Why did they make Lada Kalina Sport? Kalina was originally made for family people, for moving around the city and traveling to the country. When you don’t have money for a cool foreign car, but you want a good new car. In this case, the question remains, who is the target audience of Kalina Sport?
This is a charged crossover for a family man who still wants positive emotions from driving a car.
A Lada Kalina Sport test drive will show how successful this was.
Trunk
The trunk of the Lada Kalina Sport 2 can be opened in 3 ways: mechanically with a key, a button on the key and a button from the interior. The tailgate rises smoothly when opened. There is a handle on the inside to prevent it from getting dirty when closing. A very convenient thing that not even all foreign cars have.
The trunk space is average for a hatchback, but if you fold down the rear seats, you can put something more or less long. The full-size spare tire is neatly hidden in the trunk under the carpet, which is very convenient.
Options
Both possible configurations are equipped with ESP and ABS systems, which work quite correctly. The tires used are Yokohama tires, which clearly narrow the range of capabilities of the Kalina Sport - even with slight rolls and insignificant operation of the electronic stabilization system in corners, a heartbreaking squeal is often heard from the contact of the tires with the asphalt. By the way, regarding balance, Kalina Sport is better than its sister Grant in the areas of handling and weight distribution. Granta’s massive rear makes it impossible to easily eliminate the drift of the front wheels, but Kalina can quite gracefully go into a full skid and go through a turn smoothly.
It is obvious that in the WTCC and other similar competitions Grant is inferior in maneuverability with the same filling, and Kalina will undoubtedly supplant its successor.
Under the hood
The Lada Kalina Sport has the same engine as the Priora, only more modified. The shafts and exhaust were changed, one might say, the engine was “reflashed”. Gasoline consumption averages 8.5 liters. Motor power 120 hp. The gearbox has a shortened main pair.
The rack is made in such a way that the rods from it to the wheels go from the middle in one direction and the other. Usually rods are attached from the rack on different sides, but here it is in the middle and the middle of it goes left and right. This is a very interesting design solution.
Braking test
A series of control braking tests from 100 km/h were carried out on the dry and level concrete surface of the test site. The results range from 36 to 38.5 meters. At least ten attempts were made, and all of them followed the same scenario: pressing the brake pedal - a sharp “nose dive” - the first stage of ABS operation - another “peck” - a complete stop of the car, accompanied by a slight blocking of the wheels.
During the experiments, neither the car's drift from the trajectory nor its skidding were observed. This is also evidenced by the uniformity of the obtained values: slightly higher values are a consequence of tests carried out after the brakes have warmed up. A short break helped correct this shortcoming, which allowed the car to stop again at a mark slightly exceeding 36 meters.
Again, we must not forget that the tests were carried out under normal conditions, so we can only guess about the performance that the car could demonstrate in other situations (for example, wet asphalt or different road surfaces).
Braking measurements were carried out on Linglong summer tires, which the Lada Kalina was equipped with when purchased. Instrumental measurements were also carried out on Toyo winter tires, but it looked less like tests and more like attempts to destroy a new set of tires.
In the cabin
There is quite a lot of space in the back seat. In terms of the quality of finishing, you can hardly expect expensive fabric, but overall everything is neat. Many people complain that there is no pocket where they can put something. Getting out of the back seat is quite comfortable.
Inside, the large inscriptions on the seats “Kalina Sport” immediately catch your eye. The seats are somewhat similar to the Forester STI.
The driver's seat does not have an armrest, but it can be installed separately as an additional option. Unfortunately, the seat height cannot be adjusted, but you can get used to it. The glove compartment is small with a shelf, but it has an input for a flash drive and an SD card.
The steering wheel is made in a sporty style: there are recesses for the palms, for greater comfort while driving, and is covered in leather with red stitching.
The car has heated seats, climate control, an on-board computer and a multimedia center.
By the way, the multimedia center is color and fully touch-sensitive. On it you can view photos, videos, synchronize speakerphone from your phone, music and radio. It has the Windows CE operating system installed, which can be upgraded to an on-board computer if desired.
Below is a small on-board computer. You can see many important things on it, but the most important thing is what it is needed for, look at the error code and understand what the problem is.
Interior
Everything in the cabin is done at a fairly high level: from the seats to the center console.
The seats have active lateral support. The red stitching looks quite interesting. However, the range of adjustments, or rather the seating itself, will not be to everyone's taste, but there is enough space both in the rear and in the front. Trying to solve the problem of its predecessor, the engineers made the seats too hard and positioned more steeply, as opposed to the previous ones, which were loose and flimsy. Leather trim on various interior elements creates a comfort that, again, is not required in a sports car.
