And why not? Especially since this time I got a not quite standard car — a Skoda Roomster. By its appearance alone, this car can be compared to a house on wheels. Well, maybe not quite a house (here I might have gone overboard), but it definitely qualifies as a room. The driver's area in the front is visually separated from the passenger area in the back. The car looks a bit clumsy, but the rear with its huge window — it's just a real room! And the name directly hints at such associations. Although, if you think about it, "room" in the name Roomster means "space," but for most people this word translates as "room," and nothing else.
True, inside it no longer qualifies as a room. The car's dimensions are 4205 mm in length and 1684 mm in width (not counting mirrors). That's just a little over seven square meters on the road. And the usable area is even less. Even Papa Carlo would mock me. But the price is pleasing — only $3130 per meter, or $22 thousand for the entire Roomster, which, on top of everything else, also drives. Let Papa Carlo sit by his painted hearth, and I can choose for myself what to see out the window.
The two-tone interior of the Roomster is not as impressive as its exterior, but it is very cozy.
Inside, there is enough space, it's cozy and bright. As for furniture — a couple of seats and a sofa with pleasant blue upholstery. European-style renovation. There are "shelves" in the doors, a glove box-dresser, and even a small "refrigerator." There's no TV, amenities are outside. But there is a "center" with a "remote control." All this, of course, does not look as stylishly designed as the Roomster's exterior, but it's quite cozy. And the roof is glass, like in the best penthouses, and the ceiling is very high by automotive standards.
The trim level is not bad, and there are plenty of boxes and shelves for small items.
I still have to settle in here — the interior is asking for curtains, some picture, or a flower on the windowsill. The trim level is not bad — there's climate control, parking sensors, cornering lights, 16-inch wheels, six airbags, and the steering wheel adjusts both for height and reach. But I can do without pets and other "house spirits" in the Roomster. I'll live alone, occasionally inviting guests.
Stop! First, I need to decide where I will live. No, I'm not talking about the Roomster — it's clear that I'll live in it. I'm talking about something else: the Roomster is not just a room, it's on wheels. So, live wherever you want, especially since the price of the car doesn't depend on the neighborhood. Well, let's think about where I want to live. Definitely not in Biryulyovo or Lyubertsy. I've always wanted, like Mikhalkov: "And from our window, Red Square is visible!" — so let's go there!
The glass roof gives passengers simply amazing sensations from the ride.
It's a pity, of course, that you can't drive while sitting on the rear sofa — there's a ton of space there, and the glass roof constantly pleases the eye. Sitting in the front, to not forget about this expensive option, you have to constantly tilt your head up — otherwise, it's just not noticeable. But the seat is also quite comfortable — maybe some will find the side support lacking, but you can sit in it however you like — both the shape and the range of adjustments allow it. So, I turn the key, and real estate turns into movable property.
Behind the wheel of the Roomster, you don't notice all its unusualness, at least until you look back. The high roof is not visible, the seating position is like in a regular car. And this "house" handles quite well. The steering wheel, pedals, and gear lever are very light, as befits a family car that suits both dad and mom. But on the road, it stands confidently and enters corners well. Though, why would it be bad: the front suspension of the Roomster is from the new Fabia, and the rear is from the old Octavia. At the same time, the Roomster handles however you want. If you want, drive actively; if you want, drive calmly, lounging in the seat. It's convenient both ways. The only thing contraindicated for the Roomster is high speeds. No, with noises everything is fine, the car doesn't wander much in ruts and doesn't jump on bumps — but it really doesn't like side winds. And no wonder — it's tall and narrow, and although it won't be blown off the road by an oncoming truck, it will happily "float" along the trajectory. So it's better to be quick in the city (such speeds don't happen here), and on the highway, you shouldn't squeeze the last juices out of the engine.
But I'm not going to race it anyway — it's not that kind of car. I won't say that with the 1.4-liter engine and manual gearbox the Roomster is slow, but it doesn't turn into a jet bungalow either. For the city, the dynamics are quite enough — I wasn't among the laggards in traffic. And if you give it some gas, you can stay among the leaders. Not sporty, but fun. The "shifter" is excellent. But the engine, although it doesn't complain about weakness, responds to the gas pedal with laziness.
Well, here I am. Hmm... But there's nowhere to park the car! There are some suspicious, criminal-element personalities walking around. And people have also organized festivities — I won't fall asleep when there are shouts and squeals outside the window — even the Roomster's decent sound insulation can't handle them. No, I'd better go to the embankment, especially since it's prestigious and beautiful there nowadays.
I arrived, moving to the back (unfortunately, for this I'll have to either practice yoga or get out and get back in). I admired the view, poured myself some tea, opened a magazine. Then someone knocks on my window. So that's what it's like to live on the first floor! I open the window — brr, what a wind! "Hey, you can't park here!" — my evening peace is interrupted by a servant of the striped stick. Eh... Well, okay, if you can't, you can't.
Oh, I'll go to work! I'll park right at the entrance, wake up in the morning, get out — and no need to go anywhere! Maybe I'll finally manage to get there (or rather, walk there) first at least once. I won't rush — during the day, our Arhangelsky Lane resembles Odessa's Privoz at 10 a.m., and you can search for a parking spot for half an hour, but at night nobody needs it: park as much as you want!
