Late they are to the Opelaner and nevertheless first. Because still before VOLKSWAGEN and Ford bring them as German volume manufacturers in the segment of the compact SUV many undirected time equipment on the still growing market. After first test travels approximately around Athens we can afford a first classification in the competition surrounding field.
The OPEL Antara provided as study ,,Antara GTC "in Frankfurt (2003) for powerfully eddies. Ferris wheels and a small tail, a strongly dropping roof line and butterfly doors. And everything for the caper list: Our tested series well tare (2-Liter Diesel and 3,2-Liter V6 Benziner) roll on 18-Zoll wheels with tires of the dimension 235/55. The tail is still knackig, but the roof line is a combination. And there are four completely normal doors.
Sobered up
So far to the first disillusionment. When entering equal second: The head restraints are too short for my 189 centimeters. Otherwise I find rapidly a good seating position, the steering wheel am adjustable in wide ranges and two levels and the control elements of the center console lie well to the hand.
A little chrome finish here, wood trim there and something aluminum obendrauf give to the interior a gediegenen character deflected with leather. Three round ventilation nozzles underline the parting in the OPEL interior Design from the strict lines of a Astra or a Vectra: Now it becomes more wohnlicher.
Driving lessons
But to draw in I do not want into the Antara, on the contrary it interests me whether he also drives himself like an OPEL. Me terms schwirren such as IDS, sporty-direct steering element and jagged Kurvenverhalten by the head, but suspect I secretly that I have here no competitor BMW of the X3 before me.
And then like that the first exit is in 150 HP the Diesel (127 HP of version after-pushed) also cosier as ,,S "in ,,SUV "suggested. The Commonrail Diesel hums vernehmlich, but pulls it starting from 2.000 revolutions more wacker loosely - 320 Newtonmeters line up over the 5-Gang the transmissions to the drive wheels to be led.
Automatic all wheels
That the front wheels will normally be, because the Antara is actually a Fronttriebler. If drive electronics notices however a slip at the front axle, by hydraulic clutch the rear axle is connected. It can bring then up to 50% Kraft on the road.
Enter and drive off are thus the foreign exchange, no fummeligen automatic controllers or confusing
switch: There that all wheel is, if I should need him. Like that are rough crushed stone runways, hilly meadows and other light area rather in the Antara beneficial for the driving fun as any dynamic competitions. Also the clearance of class-usual 20 centimeters makes its contribution in addition.
Distance made
On the motorway the rüstige Rüsselsheimer with its travelling comfort pleases. It could already prove that on bad Geläuf, but on be enough-strained and with quick highway kilometers pair yourself it with pleasing little body varying. The steering element is laid out indirect, but obtains it a good Fahrbahnkontakt is pleasantly precise.
In close turns the chassis offers thus everything that one needs for brisk progressive movement. The engine shines here however by an unbalanced rating. The turbo puts actually only starting from 2.000 routes properly Brickets drauf. And no half revolution in former times. Because among them nothing at all does not do. If one accelerates thus with mountain ramp from a zigzag in the first course out, one should turn the engine to 4,000, in order to have in the following 2ten still the necessary torque, in order to accelerate further. On the other hand it should not be discreet that the turbo-hole of the 2-Liter of four-cylinder precipitates pleasantly small.
Motor alternatives
Whom the Punch of the Diesel is not enough, can seize still to the V6, which nevertheless offers 227 HP. These are however coupled to an easily unfashionable 5-Gang mechanism. And still ranks among the kind of the proverbial torque converters - even in the manual mode it destroys still engine performance.
That is unfortunate, because the engine can at numbers of revolutions above 3.000 the Antara properly steam make. OPEL indicates the Vmax as well 200 things. The engine sounds without importunately to become full of seeds, a typical V6 even.
To consumption is here only so much said: We did not reach the European Union values of 7,5 to 11.6 litres (2,0 cdti and 3,2 V6 on average) by far. Which on the one hand at the practice-far European Union cycle is and on the other hand because of our just as practice-far driving fashion.
Result
The segment of the compact SUV is momentarily hot contests and it becomes still hotter: The three French manufacturers take the market on the grain, likewise Ford and VOLKSWAGEN. In addition there are the trendsetters of Toyota (RAV4) and country Rover (Freelander). So seen it is amazing that OPEL with the Antara does not set clearer own indications here in punkto Design or driving dynamics.
On the other hand the Antara makes its thing than family-suited leisure companion very tidy. There the all-wheel drive is, if one needs it and most Antara owners will continue to bring as this would assume. The interior offers on all seats tidy space conditions, operability is very good and the trunk is appropriate with 370 to 1,420 litres of the class.
As the purse OPEL regards still another 2.4 litre of four-cylinders (Benziner) ready as basis engine with 140 HP (starting from 26.850 euro). The 150-PS-Diesel (starting from 30.765 euro as 2,0 cdti ,,edition ") will place the lion's share in the sales, gönnen during itself only few a Antara for 37.000 euro entrance price (3,2 V6 ,,Cosmo ") to become.
The surcharge list again is pleasantly short.
