» Test drive of the new Lada Granta liftback

Lada Granta - a budget front-wheel drive car, mass production of which started in the fall of 2011. The new model has replaced the outdated “classics” and the “Samara” family.

In March 2013, AvtoVAZ officially introduced a hatchback version. Serial production of the Granta modification began on May 14, 2014 at .

The new product, previously called a hatchback, is now positioned as Lada Granta Liftback. The planned production volume for 2014 will be about 47,000 vehicles. The first sales of the new product began in June.

Appearance

Given the limited budget, engineers and designers made many changes, turning the three-volume body into a two-volume one. The car received an original front bumper with black inserts, visually expanding the model.

The side mirrors have changed: they no longer make noise in the wind, and in the top configuration they are equipped with turn signal backups, as on Priora models.

Against the background of the redesigned stern, few people will pay attention to the car doors. They differ from the “sedan” ones by the sill line raised by 12 mm and the upper edge lowered by 8 mm.

In general, the profile of the liftback has become more dynamic, but the headroom for second-row passengers has decreased.

The rear of the car is completely original, not counting the luggage compartment floor, which was carried over from the sedan.

During the work, the designers had several options for designing the rear of the body, including using the lights of the three-box Granta. But they rejected the last option and, as it turned out, they were right. Everything looks quite harmonious.

Comparative analysis of liftback and sedan bodies

The Lada Granta is made in a liftback body, which differs from the sedan body in several parameters.

The body length has been reduced, but not by much. The liftback has a body length of 4246 m, the sedan is 14 mm longer.
The liftback's ground clearance is 185 mm, the sedan's is 160 mm.
The width and height of both bodies have not changed. They are equal to 1.7 and 1.5 meters.
New front bumper and air intake. On the front bumper of the liftback there are black inserts with fog lights located in them.

The sedan and liftback have the same hood shape, radiator grille, and headlights. The similarities and differences are clearly visible. The appearance of both bodies of the Lada Grant differs in the side view. A car with a liftback body looks much more interesting in profile than a sedan. French colleagues (Renault company) tried their best for this. Now the liftback has an advantage - the transition of the roof to the rear of the car is made more smoothly.

The rear of the car has also undergone changes for the better. The taillights have a narrowed C-shape. In the sedan they were not narrowed, but had the same shape. The license plate of the liftback began to be attached to the fifth door. Note that the sedan model had a license plate attached to the bumper. There are no other more striking and noticeable differences.

Trunk

Folded second row seats

How spacious is the liftback's trunk? The “passport” data indicates a figure of 430 liters, but the sedan has 480 liters! The fact is that AvtoVAZ’s methods for measuring trunk volume have changed: the sedan’s cargo compartment was measured with balls, and the liftback’s with volumetric cubes.

The second method is more correct from a practical point of view, but gives less results. It should be noted that folding the second row seats increases the capacity of the liftback luggage compartment to 760 liters.

This is even more than the Kalina model with a trunk volume of 670 liters. The rear row folds in a 30:70 ratio. To fold the backrests flush with the trunk floor, you will have to move the front seats back.

Interior

Most of the interior parts came from the sedan. At the same time, the build quality of the liftback is much higher, although it was not possible to completely get rid of squeaks. In general, there were no fundamental changes in the interior.

New seat upholstery adds a fresh touch, while other updates are subtle. The interior now features an engine temperature sensor, silver trim on the door handles, and the version with a manual transmission also includes a new gearshift lever.

There is a button on the dashboard for the fifth door. The trunk can also be opened with a key fob or key. There is no usual device on the back cover for this.

It only has handles to hold the massive door when closing. Space for second-row passengers has decreased, but two adults can sit on the sofa without any problems.

The car is equipped with air conditioning, a multimedia system with a large screen, an informative on-board computer, and parking sensors. However, this is the twenty-first century, and this is no longer new for Lada.

At the same time, even the driver may experience some discomfort while driving. This is due to the short seat cushion, lack of height adjustment and lack of a center armrest. Apparently, the developers of the model decided to save on some details so as not to inflate the cost of the public sector vehicle.

Representatives from AvtoVAZ said: “We previously considered installing side airbags on the car, but temporarily abandoned this idea as it was too expensive.”

Noise insulation, compared to the sedan, although improved, still remained at a low level. Wheel arches not only convey the noise of stones knocking, but also enhance the impression. If the half-open windows rattled in the sedan, this no longer happens in the liftback - new seals have appeared on the doors.

