Tests: Citroen C3 Aircross, Kia Stonic, Mazda CX-3, Nissan Juke, Opel Crossland X, Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur, Seat Arona.
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When my Spanish colleagues at Motorpresse Iberia, Auto Motor und Sport, mentioned that they would conduct an annual comparison test this year, it was immediately clear to me where the taco dog was praying: Seat's Arona is completely fresh. and for Spain, Seat is extremely important, and at the same time they make some very interesting smaller crossovers in Spain: the Opel Crossland X and its sister Citroen C3 Aircross, as well as the Renault Captur.
At first I hoped that there would be ten candidates, but it quickly became clear that we would not be able to get a fresh Hyundai Kone (the test almost corresponded to the international presentation), and since hybrids are not very popular in Spain, there are no candidates, like the Toyota C-HR, which otherwise it would be ideal for the competition in terms of performance and size (but not in terms of price).
Well, in any case, we will soon send the Hyundai Kono to the test and, of course, we will repeat what we did a month ago with small family cars: we will put it on a par with the winner of this comparison test (maybe even the C-HR ) to see who's best in class.
Among the eight, the C3 Aircross is undoubtedly the most outstanding because it is very different, the Kia Stonic because it is much closer to a classic five-door sedan, even more so than a crossover, and the Seat Arona, a classic but highly coordinated design. Juke and Pauline look a little dated, and the updated Captur and CX-3 don't really stand out. At Opel? The opinions of the 12 editors differed the least in terms of form, but, unfortunately, not in a very positive direction.
On the other hand, it was the Crossland X that received a lot of praise for the interior. Ergonomics, if you subtract the slightly flawed user interface of the infotainment system, at a very high level, the seats are excellent, the driving position is like a textbook. There is ample storage space, there are two USB ports on the front, but unfortunately they are not on the back. The rear seats are rated poorly in terms of roominess, which is interesting considering the Crossland X is actually just a different C3 Aircross. In the latter, there is noticeably more space in the back or a more comfortable seat, but it is true that the uncomfortable front seats, especially on long trips, deserve a minus. The C3 Aircross also has less storage space, a poorer infotainment system, and the biggest plus is the longitudinally movable rear seat, which offers really great interior flexibility. It is a piece of equipment that all cars of this type should have (at least as an option), but unfortunately it is the only one that boasts as standard (and also available in Crossland at an additional cost) Renault Captur. ... This is one of the reasons the Captur is one of the most comfortable cars in the rear (actually the best for the C3), and it mainly comes from the very poor R-Link infotainment system and only one USB port. It admittedly has some interesting features like the removable and washable seat covers, but that doesn't help lift it up in the cabin.
Arona was the best in this area. The forms are rather meager, boring, and the back of the bench is motionless, but these are also the only drawbacks that can be attributed to it. The infotainment system is perfect, the seats are top notch, and so is the ergonomics. The luggage compartment is sufficient, the visibility behind the wheel is very good (better than in the Crossland and Captur and especially much better than in the CX-3 or Juk), the seats are very good.
Juke is the exact opposite. Crowded, difficult access to the rear bench, very poor visibility, flood-proof infotainment system – the Juke makes it clear that it is by far the oldest of the eight, and that its designers thought too much about the “different” shape and too little about usability. . This is also evidenced by the fact that it lacks storage space, that it has only one USB port, and also lacks small things such as hooks for hanging bags in the trunk or illuminated mirrors in the sunblinds. . Likewise, age is familiar to the 2008 Peugeot, but it pays off with much better seats, a reasonably good infotainment system, and a nicely small steering wheel. There's still plenty of room in the back, but for 2008 the Kia Stonic is the only one that doesn't have a dual or adjustable boot floor. The all-new Korean candidate also gets a bit on the knees with an infotainment system that doesn't know multi-finger gestures, but ends up with a nice refined cockpit and good ergonomics. It sits lower than most competitors (low enough for some of us to notice that the Stonic may already be below the line between classic five-door sedans and crossovers), but rear room is one of the best nonetheless. In a Mazda CX-3? We expected a lot from her, including because she won a similar comparative test many years ago, but it turned out that during this time the competition has moved further than Mazda. Its infotainment system isn't the best, visibility is poor, rear space is tight, and trunk space isn't the best.
However, the CX-3 is obtained by turning the wheels. It's the only naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine we've tested, and if we can expect it (compared to turbo-powered competitors), the lack of lower-end torque, on the other hand, makes up for it with a smooth ride. Cheerfulness and joy to speed. When we add a good six-speed gearbox, the CX-3 becomes an interesting and lively car that was also one of the most fuel efficient in the test. The only pity is that its chassis is not a little more comfortable - because it is not even very sporty.
