These minibuses open up a new niche for the Belarusian automotive industry and, accordingly, new prospects. In the entire history of the plant, this is the most unexpected new product, for which it did not spend money on developing equipment for the production of bodies and units. The MAZ minibus is produced under the designations MAZ-181 010 and MAZ-182 010. The models differ in roof height, increased wheelbase by 300 mm and an increased number of seats in the cabin. The price for the new MAZ, as promised at the factory, will be competitive. These MAZ cars currently only have plastic bumpers and emblems. Everything else is identical to the KingLong brand minibus, which is a clone of the ancient Toyota HiAce.
Technical characteristics of the MAZ minibus
- Base (mm) – 2890.
- Dimensions, (mm) – height – 2250, length – 5280, width – 1700.
- The engine is an in-line four-cylinder diesel engine of Euro-3 level.
- Engine model – GW2.8TC-2.
- Engine power – 95 hp. With.
- Engine displacement – 2.78 liters.
- Maximum torque at 2200 rpm – 220 Nm.
- Clutch – single-disc with hydraulic drive.
- Fuel consumption at a speed of 90 km/h is 9 liters per 100 km.
- Gearbox – 5-speed, manual.
- The front suspension is torsion bar.
- The rear suspension is spring.
- Front brakes are disc.
- Rear brakes are drum brakes.
- Drive – rear.
The new MAZ in the minibus sector is distinguished by functionality for drivers, comfort for passengers, and has the following equipment:
- electric windows;
- fog lights;
- rear and front windshield wipers and washers;
- heated front and rear windows;
- central locking;
- air conditioning in the cabin;
- CD player in the salon.
MAZ plans to assemble 500 minibuses annually at its production facilities in Mogilev. MAZ engineers and designers are going to refine the Chinese version in order to bring it to perfection and keep up with the times. Based on the MAZ-182 minibus, the Minsk Automobile Body and Trailer Plant "MAZ-Kupava" manufactured an ambulance.
Small MAZ for a big city: getting acquainted with the new Belarusian bus in Moscow
What kind of bus is in the photo - NefAZ or LiAZ? Neither one nor the other! Before us is the mid-size Belarusian MAZ-206 - but in a special “metropolitan” configuration. These buses have been running along Moscow routes since the end of spring - and we got to know one of them better.
MAZ front mask is standard for all new Moscow buses
Indeed, recognizing exactly the MAZ in this device is a task for specialists. The familiar nine-meter 206 was given a “facelift” according to the capital’s technical specifications. According to it, all new buses on Moscow routes must “wear masks” in black with round LED headlights and raised eyebrows of running lights. The capital mask suited MAZ just right - it really made the bus look several years younger.
It is interesting that these machines are not operated by Mosgortrans, but by a private owner. We talked about commercial carriers in Moscow a few years ago - they work under an agreement with the Moscow Department of Transport, and their buses do not differ from municipal buses either in appearance or in the form of fare payment.
A similar bus on a regular route in the southwest of Moscow
The company has several sites in Moscow and a variety of equipment: 179 urban NefAZs and 39 LiAZs (nine large 5292 and 30 medium-sized 4292). And at the end of spring, the fleet was replenished with 129 MAZ-206 buses. They run along routes in the south and north of the capital, and their maintenance, including diagnostics before being put on the line, is carried out by specialists from the Belarus dealership. However, there are minimal breakdowns so far: the cars are completely new.
New bright route signs are part of the modernization
So, the odometer of our MAZ shows only a little more than 30 thousand kilometers. Along with the updated appearance, it received the prefix 486 to the index, and with it a deep modernization. The body remained almost standard, with the exception of new mountings for installing information screens in the cabin and additional wiring for new electronic systems. But the glazing is completely new. The windshield is equipped with additional places for light and rain sensors, and the windows in the cabin (double-layered) received cool “window-in-a-window” vents - they are built into the glass themselves.
