The more expensive it is to maintain a car and the worse the roads we drive on, the more often we think about which of the available cars can truly be called the most indestructible and unpretentious. The most durable cars are those that constantly carry their owners along the roads of their homeland.
To determine the best cars, we will divide the cars into the most unpretentious and the most indestructible in Russia. Let's select car brands based on the following criteria:
The rich possibilities of the Internet tempt you to replace the painstaking and hard work of communicating with dozens of car owners with a relatively easy search for the most indestructible cars in ratings and reviews of specialists. The approach is correct and quite correct, but the information should be checked many times with real car enthusiasts.
The most unpretentious car for the open spaces of Russia
More than twenty years of experience in dealing with foreign cars has made it possible to place manufacturers in approximately the following order:
Mercedes-Benz C and E class, Audi A8, A4, A3. Technical excellence and German quality, even in modern conditions of the widespread use of Chinese components in mass-produced models, allow us to maintain the palm of reliability and the ability to withstand bad roads, dirty fuel and poor maintenance. It is worth noting the unpretentious and indestructible suspension of the Mercedes C124 and C200, so beloved by taxi drivers.
Toyota and Mazda. With the entry into production of these companies by Chinese manufacturers, the quality of the machines has decreased, but in any case, the unpretentiousness and reliability of the “native” Japanese equipment is in many ways not inferior to the “Germans”, with simpler and cheaper service. To those mentioned we can add Honda and Subaru. A couple of years ago, the English-made Honda Civic 5d broke popularity records due to a specific advertising campaign for “super quality” and the car’s indestructibility.
Korean Kia and Hyundai. Cars assembled in factories in South Korea can easily be considered the most indestructible and unpretentious cars, if you take into account their price, maintenance costs and the purchase of spare parts. The sales dynamics of South Korean models in the United States in 2014 were ahead of the leaders of Japanese and European manufacturers. The unpretentious and indestructible new Kia Solaris and Hyundai Accent are more often taken by taxi companies than other models, and not only because of their catchy appearance. Unfortunately, Korean models assembled in the CIS cannot even be considered unpretentious and indestructible due to low build quality.
The inconspicuous-looking Daewoo Nexia regularly amazed taxi drivers with its endurance and rightfully earned a reputation as an unpretentious and indestructible car. The Uzbek assembly turned out to be heavily diluted with Chinese components, which slightly spoiled the image of the car.
Modern models produced by the BMW and Volkswagen concerns are slightly inferior in rank, especially for cars of the “C” and “B” classes. Golf and X-3 still remain one of the most reliable and popular cars, but they cannot be called unpretentious.
Peugeot and Citroën. Despite all the advantages and external effectiveness of French brands, they have never been leaders in reliability and unpretentiousness. An exception is the legendary indestructible Peugeot 407, a licensed copy of which called Samand, was assembled in Iranian factories for quite some time. But the Iranian car was simply similar to the legend, and was much inferior to the original in the reliability of the suspension.
Interesting! It is worth mentioning one of the most popular models in Europe - Opel Astra. A few years ago in Germany, the car eclipsed the popularity of the legendary Ford Focus and Golf IV. According to statistics from service stations, the car had outstanding reliability and mileage between repairs. The secret was quite simple. In 73 cases out of 100, the car was bought by German pensioners, in whose hands it turned out to be an unpretentious and indestructible car.
Representatives of the Russian automobile industry
Just 10 years ago, among the contenders for a prize in the Russian ranking of indestructible and unpretentious cars, one could have seen the GAZ-3110 and UAZ 3163, VAZ-2107. People's love, simplicity of design, relatively cheap and accessible spare parts raised the authority of the Russian car in the eyes of the car enthusiast. Minimum money for low-maintenance equipment allowed it to be in demand among the most inexpensive cars for at least another decade.
