He was curious to me even in the first pictures. He looked stern, somewhat original and certainly not trite. Here’s a paradox: to make a design with an eye on the “thoroughbred” SUVs of colleagues in the shop becomes an unbanal decision.
In general, about everything in order, with everyday life, impressions and cool photographs. Get comfortable, let’s go!
Characteristics
- Engine: ICE, 4 cylinders, in-line, 2 liters, turbo, 95th gasoline.
- Power: 192 HP s., 350 Nm.
- Gearbox: robotic 7-speed gearbox.
- Drive: full.
- Average consumption during the test drive: 12.3 liters per 100 km.
- Drove: 548 km.
Meeting
Brutal than Brutus
“Yo ho ho!” exclaimed my buddy when he saw Dargo live for the first time. I agree, while he has not become familiar, while he is new in the stream, he is very striking. At the same time, it is not that kitsch, but rather very solid and concise. Well, brutal, of course. By the way, when they gave me a test not brick-red, but gray, I was upset at first, but over time I can say that this color definitely suits him!
Immediately to practical points: a plastic skirt around the perimeter. From the comments: the thresholds will interfere when exiting and entering (the car is not so high, but they stick out and get dirty), as well as the glossy plastic headlight surrounds … well, you understand.
The stern is also “in style” and harmonious. It also creates a sense of constriction. Keyless access with a wave of the leg and here’s the inside: a curtain, a 220-volt household outlet, a cigarette lighter socket, two small niches on the sides, two mesh loops, a pair of hooks … a full-fledged wheel underground. Everything is very worthy. I’ll complain that it’s dark here and a car in this price category wants a curtain with guides, otherwise you can pull it in the dark, trying to get into the grooves … but I find fault. The volume is a modest 333 liters, the second row is folded in the classic ratio of 60 to 40, and then the volume will increase to 1404 liters.
On the second row, I immediately notice huge windows for myself and the fact that the roof reaches the second row is wonderful. But the sofa itself is not regulated in any way, there is no inclination of the backs, no shift back and forth, and even the backs are folded behind a fabric loop. From comfort: a folding central armrest, hooks at the handles on the ceiling, heating, two classic USB and two blowers. Gentlemen’s set, so to speak, available. And one could say that in general everything is ordinary, but … firstly, pleasant red accents and brutal handles. And secondly, cool holders for containers. I will focus on the latter. For starters, they face the passenger instead of away from him, and they also have a movable sidewall, similar to a seat belt. It is also with a tensioner, that is, it will always hold the container. Cool! Now, it’s time to move forward.
Oh yes, well, it’s spacious here, the car is still not small.
A few words about the front passenger seat. He already has, just don’t laugh, four handles: on the door, on the ceiling, on the A-pillar and right in front of him. A little? There is also a convenient shelf in the dashboard and power seats.
And now to the captain’s place. Surprisingly, the driver does not have a handle on the ceiling, but there is one on the A-pillar. Electric adjustment is also available, including the lumbar and memory for three users (in the menu). Heating, blowing and massage are also available (massage only for the driver). The gearbox washer is conveniently located, next to the organizer for glasses, small things and my favorite vertical cradle for a smartphone. All this is also rubberized, and if you pull out the organizer, there will be just a niche. The armrest is not adjustable, it has another removable organizer, and below there is a cooled niche. More niches for the god of niches, as they say! There is also wireless charging (also rubberized and recessed in the panel), a niche to the left of the steering wheel and the lower tier of the central tunnel. In general, you, lovers of everything to decompose, should like it. Well, deep door cards in the appendage. And, wait, there is still a small hollow on the top of the dashboard!
In order not to slip into enumerations of everything, I will focus on a few points. Gloss on the central tunnel … under the film, it’s no good. The climate is almost all touch-sensitive, only the physical keys for turning on the air conditioner and heating the windshield. It’s also a so-so idea (but a physical mode change disk, of which there are 8 pieces). Another awkward moment, the third lever behind the wheel. An adaptive cruise control hangs on it, and it is inconvenient to use it, constantly pulling it. It would be better if the usual version of the control on the steering wheel did. There is also a USB port on the windshield for the DVR.
About the steering wheel. Eco-leather and two physical control units: multimedia and on-board computer. The upper part of the blocks is “blind”, but you can get used to it. Thank you for being non-sensory. The steering wheel is generally comfortable, although the local eco-leather will seem slippery to some.
Well, now about multimedia and other monitors. To begin with, about the screens themselves: bright, saturated colors and excellent resolution. And it also works fast.
In multimedia, I will not focus on anything, see the photo. Let me just say that I have my own style and it is pleasant. The settings are rich, I did not feel the lack of any items. There are some nuances, this is still the same touch climate, and part of the menu in the blind, which cannot be lowered if CarPlay or Android Auto is running (yes, you need to exit it by switching to the auto interface, and only then the curtain works). In the curtain, by the way, there is customization, but there’s nothing special to choose from, the list is almost empty. By the way, the main menu screen is very conveniently divided into three blocks, here is radio, music and air conditioning control.