The salon is designed in corporate metropolitan colors
There are two doors leading into the salon - a single door at the front and a large double door with a wheelchair ramp in the center. The doors themselves are made by MAZ, but advanced, with an active edge and a passenger counting system.
Inside - not a bit of savings. The seats (there are 27 of them) are from the Polish company Ster, on the floor there is a thick, wear-resistant French autolin Gerflor, on the ceiling are those same color information screens. The lighting, of course, is entirely LED, and on the handrails there are places for USB chargers - here they look neater than the “slapsticks” in the same LiAZs.
There are a couple of steps leading up to the rear of the salon. Of course, this makes the ceiling a little closer, but it is spacious to sit in the gallery. By the way, according to certification standards, such a layout is still considered low-floor, which means it satisfies Moscow requirements. At the same time, the total declared passenger capacity is 72 people.
The cool climate system seems to be becoming a feature of Belarusian buses - we praised its work in the newest 303rd MAZ, and we will praise it here too. In fact, the Moscow 206 has full climate control that maintains the specified temperature parameters. The interior of this “baby” is heated by three brushless stoves, heat is added by convectors along all the seats, heat-conducting channels are connected to deflectors on the ceiling, and there are additional thermal curtains above the doors. In maximum mode, all this makes a lot of noise, but the interior warms up in literally a matter of minutes, after which the intensity of operation of the heating devices decreases - and it becomes quiet.
And while driving, the soundtrack doesn’t significantly increase: the interior trim is no different from being talkative. Only the 218-horsepower Mercedes engine rumbles contentedly in the rear overhang. It meets Euro-5 environmental standards and is paired with a six-speed Allison hydraulic automatic transmission, which (according to Moscow requirements) also has a manual gear shift mode.
The bus is not long, and therefore nimble and maneuverable
But the suspension, no, no, and it rumbles at the junctions of overpasses. Both in front and behind there are dependent axles (in front - MAZ, and in back - Dana) with pneumatic cylinders - at stops the MAZ squats to the right side. And the short bus takes corners perfectly - maneuverability is what you need. True, you have to be careful when approaching stops: the wheels here are small, 19.5 inches, and if you accidentally rub against the curb, there is a chance of losing the chrome-plated Turkish cap.
But in general, the driver behind the wheel of a new bus is comfortable and convenient, and getting comfortable in the cabin is not a problem. The steering wheel is new - with buttons on the spokes. The front panel is fully electronic, with a bright color display. In the image of a bus: its doors open, and the lights come on in the cabin; you just need to repeat these actions on a real prototype.
On the right side of the panel there is a new door opening control unit with large buttons and an additional screen of the Moscow UMP system (universal multiservice platform). All passenger vehicles in the capital are equipped with it. This is a whole complex, and it is responsible for everything at once: it receives, collects and sends technical data about the car to the dispatch center, controls the video surveillance system (cameras can detect faces), counting passengers, paying for travel, and much, much more. Well, the Antison system monitors the driver: if you are distracted from the road, receive a signal. And first the individual, and then to the dispatcher.
As for the overall impression, overall the bus turned out okay - and without serious flaws. But, as they say, small is the spool, but expensive. This Moscow MAZ costs as much as 11 million rubles. This is the value currently estimated for access to capital routes. And even if such sophisticated buses are just an image for the city, it’s still nice that the orderly ranks of Russian manufacturers have been diluted, albeit a little, by Belarusians.
Where can I buy
Minibuses and MAZ buses can be purchased at www.abw.by. This is an auto portal that hosts a large number of advertisements for the sale of minibuses and MAZ buses in Minsk and the Minsk region, Vitebsk, Gomel and other Belarusian cities. The cost of MAZ minibuses and buses varies from $20,000, depending on the vehicle supplier.
