New Lada Priora NFR 2022

A message has appeared online that AvtoVAZ may in the very near future release a completely new generation of its legendary Lada Priora model, which will receive the abbreviation NFR in the name. Lada Priora NFR 2nd generation will have nothing in common with its predecessor. According to the source, the car will also not be based on the budget CMF-B/LS platform of the Renault-Nissan concern. All future models from AvtoVAZ should be based on the latter. These include the new Lada Granta 2023 and the next generation Niva. What’s even more surprising is that, according to information leaked online, the Lada Priora in a new body should be built on the EMP2 platform of the Stellantis concern.

In the past, AvtoVAZ reported that it had no plans to revive the Priora, despite the popularity of the model. This was explained by the fact that Lada Vesta and Priora belong to the same size class B. Vesta, being a much more modern car, did not cost much more. This circumstance made the release of Priora impractical. What could make AvtoVAZ change its decision?

The thing is that the new 2022 Lada Priora NFR will be a much larger car occupying a more expensive market niche. Body length - 4750, width - 1873 mm, height - 1400 mm. The wheelbase size is 2790 mm. The luggage compartment volume is 485 liters. The aerodynamic drag coefficient Cx is 0.26. In fact, we have a direct competitor for the Toyota Camry. Over the latter, the new product will have several obvious advantages:

Firstly, the next generation Priora will cost less due to a higher level of localization
Secondly, the car will receive a more practical liftback body, which will allow it to compete with models from Skoda, such as the Octavia A8 and Superb

New Lada Priora NFR 2022 - rear view

Why did you choose the EMP2 platform for the Priora in the new body?

According to the source, the choice of a third-party platform was caused by the need to load the assembly plant in Kaluga. This site is jointly owned by Stellantis and Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi itself has recently been part of the Renault-Nissan concern. All this makes the partnership of the two corporations a completely logical move. Stellantis currently assembles commercial vehicles and outdated Peugeot 408 and Citroen C4 models at this car plant. Demand for the latter has dropped to almost zero. In order to revive production, fresh models are needed. This could be the relatively affordable Peugeot 2008 crossover, which is currently being imported to Russia. The model is based on the EMP2 platform. At the same time, mastering the production of cars on a new platform is quite risky. If you fail to achieve high sales figures, the project may turn out to be unprofitable. Russians have not been favoring French brands lately.

New Lada Priora NFR 2022 - side view

From the above, it becomes clear that the production of a model on a new breed platform by the well-known Lada brand in Russia can be a good safety net. Full-size sedans are in good demand in our country, subject to a reasonable pricing policy. Take, for example, the extremely successful Toyota Camry and Kia K5. The new Lada Priora should be in no way inferior to its competitors with a more humane price tag, which means we can fully count on stable demand. Moreover, the price of foreign cars has grown very much over the past year (by 20% only according to the RRP), and there are also markups from dealers.

At the same time, the reputation of the Lada brand has grown greatly in recent years. Successful models like Vesta have proven themselves to be very good. Even the Lada Granta, after a series of modernizations, has become significantly better in terms of consumer qualities. The release of a higher-class model, which should be the new Lada Priora NFR, seems to be a completely logical move in such a situation.

Reviews and test drive

Reviews about the car, as about any domestic development, are generally negative. It breaks down quickly, frequent repairs, manufacturer defects and others. Why do many owners prefer to tune the Lada Priora hatchback, in order to somehow improve the condition, to fake something so that the car does not fail at the right time.

But, in general, they talk about the low cost of spare parts, the ability to find components even in the most remote village, and the high standardization of components. We also suggest you take a test drive of the car.

Technical characteristics of Priora NFR

In fact, the new product should be a deeply redesigned European Peugeot 508 of the current generation. Priora NFR will retain the power structure of the prototype body and a significant part of the hinged panels. The front fenders, headlights, radiator grille, hood and bumper should be new. The car will retain frameless side doors. This will allow the exterior design to be brought to the corporate VAZ “X-style”.