The most modest was the new Arona. The XNUMX-litre engine is lively enough, and the six-speed gearbox is fast and precise enough, but we would have liked a shorter clutch travel. The steering is fairly precise (one of the best of eight), but the chassis is set quite rigidly, so more bumps get into the cabin than some of the competition. Citroen and Opel stand out here as they therefore lean the most in corners, but the Opel is slightly more interesting in terms of driving or even slightly better in terms of comfort between the two, but slightly more interesting in terms of driving - both will have to put up with the bright pronounced understeer and the ESP system, on which there is something to work on. The three-cylinder engine that drives both sits somewhere in the middle in fuel economy and just below in sound and agility.
The 2008 Peugeot is a generation older than its two "sister" cars, but it makes a bigger impression when driving. Despite the same engine and weight, it was noticeably more economical, and its chassis is a much better compromise between comfort and off-road position.
Among other things, the Kia Stonic is most of all like a classic passenger car, but at the same time, its three-cylinder engine is quite streamlined, quite lively and quite economical. Captur and Juke are the products of the same supranational corporation, but they couldn't be more different. The modern Captur is more comfortable (softer) and more colorful on the skin of ordinary users, the Juke wants to be an athlete, so it has a rather stiff suspension and a fun steering wheel. But at the same time its chassis is by far the least comfortable, the rear loves to jump to the side (so the ESP has a lot of work to do) and when the stabilization electronics go off we easily put it (high) on two wheels in slalom.
What about prices? These vary from market to market, of course, so our results in this section differ from those of other participating journals. We, as always, have collected cars comparable in terms of equipment (only Nissan stands out as a minus, which lacks a lot of assistance systems in the list of available equipment), and taking into account officially announced discounts, Captur is the best buy; The Juke is only cheap because it doesn't have a range of equipment. Others, with or without discounts, are pretty close to the differences that can be reduced (or increased) with some dealer bargaining skills - more with cars that are no longer new and in high demand, less with new hits.
The end results are not unexpected. Arona is a winner by a significant margin, mainly because she has virtually no bad qualities. It is true, however, that he knows how to leave many indifferent due to the interior and the lack of outstanding details. The Kia Stonic is far behind but still a great car - but only for those who don't really need SUV seats and car height. For many, there will be too many regular cars and too few crossovers to be considered.
The updated Captur unconditionally took third place. The combination of spaciousness, a reasonably comfortable chassis, and convenience for viewing content puts it first, and if you're looking for comfort, particularly in a crossover, it might be a better choice than the two in front of it. It's the same with the Opel Crossland X, which is only slightly ahead of Mazda and the surprisingly (in age) competent 2008 Peugeot. The C3 Aircross falling behind the trio is mainly due to poorer seats, but should be the same as the Crossland and Captur. ... write: if you are looking for a comfortable crossover suitable for everyday use and your position on the road, precise steering and driving dynamics on the priority list do not reach a high level, this trio is actually the best in the test ...
Seat Arona 1.0 TSI 85 kW
Basic data
Technical information
| engine: | 3-cylinder - in-line, displacement: 999 cm / 3, maximum torque: 200 Nm at 2.000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | front wheels, 6-speed manual, tires: 215/45 R 18 V |
| Capacity: | CO2 emissions: 113 g / km |
| Mass: | 1.187 kg |
| External dimensions: | 4.140 x 1.780 x 1.550, wheelbase: 2.570 mm, turning radius: 10,6 m |
| Inner dimensions: | inner width s / z (mm): 1.390 / 1.320, inner height s / z (mm): 980-1.040 / 970, fuel tank: 40 l |
| Box: | 400 |
| Standard equipment: | auto light switch, rain sensor, auto-dimming rearview mirror, keyless entry and engine start, infotainment with Apple CarPlay, speed limiter, power rear windows, rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition |
Renault Capture Energy TCE 120
Basic data
Technical information
| engine: | 4-cylinder - in-line, displacement: 1.197 cm / 3, maximum torque: 205 Nm at 2.000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | front wheels, 6-speed manual, tires: 205/55 R 17 V |
| Capacity: | CO2 emissions: 125 g / km |
| Mass: | 1.195 kg |
| External dimensions: | 4.120 x 1.780 x 1.570, wheelbase: 2.610 mm, turning radius: 10,4 m |
| Inner dimensions: | inner width s / z (mm): 1.350 / 1.270, inner height s / z (mm): 940-1.010 / 890, fuel tank: 45 l |
| Box: | 455 |
| Standard equipment: | auto light switch, rain sensor, auto dimming rearview mirror, keyless entry and start, DAB radio, speed limiter, power rear windows, rear parking sensors, AEB city / highway / pedestrian |
Peugeot 2008 1.2 Puretech 110 - price: + XNUMX rubles.
