Tuning Lada Kalina station wagon: what can be done with this car?

The interior of a car is a place where the driver and his passengers spend a lot of time. Modern cars have become not just a means of transportation, but also a place where you can escape from the bustle of the city. And if in expensive cars engineers have calculated and installed a standard set of options that will suit a large number of people, then in budget classes you need to independently select and install those improvements that suit your preferences.

Transformation of the body of a dull budget car

Almost all budget cars have inexpressive body features. This is because creating sharp lines significantly increases the cost of production. You can solve the problem with a dull appearance by installing a body kit. A high-quality, correctly selected body kit allows you to:

Visually make the body larger.
Increase the prestige of the model.

Today there are quite a large number of different body kits on sale that can make a car almost unrecognizable. At the same time, we note the features of purchasing ready-made sets:

Their cost is relatively low. Due to the use of cheap plastic, manufacturers significantly reduce the cost of the body kit. In addition, in many cases you will have to carry out the paintwork yourself, choosing the paint to match the body color. Therefore, many people decide to purchase ready-made kits rather than create them themselves.
Correct geometry, precise dimensions, reliable fastenings are signs of a high-quality body kit. It is quite difficult to independently produce a high-quality body kit, since even the smallest mistakes cause defects.
Design development is carried out by professionals - another reason why ready-made sets are popular. A properly designed body kit will make the car truly attractive.
Installation is simplified due to the correct placement of fasteners. As practice shows, installing a purchased set of body kits takes a relatively small amount of time. Of course, in some cases it is necessary to make improvements, but they are not significant.

You can make the exterior more attractive by installing various little things, for example, chrome handles. You can protect the body by installing plastic covers on the wheel arches.

Sidebar: Important: For many years, tuning has been very popular, which involves installing stylish large-diameter rims. There are a variety of options available for sale: painted, chrome-plated or simply steel.

Technical features of the system

The unified layout and closed design of the engine cooling system (SOD) of the Kalina are also characteristic of other VAZ models. The system is designed to remove thermal energy from heated engine elements using antifreeze or other coolant.

The SOD consists of the following functional parts.

Cooling radiator. Reduces coolant temperature due to the flow of cold air masses.
Fan. Used for rapid cooling of antifreeze in the Kalina cooling system.
Expansion tank. Designed to compensate for the volume of coolant (coolant). The need for this unit is related to the expansion/constriction property of the coolant.
A pump or centrifugal pump, which is responsible for the forced circulation of antifreeze through the appropriate channels.
A thermostat whose task is to regulate the volume of antifreeze in the Kalina cooling system.
Temperature sensor involved in SOD control.

The operation of the cooling system is based on the close interconnection of various parts, elements and sensors, including devices that are designed to measure oil temperature. The passage of coolant in a large or small circle depends on the engine temperature. In the first case, antifreeze passes through all components of the SOD, except the radiator. With such circulation, the thermostat is closed. As the engine temperature rises, this element gradually opens. The antifreeze, having passed a large circle, enters the radiator. The latter device is cooled by oncoming air masses. If this is not enough, a signal is sent to the ventilated unit, which begins to forcibly direct air masses to the cells.

The cooled liquid enters a small circle. Next, taking into account the engine temperature, the antifreeze automatically circulates in a small or large circle. At the same time, the optimal operating temperature is maintained, which should be in the range of 95-105°C. This factor has a direct impact on the performance of the Kalina stove. In this case, it will not be able to supply warm air masses into the cabin.

If there are any doubts about the operation of the ODS, you need to diagnose the car, finding out the causes of the malfunction. You can fix the breakdown either with your own hands or with the help of a car mechanic.

Head optics: how to improve them?

In many ways, the exterior style is determined by the installed head optics and rear lights. The design options available at the factory cannot be called attractive, since they are still manufactured using old technologies and are of low quality.

The features of such tuning include the following points:

You can upgrade the existing structure or purchase a new one. Some tuning salons provide the opportunity to buy new optics and lights that are ideal for the car.
There are quite a large number of ways to modernize an already installed structure. An example is recommendations related to replacing a standard light source with a diode one.

