Super test: five compact crossovers, all with 2.4-liter engines and automatic transmissions. Five different cars... Actually, no! In reality, only three of these cars are truly different: the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Mitsubishi Outlander XL. The Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser are clones of the Mitsubishi, twin brothers of the "big" Outlander, differing only in exterior styling and the emblems on the steering wheel.
Or maybe they are still different?
The "mouth" of the Peugeot, the huge "double chevron" of the Citroen, the laconic grille of the Mitsubishi — from the front, you can't confuse them. But from the side... Same face! Or rather, the same profile. And inside, the unification with Mitsubishi is one hundred percent. The difference is only in the trim level. For example, the Peugeot in our test turned out to be the top version: it has xenon headlights, a large interactive display on the center console (when reverse gear is engaged, a color image from the rearview camera is displayed on it), a DVD player, and even a navigation system, but... The screen stubbornly shows the Quai des Orfèvres: the Peugeot 4007 thinks we're in Paris!
Poor thing, how wrong it is...
It turns out that electronic maps for Russian-language navigation are still in the development stage. The difficulty is that the Mitsubishi Outlander XL is supplied to Russia without a navigation system, rearview camera, or DVD player (they are available in other markets). And the French, when adapting the navigation system, willy-nilly have to turn to their partners: after all, Mitsubishi is in charge of the "hardware" in this alliance. We never got a clear answer as to when the navigation on the Peugeot 4007 will work in Russia.
And the Citroen C-Crosser and the "original" Outlander XL in our test were in simpler versions, so inside they differ from each other only by the emblems on the steering wheel hub. Well, isn't it a disgrace for the French to "pass off" Mitsubishi's interior design as their own?
 |  |  |
| The paddle shifters behind the steering wheel are metal, which is nice | The sporty look of these "Mitsubishi&Co" seats is deceiving: the side bolsters are too wide apart, and the flat backrest provides weak lateral support | The tubular frame of the "cargo" seats in the Citroen and Peugeot is covered with fabric — a classic fold-out seat! |
 |  |  |
| A child seat cannot be installed in the third row — the right support hangs in the air | To the left of the steering wheel are buttons to disable the parking sensors and stability control (at speeds up to 50 km/h) | This is a Citroen. And with a different emblem — a Peugeot. Although in reality it's a Mitsubishi |
However, the Outlander's interior itself is good: sporty style, acceptable ergonomics. It's a pity that the comfortable steering wheel adjusts only for height, and the backrest of the otherwise decent seat is too flat — in the shoulder blade area, the back lacks support.
The Honda CR-V is better in terms of seating comfort than the Franco-Japanese trio, while the Toyota RAV4 is slightly worse.
In the Honda, there's a dense, deep seat, interesting instruments, and an "aviation-style" parking brake handle. The steering wheel adjusts in two directions, and the climate control is not just three knobs but a panel with a display, plus a separate adjustment for the passenger side. The only thing I didn't like was the straight-gate automatic selector with closely spaced modes: you can miss.
| Citroen C-Crosser | Honda CR-V | Toyota RAV4 |
 |  |  |
| The instruments in all cars are good, but Toyota offers the most beautiful optitronic dials and a Russian-language onboard computer | ||
Toyota still impresses with its striking "two-story" front panel. But here's the problem — the RAV4 is a bit cramped. A driver taller than 180 cm lacks enough seat travel range, and you also want to raise the steering wheel, which blocks the beautiful instruments.
Maybe the front tightness is compensated by the space in the back? Alas, no: there's less legroom for rear passengers in the Toyota than in the Honda and Mitsubishi.
And the Peugeot and Citroen in the base trim also have an additional fold-out bench in the trunk — for the Mitsubishi, you can't even order it for an extra fee. However, it's not a big loss — it's even a pity to put children there! By the way, an attempt to install a child seat in the third row failed — the cushion is narrow, and the seat simply tips over.
In short, the seven-seat C-Crosser and Peugeot 4007 can only be used after a good party, when you need to take home those who "fell on the battlefield" — whether dead or alive. And it's absolutely a pity to load conscious people there!
On a flat road, the Peugeot 4007 (as well as the Citroen C-Crosser and Mitsubishi Outlander XL) demonstrates almost car-like handling: precise responses, high sensitivity, moderate body roll
It's comforting that these "cargo" seats are light and take up minimal space when folded, so the seven-seat configuration doesn't affect the trunk volume of the Citroen and Peugeot — they are just as spacious as the five-seat Outlander.
 |  |
| The Peugeot 4007, like the Citroen C-Crosser, can be equipped with a color touch screen display for an extra charge | Leather seats (driver's with electric adjustment) are a privilege of the top Premium Pack version |
The Honda also has a spacious trunk. But the Toyota's compartment is smaller. And the RAV4's side-hinged tailgate is not as convenient — with our right-hand traffic, you have to open it from the side of the roadway.
A small trunk, not the most spacious cabin... But the Toyota RAV4 is 13.5 cm shorter than the Honda, and the Outlander XL and its clones are as much as 24 cm longer! So choose what's better — compactness and ease of parking (Toyota) or greater length and interior space (all the remaining four cars). However, the Peugeot with the optional rearview camera can be parked very neatly — as can the Honda with front and rear parking sensors. But the Toyota RAV4 and Mitsubishi Outlander XL, we remind you, even in top trims do without parking sensors.
 <\/a><\/td> |  <\/a><\/td> <\/tr> |