➤ Review of Lada Vesta Sport - characteristics, equipment, test drive

Technical characteristics of Lada Vesta Sport

Announced two years ago, the Vesta Sport concept car is not much different from the production model. Which is surprising and unexpected, since previous models have significant differences.

The car received a forced 1.8-liter gasoline engine. The “heart” works in tandem with a five-speed manual transmission from Renault. Together, the mechanisms produce 145 horsepower, 187 Nm of torque, and a top speed of 198 km/h.

The first “hundred” is achieved in 9.6 seconds, the “maximum speed” is 198 km/h. Unfortunately, the model is not equipped with a turbocharger.

In the future, the manufacturer is considering the possibility of equipping the car with a variator from the Japanese manufacturer Jatco.

Car enthusiasts are familiar with the CVT from the Nissan model range. The transmission has proven itself well: with a long service life, available spare parts, and a budget price.

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At the same time, the CVT is designed for a quiet, moderate driving style, but not for an aggressive, sporty one.

The all-wheel drive version is completely excluded, as this will automatically increase fuel consumption and reduce dynamic performance.

Unlike previous models, 20 mm of ground clearance was taken away from Vesta Sport. It is 162 mm. The basic configuration is equipped with a rear spoiler, an original front bumper, as well as extended wheel arches and decorative door sills.

Fuel consumption is 8.5 – 9.0 liters in the combined cycle.

The manufacturer did not forget about aerodynamic performance, increasing the size of the standard wheel rims by 17 inches, installing low-profile tires, and a rear bumper with branches for exhaust pipes.

The front suspension is MacPherson type, the rear is wishbone type, independent.

In order to improve the quality of handling, the standard chassis was modified. We installed racks with increased rod stroke. The new product has strengthened steering knuckles and disc brakes with an increased diameter.

Characteristics

Appearance

Here the designers did without major changes, but only polished and finalized the already successful image.

Externally, the car stands out with a neat lip spoiler on the trunk lid, elegant bumpers with stylish trims and air intakes, new wheels, a spectacular exhaust and other elements.

If you look a little closer, you will notice a sparkling “Sport” emblem on the grille and trunk lid. And in general the car has become more squat and aggressive. Of course, you won’t achieve this with simple overlays from tuning kits for a standard model.

Structurally, there are few changes, except for the extended front fenders, made of durable ABS plastic. At the same time, the aerodynamic drag coefficient is far from the best - only 0.38.

Wheels and braking system

Vesta Sport is equipped with new, reinforced hubs with five holes for fixation.

There are rumors that the design was copied from Renault Megane, but now this is not so important. But the 17-inch wheels on low-profile Continental tires look simply amazing.

The brake discs have been enlarged by 20 mm in diameter to improve braking performance. The air filter housing on the Lada Vesta Sport is borrowed from the sedan , identical, and interchangeable.

Vesta Sport Concept 2016

What was known before the official presentation of the production model

The “regular” Vesta has been available to domestic consumers since 2016, but fans of the brand are still waiting for the serial sports modification - such a model has not yet been officially presented by AvtoVAZ (although there are already many photos of the Lada Vesta Sport).

The Lada Vesta Sport was first shown as a concept at the 2016 Moscow Motor Show, but the manufacturer did not give an exact time frame for when the new product could go into mass production. According to some reports, in April 2022 the car will be at the disposal of the Lada Sport division and will roll off its assembly line in small batches, and there will be two versions on sale: Vesta S-line and Vesta R. However, later it became known that the car could be presented at the Moscow motor show in August 2022, after which sales will begin.

Release date: autumn 2022 Price S-line version : from 650 thousand, “hot” Vesta R : from 800 thousand rubles (unofficial data)

The photo shows the pre-production version of Vesta Sport
By and large, the production version is no longer a secret to anyone: there is a photo of the Lada Vesta Sport, and the technical characteristics are known.

Exterior

The atypical shape of the front and rear bumpers is the main highlight of the new Vesta. Thanks to this, she is recognized from afar.

An “X-shaped” style runs along the entire perimeter of the body. The niches for the fog lights have become deeper, with small protrusions around the perimeter.

The final design element is a nameplate with the inscription “Sport” framed in red. It was copied from the Skoda Octavia.

On the sides you can see plastic door sill trims, the so-called “skirt”. The brand logo is applied to the surface.

