For some car enthusiasts, visual parameters are no less important than technical characteristics. This especially applies to those drivers who will spend a long time behind the wheel, as well as young people who want to make a pleasant impression on those around them. For this reason, an objective and complete review of the interior and exterior of the Lada Vesta will come in handy. With its help, it will be easier for a potential buyer to finally make a decision - buy Vesta or save money for another car.
Unique design
The first thing that catches your eye is the original exterior. The team led by Steve Mattin, having abandoned modifications and upgrades of previous models, has proven that it is capable of sticking to its own style. The idea of an X-shaped outline, which is emphasized on all sides of the car, and partially migrated into the cabin, is impressive. The memorable outline is also used in the design of the Lada Xray, the appearance of which is expected in the very near future.
Price and equipment of the “Lux” package
- 1.6 and manual transmission - 755,900 rubles
- 1.8 and manual transmission - 780,900 rubles
- 1.8 and AMT - 805,900 rubles
In addition to the standard equipment, which is already available on the basic version of the SW sedan and station wagon, the luxury package of the Vesta Cross includes:
- Fog lights;
- Climate control;
- Disc brakes at the rear;
- Complete engine protection;
- Driver's armrest with box;
- Orange or gray interior trim;
- Double floor in the trunk;
- Illumination of entry and exit points in the front doors;
- Tinting;
- Power windows at the rear;
- Three-level heated front seats;
- Heated windshield;
- Rear parking sensors;
- Rain and light sensors;
- Cruise control;
- Speed limiter;
- Multifunction steering wheel;
- Audio system with monochrome display;
- Rails;
- Spoiler;
- Nozzle on the exhaust pipe;
- Original 17" wheels;
In addition to the regular Luxury, “Multimedia” and “Prestige” packages are also available for the car, which you can find on the main page of prices and options on our website.
Production
Lada Izhevsk was chosen as the base production site, where the presentation of Lada Vesta took place on September 25, 2015. 71% of production localization allows us to quickly respond on our own to market demands. The assembly line is shared with two Nissan models. These are Sentra and Tiida. Stamping, painting and welding operations are carried out on equipment that meets the highest requirements.
Component parts are supplied from Tolyatti. These are some body elements, engines, gearboxes, etc. The prospects of the chosen path will be assessed after the start of sales. However, the marketing policy was supported by the president of the country, who arrived at the meeting of the Valdai Club in a new car. It’s hard to think of a better presentation for the Lada Vesta.
Sales of new versions of Lada Vesta
In the new Vesta, the designers decided to refine what, in their opinion, was missing in the sedan. For example, the armrest will be much wider and it will also appear between the rear seats. And the trunk will not be just a container for things; a variety of compartments have been invented in it. There are a lot of rumors around the new species of Vesta, but the developers are constantly feeding the intrigue by releasing information in small portions. It was initially planned that the first batch would roll off the production lines only in 2022, but then, quite unexpectedly, in the middle of summer they announced that the first production batch had already been released.
And at the end of the year, the Lada Vesta station wagon and crossover will be sold. The price of the new Lada Vesta will be around 600 thousand rubles, however, several trim levels are planned there. The appearance and characteristics are almost completely borrowed from the sedan; in fact, only the body shape differs.
The creators of the Lada Vesta took into account the success of their brainchild and are actively developing this direction. Many developments are still being tested and we will be able to see them in the series of subsequent years. After all, a reliable domestic car that can enter the world market is something new!
Characteristics
A year before the presentation of the Lada Vesta, the first information appeared about the expected characteristics of the car. Some versions turned out to be untenable. Only the characteristics of the Lada Vesta available today, presented in Izhevsk, can be considered a fact. Power unit 106 hp. Volume 1.6 liters. At the start of sales on November 25, it is planned to offer the buyer 11 modifications in three trim levels: “classic”, “comfort” and “luxury”. Subsequent adjustments to the model range are expected. Much will depend on the results of the first stage of sales.
Report from the start of production of Lada Vesta (+ photos of the exterior and interior of production versions)
The revolution has happened. There are no more “foreign cars”.
What has been talked about for so long on the RuNet has come true. Production of a new AvtoVAZ model, the Lada Vesta, has started. I have long been irritated by the word “foreign car”, I considered it an anachronism, a relic of the eighties, when boxy Zhigulis reigned on the roads, diluted with awkward Muscovites and either killed to death, or luxurious Volgas inaccessible to mere mortals, and other cars were just appearing, the design of which amazed the imagination of inexperienced people. Time has passed, Zhiguli cars are long gone, but the stereotype remains.