Why are diode light sources so popular today? There are quite a few reasons:

Low cost. Diode light sources are among the cheapest, which allows you to save on tuning and further maintenance.
Attractive view. Diode strips have long been used in tuning many cars.
Low power consumption. Due to this, the load on the installed generator is reduced and the amount of fuel consumed is reduced, and when the engine is off, the battery is less discharged.
High reliability. The service life of high-quality diodes is quite long, since they are not negatively affected by high humidity and other influences.
Compact sizes. Due to this, a larger number of light sources are placed in a small area.
Long service life.

If you pay attention to new cars from almost all manufacturers, head optics and rear lights are made using diode technology. In addition, the following types of tuning of optics and flashlights are carried out:

Protective glass is tinted.
The surface of the protective glass is polished.
Install various eyelashes and extensions.

When performing tuning, you should remember that headlights and taillights perform an important function and are not a decorative part of the body. That is why all changes must be thoughtful.

External tuning of Lada Kalina, Kalina 2 | motorring online store

Would you like a brief history of the LADA Kalina model? The development of the car at AVTOVAZ began in 1993. In 1998, the designed model was named “Kalina”. Serial production started only on November 18, 2004. A total of 5 years to give the car a name, and 11 years to develop it. Not fast!

But it is worth noting that at that time this model was truly new for AVTOVAZ: a new platform, a new level of comfort and quality and a new design. By the way, about the design: the first generation of the model was made in the so-called “biodesign”, which was fashionable in the global auto industry right in the early 90s, when the model began to be developed. But after 11 years, the trends changed; the exterior of the car at the time of its release seemed outdated to Russians, but there were many people who liked this car. For the rest, external tuning became the solution! By the way, LADA Kalina quickly became a real popular and mass car, so there were never any problems with the range of tuning for this car:

radiator grilles and bumper grilles
side mirrors (including electric ones) and covers for them
"sabers"
door handles and trims
eyelashes and overlays for lamps
PTF frames
spoilers
door moldings
alternative optics
bumpers
lockers
towbars
roof racks
and other.

The manufacturer managed to modernize the design of the model when the second generation of Kalina was born in 2020. Despite the fact that the overall power structure of the body has not undergone any changes (including doors, windshield), the car received complex-shaped headlights and lanterns and a massive bumper with a powerful radiator grille. You should be careful with tuning the “second generation”, since the exterior of this generation turned out to be quite successful.

By the way, on the basis of the LADA Kalina 2 station wagon and hatchback (the second generation sedan was never produced), small-scale modifications (a kind of factory tuning) also appeared, which turned out to be very popular in the market. On the “base” of the station wagon, they made a “pseudo-crossover” Kalina Cross - an all-terrain station wagon, which, in addition to high ground clearance, also received “off-road” appearance modifications. And the hatchback got sporty variations – Sport and NFR.

What conclusion do we draw? “Kalina”, despite its popular name, is excellent for exterior modifications, that is, external tuning.

Installation of roof rails or special boxing

Despite the fairly large interior space of the car in question, tuning quite often involves the installation of roof rails or a special box. The features of such minor tuning include the following points:

Rails are installed for transporting skis or other large cargo. Examples include bicycles, surfboards and much more. The cost of such an element is relatively low, but it significantly increases the attractiveness of the car and its practicality in use. When installing roof rails, it is worth remembering that they will be subject to quite a large load during operation. Therefore, you should ensure the reliability of the fastening.
Luggage boxes today are often found on cars of foreign origin. This accessory is suitable for long trips, as it allows you to place a fairly large number of different things. It is worth considering that the luggage box is only an accessory that is used as needed. With its everyday use, fuel consumption increases significantly, as the resistance during movement increases. In addition, the luggage box makes the car look more massive.

The cost of roof rails and luggage box is relatively low, which allows you to expand the capabilities of the car at the lowest cost.