Tolyatti engineers have done a good job on noise insulation: the car is quiet, the sounds of the street and the engine are quite successfully muffled. There is no clicking sound from the gears when changing gears.
Test Drive
A test drive of the Lada Kalina Sport showed that the dynamic characteristics are quite sufficient for a comfortable trip around the city. The manual transmission is quite simple, you get used to it quickly. The car turns normally, there are no problems.
The suspension is elastic. When driving fast on the highway, nothing rattles or knocks anywhere in the car, which indicates a high-quality assembly. The braking system here is more advanced than that of the simple Kalina. The rear brakes are also disc, but they slow down at a speed of approximately 120-130 km/h and perform well.
There's not much to complain about Kalina Sport. If you compare it with its exemplary classmates Chevrolet Aveo or Reno Logan, then they are not many times better than this car. The dynamics are normal and the controls are sharp.
Video review
The display behind the steering wheel, which is located next to the electronic speedometer, uses a red and white style; the instrument needle “runs” curiously when you turn the ignition key. It will be a little strange to calculate the cost of the trip in monetary terms (displayed on the electronic screen after stopping the engine), taking into account the fact that the price of this model is by no means budget.
A nice feature will be the climate control system and the presence of air conditioning. In cold weather, the stove warms up the car very quickly, which is generally observed in many VAZ models.
Bottom line
What I would like to say in conclusion of the test drive video is that Kalina Sport is a surprisingly good car that has been worked on. But on the other hand, the cost is from 500 thousand rubles. If you have an idea to buy a hatchback, then you can look for a used foreign car that will drive and handle better. But if the main goal is a new car, then Kalina Sport has no competitors.
We hope that the information in this test drive video was useful to you. What has changed since 2014 can be found out by looking at the review of the Lada Kalina Sport 2016 under this text.
Test drive Kalina Sport 2 (2016-2017)
Description of Lada Kalina Sport
Model specifications
The main difference of the improved hatchback is the redesigned suspension, which has acquired sporting characteristics. The front wheels are equipped with larger brake pads, and the rear wheels are equipped with brake discs. The front passenger and driver seats have become anatomical, and their production focuses on high quality. There are many minor changes to the interior design, including special seat upholstery with “Kalina Sport” lettering and black-painted interior trim panels.
The domestic sports hatchback is produced in two trim levels: “Norma” and “Lux”. The car engine is designed in accordance with the Euro-3 standard.
The standard position of the Lada Kalina Sport has the following equipment:
- power windows on all doors;
- ABS brakes;
- sports muffler attachment;
- anti-theft immobilizing device;
- sun glasses;
- aerodynamic wing on the rear door;
- steering column level adjuster;
- electric power steering;
- door inserts painted dark;
- glasses pocket;
- special sports pedal attachments;
- centralized lock controlled by a control panel;
- 14-inch wheels made of durable light alloy.
Reliable and economical engine
The basic configuration of the car contains almost all the improvements available in the top version of the standard Kalina model.
In addition to the above equipment, the luxury hatchback position has the following improvements:
- tuned caster of the front wheels;
- increased negative camber value of the rear wheels;
- reinforced gearbox;
- 15-inch wheels made of durable light alloy;
- adjustable original support for front struts;
- improved main gear;
- rear disc brakes manufactured by TRW (Lucas);
- The top-end configuration of the Lada Kalina Sport does not have an ABS braking system.
Thanks to modified parts (engine, gearbox, suspension), the domestic hatchback is easy to tune. Its technical characteristics have become more flexible for adjustment and customization.
Maximum convenience for driver and passengers
Everyone knows that Russian cars have always been inferior to their foreign counterparts in body design and interior design. When developing the Lada Kalina Sport, domestic designers took this issue seriously. Thanks to body kits and bumpers, the car body acquired aggressive contours, which are typical for sports cars. The doors are equipped with moldings, and a spoiler is installed on the trunk door, which has not only decorative, but also aerodynamic properties.
The instrument panel of the car is equipped with white indicators and arrows, which are illuminated in orange. It is equipped with a built-in diagnostic system. The side mirrors feature advanced anti-glare technology and are body-colored.
The front seats are built into a common climate system, which has adjustable heating. The on-board computer warns that reverse gear is engaged and the headlights are not turned off. Low profile tires complement the overall concept of the car well.
Lada Kalina Sport
One of the advantages of the small-scale Kalina is the seats with a good profile and developed lateral support.