The standard antenna of the radio is made in the form of a shark fin, similar to that installed on the basic versions of the SV and SV Cross.

The biggest changes affected the rear. New bumper with splitter for two exhaust pipe tips. There are pre-installed massive black ventilation inserts on the side.

The trunk lid is decorated with a small spoiler with a built-in brake light. At the bottom of the cover there is an information plate “VESTA Sport”.

The color scheme is presented in classic shades: black, blue, metallic, white, gray, Arctic, white night, yellow.

Body options: hatchback , coupe , wagon are being finalized. It is expected that in the near future they will replenish the current model range.

release date

Production of the “charged” Vesta will start closer to spring - representatives of the domestic auto giant report that almost everything is ready for this. There shouldn’t be any problems with timing, because this modification is scheduled to go on sale in April. By this time, more complete information about the new product will become available.

Updated! Initially, it was planned to present the production version at the end of August 2022 at the Moscow Motor Show, but at the beginning of June, AvtoVAZ’s production plan appeared on the Internet, in which the Vesta Sport suddenly disappeared. Whether this is due to the cancellation of the presentation or whether the “charged” version is simply under the control of another unit is not known. We just have to wait until August.

Interior

The interior frame is not much different from previous Lada Vesta models. Rather, the manufacturer worked on the little things rather than introducing fundamental solutions.

The steering wheel is neatly trimmed with eco-leather, red thread in the seam. The front seats have pronounced lateral support, like a real sports car.

For the first time, metal pads with rubber inserts were installed on the pedals. This prevents your foot from slipping while driving.

Bright colors were added to the dashboard, in particular red, which edged the arrows. The gear selector and handbrake lever are covered in leather.

Salon

Equipment Lada Vesta Sport

The basic version of Vesta will be packed richly. The standard equipment includes ABS and EBD, BAS and ESC, TCS and HSA options. Besides:

Daytime Running Lights;
PTF – fog lights;
two airbags, one each for the passenger and driver;
electronic engine control unit, also known as on-board computer;
multifunction steering wheel;
radio with 7.0-inch liquid crystal display, support for Touch Screen function, FM/AM, USB, SD card, AUX, Bluetooth, Hands free, 6 speakers;
passive cruise control;
air conditioning system;
light and rain sensors;
parking sensors;
heated mirrors and windshield;
Rear View Camera;
LED backlighting of mechanical buttons.

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Review of Vesta S-line and R versions

Rospatent has already registered trademarks for both of these models of the new Lada. The manufacturer plans to use an individual logo for each.

In the “S-Line” the interior has been significantly improved, spoilers, designer rims, wheels, and door sills have been installed. In a word, sports charisma.

There is little information about the "R" model. Two types of power units with a volume of 1.6 liters (140 hp), which are copied from Kalina. The second engine is 150 hp. and volume 1.8 liters. In the future, it is planned to expand the line with another 180 hp, 2.0 liter engine.

Vesta S-line

Engine and transmission

The 2022 Lada Vesta Sport is equipped with only one type of power unit – petrol ICE mod. 21179 with a volume of 1.8 l.

Technical characteristics of this motor:

arrangement / number of cylinders - in one row / 4;
maximum power – 145 horsepower;
valves for 1 cylinder – 4 (16-valve);
torque – 184 N*m (at 3600 rpm);
fuel injection - electrically controlled, distributed;
the type of fuel used is AI-95 gasoline.

The engine is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission with a final drive ratio of 4.2. The gearbox comes from the French automaker Renault and is cable driven.

Unlike the regular Vesta, the “sport version” is supplemented with another engine mount, which reduces vibrations during braking and acceleration; also, to improve dynamics, the size of the camshaft cams has been increased in height, greater pressure has been created in the fuel injection system, and the firmware of the control unit has been changed. ICE.

Lada Vesta Sport will become the most powerful production Lada

AvtoVAZ structural divisions are actively working on the configuration and equipment of the Lada Vesta Sport. It is expected that the new product will receive a 1.8-liter engine, the number of horsepower will be increased from 122 to 150. The presentation is scheduled for 2022.

The standard phase shifter will be replaced with a new, modernized one. The intake-exhaust system has been improved, two new camshafts.

The ultimate goal of the engineers is to create a car more powerful than the Lada Kalina NFR, which is currently considered the most powerful in the family.