Lada Granta liftback: test drive of a strong budget employee

Vitaly Arkhireev, May 29, 2022, 14:01 — REGNUM Often in conversations, from people who have found out the price of a budget car, you can hear something like this: oh, how expensive! I bought my Duster (Lancer, Tiida...) for 300... 500... And it turns out that this was seven, or even ten years ago. Some people still keep dollars bought for 30 rubles, but prices have long since risen. Almost everything has become more expensive: fuel, food, cars.

Test drive LADA Granta liftback

Vitaly Arkhireev © REGNUM news agency

On the Russian market, Grant is the cheapest car that has not an automatic transmission, but a “robot” that provides convenience compared to a manual transmission. But this is in the Norma Classic + configuration, in a sedan body. Such a car will cost the buyer 484,600 rubles. The power unit is a 106 liter engine. s, with a volume of 1.6 liters and a five-speed robotic transmission. Other equipment includes:

driver airbag;
ABS, EBD;
air conditioner;
front electric windows;
heated exterior mirrors;

Granta also has a more affordable version - a car in the Standard configuration. This is the most affordable car on our market, with a price tag 10,000 cheaper than the Priora, which will leave the assembly line this year. For a car with a weak 87-horsepower engine (we recently tested one in Largus), 1.6-liter + manual, they will ask for 389,900 rubles. When considering new cars, this Grant has no competitors, even taking into account the “Chinese”...

Sales of RavonR2 start from 439,900 rubles, Renault Logan from 479,000 rubles, Lifan Solano 2 from 509,900 rubles. All of the listed competitors have similar power units - engines with a power of 82 hp or more. from up to 100 l. s and five-speed manual transmission. It’s not worth talking about Gili Emgrand at all. The minimum price for it is 649,000 rubles.

Sales of Datsun, the closest relative and competitor, which shares the same platform with the Grant, the same power units and is assembled at the same plant, start at 436,000 rubles.

It is doubtful that a mass buyer who has a very limited purchasing budget will decide to overpay from 50,000 rubles to 120,000 rubles for cars that are less functional and more expensive to maintain. But there will certainly be such people. And not the last argument for them will be: “not Lada.”

I got a completely different Lada Granta for testing, which I can’t call a budget car. And it’s not only about the price - 586,200 rubles, but also about the equipment. I would say that this is a “strong budget product”, seeking to move into a more expensive category.

So, the test drive itself. Lada Granta liftback, Lux/Navi equipment. Engine 1.6 liters, 106 hp, transmission - 5 AMT (robot). For a complete "stuffing" within the model range, there is not enough rear view camera, multifunction steering wheel and space to store glasses.

The equipment of the tested car includes: air conditioning, cruise control, a hold function when starting uphill, a number of other electronic assistants, navigation, the readings of which are duplicated on the instrument panel, which is very convenient, power windows on all doors, heated windows and mirrors, multimedia with Bluetooth And so on.

All the advantages and disadvantages, compared to the Granta in the sedan body, are determined precisely by the body. The liftback will allow you to transport large cargo, because in addition to the large trunk there is also a wide opening of the fifth door, which, due to its weight and size, will be too heavy for children and women. Luggage compartment volume is 440 liters. And with the seats fully folded - an impressive 760 liters.

Due to this utilitarianism, the visibility in the interior rearview mirror has noticeably deteriorated. You'll see the narrow window opening, both C-pillars and the middle passenger's seat belt, which has an attachment point on the ceiling. But this inconvenience is fully compensated by the side mirrors. They are large enough to make you forget about the interior mirror. You'll just have to get used to it.

Looking at the interior and some elements of the Granta’s equipment, you understand that the manufacturer is constantly looking for options. Or competently optimizes production costs. Nicolas More, President of AvtoVAZ, announced the implementation of this process in the first months of his reign. How else can we explain the fact that the spacious white seats, making a good impression and far from budget seat fabric, are adjacent to absolutely bad windshield wiper blades that make knocking and grinding noises on the third stroke? If previously you could drive with standard wipers for almost a season, then I wanted to throw these ones out right away. Although the finishing looked much worse before. But, as people say, it does not affect the speed.

As for speed, the “robot” imposes a calm driving style, reminding itself of itself with noticeable dips when switching from first to second and from second to third. This transmission has a good kickdown, allowing you to overtake long vehicles on the highway and maneuver in traffic. To do this, just release the gas pedal and immediately press it all the way.

The biggest drawback of the Lada AMT, and this applies to all models of the brand, is the slowness in resetting the stages at an almost complete stop. Example: you slow down when leaving an adjacent road, waiting for a “window” in the stream of cars walking along the main road. And here it is, after two cars. You press the gas, but nothing happens for two or three seconds (the robot has not yet shifted from fourth to first). The gap in the stream ends, and your car is moving. Dangerous.