Today, the Patriot, Volga, and most of the classic AvtoVAZ models have practically abandoned the niche of the people's car. There are only a small number of 07 and 05 models left. The new Samaras, Kalinas, Prioras, Vestas and Grands were not even included in the list of contenders for the title of unpretentious and indestructible car. The modern car enthusiast has become more demanding of reliability, or more correctly, of inexpensive car reliability.
To be fair, it is worth noting that the Russian automobile industry has workhorses that can be driven a lot with relative endurance and inexpensive maintenance. These are VAZ-2110 and VAZ-2111. They can be considered the most popular, unpretentious and indestructible among the Russian model range.
Two contenders are worth mentioning separately - Chevrolet Niva and Renault Duster. Both models were conceived as a budget version of an unpretentious and indestructible all-terrain vehicle. And both cars repeat the fate of the Patriot. At an average price, the low quality of individual suspension and transmission components makes buying a car a lottery.
Unpretentious and indestructible foreign cars
The phrase “the car was not used on CIS roads” quite accurately emphasizes the difference in the approach to defining an unpretentious and indestructible car. To determine the reliability of a machine, various methods are used, which, unlike our extensive “reliable and indestructible”, use accurate indicators and characteristics of component failures. For example, in Germany, experts from the Society for Technical Control and Supervision (TÜV) are recognized as the most authoritative ) , using more than 100 criteria for assessment.
According to the annual publication TÜV 2015, the most expensive and well-known brands became the undisputed leaders in reliability among cars under 2 years old:
- Mercedes-Benz SLK, Porsche 911, BMW Z4, Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz C-class, Mercedes-Benz GLK. with a failure rate from 2.4 to 4.9%;
- In addition to luxury models, high reliability rates were noted for simpler cars - Audi A3, Ford Focus, Mazda 3.
The most unreliable were the Fiat Panda, Dacia Logan and Alfa Romeo MiTo, their reliability indicators were more than three times worse than previous models.
Among older representatives of the vehicle, over 7 years old, the favorites were Porsche 911 and Mazda 2. Among the outsiders were Fiat Doblo and Dacia Logan, which were almost half as much as the leaders.
As in Russian qualifications, the leaders among indestructible cars were Mercedes-Benz E-class, Audi Q5, Toyota Corolla. The Porsche 911, hardly unpretentious, but truly indestructible and reliable, is placed in a separate category as the absolute champion.
Important! The methodology for comparing unpretentious and indestructible models in Russia and in the European Union suffers from a certain convention due to the use of different indicators when comparing.
Video - the most reliable cars of 2013:
Legends are made. In a way, they are even magical - in the spring the roads disappear and then appear again. The test is not for every car. Therefore, the question of a reliable crossover for highways arises every year. Below is the answer from 2019.
Victory Criteria
We decided to take the reliability assessment of the American Transportation Safety Agency (NHTSA) as a basis. His research shapes transportation policy and choice for motorists around the world. The testing algorithm is stricter than the domestic one, which hints at the conclusion that these same cars will be safe on domestic roads.
But NHTSA does not cover the domestic auto industry. Therefore, we will make the choice at our discretion. And unlike previous experience, there will be no division into used and new - most of the above models are still on the assembly line.
NHTSA version
- 5th place is occupied by the Swedish Volvo XC90. The car is literally crammed with electronic devices. They all work properly with a minimum of errors. Any unauthorized activation of the same security system or collision avoidance unit automatically triggers a reliability analysis and error elimination. The car easily recognizes pedestrians and animals and prevents collisions with them.
- NHTSA gives 4th place to Mercedes GLE. The model is especially popular in the Russian Federation. Its assembly is carried out by the Esipovo technopark near Moscow, so the machine is partly domestic. The Germans do not skimp on safety, equipping their cars with all possible systems. The pedantry of the people and the brand policy led to a low defect rate. The increased wheelbase and height of the vehicle improve the ride quality. Potholes on domestic roads have become less noticeable. Not a trip, but a pleasure. Especially taking into account the goodies from Mercedes in the form of a spacious interior, fuel efficiency according to the Euro 5+ standard and a wide network of quality service.