Now, having visited the production of the Lada Vesta in Izhevsk, I would exclude the word “foreign car” from use. Now all cars of the same class are the same, regardless of the place of their production, and I think that Vesta will finally be able to break the stereotype of the average person’s attitude towards VAZ products.
The theater begins with a hanger, and the production of a car begins with the body. Before the ceremony, we were given a tour of Vesta's body production. They showed everything from stamping body parts from sheet metal to welding these parts into a body ready for painting and assembly. What to say? Overall the impression is very favorable. Light, clean, looking at the shiny floor, you can shave. All workers undergo training upon entering work, each workplace is personalized. You cannot let a marriage go and remain unpunished. However, according to Valery Grigorovich, head of the geometry department, only 20% of the quality here depends on the human factor. The rest is equipment operation. And here it is the most modern, most automated. At the same time, quality control of body welding occurs constantly. One body per week is subjected to tensile testing, and geometry is checked every two hours, four times per shift.
The theater begins with a hanger, and the production of a car begins with the body.
And this is a factory?! Looking at the floor, you can shave...
Equipment for stamping body parts. The weight of some stamps is up to forty tons
The level of compliance of welding points with those specified during design can correspond to 80%. But, according to V. Grigorovich, this level will only allow reaching the level at which the car can be somehow assembled and it will drive. But how its doors will close, what body clearances there will be - that’s another question. Therefore, the level of compliance here has been brought to 95-97%, thanks to which we have obtained a completely different level of car quality. Looking ahead, I will say that both the gaps and the sound of the door closing are impressive. “Like a foreign car,” many would say. Let me remind you that I try to avoid this word.
3D quality control of body parts manufacturing.
Each worker has his own rating based on the quality of his work
Body parts quality control area
Body parts welding shop. Everything is automated as much as possible, the influence of the human factor is minimized. Pay attention to cleanliness and order
Up to 120 units are manufactured using 19 pieces of equipment. Changing equipment to move on to the production of another unit is carried out in no more than 5 minutes. Women work where great physical strength is not required
3D body control section
Robot turning bodies. In local slang - "Godzilla"
But they didn’t let us into the painting shop, arguing that outsiders had nothing to do in pure production. Well, since they didn’t even make an exception for us on such a day, it means that everything is really serious. No one needs a defective paint job, and a visit to the workshop by a group of journalists cannot be an excuse. Among other things, it was said that seven new colors were specially developed specifically for Vesta, such as Lime, Krypton, Blues - all these are metallics.
The head of the painting shop showed us the work of his shop on the big screen. But he didn’t let me into the workshop
Some would call it a “straightening man’s nightmare”...
Well, then - the most annoying part, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Assembly. And even here, where, it would seem, nothing new can be invented, certain innovations have been introduced. So, for example, doors are now subassembled before installing them on the car, which allows, firstly, to carry out this assembly more carefully and efficiently, and, secondly, eliminates the possibility of damage to the paintwork.
The so-called “technological cribs” are suspensions on which doors are assembled
All jobs are personalized. Such a stand with a photograph and the name of the employee is available at each workstation, as they say here.
Everyone can make suggestions to improve the work process
I see no point in retelling the words that were spoken during the ceremony. Of course, these were words of gratitude to the workforce, as well as to the leaders of the state and regions, the Samara region and Udmurtia. I was impressed by the words of Bo Andersson, General Director of AvtoVAZ, and I cannot help but mention them:
"We did it! We did it on time, and we did it well!” - these were the words of a man who, not without reason, was proud of his work and the work of the team entrusted to him.