One of the advantages of the small-scale Kalina is the seats with a good profile and developed lateral support.
The brakes are good not only for their efficiency, but also for the “transparency” of the drive. Despite the absence of ABS, it is easy to achieve intense deceleration to the point of wheel locking. I looked behind the front wheel and the enlarged brake discs were visible through the spokes. The rear mechanisms are of the same type: discs from Samara hug TVR calipers.
Noise insulation
From the outside, the engine sound is similar to a bass rumbling, but inside the cabin, the noise from the engine at high speeds becomes pressing, similar to an annoying buzz. In addition to the engine, you can hear noise from the gearbox, even at idle you want to squeeze the clutch. You can hear relay clicks under the panel.
Lada Kalina Sport
Neither the seats with two-tone upholstery nor the pedal pads made of polished metal can liven up the dull grayness of the interior.
Neither the seats with two-tone upholstery nor the pedal pads made of polished metal can liven up the dull grayness of the interior.
The engine is peppy if you don't turn on the air conditioning. But for real sport, this is not enough, not enough... A hot hatch needs a real “lighter”, capable of spinning up to eight thousand, and acceleration under the victorious roar of the exhaust system should blow all thoughts of a bland interior out of your head. Here the acceleration is so leisurely that the eye begins to wander over the dull gray plastic of the panel, doors and seat upholstery. Only the indicator lights in the instrument cluster glow with a bright spot, which is distinguished from the standard by the light-circled scales.
Lada Kalina Sport
There are not many external differences: bumpers, large wheels and a spoiler above the rear door.
But the car is perceived differently. There are not many external differences: bumpers, large wheels and a spoiler above the rear door. But the car is perceived differently.
The aerodynamic “tear-off” spoiler above the fifth door is like a cap with the visor pulled back. It may be of little use, but it signifies belonging to a class.
Preface
The development of a new urban sports car was carried out by a separate division of AvtoVAZ - the Sports Car Department (USA).
Cars here are developed jointly with engineers from the French auto giant Renault and are produced in small series - on average, 2,500 cars are planned to be produced per year, so it is practically handmade. But the 2015 cars were distinguished by frankly poor quality assembly - uneven painting in many places, gaps between the body and the plastic body kit, poorly secured elements and not fully tightened fasteners caused dissatisfaction among buyers.
Nevertheless, Kalina Sport has its own target audience - even despite the fact that among many street racers the very phrase Lada Sport evokes a frank and cynical grin.
Exterior
Although the Lada Kalina 2 Sport is based on a regular hatchback, visually it is clearly different from its prototype. First of all, the car has a ground clearance lowered to 150 mm, and this despite the fact that instead of stock 14-inch wheels, full-size 16-inch ones are installed, so the developers had to slightly change the design of the wheel arches. But the paradox is that the spare tire in the trunk is of a completely different size - 15 inches.
Interior
A sports car must have a specialized interior. But the VAZ USA apparently decided that abundant red thread stitching on everything possible (starting from the cover on the gearbox slide and ending with the upholstery of the seats) is all that the driver needs. Well, some minor changes: leather steering wheel, logos on the seats, and so on.
Motor and transmission
But the most important difference between the Kalina 2 Sport is the engine.
For this model, they did not develop the engine from scratch, nor did they use ready-made products from the same Renault-Nissan, with which AvtoVAZ closely cooperates. Therefore, the “Prior” four-cylinder in-line sixteen-valve engine was used as a source, which underwent serious modernization.
It featured a completely different camshaft with higher cams, an improved performance exhaust manifold, and a completely different fuel injection control system. All this made it possible to increase power to 114 hp. and torque up to 150 Nm versus 106 hp. and 148 Nm for the old engine.
Handling and suspension
Like the rest of the car, the suspension evokes mixed feelings. It is quite energy-intensive and performs well on the track, although a number of elements need improvement: the silent blocks are too soft and the outdated front suspension with thin arms. Here, stiffer triangular-type A-arms would look better, as on most imported B and C class cars.
On-site testing
The final stage of testing is exercises on the site. The maximum value of lateral acceleration that was achieved under the desperate sounds made by Chinese tires was 0.84 g. At the same time, the car tries to fall into an uncontrolled skid, and when the gas is released, the Lada returns to the given trajectory without much difficulty.
Maximum lateral acceleration value
The electric power steering, or rather, its shortcomings, again reminded itself when performing the “snake” exercise. This time the cause of the problem was too much effort, which is not easy for even men to cope with, let alone women. It is unlikely that a fragile girl will be able to quickly perform a counter-emergency maneuver with such EUR settings.