Dashboard

The torpedo has a great influence on the interior of the entire cabin. And if we compare the tidy of the Kalina with the classic Zhiguli models, then the Togliatti engineers have stepped far forward, but they are still very far from ideal. To produce torpedoes, the factory uses very low quality plastic. This negatively affected the performance of the instrument panel. The colors fade over time, the plastic itself becomes covered with small cracks, and the entire torpedo begins to make unpleasant sounds when moving. You can improve the appearance of the dashboard and get rid of extraneous sounds yourself, for this you need:

Disassemble the torpedo and glue all the places where the plastic comes into contact with metal, foam rubber or other insulating material.
If necessary, secure all electrical wiring harnesses with plastic clamps.
Secure the air ducts that direct the flow from the heater.
Replace all plastic fasteners with new ones.
You can also make changes to the color scheme of the torpedo along the way by covering it with a special film. If the hands grow from the right place, this procedure is not difficult to perform on your own.
Installing a “Grant” central tunnel with cup holders will significantly improve the appearance and add more practicality. The tunnel has a different color from the original instrument panel, this can be corrected by covering it with vinyl film. There are also no holes for the electronic mirror adjustment unit. They will need to be made separately or find another place for installation.
By installing an armrest between the front seats, you will significantly reduce fatigue from driving a car over long distances. The armrest is also an additional niche for various small items.

Paintwork – finishing line

Why cars of domestic origin do not look as attractive as their foreign counterparts. In part, it all lies in the low-quality paintwork and the choice of dull colors. You can make your station wagon more attractive by performing paintwork. Of course, this stage is the final one.

The features of painting and varnish work include the following points:

All remnants of the old coating should be removed.
To carry out high-quality work, special equipment is required, as well as a clean box that does not contain dust and debris. It is worth remembering that if debris gets on the surface during the painting process, then such a paint coating will not last long.
It is also important to properly prepare the surface for the work in question.

It is quite difficult to carry out high-quality paintwork yourself, but it is possible if you have the required equipment. As practice shows, after such an improvement the car looks much more attractive.

Lighting

The Kalina's interior lighting leaves much to be desired. Only the front part of the machine is equipped with a lamp. The back row does not have any lighting devices. An LED strip will help fill the back row with light. It can be powered from the front lamp, and the wiring can be laid under the ceiling card. For convenience, you can install a separate switch in the rear row area so that passengers can turn it on themselves.

Tuning the Lada Kalina with your own hands will take a little time, but by doing so you will reduce the cost of its implementation. By making changes to problematic parts of the car, you thereby improve the impression of the entire car as a whole.

Experts' opinion

Vitaly. I bought this car to drive to the country. Even such a short trip turned out to be a real test. The whole point is the almost complete absence of insulation. Friends advised me to isolate myself if I have time. It was summer, I decided to spend a couple of days at the dacha in the garage. I was pleased with the result. Of course, not ideal, but better than it was.

Dmitriy. I bought a Lada Kalina, a friend was selling it, or rather, he gave it away almost for nothing. After several months of use, he said that he definitely wanted a foreign car. I decided to invest a little and make a car suitable for use out of Kalina. As a result, a few thousand costs, a couple of months, and I have a comfortable, spacious station wagon.

Alexei. The first car I bought for myself. Money is tight, but I've been involved in cars since childhood with my father. What I want to say is that you can’t do everything at once, but you need to plan the sequence. For example, if the interior is being modified, then the interior is insulated first, and only then other aspects.

Glory. I don’t know how we feel about tuning, but we received Kalina in a deplorable state. I had to almost completely rebuild it, replace everything, install some that weren’t original, and only then did I start driving. There is no talk about comfort, but for my work, the main thing is reliability and maintainability.

Engine

The standard power plant installed on the Lada Kalina Sport has 118 hp. s., which is quite difficult to call a sports engine. To increase power and torque, a number of modifications need to be made. These can be either minor changes or a global revision of the entire engine. The final result of the work depends on the degree of technical changes.

Refinement of the cylinder head is to improve the free passage of the combustible mixture through its channels:
replacing factory valves with lighter ones and modified ones by reducing the diameter of the valve stem, which helps improve cylinder filling;
replacing valve discs with duralumin ones.
Installing adjustable pulleys on the camshafts will allow you to more accurately adjust the operation of the gas distribution system.
Replacing standard nozzles with nozzles with higher performance.
Replacing the plastic intake manifold with a welded or cast receiver with a reduced intake tract will help improve engine performance at high speeds.
Replacing the standard air filter with a zero-resistance filter element.
Instead of the factory exhaust manifold spider, you need to install a modified one (4:2:1); if possible, you can replace the resonator with a direct-flow one.
Lightening and balancing the flywheel will give the car better dynamics during acceleration.
After all the changes made, it is necessary to update the software and perform chip tuning of the electronic engine control unit.