The hero of the occasion before the celebration begins. The color is called "Pluto"
Solemn moment
Bo Andersson, General Director of AvtoVAZ, Mikhail Babich, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Volga Federal District, Alexander Solovyov, Head of Udmurtia
Soloviev, Babich and Andersson signed the hood of the first Vesta as a souvenir
Bu Inge also spoke about an interesting experiment that he conducted on the streets of Frankfurt. The video is already on the Internet, where you can see how Vesta without identification marks is presented to passers-by on the street, who were asked two questions: “What kind of brand do you think this is?” and “How much would you be willing to buy such a car for?” In response, brands such as Kia, Hyundai, Ford were named... But as for the price that sophisticated burghers would be willing to pay, many were willing to part with amounts in the region of 20-25 thousand euros. Impressive, isn't it? After showing this video, Andersson stated that he intended to return the Moscow and St. Petersburg markets to AVTOVAZ, and after them enter the European market. Boldly. Self-confident. But... we all see the results of his work, and the facts speak for themselves. Vesta - one year from concept to start of mass production. What is not an example of the potential of an enterprise?! By the way, at the end of his speech, the head of AVTOVAZ said that exactly a year later, production of the Lada Vesta Cross will begin here, at the Izhevsk site. With all that said, I can't help but believe it.
According to Oleg Larin, head of the assembly workshop, only 20 Vests are currently assembled per day. But the pace will increase, and already in 2016 it is planned to produce about 70 thousand cars of this model.
Now about the main thing. Price. At the moment, the price of Vesta, according to Andersson, ranges from 495 to 600 thousand rubles. Yes, I know that with the current unpredictable exchange rate of the ruble, thinking ahead is a thankless task. However, Vesta’s localization level is 71%, which is quite a lot, and this is the part on which the impact of currency fluctuations is minimal.
Trunk volume is always interesting
Optics with the inscription "Lada"
Everyone wants to drive the first Vesta
The ceremony was attended by Oleg Grunenkov, director of the XRAY project (“X Ray”), who is also responsible for conducting presentations of new models. He spoke about the level of localization in more detail. Components such as ABS units and airbags come from abroad. The bodies, as we already know, are made here in Izhevsk from Magnitogorsk metal. Motors, chassis and transmission elements come from Tolyatti, from the main plant. But, as I found out a little later, not everything is so simple here either. At the moment, Vesta is equipped with two engines and two types of transmissions. There is a VAZ sixteen-valve engine with a volume of 1.6 liters and there is a Renault engine of the same volume, there is also a manual transmission and there is an AMT, simply a “robot”. But already at the moment, by the start of mass production of this car, the assembly of Renov engines from components coming from France has been mastered in Togliatti. The situation is the same with the Renova manual transmission. It is also assembled at AVTOVAZ from French components. But the “robot” is ours, dear, from VAZ, already familiar to us from Priora and Granta.
Well, for dessert, journalists were given an impromptu test drive around the plant. Of course, I understand that a new car is a new car, and you can’t judge the model as a whole by driving the car for about one kilometer at a speed of no more than 60 km/h, but I’m still impressed. I wouldn’t dare call this car the word “Zhiguli”. The doors open without a hint of “biting”, known from Granta and Kalina, they close softly and with a pleasant dull sound, the seat is adjustable in height, the steering wheel is adjustable in both tilt and reach, good sound insulation... And this is all in the basic configuration. I will deliberately not talk about the driving properties of the car for now, because that short demo drive is clearly not enough to evaluate them. It steers well, minor bumps go through without breakdown of the suspension and without discomfort for the driver and passengers. That's all for now.
By the way, regarding the configurations. How do they differ from each other? The luxury version will, of course, have air conditioning, airbags not only front but also side, full power accessories, touch screen controls for the multimedia system and navigation. In the “Norma” configuration, which I was able to ride, there is no touch screen, and there is no navigation. The rear windows are “on the oars”, but the external mirrors are heated and electrically adjustable. There is also ESP. And in the minimum configuration there is no longer an air conditioner, just as there is no electric mirror drive. EUR is available in all trim levels. “Crickets”... are not yet available in all trim levels. Well, the design... you can't please all tastes. Some will call it controversial, some will unconditionally like it, and others will call it “a straightener’s nightmare.” I like it.
In general, as I said at the very beginning, it’s time to forget the word “foreign car,” as well as the word “Lada,” which has recently been used in a derogatory sense. There is a word "car". Where it was released no longer matters. Like this. The revolution has happened. Skeptics can, of course, argue with me, but I believe the facts and I believe my eyes.
Lada Vesta - exterior photos, production version of the model
Lime color Vesta. It looks different from different angles, ranging from bright green to yellow with a slight green tint. Color for those who are not afraid to stand out from the crowd
Lada Vesta - interior photos, average level of equipment (“Norma”)
The rear one is switched on “to the right and back”. Simple and logical. There is no need to press down, there are no additional locks
My height is 178 cm. I don’t rest my knees “behind me”, but there is very little space left in front of them
There are only a couple of centimeters left above your head
“Robot” is known to us from Priora
Keys to Lada. I've already seen this somewhere...