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The rear brakes will be equipped with discs whose diameter will be increased from 260 to 286 mm. The wheels will be 18 inches, and the ground clearance will be increased by 45 mm. But the seats will be left from the previous Vesta.

Salon and trunk

The interior materials of the Vesta Sport are of quite high quality, the plastic is pleasant to the touch and does not emit an unpleasant odor. The seat upholstery is combined, black with red inserts, Alcantara and leatherette are used as materials.

The steering column is adjustable for both tilt and reach, and there is a three-spoke steering wheel equipped with various control buttons.

On the front passenger side there is a fairly voluminous glove compartment; the car only has an armrest in the front; such an option is not provided for rear passengers.

The instrument panel is of the “well” type with a speedometer located in the center, the tachometer is on the left, temperature, battery charging, and oil pressure sensors are on the right.

The kit also includes standard sun visors with mirrors, and window controls are located on the door trims.

The trunk lid of the sports sedan can be opened using the key fob, but there are no hydraulic shock absorbers. The stowage compartment (small spare wheel) is located under the carpet in a niche; the volume of the luggage compartment is 480 liters.

Reviews

№	Positive
1.	Vasily: Vesta in its basic configuration has proven itself on the positive side; few people complain about the quality. It's a pity that the same cannot be said about the Lada Granta. I am sure that the new models will be much better than the previous ones.
2.	Dmitry: I am proud of the domestic manufacturer. Cars in an affordable price segment, a wide selection of spare parts. Breakdowns happen, it’s no secret, but they can be easily fixed on your own.
3.	Kirill: my car is six months old, I bought it from scratch at the dealership. Apart from replacing consumables, I did not make any investments. Our people have finally learned how to make cars. Lada Vesta - my recommendations for motorists.
4.	Gennady: new models of the domestic brand are good, both in price and in quality. Prices are affordable for families with an average budget. The assembly is several times better than Grants, Kalinas, Largus.
5.	Vladislav: I’ve been actively using the car for a year, I have no complaints, all the mechanisms work properly. I believe that the most important thing for a car is systematic care and maintenance.
6.	Konstantin: my positive review of the Lada Vesta, I purchased the model a year ago. During this time I only changed the oil and filled up with fuel.
7.	Vladimir: I thought for a long time about what to buy, my comrades convinced me to take a domestic manufacturer. I'm happy with the solution, no complaints.
Negative
1.	Victor: despite the small breakthrough of the Russian manufacturer, the quality of workmanship remained at the same level. The basic Lada models are generally meager, no bells and whistles, you have to buy everything yourself.
2.	Vasily: I thought about buying a Vesta, but my friends dissuaded me from buying a Renault Logan. I'm happy with the choice, no comments.
3.	Dmitry: after a year of active use, the car begins to crumble. I have already visited a service station twice unscheduled for diagnostics and repairs.

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What's in a name?

The main thing I was afraid of before flying to Krasnodar was that this Vesta would turn out to be too sporty - for example, like the Kalina NFR, expensive to produce, but practically unsuitable for normal use due to the stiff suspension and inconvenient engine characteristics. In my opinion, Vesta Sport is, first of all, a top model. Of course, the fastest, but at the same time balanced, so that the pursuit of handling does not kill the smoothness of the ride, especially since ordinary Vestas handle more interestingly than any other cars from Tolyatti. And of course, such a Vesta should not just be in the maximum configuration - it needs additional sound insulation, a normal audio system, good seats, a comfortable steering wheel... If all this is combined with a nice appearance with wide plastic fenders, new bumpers and 17-inch wheels, then perhaps , 950 thousand will no longer seem prohibitive.

What actually happened? And why are we flying with the boss to Krasnodar, and not to Sochi, where the tests are supposed to take place?

Because Podorozhansky got excited, stirred up a comparative test - and in the end gave both me and everyone involved three times more work.

From Moscow to Krasnodar, the car carrier will deliver three cars from among potential competitors. VAZ testers and Vesta Sport will be waiting for us there. Together, swapping cars, we will get to Sochi, where for a couple of days we will select the best options for springs and shock absorbers - first at Sochi Autodrom, and then on mountain roads.

Volkswagen Polo GT, Mazda 3 and Kia cee'd GT. Why exactly this set of opponents? On the way to Sochi I will explain everything.