Basic data
Technical information
| engine: | 3-cylinder - in-line, displacement: 1.199 cm / 3, maximum torque: 205 Nm at 1.750 rpm |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | front wheels, 5-speed manual, tires: 205/50 R 17 H |
| Capacity: | CO2 emissions: 103 g / km |
| Mass: | 1.165 kg |
| External dimensions: | 4.160 x 1.740 x 1.560, wheelbase: 2.540 mm, turning radius: 10,8 m |
| Inner dimensions: | inner width s / z (mm): 1.360 / 1.330, inner height s / z (mm): 920-980 / 940, fuel tank: 50 l |
| Box: | 410 |
| Standard equipment: | automatic headlights, rain sensor, auto-dimming rearview mirror, infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, speed limiter, power windows, rear parking sensors |
Opel Crossland X 1.2 Turbo 110 km
Basic data
Technical information
| engine: | 3-cylinder - in-line, displacement: 1.199 cm / 3, maximum torque: 205 Nm at 1.500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | front wheels, 5-speed manual, tires: 215/50 R 17 H |
| Capacity: | CO2 emissions: 111 g / km |
| Mass: | 1.245 kg |
| External dimensions: | 4.210 x 1.830 x 1.610, wheelbase: 2.600 mm, turning radius: 10,7 m |
| Inner dimensions: | inner width s / z (mm): 1.360 / 1.320, inner height s / z (mm): 900-970 / 890, fuel tank: 45 l |
| Box: | 520 |
| Standard equipment: | automatic headlights, rain sensor, auto-dimming rearview mirror, speed limiter, power rear windows, traffic sign recognition |
Nissan Juke 1.2 DIG-T
Basic data
Technical information
| engine: | 4-cylinder - in-line, displacement: 1.197 cm / 3, maximum torque: 190 Nm at 2.000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | front wheels, 6-speed manual, tires: 225/45 R 18 Y |
| Capacity: | CO2 emissions: 128 g / km |
| Mass: | 1.236 kg |
| External dimensions: | 4.140 x 1.770 x 1.570, wheelbase: 2.530 mm, turning radius: 10,7 m |
| Inner dimensions: | inner width s / z (mm): 1.370 / 1.250, inner height s / z (mm): 940-980 / 850, fuel tank: 46 l |
| Box: | 354 |
| Standard equipment: | auto light switch, rain sensor, keyless entry and start, infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, blind spot monitoring, speed limiter, power rear windows, rear parking sensors, front parking sensors |
Mazda CX-3 G120 – Price: + RUB XNUMX
Basic data
Technical information
| engine: | 4-cylinder - in-line, displacement: 1.998 cm / 3, maximum torque: 204 Nm at 2.800 rpm |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | front wheels, 6-speed manual, tires: 215/60 R 16 V |
| Capacity: | CO2 emissions: 137 g / km |
| Mass: | 1.230 kg |
| External dimensions: | 4.280 x 1.770 x 1.540, wheelbase: 2.570 mm, turning radius: 10,6 m |
| Inner dimensions: | inner width s / z (mm): 1.360 / 1.270, inner height s / z (mm): 930-980 / 900, fuel tank: 48 l |
| Box: | 350 |
| Standard equipment: | auto light switch, rain sensor, keyless entry and start, DAB radio, AEB city / highway / pedestrian, blind spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, power rear windows, rear parking sensors |
Kia Stonik 1.0 T-GDI
Basic data
Technical information
| engine: | 3-cylinder - in-line, displacement: 998 cm / 3, maximum torque: 172 Nm at 1.500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | front wheels, 6-speed manual, tires: 205/55 R 17 V |
| Capacity: | CO2 emissions: 115 g / km |
| Mass: | 1.185 kg |
| External dimensions: | 4.140 x 1.760 x 1.520, wheelbase: 2.580 mm, turning radius: 10,4 m |
| Inner dimensions: | inner width s / z (mm): 1.380 / 1.310, inner height s / z (mm): 940-1.000 / 920, fuel tank: 45 l |
| Box: | 332 |
| Standard equipment: | auto light switch, rain sensor, keyless entry and start, infotainment with Apple CarPlay, DAB radio, AEB city / highway / pedestrian, blind spot monitoring, speed limiter, traffic sign recognition, power rear window, parking sensors behind |
Citroen C3 Aircross PureTech 110
Basic data
Technical information
| engine: | 3-cylinder - in-line, displacement: 1.199, maximum torque: 205 Nm at 1.500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | front wheels, 5-speed manual, tires: 215/50 R 17 H |
| Capacity: | CO2 emissions: 115 g / km |
| Mass: | 1.159 kg |
| External dimensions: | 4.150 x 1.820 x 1.640, wheelbase: 2.600 mm, turning radius: 10,8 m |
| Inner dimensions: | inner width s / z (mm): 1.360 / 1.310, inner height s / z (mm): 930-1.000 / 940, fuel tank: 45 l |
| Box: | 410 |
| Standard equipment: | automatic headlights, rain sensor, auto-dimming rearview mirror, infotainment with Apple CarPlay, traffic sign recognition, speed limiter, power windows, rear parking sensors |