Lada Vesta - photos of the interior of the top-end configuration (Luxury)
The “Lux” package is equipped with a touchscreen
Goodbye door lock buttons
Steve Mattin happily poses for journalists on the day of his triumph
Vesta cost
All the i's will be dotted and dotted on November 25th. It is on this day that the first car will be sold. There's not long to wait. The initially stated cost was from 400,000 rubles due to a number of reasons, the first of which was likely to be exceeded by the ruble exchange rate jump. Some automotive analysts express the opinion that the expected price for the Lada Vesta will be close to 500,000 rubles. For a model with equipment that differs from the basic one, you will naturally have to pay even more. But with the depreciating ruble, the cost, relative to imported analogues, will be lower. If the manufacturer can prove that the machine is functionally no worse than other representatives of this class, then success will undoubtedly await it.
More details about Lada “Vesta” cars
What still affects the speed parameter of Lada Vesta
As noted at the very beginning of this article, speed is influenced by a range of factors: gasoline, wheel diameter and open windows. The streamlining of the car is not in last place when it comes to acceleration.
The gearbox affects the boost parameter, but in no case will it increase engine power. If you do not switch the manual gearbox in time, the maximum torque of this gear will not be realized and acceleration will no longer be the same. Professional shifting of a manual transmission will make driving more dynamic. The automatic transmission guarantees normal urban performance.
Description of video reviews
What are we talking about in the “Big Test Drive” of the Lada Vesta? Naturally, the leading programs tried to saturate each episode as much as possible with proven, reliable and interesting information for domestic car enthusiasts. It is worth saying that it was thanks to their first video from the cycle dedicated to Vesta that Russian drivers received a more or less accurate idea of the expected quality level of this model.
In the first episode, the presenters managed to visit the AvtoVAZ concern and not only talk with the responsible designers and technologists, but also see with their own eyes the concept of the Vesta body. At first glance, it was clear that the concern’s approach to creating a car had been significantly changed. It was worth paying attention at least to the dimensions of the body - it is as close as possible to the dimensions of class C cars according to the international classification. The large rear doors immediately caught my eye (as you can see by looking at the photo), providing ease of boarding for passengers - previous models were not so spacious.
Appearance
Briton Steve Mattin clearly worked with great inspiration on the appearance of the car. Vesta received a bright, unique design. The front of the car, made in X-style, looks especially striking. The sides of the car are also made in this style.
Among the external elements, the Lada Vesta mirrors with LED turn indicators integrated into them look very modern.
Mirrors with LED repeaters
15-inch tires look very natural on Vesta. With such “bast shoes” the car looks like a full-fledged golf-class car, or at least much more expensive than it actually is.
New body
For the Lada Vesta Cross 2022 off-road station wagon, the new body means not only better cargo-passenger capabilities. The main achievement of the Cross version is the ground clearance, which is an impressive 203 mm, which is 25 mm more than that of the regular Vesta and comparable to that of the Renault Duster crossover, the ground clearance of which is 205 mm. The trunk capacity of the new body has increased to 575 (+95) liters, and with the rear seats folded down, the loading volume under the shelf is 825 liters. In addition, the organization of the luggage space is made in the latest fashion: there are two organizers, three grids, a side lockable secret box and a spacious niche designed for a capacity of up to 5 liters, two lampshades and a 12-volt socket. All this equipment is included in the basic package. The rear seat of the Lada Vesta SW Cross 2022 in the new body also has changes compared to the sedan. The amount of space above the heads of rear passengers has been increased by 25 mm; heating, an armrest with 2 cup holders, a socket and a USB connector have been added.
Vesta VTCC
One of VAZ’s successes was the modernized Vesta model, which was prepared specifically for the WTCC championship. This is a more powerful analogue of the sedan, which received a 380 horsepower engine. The model was equipped with special devices that are responsible for monitoring many systems. Thus, the driver can obtain information about the condition of the suspension or engine, which is a definite plus when diagnosing faults.
Most of all, many liked the exterior, which emphasizes progress, which means it is on par with many foreign analogues.
While participating in the championship, the car was seriously damaged after a collision with another sports car, as a result of which the suspension was severely damaged. However, the drivers are confident that next time Lada will show better results and will be able to break into the lead.