- The dream of the new Russian Lexus RX took bronze place. The crossover is truly functional. Potholes no longer affect the condition of passengers and the driver. You can pass the time with the help of a modern multimedia system. And the on-board computer quickly monitors malfunctions and wear of the main components, warning its owners in advance about upcoming replacement parts.
- The Audi Q7 gets the Rain Silver. The flagship SUV has received updates not only in design, but also on the technical side. User comments have been carefully analyzed, thanks to which the rate of factory defects has been reduced to less than one car per 1000. Nothing threatens the comfort of drivers and passengers. The car still runs smoothly.
- The Accura MDX takes gold. The model is somewhat reminiscent of the R-class from Mercedes. The car is assembled according to American standards, which are among the most stringent in the world. The reliable engine lasts up to three hundred thousand kilometers without repair. The risk of motion sickness is minimal. The American love for solid and smooth cars is palpable here. Stable when cornering, sporty in the steering, with a reliable suspension, this car impresses with its splendor. In the cabin, a 16-inch entertainment system monitor helps you forget about all the hardships, allowing time on the road to pass unnoticed.
Domestic brand
Domestic-assembled crossovers can hardly be called reliable even for Russian roads. Most, if not all, SUV models are produced by Tolyatti AvtoVAZ, a regular hero of jokes and a manufacturer of buckets on wheels. And although the auto giant has done a lot to improve its own products, they have certain technical and managerial defects.
The UAZ Patriot, or the famous “Bobik”, is gradually fading into history. Until recently, this reliable crossover - the answer to the American jeep - was in service with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defense. A new crossover will be released in 2020, as evidenced by insider information. There is no reliable information about the configuration and characteristics yet. But the developers hope to top the reliability rating next year.
Aurus crossovers remain dark horses. But it is still unclear whether the gold of the domestic auto industry should be included in the rating. The main purpose of these machines is to serve top government officials and representative delegations. Whether they will be given to ordinary citizens is still a question. Now the main thing is to make sure that the models are reliable so that they do not fail according to Russian tradition. The Victory Parade on May 9 will test their potential.
conclusions
Let's summarize. If your goal is to travel around the region, to the countryside or to hard-to-reach areas, you can’t do without a crossover. But preference should be given to a foreign car. Asians are in priority, followed by Germans and Swedes. There is no doubt about the quality. The car rating is confident that the best moments of the domestic automobile industry are still ahead and cannot be written off.
Russian roads are always a pressing problem for our country, and when choosing a car, the issue of its reliability becomes very important. Therefore, many motorists want to buy a truly indestructible car that will be able to cope for a long time with all the troubles that await it in our weather and road conditions. Let's look at the Top 5 most indestructible cars in the mid-price segment.
Rating of the most indestructible cars in Russia
A car that can be called indestructible, according to experts, must meet a number of criteria. These include service life, maintainability, and quality of spare parts. All this is not so easy to get for a reasonable price, however, there are mid-priced cars that meet the necessary parameters.
The body metal of the Mitsubishi Lancer X is thin, but is subject to minimal corrosionA legendary Japanese-made car that remains one of the most durable vehicles. Among the advantages of the car are its stylish design, low susceptibility to breakdowns, and excellent driving characteristics. Mitsubishi Lanсer X tolerates adverse climatic conditions well, has an increased safety factor, as well as the right balance of durability and technical characteristics.
One of the disadvantages is that over time the car body begins to rust sharply. In addition, high-quality car maintenance is not cheap.
Toyota Camry is also one of the most stolen cars in the Russian Federation This stylish and dynamic car also has good characteristics in terms of durability and endurance. It can withstand almost any strength test.
The car is distinguished by a powerful power unit. Electronic sensors are also of high quality and rarely fail, but repairing them will not be cheap. The car is an ideal option for those looking for a combination of drive and gloss. Another advantage is its good durability, which ensures long-term operation.
