Armada 250: a stylish SUV

The 250 is designed for trail racing and road riding. However, this does not mean that the Armada 250 will not drive on dirt roads or rough terrain. High-quality suspension (McPherson) and reliable shock absorbers provide excellent handling and stability of the ATV.

This Taiwanese utility vehicle is ideal for outdoor activities, motorcycle racing, and just walking along the highway . The car handles confidently both on asphalt or concrete, and on loose soil, snow, etc.

The lineup

The series includes several modifications of the Armada ATV 250 ATV. The versions differ in both appearance and technical characteristics. For example, the basic version has a 246 cc engine, and the ATV 250C has a 250 cc engine. The difference seems to be insignificant, but there are enough such little things.

Modifications:

Armada ATV 250. This is a basic modification of the sports vehicle.
Armada ATV 250C. The sports ATV is equipped with a 20 hp , manual transmission, LED lighting and chrome wheels. The cost of a new device ranges from 145 to 170 thousand rubles.
Armada ATV 250D. In terms of power, the model does not differ from the basic version. The differences lie in the design features: suspension, brakes, and equipment .
Armada ATV 300A. This is the most powerful machine in the line. The device is equipped with a 282 cc and an automatic transmission. However, despite the increased power, the maximum speed of the device is 10 km/h lower than that of its predecessors. ATV 250 quad bikes accelerate to 120 km/h, and model 300A only up to 110 km/h. The modification costs a little more than the standard version, the price starts from 175 and reaches 190 thousand rubles.

Armada ATV 250 is an excellent solution for racing and city driving. The owner of a stylish device that looks more like a tricycle will definitely attract the attention of others .

Reviews

2 weeks ago I bought myself such an ATV, which, by the way, I am very pleased with. Armada ATV 250 is truly a very powerful device. I made my first trips in the city, but then I got to the off-road. I liked absolutely everything about this model. The fuel tank capacity is sufficient for long runs. I was especially pleased with its maneuverability. Can overcome almost any obstacles. It rides very confidently in the dirt and doesn’t dig in like many other models. In my opinion, if you don’t quite have enough money, but still want to ride, then this ATV will definitely be the best choice here. By the way, the equipment is quite clear and convenient to maintain, except that the engine requires fuel not lower than AI-92.
We bought a quad for 90 thousand rubles. For its price it is very good. The model is rear-wheel drive, but this is not its drawback, because there is more than enough power for its size and weight. What I liked about the chassis is that it uses a cardan shaft instead of a chain. This is very convenient, since after a certain mileage the chain stretches and falls off, when you can forget about this problem. The engine is started using both a key and a button. There are two shock absorbers in front and one in the back, thanks to which it rides very softly and steadily. The front brakes are controlled from the steering wheel, while the rear brakes are controlled by the right pedal. Our package includes a cigarette lighter, which was very useful on one of our trips. The ATV is very passable and comfortable. The stability is really impressive, it takes a lot of effort to knock it over.
A month ago we purchased an Armada ATV 250. Our configuration includes an electric winch with a 15-meter cable. During the entire period of operation, the winch was never useful, since they tried not to drive into the swamp, and in other difficult areas the equipment copes perfectly well. We don’t yet know what about water. We moved across the rivers with the engine turned off, but we still don’t dare to drive through on our own. The engine starts easily and runs well. The consumption of this ATV is really low. With a fairly large fuel tank, the equipment can operate for a very long time. For example, we once filled only 3 liters and the quadric was able to travel more than 40 kilometers. The car behaves well on bumps, everything goes smoothly and does not pull to the side. There have been no problems so far, everything is working properly.

Specifications

The Taiwanese ATV, thanks to a 20 hp engine, confidently accelerates to 120 km/h. The cruising speed of the device is 100 km/h. Of course, this is not the ultimate dream, but considering the engine capacity of 250 cubic meters, it is a very good indicator. What else will the device please?

Model specifications:

Four-stroke engine with forced air cooling. Although the engine for the car was developed by a Chinese company, it is reliable and has a significant service life .
Carburetor fuel supply system.
Electronic ignition.
Electric starter and kick starter.
Mechanical transmission.
Disc clutch.
Off-road 10 inch tires.
Independent and dependent pendulum suspension.
Hydraulic disc brakes (front) and mechanical drum brakes (rear).
Maximum load – 200 kg. The device is suitable for riding with two people.
The maximum speed of the device is 120 km/h.
Fuel tank capacity – 12 l.

The device is very economical; a full gas tank is enough for about 150-170 km/h. The owners noted that the car “eats” about 7 liters of fuel .

Competitors

The Armada 250 road ATV is very popular due to its low price, power and stylish design. However, all the advantages cannot save it from competition.

