the Ravon R2 five-seater is impossible. Don't forget: it has an overall length of 3640 mm, a width of 1597 mm, however the driver will rise to 1.85 m the interior does not look very close. It fits perfectly in the driver's seat and on the back sofa. There are only a few millimeters left from head to ceiling, and kneeling will sink comfortably into the padded recess on the back of the driver's seat. The R2's steering column is only adjustable in one direction (height), but the driver's seat is vertically adjustable.

What else can be said about the interior of the Ravon R2? Hard plastic, so it will probably “speak to you in every way” over time. The dashboard is a motor type with one round instrument (speedometer) and a monochrome (blue and white) screen that shows a bunch of different parameters (like engine speed or fuel consumption). The ergonomics of the driver's seat is good: the buttons and levers are in place. The air conditioning control unit (climate control) looks a bit outdated, but you are with it, as they say, “without water”. Part of the levers and buttons are not highlighted – you have to get used to their location in the daytime, and in accelerated mode. There is a heater and electrically adjustable (not all as standard).

Audio… as an audio system. In the initial configuration, its quality is rated with two speakers in the top six. There are USB and AUX, you can listen to a regular CD and MP3 file, it works via Bluetooth. For the safety of the driver and riders, adjustable seat belts with pretensioners, Isofix mounts and airbags from two to six, depending on the configuration, meet.

It is strange to hope for a large luggage compartment. When assembling the rear seats, it is only 170 liters, but it increases several times when the rear seat backs are folded down. However, in order to ensure, according to the manufacturer, a “flat floor”, it is necessary to knock it out of the headrests of the seats. It is important not to lose them later, the owners of P2, we often deal with the transformation of the interior, this happens “very often”. The opening of the tailgate is small, so you do not need to rely on the transportation of bulky items. In addition, the picture is spoiled by an overlay under the rear speakers, which eat up some space. This, of course, is a minus. The advantage is the presence of a full-size “spare tire” under the trunk floor (13-inch wheels are installed in the basic Comfort package; the other two are optimal and the elegant 14-inch).

Yes, the Ravon R2 car is small, so it is not recommended to go on a long journey on it. Moreover, five of them … a strictly vertical landing will add comfort, while the driver will surely like the seats with lateral support and a comfortable armrest (manipulator) for the left hand. The standard package includes support for the left leg, but this is not very comfortable. Maybe this is only true for size 45 boots, but shoes for petite women will be just right.

Did someone say Ravon R2 is slow? Not at all. Yes, if he weighed two or three tons. But for a car weighing just over 1,000 pounds, there's no need for a lot of horses under the hood. The acceleration to 100 km / h in 12.5 seconds indicated in the technical characteristics is honest (in the sense of experimental). The Uzbek sedan has high maneuverability, feels good in city traffic, but it's unpleasant … an empty wheel. From a management point of view, this is a clear minus. Another poor soundproofing. Everything is noisy in the car: the engine, the wheel arches, the wind in the wires. In other words, in order to listen to music and country roads at the same time, it will not be – you will have to adapt. From Ravon R2, like any modern cars, they have daytime running lights (by the way, they are “fog”), but its high, at first glance, headlights do not shine very brightly. The city is not a problem

As for fuel consumption, the manufacturer says it is 6.2 liters per 100 km in the combined cycle (in the city and 8.2 liters). Some people think it's a little. Probably, given the outdated engine and automatic transmission. But we would like R2's appetite to be even smaller. In addition, the tank capacity is only 35 liters.

What would you like to say about Ravon R2? It has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes. The trouble is not: the car is not heavy, good brakes. Suspension conventional MacPherson strut front, semi-independent, torsion bar rear. The anti-lock braking system is present in all trim levels, but there is no ESP even for an additional fee. Yes, the machine is small and light, so you can use it quickly and easily to control it. But to deepen it “in an unfamiliar jungle”, and jumping curbs, we would not advise you. Its advantages if the loss of concentration can quickly turn into disadvantages, and “Virgo” and it is contraindicated. In particular, “thanks to” the brand “ramanovskogo” bumper, which without a twinge of conscience eats up part of the clearance.

At the time of this writing, the minimum cost of Ravon R2, recommended by the manufacturer, was 439,000.