conclusions

Despite the fact that VAZ has recently invested quite a large amount of money in the development of new technologies and the creation of new models that are competitive with foreign analogues, today cars produced under the Lada brand are often subject to tuning. This is due to a lot of factory defects and many other problems that arise directly during the operation of the car. If desired, the Lada Kalina can be changed almost beyond recognition, but this may require quite a lot of time and effort. Does it make sense to invest a large amount of money in such a station wagon? A very difficult question. In some cases, investments and the cost of the car itself would make it possible to purchase a foreign car.

Cover trims

If sticking special decorative trims on the dashboard does not seem enough, you can dismantle the plastic door trim yourself and improve it. For example, tuning the interior of a Lada Kalina, which imitates natural materials, always looks impressive and attractive. After removing the trim of the standard parts, cover its elements with durable vinyl or carbolic film. After the material is glued, all parts are assembled strictly in the reverse order. Most often, car enthusiasts use film with a pattern similar to the texture of wood. Let us remind you that special pads can be mounted on parts of the speaker system housing.

To do the work yourself, you will need a stationery knife, scissors and the material itself. Experts advise sticking the film directly onto the plastic.

Pre-mark the places where the holes for the buttons will be located. To do this, use a paper stencil. For convenience, remove the plastic panel. After you cut out the pattern, clean the plastic parts and degrease their surface. Only after this can the film be applied.

Interior tuning of Lada Kalina station wagon

The primary measure in the Lada Kalina station wagon is to increase the sound insulation properties of the body. If we compare it with the fashionable Priora model, the “culprit” of our review is significantly inferior to it in this discipline. Most likely due to the lack of linings in the area of the wheel arches. Some owners of station wagons do not “stress” over such a troublesome procedure as sound insulation and resort to installing more powerful audio systems. Here the owner will need to first decide on his own priorities, and then begin modernization.

Let's touch on the interior trim. AvtoVAZ provided its buyer with a relatively good solution, since the elements are upholstered in durable and inexpensive synthetics. Those who are not satisfied with the standard seat material can be upholstered in leather, which is very expensive (about 30 thousand rubles).

Also, when tuning is carried out, the owners of the Lada Kalina station wagon replace the instrument panel. The manufacturer foresaw this development of the situation and met its buyer halfway, ensuring the possibility of complete dismantling of the panel.

What budget can the owner count on if he “dared” to perform tuning of the interior space of the Lada Kalina station wagon? In ordinary cases, it is not at all more expensive in comparison with similar measures in other AvtoVAZ models.

Interior tuning

Car owners also make a lot of changes to the Kalina’s interior.

Replacement of upholstery. The standard interior trim in Kalina is a combination of plastic inserts and leatherette. Many tuning enthusiasts remove the tabs and replace them with leatherette. Connoisseurs of comfort also get rid of leatherette, replacing it with velor or carpet. These materials can transform the interior, but they cannot be called durable.

Replacing seats. When a car undergoes deep tuning, it rarely happens without replacing the standard seats with sports ones. They are more suitable for the aggressive driving style for which the car is being prepared. Anatomical Kalina-Sport seats with high headrests and back support are in great demand. The cost of one such seat is from 7 thousand rubles.

Tuning enthusiasts often install sports seats on Kalina, making aggressive driving easier.

Dashboard and steering wheel trim. To add individuality to the dashboard, Kalina owners usually use vinyl film. Film painted to look like carbon is in particular demand. It looks very stylish on the dashboard. But there is also a minus - after 5 years, even the highest quality vinyl film becomes unusable. As for the steering braid, you can purchase it at any specialized store. The range of braids is now very wide.

Additional interior lighting. For illumination, various LED strips are used, connected to the vehicle’s on-board network. The cost of one such tape is from 400 rubles. Most often, additional lighting is installed on the floor of the car. Its purpose is not only aesthetic, but also practical: if the driver drops some small item on the floor of the cabin, it will not be difficult to find it.