If you, now for obvious reasons, are not satisfied with this particular transmission, then you can purchase a liftback with a Japanese four-speed Jatco automatic transmission. But cars with this transmission are offered in a less equipped Norma/Comfort package with a 98 hp engine. Price 541,400 rubles.

As for handling, the liftback is quite acceptable. But don't forget that we are talking about a budget car. Still, I would like clearer and tighter control, which would make steering more informative. On the highway you notice shortcomings at speeds above 120 km/h. Granta begins to prowl, and you catch her. Before this, the car did not cause any serious complaints, both in handling and in sound insulation.

The noise insulation, in my opinion, is quite consistent with the class of the car and can be compared with the “Shumka” of Vesta. But in the passenger row she seemed more worthy to me. But in addition to passable sound insulation, second-row passengers, if they are taller than 175 centimeters, will encounter a low ceiling. And this is again due to the sloping line of the liftback roof.

I’ll add that the differences in handling and sound insulation of the liftback from the sedan were laid down at the start of production. And then, oddly enough, our Alliance partner, Datsun, came to the rescue. Russian engineers immediately introduced changes that distinguished the Japanese sub-brand from its progenitor. Thus, Granta received reinforced suspension elements, which was necessary given the new body, and improved sound insulation of the trunk and wheel arches.

Let's return to the dashboard, which displays engine temperature readings - a window that appeared in later versions of Granta at the request of users. Standard navigation readings are also integrated into it. You can see the distance to the next maneuver and the direction of movement. The handheld Tetris-inspired graphics are nostalgic but very user-friendly. The fact is that the standard multimedia screen sometimes glares, preventing you from reading relevant information. There are no glares under the tidy visor.

Over the course of several days of using the Lada Granta in the liftback body, the following fuel consumption indicators were recorded:

urban cycle - 12 liters per 100 kilometers (passport data 9 liters);
mixed - 10 liters (6.2);
highway - 8 liters (5.2);

It is worth considering that the car had 500 kilometers on the odometer. And fuel consumption will decrease over time. Gasoline recommended by the manufacturer is not lower than AI 95.

When all the impressions of driving this car were received, all the photographs were taken, I began to think, who does the Lada Granta compete with in this rich configuration? If competitors show a gap of several tens of thousands of rubles in the database, then in top trim levels it increases even more.

Test drive LADA Granta liftback

Vitaly Arkhireev © REGNUM news agency

Which car will the buyer consider as an alternative? If you ignore those who do not accept the domestic auto industry, then everyone else will definitely move on the official Lada website from Granta to the Vesta page. And this is one of the marketing techniques - to keep the buyer inside the brand. He won’t buy Grant, but Vesta. He will still buy from us. Moreover, prices for Vesta, a car of a different generation, quality and perception, start at 570,900 rubles for the version with a manual transmission and a 106-horsepower engine. And from 595,900 rubles for an analogy, but with AMT.

As for utilitarianism, which is why the liftback attracts a certain audience, production of the Lada Vesta station wagon will start this summer. But prices for this model should be much higher in order to maintain demand for other models of the brand.

Engine and chassis

98 horsepower engine with automatic transmission

There have been no updates to the line of power units. The car is equipped with 87 and 106-horsepower engines coupled with a manual transmission, as well as a 98-horsepower engine working in conjunction with an automatic transmission manufactured by the Japanese company Jatco.

There have been no significant changes in the dynamics and fuel consumption of the model.

The main innovation of the Granta Liftback is hidden under its body. AvtoVAZ designers, together with colleagues from Renault-Nissan, have developed a new chassis, characterized by a smooth ride and good vehicle handling.

It is distinguished by powerful anti-roll bars, gas-filled shock absorbers and stiffer springs, which have been carefully calibrated.

It should be noted that the modernized chassis is provided only for the top configuration of the car, and in the “Standard” and “Norma” modifications they use conventional liquid shock absorbers and the same springs as on the sedan.

Changes also affected the brake mechanisms: new vacuum boosters appeared. Because of this, the pedal travel has decreased, and the force on it increases more smoothly with decreasing speed than in the sedan.

The main goal of these innovations is to increase the stability of the model in turns, reduce lateral swing and roll.

Lada Granta FL (sedan) configurations and prices

Engine

Transmission

Three types of gearboxes have been developed for Lada Granta FL cars: - mechanical - automatic - robotic

The five-speed manual transmission causes virtually no complaints from most users and is installed on cars with an engine of 87 and 106 horsepower.

An automatic transmission is only available with 98-horsepower engines. This is the gearbox that most owners of Lada Vesta family cars dream of, who, for lack of a choice, are forced to travel with a robotic gearbox.