There is an opinion that the KIA Sportage, assembled in Slovakia, is slightly better in quality than its Russian counterparts This car is a clear leader in terms of reliability among mid-price urban crossovers. It has many advantages, including its quality and reliability, which are time-tested. It looks quite stylish and has a large number of sensors that monitor movement. The driving characteristics of the car remain good even after long-term operation, which cannot but rejoice given the characteristics of Russian roads. The car has no shortcomings as such.
Ford C-Max is not very popular in Russia, but in vain! This car attracts with its original design and perfect lines, but these parameters are not important for everyone. Many car enthusiasts choose it because of other characteristics: spaciousness, efficiency and increased reliability. The spacious minivan fully meets these criteria. The car can truly be called indestructible. It is perfect for those who often make country trips with the whole family and do not want to regularly visit service centers and constantly have their car repaired. The Ford S-Max is often recognized by experts as the ideal family car. Its stability is ensured by an independent rear suspension, as well as a wide wheelbase.
UAZ Patriot
UAZ Patriot is adored in villages, loved by summer residents and fishermen For those who do not have a lot of finances and cannot afford a foreign car, the domestic UAZ Patriot is a good option. It is characterized by a combination of practicality, endurance, power, good dynamics and efficiency. The car also attracts with its high cross-country ability. In addition, there is excellent handling, a spacious interior, and a very stylish appearance.
The controller has a positive effect on the characteristics of the machine, which helps prevent electronic failure. The suspensions can withstand the highest possible loads when driving over rough terrain. At the same time, the level of car comfort is constantly improving. Thus, the updated Patriot is equipped with air conditioning, heated seats, navigation, and a multimedia system.
It is possible to choose a car that is not too expensive and reliable for use on Russian roads. To do this, you need to compare and evaluate the characteristics of different cars, and also decide which criteria are key for a particular car enthusiast.
It is necessary to evaluate not only its dynamic characteristics or equipment, but also the type of chassis used. It is this that determines the comfort of the car, ease of operation, as well as cross-country ability and reliability. It is worth remembering that even the best car suspension has its own disadvantages and features. Therefore, when choosing a car, you should carefully consider the conditions in which it will be used in order to make the right decision.
Modern cars can be equipped with different suspensions
Elastic element
The main component of the suspension is its elastic part, which absorbs the energy of shocks and vibrations that occur when passing certain road obstacles. The comfort and controllability of the car largely depends on it, so when choosing a specific model you should pay attention to the type of elastic element of the chassis. If we discard the exotic options that are found exclusively in small-scale production, there will be four main types of car suspension.
Springs
Spring suspension was used in horse-drawn carriages and was considered a luxury available only to noble people. Now she is mastering a new profession, represented by cargo transportation. The main advantage of the spring chassis is its enormous endurance, which allows it to carry any load without significant damage. In addition, the spring suspension reduces the load on the shock absorbers, partially performing their function due to friction between the individual leaves.
The disadvantage of springs is mediocre elasticity and energy intensity. Such suspension cannot make the car comfortable or give it good handling, due to which it is most often found in trucks, passenger vans and pickups. In addition, the spring-based chassis is quite heavy, which is a big disadvantage for a modern car.
Springs
The most popular is the spring suspension, which combines low cost with optimal characteristics and excellent reliability. Cars in which springs act as an elastic element handle well and provide passengers with a good level of comfort. In addition, the spring suspension is easy to repair and.
The main disadvantage is the small carrying capacity. In trucks, this option is quite rare, since even a spring with a large coil diameter will very quickly lose its characteristics, wearing out under the pressure of a large mass. The spring suspension is also sensitive to shock loads - it is quite possible that after active off-road driving the car will have to wait for the chassis to be repaired.
Torsion bars
On automobile forums, debates still rage on the issue of which suspension is better - torsion bar or spring. Torsion bars are rods that twist under load. Their advantages include:
- Durability;
- Maintainability;
- Compact sizes.
