Why is a CVT more interesting than a full-fledged automatic?
It must be said right away that Russian automatic transmissions turned out to be uncompetitive in their sales area. Today, technology has made great strides towards high-quality adaptation of the gearbox to the driver’s behavior and reliable operation capabilities in any mode. In the Russian robot, everything was the other way around. Today it no longer fits into the technical arsenal of modern cars. It works according to principles that are understandable only to designers, and also very often requires repairs.
In the case of a variator, there are certain advantages:
- it is made in Japan, we all know very well that the Jatco company has never produced low-quality components for the manufacture of machines, it is excellent reliability and high quality;
- the variator is softer and more comfortable than any other transmission options, it interacts well with the driver and easily adapts to any driving modes;
- for a crossover this is the best solution, taking into account the various areas of use of the car; on a bad road you do not have to choose between two possible positions of the gas pedal;
- It is also important that the company did not modify the box specifically for this car, only slightly changing the settings; the modification took place on the engine unit, which became better than before;
- The service life is estimated at 150,000 km - this is the declared resource of the variator, but with careful driving it is quite possible to drive it up to 200,000 km, at the present time this is a good resource.
The most important thing is that the unit will not require any repairs or maintenance during operation. It is enough to inspect the variator at each maintenance, identify possible oil leaks and eliminate their causes. Otherwise, the device does not cause mistrust. This is much cheaper than constantly repairing the Russian robotic box that was previously installed on this machine. It is very interesting that the first reviews of cars with CVTs are much better than those of vehicles with Russian automatic transmissions. This already suggests that you can safely consider the car as a purchase.
Our resume
X-Tronic CVT is not a new solution. Such boxes are installed on many cars, including Renault Logan, Kaptur, Sandero, which are assembled in the Russian Federation. So VAZ fans can safely purchase a car with a gearbox that has been tested by time and the experience of other car owners.
Continuously Variable Transmission Shift Selector
CVT Jatco JF015E
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Technical differences of the variator in Lada XRAY
Technically, the car has become more interesting. There was smoothness in operation, which was clearly lacking when riding the first generation of the robot. The second generation of the AMT 2.0 robotic box partially resolved this issue, but still retained the proprietary problems of the Russian manufacturer’s technologies. So we can talk about low-quality production methods and other troubles that made the Russian robot project not so successful. Of course, this is all a rather subjective opinion, since there are also satisfied owners of cars with AMT. But today is not about that.
So, some technical features of the new variator:
- the car has become much smoother and better at picking up speed and speed, this is especially noticeable in sports mode, when the pedal is sunk to the floor, the dynamics of engine opening are more interesting;
- despite the small volume of the engine, there are certain advantages in the form of proper use of engine power and torque, everything is configured very efficiently and correctly;
- driving in city traffic jams or on the highway is equally comfortable; the variator does not force you to adapt to the operating mode of the gearbox or engine, choosing one comfortable speed;
- shifts are not felt - the effect of switching to a new gear is completely absent, this adds a certain comfort to using the machine and improves the quality of operation;
- due to the installation of the variator, it was necessary to install a Renault engine on the XRAY, which was a breakthrough in the quality and reliability of the car as a whole, so this is a very important point for the buyer.
The design of the Lada XRAY with this engine and variator is very successful. It differs from options with Russian engines even in that the car operates more confidently at idle, the engine is practically inaudible, there are no vibrations on the body, and these are very important points. It must be admitted that Lada created a good car using simple old developments. Of course, this is not a breakthrough in technical terms, but for the buyer of this car everything looks very impressive. The buyer will not have operational problems with such technologies, and this is the most important criterion.
Test drive a car with a CVT - how does the Lada XRAY drive?
If you've driven this car equipped with a manual transmission and AMT, you know how raw the XRAY feels when driving. There are problems with emergency braking, vibration at idle, too much engine roar during dynamic acceleration, thoughtless robot switching and chaotic behavior of the computer that controls the robotic gearbox. Such features provide clear advantages to the new development and allow it to be used to its maximum potential.
When driving a CVT you will get the following sensations:
- the car simply behaves unrecognizably in different conditions and allows you to better manage the capabilities of transport, this flexibility was previously characteristic only of foreign cars;
- At first glance, the car drives very quietly, but the whole point is the absence of a terrible roar of the engine at high speeds; this is done by the exhaust system with a high-quality muffler;
- but the variator itself adds noise to the cabin, and this is also noticeable from the point of view of the quality of operation of the car, but there will be no critical noise pollution in the cabin, this is good news;
- from very low speeds, the variator adapts to the behavior of the engine and transmits exactly the right amount of torque to the wheels, this gives an excellent feeling of control over the engine;
- When you press the gas pedal sharply, you will feel certain benefits, as if you were using a kickdown on an automatic machine to rev up the engine and get more advantages when overtaking.
