PROFILE
She has experience in sales at select stores and collection brands. After working in planning and design for several years, he started "Yesterdays Tomorrow," for which he is the designer. Currently, she is taking a break from the brand and working as a freelance designer for "Sandwater".
PROFILE
After working in bicycle stores and skate stores, he opened his own store, "WOOD VILLAGE CYCLES" in Hatagaya. He deals mainly with used frames and parts, and builds bicycles with style every day according to customers' requests.
. for private use, of course, but also for work.
The summer of 2023 will be one of the hottest summers on record in Japan. Tokyo is no exception, with the strong sunlight and the asphalt sunrays taking all the energy out of us every day. In order to escape from the extreme heat, two people are planning to go to nature for a summer getaway.
Gathered at WOOD VILLAGE CYCLES, a bicycle shop in Hatagaya, were its owner, Yuta Kimura, and Hisaya Kanno, who works as a freelance designer. The two plan to load up their Kangoo and enjoy touring in nature.
. plenty of room for two mountain bikes and a few camping gear. The new model, which was just renewed in March of this year, increases the space to 2,800 liters by folding down the rear seat. . This is a significant increase over the previous model.
. "Once upon a time, the company car at the bicycle shop where I worked was a 'Kangoo. . At that time, we could carry six bicycles in the loading space. The latest Kangoo is wider than that, so it's a dream come true.
I have a company car, a Kangoo, and I use it to carry samples by the rack. I can use the Kangoo not only for private use but also for work if it can carry this much luggage. Also, the new design has improved the face of the Kangoo.
As Mr. Kanno says, the "Kangoo" now has a more fearless face and cooler look than before, but it is not only the exterior that has improved. The interior is also amazing.
The steering wheel is made of genuine leather and decorated with a matte chrome finisher, creating a somewhat luxurious atmosphere. The instrument panel is a 7-inch digital instrument panel, combining an advanced feel with good visibility.
The 8-inch multimedia Easy Link allows easy connection to a variety of devices. This allows navigation, music, and other settings to be made via a smartphone, greatly improving operability. Of course, operation is also possible by touching the display. Support functions such as navigation can be used even without a connection to a device .
So, they set the music, navigation, and driving support functions, and headed for their destination. This time, they headed for Arima Dam in Hanno, Saitama Prefecture. Surrounded by mountains and rich natural scenery, it is a pleasant place for touring.
The "Kangoo" was mentioned earlier as having "better faces". While driving, Mr. Kanno again mentions the design of this car.
The balance between functionality and design is very good. Cars with high carrying capacity tend to be left out of the design, but the Kangoo's design is very sophisticated. Although it is now moving toward nature, the Kangoo's design makes me want to drive it on the street. While the Kangoo has been updated, it still retains some classic elements. I feel that the design has been handed down from the past.
. It is not only the design that has improved with the new model. Driving performance has also been improved, with a variety of advanced driving and parking assist systems (ADAS). ADAS reduces the burden on the driver and makes driving safer.
. Driving on highways, for example, requires more care than on ordinary roads. Lane Centering Assist," which helps the driver to stay in the middle of the lane, is a reassuring ally of the driver.
In addition, "Highway & Traffic Jam Assist" makes driving in traffic jams much easier because the car travels at a pre-set speed and automatically slows down and follows if there is a vehicle ahead slower than the set speed.
. These are just a few of the features. Many support systems greatly enhance driving safety, allowing both the driver and passengers to enjoy driving with peace of mind.
Kimura continued, and I was impressed that he said this while riding in the passenger seat.
. I feel a sense of security when I sit in the passenger seat. The engine is quiet while driving, and the suspension feels firm and secure. Perhaps it is because this is a car made for commercial use, but I think it must be very tough.