The characteristics of a torsion bar suspension can be compared with a spring suspension. However, while it gains in reliability, it is inferior in comfort. Therefore, the main areas of application for torsion-bar chassis remain large SUVs, for which reliability is important, and compact budget-class cars, for which compact suspension dimensions are higher on the list of priorities than comfort.
Pneumatics
Air suspension can be found on expensive cars of famous brands - cars and trucks. It can be easily adjusted in height and rigidity, and can also be controlled electronically, automatically adapting the chassis to current road conditions. Pneumatic cylinders provide ideal smoothness and can make overcoming bumps completely invisible to people in the cabin.
The only drawback of the air suspension is that it is not very suitable for Russian roads. We are talking about low reliability, which is due to the use of a large number of complex components. Therefore, if you frequently drive on bad roads, you will have to spend sums comparable to the cost of an inexpensive small car for repairs.
The easiest way to understand the purpose of shock absorbers is to literally translate their English name - “shock absorbers”, “shock absorbers”. Their main function is to restore the original position of the suspension after it has been compressed by unevenness. The stiffer the shock absorber, the shorter the duration of vibrations after passing a road obstacle, but the greater the force of the impact transmitted.
Shock absorbers return the suspension to its original position
The most common option is hydraulic shock absorbers, which provide good comfort, although they allow some swing. Gas-oil shock absorbers (suspension with gas support) are installed on expensive cars or sold as a tuning kit. Gas (pneumatic shock absorbers) have greater rigidity and therefore are most often installed on sports cars. SUVs can be equipped with shock absorbers with a remote reservoir, which significantly increase the energy capacity of the suspension, preventing its damage during strong impacts.
Design
Most modern passenger cars are equipped with a combined chassis, in which an independent suspension is installed on the front axle and a dependent suspension on the rear axle. Expensive sports cars and prestigious cars use fully independent suspension - it helps to significantly improve handling on good roads. But the dependent design on both axles is used in trucks designed to overcome serious obstacles.
To understand which suspension will be optimal in a particular case - dependent or independent, it is worth considering the advantages and features of these designs. The dependent chassis allows you to maintain a constant ground clearance, so it is ideal for off-road driving and poor road surfaces. In addition, it is much more reliable, although this advantage comes at the cost of less comfort.
Independent suspension allows each wheel to swing separately, reducing the impact of uneven surfaces on the vehicle's directional stability. However, when driving over large bumps, it can cause damage to components located under the bottom of the car. Modern budget cars often use semi-independent suspension, in which independent arms are connected to each other by a cross member. It is much more reliable and safer off-road than an independent design, but provides better handling than a fully dependent one.
Details
One of the first options used in the pre-war automobile industry was a double wishbone suspension, which was connected to the hub at the top and bottom points. This design is still used today - it is ideal for driving on bad roads with large uneven surfaces. A double-wishbone suspension is found on SUVs and budget cars - it provides maximum travel, but does not allow for good handling.
In the 40s, Ford engineer Earl McPherson proposed an original version, which was later named after him. MacPherson type suspension (swinging candle) is a shock absorber located inside a spring. This design is compact and energy-intensive, but has small strokes, which limits its use off-road. Due to its excellent handling, MacPherson suspension is used on almost half of modern cars.
Mercedes specialists took a different path - they did not simplify, but complicated the suspension, adding three more levers that set the position of the wheel. This scheme, called multi-link, provides ideal controllability and allows you to get rid of steering wheel wobble when driving over uneven surfaces. However, it has found application only on expensive dynamic cars designed for good roads, since the main disadvantages of the multi-link design are minimal travel and low reliability. In addition, while driving, such a suspension can make quite loud sounds - in the absence of proper sound insulation of the bottom, they irritate people in the car.