The main competitors of the ATV Armada 250:

Taiwanese ATV SYM Quadraider. In terms of appearance, the device is inferior to the Armada, but in terms of technical characteristics the car wins. The Quadraider 300 ATV is equipped with a 280 cc engine , a liquid engine cooling system and an independent suspension. But the price of the SYM device is steep; a new machine costs 260 thousand rubles.
Honda TRX Japanese technology, released back in 2000, is practically not inferior to the Taiwanese. The power of the device is slightly less, but in terms of reliability , the Honda ATV wins.
Motax ATV A-24 Many buyers prefer the sports all-terrain vehicle introduced in 2021. The model does not have high power (10 hp), but it looks more attractive . The Motax is ideal for teenagers and beginners, which is not the case with the Armada.

The Taiwanese also competes with Kayo Viper 125 and Bashan BS 300S-A.

Armada ATV 250S

Operating experience

Owners of the Armada 250 ATV were attracted by its versatility, bright design and power. Although the manufacturer positions the equipment as a road vehicle, the device also handles confidently on rough terrain. Users also noted:

Economical. The car consumes only 6.5-7 liters of fuel , depending on the road. On rough terrain, fuel consumption increases to 7.5 liters.
Reasonable price. The manufacturer was able to create a reliable and cheap sports SUV . The basic version of the device from the showroom costs about 140 thousand rubles.
High power. Under the hood of the stylish ATV lies as much as 20 hp.
Not a bad package. The developers installed a cigarette lighter, turn signals, brake lights, rear-view mirrors, a comfortable double seat, a metal bumper and a rear trunk on the equipment.
Sustainability. The device does not roll over when hitting bumps or holes.

Separately, it is worth noting the maintainability of the equipment. Taiwanese devices are in significant demand in the CIS countries, so there will be no problems finding spare parts. And the car breaks down as often as Chinese state employees.

With tuning, things are also simple. A stylish ATV doesn't need much improvement. Some users change the bump stop, install a seat with a backrest, etc. More serious structural changes are not required.

Road ATV Suzuki AT - 250 cc

Test drive ArmadaATV 150A, ArmadaATV 50A

The offer to conduct a test drive of ATVs came at a time when I was just thinking about what kind of car to take for this purpose. The successful coincidence of circumstances could not but please me, especially since the opportunity arose.

Alfred Mardanov, "Autoclub-Kazan"

To understand what these “quads” are for, you don’t need any special intelligence, this is pure entertainment, and the lack of all-wheel drive in both vehicles suggests that serious, rigorous disciplines are not for them either. In general, ATVs are a very developing topic today, and for example, they are even in service in the US Army. During Operation Desert Storm, they proved themselves to be very good due to their mobility and dynamism. Naturally, they use serious, powerful and expensive devices, nothing like what we will test today. We, of course, have the most simplified civilian versions.

I was immediately surprised by the interesting organization of engine starting; both ATVs have an alarm system with the ability to start remotely. The green baby ATV 50A can wake up from the “start” button, provided that the keys are inserted into the ignition socket, or from the alarm key fob, and the big brother ATV 150 does the same, and also from the “kick switch”. Why am I noting this point in detail in order to avoid the unfortunate situation in which we found ourselves. The fact is that, unlike a car, which a city dweller uses often and whose battery has the ability to be recharged, here, if you do not use the ATV every day, the battery, which has a small capacity, can easily discharge, and if you have a “kicker” you you will be able to start it, but if not, you will have to “light it” or pre-charge the battery.

So if you are going to take an ATV 50A with you outdoors, then it would not hurt to first make sure that it can start on its own. And it won’t be difficult for the crossover owner to take it with him; thanks to its compact size, it fits even into some mid-size SUVs. Otherwise, it is easy, like a bicycle, to fold the handlebars by loosening a couple of bolts in the mount. This is perhaps, at first glance, an important advantage, besides price, over the ATV 150.

The preparations are completed, the first photos are taken, and even people have gathered. Of the two options, I still preferred to try riding a relatively large ATV first. The absence of front-wheel drive significantly simplifies the design, reduces weight and, in theory, improves dynamic characteristics. Why in theory? Yes, because in the conditions of spring snow melting there is simply no area for acceleration, there are melted holes with water and ditches all around, but even on short runs you can feel how he is eager to fight. The CVT control knob has only three positions: neutral, forward, reverse. Naturally, there are no locks or low gears; the drive, as I said, is rear-wheel drive only. Thanks to this, you can play around with it by letting it rotate around its axis, and you can also do everything with it that is so typical of rear-wheel drive cars. Thanks to its low weight, you can easily balance on it using your own body weight, but carefully. The apparent stability of the four-wheeled base is deceptive, and you can easily turn over on it, depicting a spectacular somersault worthy of the TV program “Awesome Video”. We couldn’t resist and still climbed through the snowdrifts. Frankly, front-wheel drive is not enough for this, it gets stuck. But!! You can pull it out without outside help, either by simply moving the rear axle to a solid surface, or by dismounting and pushing with one hand while accelerating with the other. I didn't quite like the organization of the brakes. The rear and front axles are braked by levers on the steering wheel; I am still more accustomed to the rear axle being braked by the pedal under the right foot. Also here, the tire size differs along the axes, which excludes interchangeability and can lead to additional costs. expenses in the future.