There are no buttons for switching Drive Select modes in the car as such. The CVT handles mode selection automatically. At speeds up to 15 km/h, the movement will be smooth and the torque transmission will be smoother. Above these speeds, the variator capabilities are activated and smooth adjustment of the position of the belt drive in the box begins. Already at 40-60 km/h you will be driving in the most economical mode, but when you press the gas pedal, the CVT will return the belt to its previous positions and allow you to start overtaking more enthusiastically, for example.
Body
The body design of the Lada X-Ray pleases the eye with its novelty and attracts attention with the unexpected VAZ emblem, but the embossed sides of the car, effectively profiled using the X-design, suggest problems in restoring the edges if damaged.
The steel of the body elements is of high quality - it does not bend when pressed by hand, but there are complaints about the assembly - upon careful examination, the difference in the size of the gaps is noticeable.
The trunk, although small by crossover standards, is spacious enough to fit a baby stroller and a couple more medium-sized travel bags. The trunk lid opens by pressing an electric drive button protected by a rubber sheath. There is a 12 V socket in the luggage compartment on the left, making it easy to use a car compressor to inflate tires. But the raised floor, the purpose of which is uncertain, is fragile and is pressed under load, so transportation of a significant weight of cargo must be carried out without it, and it is not clear where to temporarily place it along the way.
The ground clearance of 195 mm in combination with short overhangs suits the purpose of the car, but the reason for the lack of roof rails is unknown.
Also disappointing is the access to the unlocked compartment lid with the fuel tank neck that is not controlled by the driver.
Are there any disadvantages to Lada XRAY cars with CVT?
The disadvantages of a CVT are known to everyone who has owned a car with this type of gearbox. If you don't want to put up with these shortcomings, you should take a closer look at manual transmissions. Today they talk a lot about the shortcomings of CVTs, but do not offer alternatives. Classic slot machines have almost completely left the market; all manufacturers are striving to provide something lighter, simpler and less expensive in their new models. Fans of automatic machines in the classic version will like the Granta with automatic transmission (also a new product, by the way).
As for the disadvantages of CVT itself on the new Lada, it is worth highlighting the following features:
- after all, this is an old Jatco development, which no longer meets the modern requirements of manufacturers and does not allow high-quality operation of the machine in the best conditions;
- paired with it is an old engine, which is good only at low end; on the highway this engine will be sorely missed, despite all the advantages of the CVT system;
- There will obviously be problems with the fact that we are looking for more durable components for our own operation, since 150,000 km is a rather small resource in the understanding of the Russian motorist;
- in operation you need to be careful with the variator, for example, it needs to be warmed up for 1 minute in mode D before driving, this is an extremely important point for the car;
- the cost of a combination of a Japanese variator and a French engine will be higher than when using exclusively Russian units, so the buyer will pay significantly more money.
It should also be said that the CVT does not help much in terms of fuel efficiency. In the case of XRAY, you won’t have to wait for urban consumption below 11 liters per 100 km, but this is also a good indicator. The engine is quite old, the technology is already outdated. But it’s still better than Russian alternatives in other XRAY trim levels. Of course, if you have the required amount to buy a Lada with a CVT, it makes sense to complete this task. But this will not always be a reasonable decision, taking into account all the shortcomings of this vehicle unit.
We invite you to watch the XRAY Cross test with a CVT variator on video:
Let's sum it up
To learn more about the capabilities of the variator, you can take a test drive at a Lada showroom. To do this, just come to one of the dealerships and get a car with the required configuration for a test drive. Already on your first trip you will feel all the delights of this combination of technical parts of the Lada XRAY Cross. But in general, you need to drive the car in all modes and understand the main features of its behavior in order to get more interesting information. Very often this will prevent you from buying a car that you initially don’t really like. But overall, the Lada XRAY Cross with CVT looks and feels good.
The car costs from 846,000 rubles in the poorest configuration and up to 950,000 rubles in rich versions. For a million you can buy one of the most complete versions of the XRAY Cross, and that's a good price tag. On the other hand, there are also many competitors in this price class. You can find many interesting cars that are actually worth your attention. What is clear is that the car is very, very interesting to the buyer who did not want to buy the XRAY Cross just because of the Russian robot. Now the Japanese CVT has increased the chances of selling the car, so this is a very good idea for the Russian concern. What do you think about this?
Optics
The headlights of the Lada X-Ray are block-shaped, separate for low and high beam.
During the test drive there were no complaints about their work, but the use of the fog lights was disappointing - they were clogged with snow, and cleaning did not bring results - the turned on fog lights did not affect the visibility and the degree of illumination of the road.
