HD500
It must be said that the cabin of heavy trucks is a source of special pride for the Korean company. Until recently, cars were equipped with a cabin, which, although produced by the company, carried a number of differences, but still looked no different from Mitsubishi cabins. The current one is the fruit of independent development. The legislation of South Korea is quite different from Russian, and even more so European. But the Russian buyer takes such a car specifically for international transport. Accordingly, European requirements are imposed on it.
Therefore, low-beam headlights must meet the Euro standard and be located in the bumper, and less resistance to movement turns into very real dollars. However, the fairing and headlights were not enough. As required by the Euro standard, a special ring was installed to cover the wheel nuts. In addition, the lights on the roof of the cab were changed. The Koreans use them so that the policeman can immediately determine the speed of the car. According to Russian and European standards, a road train sign should be located here. The taillights had to be regrouped: the direction indicators should be on the outside. Added mandatory reflectors.
The location and type of saddle were brought into compliance with international standards - the MAZ one turned out to be the most suitable. We rearranged the stand on which the rear lights and connectors are mounted - electrical and pneumatic. Now you can hitch European semi-trailers without fear. Fuel equipment received special care. The “native” Korean plastic straws were replaced with metal ones. In them, summer diesel fuel in the frost can be heated with a torch. And this, you see, is not the worst option in Russian spaces. For better adaptability to winter, the car received an eminent and quite respectable independent heater, and in order to protect the batteries from winter Moscow salt, they were covered with a special cover.
“Kontur” carried out all these improvements together with specialized domestic companies - “Auto Design” and RIAT. At first, the Koreans were very wary of the idea of interfering with the proven design. However, now, having assessed the quality of the work, they have calmed down. However, no radical changes were made to the car. It remains the same Hyundai HD500, although now adapted for Russian-European use. The car as a whole is quite elegant, even despite some “braininess” typical of “bareback” tractors.
This is a great merit of the cabin, which fully meets modern aesthetic standards and is easily recognizable. Underneath it lies a V-shaped 8-cylinder diesel engine with a displacement of just over 16 liters and developing a power of 320 horsepower. To access it, the cabin is raised by a hydraulic device. Its pump has an electric drive, which is turned on by turning the key (it is the same for all locks) in the lock installed on the pump. However, you can download it manually. Externally, the engine is not devoid of exoticism - its valve covers are screwed on with spring-loaded bolts. Well, this method of insurance against self-unfolding is considered one of the best.
However, a tractor with such an engine will most likely remain the only one in Russia. The fact is that Hyundai has not certified this diesel engine for compliance with Euro standards. Judging by the emissions, the engine has no problems with toxicity (at least within Euro-1), but the law is the law and in the future “Tractors” will come to Russia with more powerful, 340-horsepower engines “homologated” according to European standards. The inside of the cabin is very cozy. In full compliance with Japanese comfort standards. Plastic upholstery has a minimum of corners and recesses. And this is not only pleasing to the eye, but also practical - there is simply nowhere for dirt and dust to accumulate.
The controls - their appearance and location - will do credit to a passenger car. And only the solid-sized steering wheel, installed almost horizontally, and the vertical landing give the truck a cabover layout. The steering wheel is adjustable in height and tilt. The setting process leaves a pleasant impression: release the locking lever, set the steering wheel to the desired position and, without even holding it, tighten the lever. Everything moves easily and softly, and is fixed clearly. The driver's seat is sprung and equipped with an air cushion. It has all the necessary adjustments: back and forth, backrest tilt and, finally, the height of the pillow - separately for the front and rear parts.
Adjusting the seat didn't give us as much pleasure as the steering wheel, but we can't say anything bad about it either. At the time when we get to know the car, the weather is slushy. The temperature is just below zero. With it, a cold engine starts easily and naturally. For some time, a bluish smoke comes from the muffler, which disappears as it warms up, and the exhaust becomes completely transparent. At the same time, there is very little noise: both next to the muffler, which is located in the rear part across the car, and directly next to the cabin, you can talk practically without raising your voice.
The “Tractor” turned out to be surprisingly pleasant to the touch. After our beloved Zhiguli, the effort on the pedals seemed simply microscopic. Although, if you think about it, this is how it should be: driving such a car, the driver needs to work for eight hours. To change gears, the gearbox control lever must be moved quite large, but not excessive distances, and very little effort is required. Selectivity is not bad, but some habit is still required for confident switching in the city. The cabin heating system will do credit to a good passenger car. The direction of air flow is well thought out, and the windows do not fog up. At the same time, the temperature of the supplied air is easily regulated and it is not hot in the cabin.
I was pleased with the mirrors. Not very large, but with a well-chosen sphericity, they provide an excellent view of almost the entire “rear hemisphere”. And because of the drizzle hanging in the air, their electric heating came in handy. I’m very pleased with the second mirror on the right, which allows you to notice in time a minicar sneaking by the sidewalk, the same one that has already become a mandatory attribute of the “truck” all over the world, but still cannot reach Russian truck builders. Adjusting the mirrors takes seconds and is a pleasure: it also has an electric drive.
Justifying the Russian meaning of its English name, “Traktor” climbs surprisingly well in fairly deep, freshly fallen snow, although cross-country ability is by no means one of the advantages of truck tractors uncoupled from the “cart”. Good tires show. Having burst into the open spaces of Moscow streets, the tractor demonstrates enviable agility: even drivers of far from frail foreign cars have to make noticeable efforts to get ahead of the traffic lights. The brakes are effective, but due to the lack of a trailer, they are harsh. There is almost no noise in the cabin. During the acceleration process, the sound of the engine is clearly audible, but after reaching the speed set by the pedal, it disappears. Good smoothness.
It’s clear that a car that’s too light kicks up its rear on bumps, but this is barely felt in the cabin. The steering wheel is very light, informative and precise. And one more little joy - electronic window lifts. It seems like a trifle, but it greatly increases comfort and safety. I was very impressed by the maneuverability of the car. The turning radius is very small. Of course, we didn’t take any measurements, but we didn’t deny ourselves the pleasure of comparing turning radii based on the tracks. It turned out that the Zhiguli’s internal radius of the “corridor” is almost the same as that of a heavy Tractor.
There is a lot left beyond the scope of our story. Of course, for a truck tractor, driving alone is the most unprofitable mode, and one might even say unnatural. And in it the car showed itself at its best. But still, for any reliable assessment of controllability and driving stability, it was necessary to hook up a semi-trailer and drive the car along the highway at a speed of at least 100 km/h, both loaded and unladen. Both the brakes and the smoothness of the ride could then be assessed more accurately. Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to organize such a test. True, we expect to return to this machine a little later, when data from completely scientific tests and the experience of the first years of operation in Russia appear. In the meantime, let's try to make an assessment based on what we have.
The advantages include good ergonomics, a comfortable cabin, rich equipment (by the way, it includes a car radio, not previously mentioned), excellent maneuverability. Of course, someone will classify all sorts of “electric things” like glass lifts and mirrors as disadvantages: how will all this machinery begin to “short”? Well, progress has always had opponents, but they didn’t change the weather. So we will also classify the listed little things as “pluses”. Let’s also add a reasonable price and a good reputation as a well-known passenger car manufacturer on the Russian market. So far we see only one drawback with the car, but it is more than significant. As a brand of truck, Hyundai is just beginning to enter the Russian market, and therefore raises caution and legitimate doubts about the after-sales support of the vehicle. True, the work done by Kontur to adapt Traktor for Russia already in itself makes us expect good service.
©. Photos taken from publicly available sources.
- Author: Evgeny Smolnikov
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