ATV 150 is equipped with an electronic speedometer with low/high beam and turn signals indication. By the way, this device has turn signals, which allows its use on public roads, of course, subject to registration standards. (As far as I know it can be registered as a tractor and gets square rear numbers). In general, given the inexpensive cost of this ATV, you can forgive some of the quality flaws of the plastic body kit. The baby costs even less and, as the test drive showed, is somehow meaner. From the outside it looks comical when big guys roll around on it, I remember how at one time we had Czech mini-mockings on our roads, something similar in our case. The ATV 50A, as expected, has the brake pedal under the right foot, but the front brake is also under the right hand, where the gas lever is - again illogical. The left hemisphere of the brain goes crazy because you have to do everything with your right hand and foot, but you have to give it its due - you get used to it quickly. Despite the lower power, everyone who was here seemed to like it better somehow. He is not just alive, but uncontrollably alive. It’s like putting on running boots and running recklessly. Of course, it’s more convenient to ride it while standing, although you can handle it while sitting, but driving it while standing is much more interesting. Yes, and it is also more convenient to engage rear-wheel drive and front-wheel drive while standing - this is a feature of the gearbox - you have to make an effort. Well, if you add the cost of 45,000 rubles and compact dimensions to the advantages, it turns out quite well: you took it, threw it in the trunk (if you have an SUV), went to the forest - barbecues, nature, rides.

Arthur Gimaev, "Autoclub-Kazan"

Frankly, this was my first time driving an ATV. What about an ATV - I don’t even have a license to drive a car (secretly)! When I got behind the wheel, there was a certain element of excitement, however, looking ahead a little, I will say that nothing terrible happened to me in the end. We were offered two models for review - the green baby ATV 50C with an engine capacity of 110 cubic centimeters, and a larger device - the blue ATV 150A, with an engine capacity of 150 cm3. It was decided to start the test drive with a more powerful and heavier ATV 150.

The weather vicissitudes of the coming spring turned the “track” near our office into a semblance of a route for off-road competitions: it was impossible to find even a ten meter of flat surface - there were holes and potholes everywhere. But it was all the more interesting to ride through them! The blue ATV 150A has only three “gearbox” positions - the conveniently located lever on the right knows the positions “forward”, “backward” and “neutral”, and the shifting is so convenient and intuitive that even a child or a complete beginner like me can easily handle it . By the way, on the “green baby” I had to suffer a little with this operation: switching to reverse and back is done by pressing the pedal on the ATV’s footrest, and this switching does not always work. Well, okay with it - with the reverse gear, it was much more interesting to try to go forward as quickly as possible! The gas handle fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, and the “quad” itself quickly picks up speed, delivering a truly unforgettable experience and a surge of adrenaline! The ATV 150 quickly and easily overcame the holes, as if they were not there, but it already climbed up a small snowy hill, groaning strainedly. But I drove through a rather deep puddle very impressively, leaving behind a bunch of splashes and a cloud of steam! Fortunately, the design of the ATV is very well designed, and the good placement of the wings saved me and my clothes from a dirty shower.

The handbrake on the 150 works almost instantly, but on green you have to be more careful. In general, the green “baby” amazed me with its agility and maneuverability! I pressed the gas a little, and he was already rushing forward like mad - just have time to maneuver between the snow and ice icicles of the improvised “washboard”. The small dimensions of the ATV (length 145 centimeters, center distance - 88 centimeters, and dry weight - only 75 kilograms!) and the feeling of a higher power per unit mass gives additional emotions, making the heart beat faster from overwhelming emotions!

Perhaps what the described ATVs lack is comfort. The suspension is quite stiff; on bumps, the rider can be thrown up quite well. However, thanks to such a suspension, excellent handling is achieved, and after a few trips you begin to get used to the stiffness. And when you ride an ATV, the last thing you think about is comfort!

In general, the skating brought extremely positive emotions. Among the shortcomings, one can highlight only the plastic finishing that is not of the highest quality and the small carrying capacity of the green baby - only 60 kilograms are stated. However, these cars were created for completely different purposes and are more than suitable for pleasure trips into nature or as an expensive toy for children.

PS: one day I went too fast and drove into a snowdrift. Fortunately, everything turned out well, but this served as a good lesson: even when traveling in such low-power cars, you should not forget about safety and caution!

Text: Newspaper “Avtoclub-Kazan”