In the end, the only thing that really pleases is the noticeable progress of VAZ. Be that as it may, the second generation Lada Kalina is no longer the usual “Zhiguli”, although this car still requires significant improvements. Of course, many car enthusiasts would like to see more significant progress, but in this case they should be patient. Domestic manufacturers have something to strive for, and the fact that they are trying to improve their lineup speaks volumes.
avtoexperts.ru
In 2013, Lada Sport (a subsidiary of AVTOVAZ) began producing sports versions of LADA cars for public roads. The first models were Kalina Sport 2 and Kalina NFR R1.
The NFR R1 version is a preparation for the “national” rally class of the Russian Rally Cup, that is, a real prepared racing car. The Sport modification is a civilian (road) version. I have been using Kalina Sport for a year now and today I will talk about all its pros and cons from the owner’s point of view.
Lada Kalina Sport 2 and Sergey Sudarev - author of this article
Advantages
1. Chassis. The suspension pleasantly surprised me. They really put a lot of work into this component. I will list the main changes that the engineers made in comparison with the regular Kalina:
• Stiffer lowering springs
• Thickened stabilizer
• Shock absorbers with modified characteristics
• Your own parameters of wheel alignment angles, including rear ones
All this, together with low-profile 195/50 tires on 16-diameter wheels, allows you to stand confidently on the road and roll less when cornering. I even drove a completely standard car for a couple of asphalt training sessions at the Atron race track near Ryazan.
I think it's the chassis that makes this car a truly hot hatch, or at least one that feels that way. And now, after the release of the new Vesta Sport, reviews from the first athletes and journalists who tried this car, it becomes clear that they have worked even better on it in this aspect.
Design and appearance.
This is the first thing that a buyer pays attention to in the modern world. It really differs from the standard Kalina. Lower landing, big beautiful wheels. Plastic body kit - sill covers, a front bumper of a more predatory shape, a rear bumper with a diffuser and a spoiler for the 5th door.
Back view
It's no secret that Kalina has now been renamed Granta and its front part has been modified. Not everyone likes it, but LADA is trying to create its own readable, uniform image for all models; this is a trend for many brands. I hope that when the successor to Kalina Sport 2, Granta Sport, appears, her appearance will also be changed for the better for the hot version.
My particular copy has an interesting color with a sonorous name in the spirit of VAZs from the times of the USSR called “blue planet”.
Kalina Sport
Successful engine.
I consider this engine to be successful in terms of performance and reliability. In fact, this is the same 16-valve engine with different camshafts and programming. It pulls very pleasantly, both at low and low levels.
Main engine characteristics:
Volume 1.6, 16 valves. Power 118 hp at 6750 rpm Torque 154 Nm at 4750 rpm.
Under the hood is a VAZ 21126 engine
When I was tuning the engine of my Ford Fiesta rally car, I had the opportunity to talk with an engine specialist and tuner. He spoke very flatteringly about the potential of 16-valve VAZ engines for tuning, as well as their survivability under sports loads. The results of racing Kalinas in the Cup and the National Rally Championship also confirm this.
My Ford Fiesta and Lada Kalina Sport
Transmission.
Unlike the standard version, a shortened main gear is used here. The 4.3 gear ratio allows for better dynamics. At the same time, the maximum speed is almost 200. A cable-driven gearbox is also used, it is more convenient for shifting and reverse gear back and to the right, and not, as was previously the case on the VAZ 2108, forward and to the left. Such a gearbox was previously used on some other Ladas, but without such a main pair.
Rich equipment and a good interior.
To many, when mentioning LADA and the phrase “rich equipment,” it may seem that the author is crazy, but I argue so as not to be unfounded. ABS, airbags, heated windshield, climate control, rain sensor, light sensor, heated seats, electric power steering, rear disc brakes, multimedia system with touchscreen and very wide capabilities, four power windows, etc. A very good set even for foreign cars costing close to a million, but Kalina Sport 2 cost 630 thousand rubles without discounts six months ago when it was sold.
Salon Lada Kalina Sport 2
Interesting sound.
The exhaust for the car was made completely different, direct-flow, the sound became better and more thoroughbred, and bass was added. Completes the picture of a warmed-up hot hatchback very well. Adds a pleasant feeling when pressing the accelerator pedal. The tail also looks organic.
Multimedia.
The factory multimedia uses Windows CE as its operating system. You can connect navigation to the system. Bluetooth, USB, SD card are all available. Audio, video, everything plays.