They started lighting door handles in the Kalina cabin just a couple of years ago

Content

Cars of domestic origin are more often subject to tuning than others. This is due, first of all, to their low cost, as well as a large number of factory defects. Many people buy a Lada because of its affordability, and only then realize that the car has more disadvantages than its advantages. Tuning the Lada Kalina station wagon can be done independently and significantly improve some technical characteristics, as well as make the car more attractive. Let's look at all the features of improving this model in more detail.

Design solutions.

The appearance of the Kalina corresponded to fashionable trends at that time; biodesign was very popular in the 90s, thanks to which the front of the car turned out to be “cute and smiling.” Thanks to its smooth lines and rounded shapes, the car looked quite modern and harmonious, as evidenced by the fact that it was in demand not only in Russia, but in countries such as Germany, for example.

In addition to the exterior, the designers abandoned previous interior developments, which did not at all match the appearance of the car. This is how the updated interior appeared, which was designed using the latest equipment in mathematical models. The spaciousness and ease of seating of the Kalina were many times higher than the level of previous models.

They didn’t skimp on Kalina’s interior design at all, as a result of which the interior turned out to be not only modern, but also very ergonomic.

Let's move on to specific examples. One of them is the seatback tilt adjustment mechanism. These mechanisms are manufactured by the German company Keiper, which specializes in the development of these units. This is not the only example of the participation of foreign companies in the development of the Kalina’s interior; the seats were also designed with the help of other foreign companies.

In the late 90s, the Kalina filling differed in many ways from its relatives:

instrument panel lighting with LEDs;
electric reverse gear lock;
factory air conditioner, which could regulate the temperature itself;
light switch;
new generation headlights;
recirculation of the heating system and ventilation system.

The design of the platform is what really did not give the designers freedom of action. The steering rack is located quite high and is attached to the engine shield. Because of this, it is problematic to balance the driving performance of the car. By experimenting with the suspension, Kalina managed to give it precision when cornering, unlike the VAZ-2110.

At first, the Kalina was equipped with an eight-valve 1.6-liter engine.

However, everything can't be perfect!

The first cars became famous for the fact that up to 50% of their power steering units were faulty, they simply failed! This significant flaw caused a lot of noise among the people, because there were cases when cars turned completely in the wrong direction.

Later, of course, this defect was corrected by the Kalina designers. The front of the production car was slightly modified, but the light and smooth steering wheel was appreciated (mostly by women). Electric power steering instead of hydraulics is the right solution for Kalina.

Thus, through experiments with the internal and external appearance of the Kalina, by 2001 it had acquired its final form. The changed appearance of the Kalina was very reminiscent of the Opel Corsa, and the sedan was similar to the Chevrolet Corsa.

Ultimately, the designers came up with a car tailored for the B-class. It could be compared to the Fiat Palio and Renault Symbol. However, Kalina turned out to be more affordable in its price category and more compact.

So, VAZ managed to create a new generation car, which was different from its predecessors in almost every way, even though the platform was not the first freshness. In Kalina-2, which is successfully used today, a fairly large number of technical solutions remain from the old version of Kalina.

Do-it-yourself: modification of Lada Grant and Kalina

The announcement of the Lad recall caused mixed reactions. Some shook their heads meaningfully: they said, this was to be expected, while others, on the contrary, regarded the news as a change for the better. After all, this is the first time that the Volzhsky Automobile Plant is conducting such a global and noisy campaign to eliminate faults.

Our opinion did not coincide with either one or the other. First of all, let’s reassure the owners: it’s okay, there’s no need to grab your head and rush headlong to the dealer. Even in the plant’s recommendations, sent to all technical centers for the modification of these models, the words “possible” and “if necessary” appear repeatedly. As confirmation: on the machine on which these flaws were eliminated, there is nothing discouraging. Therefore, we are ready to say with confidence: the promotion is largely of an advertising nature.

It is more likely to draw attention to the product than to eliminate serious design flaws

Dealers are already sending out written invitations to all owners of cars included in the recall list (by identification number - VIN) for unscheduled free maintenance. It is up to the car owner to decide whether to conduct it or not. If you are undecided, we suggest that you, together with the dealership specialists, go through all the operations and look at specific examples to see how practical this is. We will supplement the factory instructions with our comments.

Important note: the recall campaign has been launched primarily for Granta; only the operation to protect the fuel pipes is carried out for both models