Perhaps the most famous domestic SUV in Russia is the UAZ. Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant produces several jeeps. These are Patriot and Hunter. The latter was introduced in 2003, after which it entered the market almost immediately. "Hunter" became the successor to the 469th UAZ, whose history began back in the USSR. But how well were the flaws eliminated and is it possible to purchase such a car? Reviews about UAZ "Hunter", shortcomings and technical specifications - further in our article.
Appearance
In fact, the Hunter did not become a new model in the lineup, but only a slightly modified 469th UAZ. So, front and rear Ulyanovsk designers have developed a new plastic bumper with large foglights.
The wheels on the car are now cast. Regularly there is highway tires. The rest of the car remained the same. The car was slightly refreshed, but it still looks up-to-date and military. Many do UAZ "Hunter" tuning. So, for this model, ready-made sets of power bumpers, winches, snorkels and arch expanders for mud rubber are sold. With such a tuning kit, UAZ Hunter looks more dignified and brutal. However, the cost of such improvements is sometimes more than a hundred thousand rubles.
There are drawbacks to the bodywork. Judging by the reviews, UAZ "Hunter" has a poor quality of painting. It creates the feeling that the enamel was applied in places without a primer, the owners say. Two years later, the paint begins to swell, heave and exfoliate. Often there are "bugs" that over time develop into serious foci of corrosion. From the factory, the metal is poorly protected from rust. And its thickness itself is less. The mass of the new Hunter is about 5 percent less than the Soviet 469th. They also speak poorly about the quality of welding. The seams on the body are bad and begin to tear. There is also no way to adjust the doors. They close very poorly over time.
Dimensions
The dimensions of the car have not changed much since the time of the Soviet UAZ. So, the body length is 4.1 meters, width - 2.01, height - 2.02 meters.
Clearance
Ground clearance on standard wheels - 21 centimeters. This is one of the main advantages of UAZ "Hunter" - say the reviews. Moreover, this is the distance to the bridge, which is the lowest point under the bottom. The remaining elements and assemblies are located much higher. Therefore, at the Hunter you can easily overcome fords, borders and even forest stumps.
Salon
The car itself is quite high, but tall drivers do not have enough space above their heads. This is due to the frame layout - the floor is too high. The interior design itself is more reminiscent of a truck: a flat metal instrument panel with antique dial scales in the center. The steering wheel is double-faced, without any adjustments.
On the passenger side there is a compact glove box and a “handle of fear," as the owners themselves call it. The car seats are at least different from the 469th, but do not have good lateral and lumbar support. Therefore, many owners of "Hunters" change these shapeless chairs to seats from a foreign car (for example, from "Opel" or "Toyota"). The stove in the cabin is noisy, but heats in the winter. Although problems with it are not ruled out. So, pipes may leak or the radiator itself becomes clogged. Poor ventilation in the cabin. Windows in the car do not open fully. There are only small vents that need to be pulled "by yourself." But there is almost no effect on them.
What other pitfalls are there in a UAZ Hunter car? The interior of this SUV is very hot in the heat. The reason for this is the ill-conceived design of the roof, which works like a heat reflector in the sun. In rainy weather, owners are faced with such a problem as the water in the cabin. UAZ "Hunter" has a lot of cracks in the joints of the body, as well as leaking ventilation hatch. It is from here that water gets inside. As a result, the interior is constantly damp, under the rugs a slurry forms, the windows sweat.
Another drawback of the UAZ is the side mirrors. They, according to the owners, are very flimsy and at a speed of more than 60 km begin to vibrate strongly, which distorts the perception of information.
Trunk
It is capable of accommodating up to 1130 liters of luggage in a five-seater version. The second row of seats can be folded in a ratio of 60 to 40. With the backs folded down, the boot volume increases to 2564 liters. Among the advantages - a wide opening and low loading height.