On the automobile portal www.vodi.la you can also choose from numerous advertisements a suitable minibus or MAZ bus, prices range from 20,000 to 30,000 dollars, depending on the conditions of the vehicle supplier. Sales are carried out throughout the territory of Belarus. Used MAZ buses and minibuses are also sold.
www.mazbus.ru is the official dealer of MAZ minibuses and buses. At the dealer you can pick up a new minibus or MAZ bus from 4 million rubles. The company operates and sells in Minsk and the Minsk region. MAZ buses and minibuses are sold here directly from the manufacturer with all guarantees of quality and reliability.
We also recommend searching for suitable offers using the page.
See also:
Minibuses for sale
Minibus leasing
Review of the MAZ-103 bus
The Belarusian MAZ-103 is a low-floor (floor level 360 mm) large-class bus, whose task is to transport passengers in urban areas.
The production of buses at the Minsk plant began in 1992, when the company signed a licensing agreement with one European bus manufacturer. The first models were built entirely from imported parts, which greatly inflated the price of the buses. The company's managers decided to combat this by introducing components of their own production, simplifying the design and adapting it to the surrounding realities. Content:
All this led to the presentation of a new model in 1996; the number of imported parts in the bus did not exceed 8%. The bus was produced in its original form until 2006, when it was restyled.
Practicality and durability
MAZ-303 has become a true embodiment of advanced technologies and innovative design solutions. The bus is incredibly convenient for drivers and passengers. It is able to provide comfortable travel even for passengers with children, elderly people or people with disabilities.
It is expected that the new vehicle will soon replace obsolete buses from the Minsk Automobile Plant and other domestic and foreign manufacturers on urban routes in Belarus, Russia and some other countries. It is characterized by low fuel consumption, according to its creators. However, it has not yet been possible to check the realism of these data, since the bus is not yet mass-produced. It is assembled from high-quality components, and its repair and maintenance should not be too expensive due to the relative simplicity of the design and the relative cheapness of spare parts. Therefore, according to many experts, the new MAZ can take its place as a route vehicle for many years.
Today, the exact cost of the new bus is unknown, including for Russian fleets. But, most likely, it will be quite affordable and will not exceed the price of most of today's route buses. And this despite its high comfort, technology and reliability.
MAZ log trucks
Minsk Automobile Plant offers ready-made solutions in the segment of timber transport vehicles. These are reliable and durable trucks of basic models MAZ-6317 X9-444; MAZ-6317 X9-460; MAZ-6312 B9-476; MAZ-6317 X9-465.
They are equipped with YaMZ-6585 or YaMZ-651.10 diesel engines. Load capacity ranges from 14.35 to 20.8 tons.
MAZ metal trucks, with LIV or Epsilon hydraulic manipulators
The specialized MAZ metal truck is equipped with a large-volume dump truck with high sides and a rear hinged door. To ensure self-loading of the dump body, the metal scrap truck is equipped with a hydraulic manipulator with a large reach, equipped with a six-leaf gripper for scrap metal and construction waste. The hydraulic manipulator of the metal truck is controlled from the operator's console located on the rotary column.
Wheel formula - from 4x2 to 8x4. The volume of the dump truck platform is from 20 to 38 cubic meters. Body material: steel 10HSND-12, body floor made of XARDOX-450 steel.
Cost-effectiveness and maintainability
The updated bus from the Minsk Automobile Plant is distinguished, according to the manufacturer, by relatively low fuel consumption for its class in all cycles and in all climatic conditions. It fully complies with advanced environmental standards. Therefore, the vehicle is ideal for use on urban and suburban routes in large populated areas with frequent stops and traffic jams.
The bus is distinguished by high build quality and the use of high-quality components. Most of the parts have a fairly long service life and very high reliability. At the same time, they are characterized by relatively low cost and excellent availability. The engine and transmission are proven and durable units from leading European manufacturers. These units, even at fairly high mileage, rarely present all sorts of surprises.
Despite the innovativeness of the technologies used, the design of the vehicle is quite simple and understandable for repairmen. Therefore, its maintenance and repair in many cases are possible even in a bus fleet.
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