In the manufacture of the car, high-strength steel grades will be used en masse, which will provide the body with high rigidity combined with low weight. This will make the car safe and economical. The prototype of the model, the Peugeot 508, scored the maximum five points in the Euro NCAP safety rating.

In terms of handling, the Priora should also not be inferior to its competitors. The car will receive an independent front suspension. At the rear, depending on the version, there is a torsion beam or a multi-link design. The rear beam will be equipped with diesel modifications intended primarily for taxis. The lack of a complex multi-lever in simple versions should not be a problem. The French have long been famous for their ability to correctly configure even the simplest suspension, squeezing the maximum out of it. At AvtoVAZ, it is worth noting, they are not inferior to them. Tolyatti engineers endowed Vesta with an excellent combination of comfort and handling with a fairly high ground clearance. Obviously, there should be no problems adapting the vehicle’s chassis to Russian operating conditions. Priora NFR will be equipped with wheels with disc diameter

Priora 1 salon – pros and cons

The interior of the VAZ-2170 received several basic details from its predecessor, the VAZ-2110, but the old car can only be recognized by its similar seat. Also, Priora pleased the driver and his passengers with softer seats. They were still not provided with lateral support, but a certain “breakthrough” was already felt.
The internal design was radically different from the “ten”. The buttons on the instrument cluster housing have disappeared, and the center console has become brighter. If the instrument panel of the dozen was made in the style of the eighties, the Priora received a modern look - four scales standing next to each other were decorated with indicators on top, and there was a green display below.
The interior of the Lada Priora is made in gray and black colors. If the steering column, dashboard and even the steering wheel were completely black, they decided to make the center console gray. On top it was decorated with an analog clock, which many owners changed to digital after purchase. Later, audio preparation and heater switches were installed.
The interior of the first car turned out to be strict and ascetic - there are several pockets to put something you need, a spacious glove compartment, and there was only enough space in the back for three children or two adults. At the same time, it was difficult for an adult to fit his knees while sitting on the back sofa. After the start of operation, creaks appeared in the panel.
The mileage winds up, and after 100,000 it begins to rattle - all this became a consequence of the fact that the fastenings of the casing began to loosen, the gaps between its individual parts increased, and narrowed. But we should be upset about one important parameter of comfort - there is no sound insulation, so any rumble can be heard.

The car must have a diesel engine

One of the engines should be a 1.6-liter diesel engine of the DV6 series, developing 95 hp and 216 Nm of torque, which has already been localized in Kaluga. The power unit complies with the Euro-6 environmental standard. A similar engine is combined with a 5-speed manual transmission. It is equipped with commercial models of Peugeot and Citroen. Neither the Toyota Camry nor the Kia K5 offers a diesel modification. But such a modification would be in great demand in corporate fleets, which account for a significant share of sales of cars of this class.

The main gasoline engine should be a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine with a volume of the same 1.6 liters. It has nothing in common with the EP-6 series engines jointly developed with BMW. The latter have proven to be unreliable and extremely demanding to maintain. The new motor belongs to the more modern PureTech series. European buyers note much higher reliability of the power unit compared to its predecessors. At the Priora NFR it will be available in two configurations - 150 and 180 hp. Such modifications will be able to compete with Toyota Camry with 2.0 and 2.5 liter engines, respectively. This engine will be combined with a non-alternative 8-speed Aisin automatic transmission. This is the same unit that is installed on the Camry.

The new Lada Priora NFR will receive a 1.6-liter turbo engine

In the future, an all-wheel drive modification may appear. This Priora will receive a hybrid power plant. The rear axle will be driven by an electric motor, which will be activated during standing starts and acceleration. The car will not be able to move on pure electric power, since the battery capacity will be limited to 1.5 kW/hour.

Lada Priora 2: the interior has pros and cons

The interior of the Priora 2 with its entire appearance indicated that AvtoVAZ was changing. There was no longer the monotony of parts that were installed on older car models. Everything that was presented to the general public was then added to more recent AvtoVAZ models, the production of which began later than the restyling of the VAZ-2170.