Digital tidy is not very banal, because the block indicating the selected gear serves as a visor here. At first I thought: “Tyu, what a kitsch”, but then it turned out that it is very convenient, because without this panel you have to look at the puck or peer into a small indicator on the tidy. The tidy itself seems to be floating in the air, which also looks interesting. All of it is in the spirit of a modern car, where it is no longer particularly important for the user to know about speed, temperature, and so on. In general, the graphics are nice, just do not turn on the display of fuel consumption, it builds a graph that … in general, look at the video.
What’s left? Cool texture in the upholstery. Comfortable chairs made of eco-leather and Alcantara, excellent visibility on the sides and through four cameras, including the transparent hood mode, but nothing is particularly visible in the central mirror, thanks to the high window line and the small size of the window itself. All kinds of assistants are in place, you can even adjust their sensitivity, which, I think, is a big plus. It’s not a problem to decompose everything, everything is at hand and works smartly … well, the gloss will have to be hidden under the film so as not to shake over it.
I told you everything, let’s go!
Let’s hit the road
On the road, it is in strong contrast to first impressions.
Here, of course, explanations are needed. I think you already understood that in appearance and in general in the cabin, I liked it. Technical equipment also promises bliss on the road. Some of it is, some of it is not.
And I will not start with the most obvious – with the work of the adaptive cruise. It is here with the function of movement at low speeds, that is, it allows you to stand in traffic jams and start with a light touch on the gas pedal. You may say: “Maybe you will drive yourself, and not rely on automation?”. Yes, maybe I will, but many, I know, will try the chip and use it. So what’s wrong here? For starters, all low-speed automation lacks smoothness. It does not depend on the driving mode, nor on the set distance. By the way, I set almost the maximum in traffic, yes, you will have more distance in front of the car in front and someone can start to climb there, but it’s better than driving back to back and having constant hard braking. So, it is on braking that I want to complain. Dargo with an adaptive rides very rough and, I would even say, unsafe. After all, the person behind you may not be ready for emergency braking. Waiting for firmware?
The second point is the roughness of the suspension. From such a large and generally solid car you expect a soft comfortable suspension, but instead there is a very rigid trolley that also requires very strong braking on speed bumps, otherwise it’s scary for the car itself. But there are no particular rolls and it does not reach the breakdown, it turns out that it is very tightly clamped and does not swallow holes, but it does not bring it to a critical moment either.
It is also worth remembering as many as eight driving modes. Why so many, I don’t know. I switched on the bad road mode and did not really feel the difference with the standard mode. Yes, Eco will come in handy if you are driving relaxed and want to gain some fuel economy, while off-road mode controls the operation of the engine and gearbox differently. You can even display information about the distribution of forces on the wheels. In general, these three regimes could be limited.
Here I will also add a steering wheel that is not entirely clear in terms of sensations. But here I have a suspicion of Chinese rubber. I also encountered this on a Haval F7x test drive.
You already thought, what a nightmare, he’s not going. In fact, I’m just focusing on some points. That’s how he rides, and rides very cheerfully, by the way! Four-wheel drive gives confidence where the asphalt ends. Yes, and a clearance of 200 mm in our area, even in the city, will not be superfluous for sure.
I note that it is very convenient to use everything in the cabin, once again I praise the convenient cradle for a smartphone and wireless charging. Large screens and large interface elements slightly smooth out the dominance of touch menus, but still the climate and the third lever, which is responsible for cruise control, remained the main element of addiction.
Review
Modern crossover in a non-banal shell
Its appearance is a little deceiving, as are some elements in the cabin. Still, this is more of an urban crossover for every day than an off-road hero. Although, during the test, I caught myself thinking that I would ride it if there were more grippy rubber on the ground! And surely someone will do it.
It has everything from technology. And he rides, and parks, and warms / cools. Passengers will admire through the glass roof (only to move the curtain you need to hold the open button all the time) and will not feel cramped.
Yes, in dynamics it is not as impressive as when we met, but still it is a bright and unspectacular player in the new car market.
Pros:
- unbanal appearance and interior;
- excellent technical and technological equipment;
- large and well-read screens;
- rubberized niches in the cabin;
- decent ground clearance and all-wheel drive.
Minuses:
- an abundance of gloss;
- climate on the menu.
May not like:
- suspension stiffness;
- fuel consumption.
Bonus gallery at the end!
Source: Trash Box
I am Joyce Corbett and I have been working in the news industry for over 10 years. My current role is as an author at World Stock Market, where I focus primarily on the tech section. My specialty is creating engaging content that helps to explain and demystify complex financial topics.