But the cons are also present. This is opening the gate to the left and sagging loops. There is a heavy full-size spare tire on the lid, due to which the hinges hang over time and the trunk lid does not close well.
Specifications
UAZ Hunter was initially equipped with only one gasoline engine (we will consider diesel versions a bit later). It is not UMZ at all, but the Zavolzhsky aggregate of the 409th model. This engine is atmospheric in-line cylinders. With a volume of 2.7 liters, the engine develops a total of 128 horsepower. Torque is also small - 210 Nm. The engine has a timing chain drive, a cast-iron block and a 16-valve head.
What do the reviews say about the UAZ Hunter engine? Like all ZMZ-shnyh motors, the 409th engine is very voracious. So, for a hundred in the city, the car spends from 14 to 16 liters of the 92nd. Also, the owners respond negatively to the location of the neck of the tanks (there are only two of them in the UAZ). They are welded in such a way that when refueling “to full” there is still 8 liters of free space.
There is no need to talk about overclocking dynamics. The curb machine weighs almost two tons. Up to a hundred, the car accelerates in 25-30 seconds. The maximum speed is 140 kilometers per hour. But driving over 80 is uncomfortable, and sometimes scary. Due to the ill-conceived design of the driveshaft, the machine starts to vibrate at speed. As an option, you can install the universal joint on shruah, as on the "Field". The cost of such a decision is about nine thousand rubles.
Diesel
A diesel UAZ Hunter also exists. Initially, the Andoria engine with an 8-valve head and without a turbine was used as a “solid fuel” unit. With a volume of 2.4 liters, it developed 86 horsepower. Torque did not exceed 183 Nm.
Two years after the first release, this motor was replaced by the domestic ZMZ-51432. The unit was distinguished by a 16-valve timing mechanism and with a volume of 2.2 liters developed a capacity of 114 horsepower.
Also at UAZ "Hunter" (diesel) a Chinese 4JB1T motor is installed. With a volume of 2.2 liters, it develops 92 horsepower.
About four-wheel drive
The car is equipped with a five-speed manual transmission with a hard-wired Part-Time all-wheel drive. There is also a two-stage transfer case with a lowering range of speeds. The car can move in several modes:
- 2H. Torque is transmitted only to the rear wheels.
- 4H. Power is distributed evenly along the axes in a ratio of 50 to 50.
- 4L. This is an all-wheel drive with a reduced gear range. Serves to overcome heavy off-road.
But as noted by the reviews, even in the top-end configuration, the UAZ Hunter does not have a cross-axle lock. Hubs need to be purchased and installed separately. The transfer case, even on the new Hunter, is very noisy.
Suspension
The machine is built on a ladder-type frame. Front and rear - continuous bridge. As elastic elements in the front part, coil springs are used. Rear - leaf springs. Steering - gearbox with hydraulic booster. According to reviews, UAZ "Hunter" has a very cotton steering wheel. Finding a center is pretty hard. And at speed you have to constantly steer, even on a new car.
Brakes - disc front and drum rear. They do not work efficiently. To slow down this two-ton jeep, you need to make great efforts.
Reliability of the suspension is not at the best level. According to reviews, UAZ "Hunter" is equipped with ball-mounted plastic bushings from the factory. Not only do they have no lubrication (because of which the steering wheel is very tight), but they also collapse after 15-20 thousand kilometers, as they are completely deprived of protection against ingress of dirt. The steering wheel has a weak base. Over time, fasteners may break off around the hub.
To summarize
So, we found out what the UAZ Hunter is. As you can see, the car has a lot of flaws and "childhood diseases". Having bought a new car, it will definitely have to be brought to mind - the owners say. The machine does not have reliability and any safety (although the latest models have ISOFIX child seat mounts). On the other hand, this is the cheapest all-wheel drive SUV for today, which can be taken new. But rely on reliability or comfort in this UAZ is not worth it. A patriot is a more or less civilian option with a comfortable cabin and no less good cross. But its price is much higher.