It might seem that today we will be dealing with an SUV. This would have been true twenty years ago, when the MPV on the Carisma platform saw the light of day under this name. But now we have a compact car from the supermini category in front of us. But there was no drastic downsizing, it is a completely different model. The production of the original one ended already in 2005, while in the case of the new one, it was renamed the Mirage series in 2012, which received the current facelift three years later. We have a brief history behind us and now let's focus on our specific car.
It's true that when I see it parked among other cars, I think of all those chihuahuas with names like Max or Rambo. The name can sometimes be deceiving. Here, however, it is rather meant that the engineers tried to create as much space as possible from the given dimensions. And it succeeded to some extent, but more on that later. First of all, I have to mention the appearance, the car has a flair and certainly does not look like a gray mouse. Blue suits him, chrome bars and cast wheels too. There is just enough of everything to make the whole look fresh and not boring, but not unnecessarily overpaid. The interior excites me a little less, but it is clear and intuitive. There is also a touch screen with a parking camera, a multifunction steering wheel and heated seats. You may have to look for their control a bit longer, it is hidden at the very front on the central tunnel.
However, what pleases me the least is the drivetrain, which certainly does not promise God knows what kind of experience. Three-cylinder engine and automatic transmission, here also from the old school, guide groove in the shape of a twisted snake from the "thirties and thirties" and no possibility of sequential shifting, let alone paddles under the steering wheel. Enjoy the broom! At least there is an option to select a sports mode. The engine lets you know about its specifications right after starting up, the rougher running and higher mechanical noise are noticeable at first listen. That is, what some people love so much about motorcycles of a certain English brand and call it character. However, for a car for everyday use, this does not stand up much anymore and for some it can even be a little uncomfortable at first. For the first kilometers behind the wheel, rather negative thoughts run through my head. That's my first impression of the car…
However, the reality is completely different, and the Space Star surprisingly became the car with which I drove by far the most kilometers of all the cars tested so far, emptying almost three tanks. And as it happens, I got used to some of the initial flaws and completely forgot about some. It just confirmed to me again that there are apparently no longer any outright bad cars being produced, although there are probably still a few exceptions. There are so many different criteria for safety and driving characteristics that car companies will not allow a car to be released that does not meet all of them. And with today's competition, they can't even afford it, the market is relentless. The most important thing is to clarify what you will use the car for most often, and choose carefully accordingly.
And how is the car driven? It just depends on how it is handled, or how much it is handled :-). When loaded with one or two people, everything is fine. The power is quite sufficient for such normal driving and the brakes have no problem slowing the car down from any speed. The gearbox shows some age and you need a bit of feeling in your right foot to drive smoothly, which I didn't do very well at first. Over time, however, I am improving considerably in this discipline, and I also enjoy switching to sports mode, which really noticeably changes the feeling of driving and provides a little more fun on the roads. Only in the steering wheel I would have liked a little more feedback from the front wheels.
So far so good, but the car is quite susceptible to changes in load, which is understandable given its size and engine volume. Still, I couldn't do it, and a few times I loaded it up to the roof, both with people and things. And here I am just getting back to square one. Sometimes I really couldn't stop wondering what all can be stuffed into the car. Sometimes it felt like it was inflatable. Even though it seemed that nothing could fit in it and the woman rushed in with another bag full of things that she really couldn't do without for the next two days, it always fit somewhere (the bag and finally the woman :-)). Space Star only came out for me on the Christmas holidays, so you can imagine that. Although I had some doubts at the beginning, they disappeared immediately after loading the car for the first time. You just have to take into account that both dynamics and braking distance will noticeably deteriorate. And of course the consumption, but it is not so drastic. In my case, it was around six litres, which is not a dazzling value for such a little guy, but it should be noted that he was in full field for most of the time. If you use the car in one or two cars, the consumption will certainly be lower.
So we go back a few lines higher. So who is the car ideally intended for? I have two main candidates behind me. The first are young people whose driver's license ink has not yet dried. In this specification with an automatic transmission, then probably more girls, for whom it can make the first steps and orientation in road traffic a little easier, without the need to concentrate on the selected speed. The second one, on the contrary, are older people, because as my grandmother pointed out after the ride, at the age of seventy-five she is still an active driver and owner of a car of a similar size, only slightly different in age, the higher position of the seats makes it much easier to get on and off, which many people will certainly appreciate. I have to agree with her, she sits quite high and you have a good overview of what's going on around you. And at least now I know what I'm going to buy my grandmother for Christmas next time. If the Sportka finally works out for me this year :-).