Driving the Roomster through courtyards and narrow alleys in the center is a pleasure. The car is nimble and maneuverable, and the cornering lights shine excellently. And at a large steering angle, the "fog light" turns on, additionally illuminating the turn. True, to check how well (quite well) all this works, in Moscow I had to look for an unlit street or courtyard. And I'll tell you, it turned out to be not so easy!
On bumps, it doesn't shake too much, although the car repeats all the curves and elevation changes, perhaps, too pedantically. Especially at low speeds. But, as they say, more speed — fewer potholes. True, more wind... I already talked about that. But overall, it's comfortable, the shaking doesn't exceed three points on the Richter scale, and the suspension pleases with its energy intensity.
While I was driving around Moscow and choosing a place to sleep, it got quite late — the magazine with a cup of tea is canceled, I need to go to bed. The rear sofa of the Roomster, as expected, folds down (or rather, folds up). Accordingly, you can even sleep in the trunk. And if you're Chinese, you can stretch out to full length. But I'm almost two meters tall, so I'll have to sleep curled up. Okay, we'll endure — but what savings!
In general, the Roomster's layout is free: the interior has plenty of transformation possibilities. The rear seats can be moved forward and backward, and the central part easily turns into a large armrest-table with cup holders. You can fold everything down entirely and get a large cargo area (in my case, a sleeping place). Convenient! And not only for me, but also for those who will use this car for its main purpose. Well, okay, good night everyone!
The Roomster's trunk is not small, but if its volume suddenly isn't enough, the interior can be transformed. For example, fold down the rear seats — either just the backrests or entirely. Or you can even remove them altogether, turning the Roomster into a van. The central part of the rear sofa can be turned into a large armrest, or also removed. Then you can move the outer seats closer together — and sitting in the back for two will be especially comfortable.
The morning started with a phone call that yanked me out of a deep sleep. I overslept again! The colleague on the other end clearly didn't believe my promises: "Have you even looked at the clock?" — "I'm already on my way, I'll be there in a couple of minutes," I mumbled, half-asleep. "Don't give me that, I can tell by your voice that you just got out of bed. I'll be waiting for you!" Somehow, by a miracle, I made it on time — unshaven, sleepy, and disheveled, I burst into the office. I admit, this kind of schedule is not to my liking at all. However, I don't regret the past night — the effect I had on my colleague was priceless. True, I spent half the day catching up on sleep on the office couch — and it was incredibly pleasant. It seems my first experience in saving on housing will be my last.
The result of my experiment is disappointing: even a car like the Roomster is completely useless as housing. I'll say more — it's just awful! Unless, of course, you're a yogi or a masochist, you won't be able to solve the housing issue with its help. Although, of course, Skoda engineers didn't anticipate such a perverted use — the car is made not for sleeping, but for driving. And for that, it's just perfect!
After all, we spend a huge part of our lives in a car, so why shouldn't it be our second or at least third home? It should be comfortable, convenient, and cozy. And the Roomster is exactly that. As housing, it's too small, but as a car — it has plenty of space, even with a reserve. And this "extra" space doesn't get in the way at all when you're driving alone to work — you just don't notice it: the car handles like a regular passenger car, and it doesn't consume much more fuel. But on a long trip, it can easily fit everything you need. Plus, it just lifts your mood.
Technical specifications
| Specifications | $22,000 |
|---|---|
| Number of seats | 5 |
| Trunk volume, l | 450—1780 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1155 |
| Gross weight, kg | 1670 |
| Engine location | Transverse |
| Number and arrangement of cylinders | 4, in-line |
| Displacement, cm3 | 1390 |
| Number of valves | 16 |
| Maximum power, hp/kW/rpm | 86/63/5000 |
| Maximum torque, Nm/rpm | 132/3800 |
| Gearbox | Manual, five-speed |
| Drive | Front |
| Front suspension | Independent, McPherson |
| Rear suspension | Semi-independent, coil spring |
| Front brakes | Disc, ventilated |
| Rear brakes | Disc, ventilated |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 171 |
| Acceleration time 0–100 km/h, s | 13 |
| Fuel consumption urban cycle, l/100 km | 8.9 |
| Fuel consumption extra-urban cycle, l/100 km | 5.6 |
| Fuel consumption combined cycle, l/100 km | 6.8 |
| Fuel tank capacity, l | 55 |
| Fuel | Gasoline AI-91–95 |
Equipment of the tested car
The car for the test was provided by
"Volkswagen Group Rus LLC" Skoda division.
- Base Equipment
- ABS
- MSR
- Central locking
- Emergency protection system
- Airbags for driver and front passenger
- Driver's seat height adjustment
- Power windows
- Electrically adjustable and heated rear-view mirrors
- Options installed on the tested car
- Climatronic climate control (with combined filter)
- Alloy wheels Atria 6,5J x 16"
- Adaptive halogen headlights
- Black side protective moldings
- Rear disc brakes
- Front and side airbags in the front of the cabin
- Panoramic roof Overhead II
- Dance car radio with remote control
- Small leather package
The car for the test was provided by
"Volkswagen Group Rus LLC" Skoda division.
Behind the scenes