The new interior is brighter. Firstly, the new gray steering wheel with an updated shiny badge is larger, and the instrument panel is almost digital. Of course, the instrument panel turned out to be more interesting than the first version, but the quality of the material is still worse, harder, tougher.

AvtoVAZ has prepared a “trump card” - this is a multimedia system, which was installed in the maximum configuration. It was installed on the center console in two blocks: below the multimedia control unit, above, at eye level, there was a screen. And the dashboard of the maximum configuration was equipped with an elongated display, onto which the navigator’s instructions could be transmitted. The new multimedia is slower even than modern smartphones - this is a clear disadvantage.

The new panel was a significant advancement - no big gray inserts, just a harmonious combination of several shades of black from different materials. Inserts appeared in the doors, which became the basis for the flight of imagination of the craftsmen. The interesting ergonomics of the new car are truly comfortable - everything you need is in front of your eyes.

Salon

The interior of the new Lada Priora NFR received a non-standard front dashboard architecture, with an instrument panel located above the steering wheel. The steering wheel itself is strongly beveled both at the top and at the bottom. The instrument panel is completely electronic. Its screen diagonal is 12.3 inches. The touchscreen of the multimedia system with a diagonal of 8 or 10 inches, depending on the configuration, is located in the center. The device supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces.

Salon of the new Lada Priora NFR

Instrument panel Lada Priora NFR

Available options include 10 airbags, power front seats with a massager, Nappa leather upholstery, a panoramic roof, a premium Focal audio system, a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, LED headlights, multi-zone climate control and a full package of warm options. The new Priora NFR can be equipped with a night vision system: an infrared camera is capable of displaying an image on the instrument panel and recognizing objects at a distance of up to 250 meters.

Lada Priora NFR 2022 - front interior

Lada Priora NFR 2022 - rear interior

Multimedia system Lada Priora NFR

What can be done with the interior as tuning

When tuning a car, you can consider different options and choose the one you like best. There is even a separate direction of tuning, when the first Priora is equipped with parts from the restyled one, less often they do the opposite.

The first point of modernization of the interior of the VAZ-2170 can be called lighting and light:

The interior light above the gearshift lever. It can be made a little brighter so that even the small print on documents can be seen at night.
LED illumination of the ignition switch. In order to always hit the target without scratching the steering column, the target can be illuminated. It will not look “collective farm” - modern ready-made kits are made quite competently.
Leg lighting. It looks impressive, and also helps you navigate the pedals the first time.
The lighting installed inside the door card is directed downwards. You will need it when you open the door at night and put your foot on the ground. There may be a puddle below, and if it is illuminated, you will notice it in time, even if you are tired.
Ashtray lighting. This is done, again, for yourself - to make it more convenient to turn on charging or powering the DVR.
Changing the dashboard backlight or replacing it is possible.

Another favorite part of tuning the interior of a car is adding new, decorative seat covers. This is often done to add lateral support, which the car does not have, as well as enhanced lumbar support. In addition to the usual textile, throw-on and fastening covers, you can make custom upholstery - give it to a master atelier, who will work on each seat manually.

For reasons of practicality, Lada Priora owners add sound insulation everywhere. It’s much calmer to drive this way, especially over long distances – there’s no constant hum in the background. It is added under the door trim, as well as in the ceiling - all in order to ensure silence inside the cabin.

The last thing, one of my favorite things, is music. The sky is the limit: from the subwoofer under the trunk lid to the speakers inside the door card. The best sounding music in a car is a source of pride for the owner. Preference is given not to multimedia, but to the best custom radios.

Is the Priora's interior poor compared to Logan 1 and Volkswagen Polo?

Compared to its contemporaries in the same class, the 2170 was about the same level. All their shortcomings and minor mistakes were actively discussed. A comparison of the interiors proved that the car was almost on a par with Logan and Polo in “its” years. The maximum configurations were equipped differently, but did not make one interior better than the other.

The only thing worth noting is that its seat cushion is much stiffer than that of the two foreign cars. The interior itself is done in gray and black, so the final choice between these three cars is purely a matter of taste. There is no winner or loser, the interiors of these cars have slightly different styles.