Torpedo
The sleep mode of the radio screen is interesting. When it is turned on, but you do not touch it for some time, an interactive screensaver appears that you can change, you just need to find the layout that suits you. For example, they helped me set it up and now it looks like this.
Media screen
However, an important note to this point is that the radio must be connected to the car’s CAN bus and only then is all data on fuel temperature and so on displayed there.
Now about the disadvantages
Terrible front seats.
This seriously spoils the ergonomics of the landing. My back began to ache almost immediately, although I can sit comfortably in almost any car except this one. It was a shock for me. I expected and feared a lot of bad things when buying a Lada, since the last time I had VAZ products was 15 years ago and despite the fact that I have been working in the auto business for many years, stereotypes are also present in me. In general, I expected a lot of bad things, but not this.
Front seats
According to rumors, when making seats for Kalina Sport, they took a regular seat frame, made other foam rubber pads with more lateral support, and all this was decorated with a beautiful wrapper in the form of seat trim with red stitching and the inscription sport. I’m even a little offended for the Lada Sport, to create a really good sports version and spoil it with such shortcomings. Personally, I had to change the seat literally after 2 weeks of use, otherwise my healthy back risked turning into a sore one.
This is the chair they installed instead of the standard one
Electric booster.
It's not about the amplifier itself, but about its setup. What should have been an advantage became a disadvantage. It’s absolutely important to feel the car and the grip of the steering wheel, but here it’s a failure. The steering wheel is completely empty even on 16-inch wheels with a considerable caster angle.
Operation of the electric damper.
Strange operation of the throttle valve and engine at near zero throttle angles. It's not very convenient to get underway. The exhaust gas works a bit strangely. Strange high idle for a civilian car without super sporty camshafts. You cannot drive with 2 pedals and brake with your left foot at the same time as throttling.
Inconvenient instrument panel.
Well, what kind of tachometer is this? Why is the red zone at 5500 if even the maximum power is higher in rpm according to the original technical characteristics? The car confidently drives up to 6500. The panel is difficult to read, although there is a useful feature in the small monochrome display, displaying various useful things, such as digital engine temperature.
Dashboard
As an example, I’ll give you the guards of a couple of my former hot cars produced in the late 90s and early 2000s. That is, many years ago everyone already understood everything, how and what color it could be done, so why couldn’t they spy and learn? After all, from a production point of view, changing the color costs nothing at all.
Instrument panel Subaru impreza WRX STI Type RA Spec 2002
Multimedia
So, indeed, this is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Confused, completely unintuitive and incomprehensible. That is, there are a lot of opportunities, but in order to use them, or at least just live with them, you need to be almost an IT specialist with programming skills. Of course, I’m exaggerating, but in my opinion, again, it’s worth learning from other brands how to make devices so that anyone can understand them.
Media Settings
The quality of the plastic, its installation and painting.
The front bumper made by Lada Sport constantly pops out of its mounts next to the wings, so you have to push it back. The gaps between the sills and the body are too large and a lot of dirt gets in there. And the plastic itself is flimsy. A stone flying out from under the car in front of a descendant traveling at a speed of 80 km/h easily made a hole in it the size of 2 five-ruble coins.
Front bumper
The coloring of the plastic also leaves much to be desired. By 20,000 km of normal city driving, the bumper had already flown quite well.
Bumper chipped
There are also all sorts of little things, such as the absence of a button for opening the trunk on the trunk itself, or a speedometer that underestimates the actual speed, or a radio that does not turn off when the car is turned off, but, it seems to me, this no longer affects the overall impression.
conclusions
To summarize, I want to say that when I decided to buy this car and started looking for options, I had fairly specific tasks. I’m a rally driver, I compete in the Russian Rally Cup, and I need a training car to stay in shape and train on racetracks. It was from Lada that I wanted to make it. So when I bought it, I was prepared for the worst for this specific purpose, but I was pleasantly surprised by the car. The advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages for me. And here I am clearly not in the trend, since I praise AvtoVAZ for the progress that I have seen. Now the mileage is approaching 40,000 km. So far everything is great with reliability! I hope she won’t let me down in the future.
PS If you're interested in knowing what I did and how much money I put into the car to make it truly ready for rally practice, please leave a comment.
Best regards, Sergey Sudarev.
Lada Kalina Sport
She even looks different. Aggressive-looking bumpers destroyed the soft silhouette of the standard Kalina. Thanks to the suspension lowered by 20 mm, the car fell to the ground, and large wheels with 190/55R15 tires filled the void of the arches. Just look, when braking, the tires will begin to scrape along the edges of the wings - but no, even with the most intense deceleration, the rubber does not reach the metal.
