The first photos and videos of the new Lada crossover from AvtoVAZ have appeared

We've finally arrived! At the SPIEF, AvtoVAZ presented a completely new model in a new class of crossover for the car plant. The car was called the Lada Azimut. Previously, Lada produced models in one segment - B-class sedans and station wagons. This includes the Lada Granta, Lada Vesta, Lada Largus, and soon the Lada Iskra will also be climbing into it. This market niche is already tightly occupied by AvtoVAZ itself.

In general terms, AvtoVAZ has already shown off the new model on video when they gave Vladimir Putin a tour in Tolyatti. The exhibition model does not have any major differences: the car is designed in a new corporate faceted style using solutions typical of Asian cars.

The Azimuth no longer has such bright elements. The rear lights combined into one element (popularly they are often called a "monobrow") have been used by everyone for many years now, the design of the rear pillar resembles the Korean Kia Sportage of 2021. Alas, but Lada is losing its face in pursuit of fashion. Only the classic Niva remains unmistakably recognizable.

The interior combines modern and archaic solutions. In front of the driver's eyes there is a wide tablet, in which two displays are built in: instrument and for multimedia, but on the central tunnel there is an archaic selector of "automatic". In general, the architecture of the front panel with a decorative overlay in the form of a shelf under the air deflectors resembles many Chinese models.

In technical terms, there was no revolution: the Lada Azimuth is built on the Vesta platform. But this does not mean that we have two identical cars with different designs. The Azimuth and Vesta have common floor elements, and there should be unification in units as well. But there are plenty of differences.

Firstly, the Azimuth is bigger. The wheelbase has been extended by 42 mm, to 2677 mm, and the ground clearance is 7 mm more than that of the Lada Vesta SW Cross. Now it is an impressive 210 mm. Usually, such ground clearance can only be found in foreign cars on SUVs, and imported crossovers are simply "belly-scrapers" compared to the Azimuth.

The engines will also be more powerful than those of other Lada models. No more puny eight-valve engines with 90 hp. The choice will be between a 1.6-liter engine with 120 hp and a 1.8-liter engine with 134 hp. We hope that these will be new versions of engines, different from those installed on the sports versions of Granta and Vesta. The previous most powerful engines from AvtoVAZ were distinguished by the fact that they revealed their potential only at high revs. For a regular and heavy crossover, such a character is inappropriate.

We will no longer hear the usual Lada gearbox whine: the engines will be mated either to a Chinese six-speed manual or a Chinese CVT. They are already known from the Vesta.

AvtoVAZ Deputy General Director Evgeny Shmelev told NI that in the future the crossover will also have a more powerful turbo engine – such work is already underway at the plant.

— We currently have a turbocharged engine in our project. Naturally, this is an engine from Chinese partners, but it will be localized in the future. First, the main parts will be localized: the block, head and crankshaft, then we will move on to the camshaft, connecting rods and other things. The main part will be localized both in casting and in machining.

The new crossover from Lada is entering a niche where Chinese crossovers have firmly established themselves. First of all, this is the Haval Jolion. Firstly, it has similar wheelbase values, which determine the spaciousness of the cabin: 2700 mm. Secondly, it is the most popular and one of the most affordable Chinese cars in Russia.

By the way, neither during nor after the loud presentation of the Russian crossover at the SPIEF were journalists allowed to see the interior, they were not even allowed to open the car. So all that remains is to believe the renderings from AvtoVAZ.

But, most importantly, for 2.349–2.699 million rubles you can get a Haval Jolion with all-wheel drive and a 150 hp turbo engine.

Chery, like AvtoVAZ, also used a CVT from the Chinese brand WLY, but gradually abandoned it, giving preference to robotic gearboxes.

Until the Lada Azimuth goes into production and we don't know how it behaves on the road, it's hard to say what its advantages are over its numerous Chinese competitors. Traditionally, AvtoVAZ knows how to tune the suspension for bad roads. But the Chinese are not asleep either: by the time the commercial Azimuths appear on the market, new, even more modern, technologically advanced and reliable models may appear.