The robotic gearbox is available on cars with engines of 106 horsepower. It is too early to judge how reliable this box is, however, given the experience of Lada Vesta car owners, it is worth thinking several times before purchasing a car with this mechanism on board.

Comparison table of Lada Granta FL configurations

3.1 Lada Granta FL Standard equipment

Cars in this configuration do not have option packages, and it itself is equipped with the minimum characteristics that a driver may require while driving a car.
At the moment, this is probably the most affordable offer on the Russian market of new cars, which is why it is of great interest to car enthusiasts, for whom a car is primarily a means of transportation. The standard Lada Grant is available only with an 8-valve engine with a power of 87 horsepower. For fans of automatic transmissions, this option is also not suitable, since only a manual version is available. Standard vehicles are equipped with the following functionality:

Driver airbag integrated into the steering wheel (no front passenger airbag)
Universal ISOFIX fastening for child seats, chairs, cradles
Child lock installed on the rear doors
Immobilizer
ERA-GLONASS security system
Brake assistance systems: ABS, EBD, BAS
12 Volt socket
Audio preparation (wires and standard speakers are installed, but the music system itself is missing)
Steel wheels 14 diameter + spare full-size wheel on a steel rim

The equipment of the package seems rather meager, however, the price of the car is the most budgetary, you can buy a similar car for 434 thousand 900 rubles

3.2 Lada Granta FL Classic equipment

The “Classic” package will increase in price by 35 thousand rubles compared to its predecessor, and for this money the car will be equipped with:

Headrests for the rear row of seats, 2 pcs.
On-board computer, gear shift prompt
Electric power steering, and the steering column itself will be height adjustable
Central locking, which when activated locks all doors
Electric window lifts for front doors
Caps for steel wheels 14 diameter

For a car in this version you will have to pay 470 thousand rubles, however, this configuration also has an Optima option package, which adds several useful functions to the car at once: heated side mirrors and air conditioning, the surcharge for this package will be 26 thousand rubles. In addition, the buyer who chooses the Optima option package can also purchase a car with a more powerful engine of 106 horsepower with a robotic gearbox, but the price of such a copy will be 536 thousand 500 rubles.

Crash test

During all kinds of tests, the car, as befits any new product, was crash tested. According to its results, Granta Liftback earned 8.4 points out of 16. In terms of the level of protection for the driver and passenger, the car received the first three stages out of five: bad, weak, satisfactory, sufficient, high.

Despite the modest safety indicators, the new product is ahead of a number of domestic and foreign cars, including UAZ Patriot, Niva, Chevrolet Lanos, Daewoo Nexia, Lada Priora and others.

Specifications

Versions	Standard	Norm	Lux
Drive unit	front
engine's type	four-stroke, gasoline
Number, arrangement of cylinders	4, in-line
Engine displacement, cm3	1596
Maximum power, kW/rev. min.	64/1500	78/5800	72/5600
Maximum torque Nm/rev. min.	140/3800	148/4000	145/4000
Fuel consumption in the combined driving cycle, l/100 km	7,0	6,7	7,6
Maximum speed, km/h	166	177	167
Acceleration to 100 km/h, s	12,5	11,0	13,7
Gearbox / number of gears	mechanical/ 5	mechanical/5	automatic/4
Tank capacity, l	50

The release of the new Lada Granta Liftback can be considered not only a bold experiment, but also work on mistakes, of which AvtoVAZ had and still has many. This is also done so that the car does not compete with the similar second generation Lada Kalina, presented in a hatchback body.

Who is this car suitable for?

Lada Granta liftback is perfect for young people as a first vehicle. This decision was made due to the fact that the car has a stylish appearance and is unpretentious in maintenance. The cost of parts is low, and their replacement in case of breakdown is very simple. In addition, this car is practical and consumes a small amount of fuel. Granta is also suitable for a young family, as it is versatile, its low cost will not hit the budget, and in return the car will make life much easier.

Lada Granta is a good example of the beginning of fruitful cooperation between AvtoVAZ and the Japanese Nissan and the French Renault. Considering all the advantages and everything that is new, the Lada Granta liftback occupies an important place in the development of the domestic automotive industry.

The compact and attractive Liftback from AvtoVAZ is studied with interest by many modern motorists. A good combination of the resulting quality and power, as well as practical equipment, allows most drivers to switch from familiar domestic cars to new developments.

The most popular question among Grant Liftback buyers was price and equipment, their differences and correlation. Therefore, a brief overview of the available power and equipment will allow anyone to quickly determine a suitable car.