Comfort does not come at the expense of everything else
To choose the suspension that best suits you, you need to pay attention to the conditions in which the car will be constantly operated. For smooth, good roads, the ideal choice is an independent multi-link design, and in the budget version - MacPherson. But for off-road use a torsion bar or spring dependent suspension, which has maximum reliability. If comfort is a priority, you should give preference to a scheme with pneumatic cylinders, although in this case you should expect high maintenance costs.
The class of the car and its cost have little to do with the durability of the suspension. Are you surprised? We are not. According to the latest rating of car malfunctions, this time compiled by Polish mechanics, city and compact class cars have the most durable suspension. At least the Poles were convinced of this on their city roads.
Worn joints, shock absorbers, damaged bearings, corrosion - all these, according to mechanics, are the most common malfunctions in car suspension systems.
The worst in terms of durability are steel suspensions French cars, the best are Japanese cars (we emphasize that we are most likely talking about “left-hand drive” models, with “right-hand drive” cars the quality should be even higher). With German cars, not everything is so simple. Some models turned out to be invigorating, others are better not to take.
Cracks in the suspension links, leaking shock absorbers, the car pulls to the side or the rear axle begins to steer in turns - problems with the suspension manifest themselves in different ways. Unfortunately, many drivers often underestimate the seriousness of the situation. Serious problems arise when you need to make a sudden, sharp maneuver to avoid hitting an obstacle or avoid a collision. It is at the moment of overload that a final breakdown can occur. In this case, keeping the car on the road will be problematic, and the scenario of emerging victorious from the situation is sharply painted in black colors.
Polish experience useful for Russian motorists
According to colleagues from Poland, the average condition of the suspension on cars operated in the country can be assessed as 4.1 points on a 6-point scale. According to mechanics, the most common problems in a typical car are worn joints, shock absorbers, damaged bearings and corrosion.
French cars turned out to be the weakest in terms of suspension
In the prepared rating, as we have already said, French cars received the weakest ratings. Took last place Megane III– interestingly, the second generation of this model turned out to be not much better, and received third place from the end Renault Scenic III.
Cars with the most unreliable types of suspension
There were also many other surprises in the ranking. For example, the most popular models on the market are Volkswagen Passat B5(it has a fairly reliable suspension, but its complex front architecture and the cost of repairs reduce all comfort to nothing), (B6 and B7) And Audi A6 (C5) ranked towards the bottom of the list, only 45th or so. The weak position of the suspension strength rating is complemented by Ford Mondeo third generation(47th place) and Peugeot – 207,407 and 307(39th place).
Cars with the most reliable suspension
Toyota Yaris It turned out to be a city car with the most durable suspension. The second generation of this model took first place with an average rating of 4.9, and the second position belongs to its successor. They stood right behind them Honda Civic VIII And Volkswagen Golf VI.
A car that’s more expensive doesn’t mean it’s better?
Among cars worth up to PLN 10,000 (167 thousand rubles) mechanics rated it the highest - 4.5 - old Audi A3 8L. This model had the fewest suspension failures, and when they did occur, they were mostly due to problems with individual suspension components. The lowest score (3.5) in this price range was received by Volkswagen Passat B5. The latter most often had difficulties with the suspension and wheel bearings.
In the range from 10 to 20 thousand zlotys (167-335 thousand rubles) Toyota Yaris II(4.9) there were no equals. Its suspension turned out to be the best in the entire rating. The mechanics did not find any faults in this model. The worst in the price group under consideration was Audi A4 (B6 and B7)(3.7). Both auto mechanics and car owners do not like it: it often breaks down and often requires intervention.
Among the most expensive cars included in the rating (price range from 335 thousand rubles to 500 thousand rubles), the best result (4.8), as in the second group, was taken by Toyota Yaris, only a newer model - 3rd generation . A high rating does not mean, however, that the car's suspension is problem-free. Among the difficulties in operating this model were mentioned, for example, damage to bearings or cracking of springs. The big loser in this group is the Renault Mégane III (3.5), which is also the model with the lowest suspension score in the entire ranking.
