Lada Priora
A restyled compact car that became AvtoVAZ's domestic mainstay for over a decade.
The Lada Priora, a compact car built by AvtoVAZ, rolled off the line from March 2007 until July 2018. It was essentially a refreshed and updated version of the Lada 110, which it fully replaced in 2009. By May 16, 2012, the factory had turned out 590,000 units. From the 2016 model year onward, the Priora was no longer sold in export markets, having been succeeded by the Lada Vesta, though it continued to be available within Russia.
Production officially ended in July 2018. A photo surfaced online on July 16, 2018, showing the last body in the welding shop, decorated with balloons and a poster reading "Последний!" ("Last!"). The photo was taken on July 13 around 2 p.m., though the poster itself bore a different date—July 11. Assembly of cars from previously welded bodies, including that final one, continued for a few more days. AvtoVAZ confirmed the cessation of Priora production in an official statement on July 17, 2018.
Several body styles were offered. The VAZ-2170 sedan ran from March 2007 to July 2018. The VAZ-2171 station wagon was produced from May 2009 to 2015. The VAZ-2172 five-door hatchback was built from February 2008 to 2015, and its three-door coupé variant, based on the five-door, ran from January 2008 to 2015. A long-wheelbase sedan, the VAZ-21708 Priora Premier, added 175 mm of extra length and was built in small numbers by AvtoVAZ partner ZAO Super-Avto from autumn 2008, powered by a 120 hp 1.8-liter VAZ-21128 engine.
In June 2011, AvtoVAZ announced a version with a 90 hp engine that weighed 39% less than the standard 98 hp unit and was rated to last up to 200,000 km. This version came with minor updates: a new front bumper, rear-view mirrors, and steering wheel, plus a new 8-valve engine with a lightweight connecting rod-piston group in the "standard" trim. That August, the Lada Priora CNG was announced, running on either gasoline or compressed natural gas. It had a 43-liter gasoline tank and four gas tanks totaling 96 liters, giving a range of 580 km on gasoline and 330 km on CNG.
On May 22, 2018, AvtoVAZ confirmed the long-rumored end of sedan production by July 2018; hatchback and estate variants had already ceased production by the end of 2015, as the sedan accounted for over 80% of sales.
Base Prioras came with a driver's airbag and electric power steering.
Quick Facts
- Manufacturer
- Lada (AvtoVAZ)
- Aka
- Lada Consul (limited luxury version) / VAZ 2170 (sedan) / VAZ 2171 (station wagon) / VAZ 2172 (hatchback)
- Production
- March 2007 – July 2018 / May 2009–2015 (2171) / February 2008–2015 (2172) / January 2010–2015 (Coupé)
- Assembly
- Russia: Tolyatti (AvtoVAZ & Super-Avto) · Russia: Argun (ChechenAvto) · Romania: Bucharest (Dunarea)
- Predecessor
- Lada 110
- Successor
- Lada Vesta
- Layout
- Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
- Engine
- 1.6 L I4 / 1.8 L I4
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual / 5-speed automated manual
- Class
- Compact car (C)
- Wheelbase
- 2492 mm
- Length
- 4290 mm
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Lada Priora debuted in March 2007 as a sedan, with a 5-door hatchback following in February 2008 and a 3-door hatchback in January 2008. A station wagon arrived in May 2009. A long-wheelbase version, the Priora Premier, was produced in small volumes by AvtoVAZ partner ZAO Super-Avto from autumn 2008, equipped with a 120 hp 1.8-liter engine. In June 2011, AvtoVAZ announced a version with a 90 hp engine that reduced weight by 39% compared to the 98 hp basic engine, with a longer-lasting engine rated for up to 200,000 km mileage. Minor changes included a new front bumper, rear-view mirrors, and steering wheel. In August 2011, the Lada Priora CNG was announced, running on gasoline and compressed natural gas, with a 43-liter fuel tank and four gas tanks totaling 96 liters, giving a range of 580 km on gasoline and 330 km on CNG. The hatchback and estate variants ended production by the end of 2015, as the sedan accounted for over 80 percent of sales mix. On May 22, 2018, AvtoVAZ announced the end of Priora saloon production by July 2018. A photo of the last body in the welding shop appeared on July 16, 2018, dated July 13 with a poster reading "Последний!" ("Last!") and another date of July 11. AvtoVAZ confirmed the cessation of production in an official release on July 17, 2018.
Reader's Guide
The Lada Priora served as a transitional model for AvtoVAZ, bridging the older Lada 110 platform with modernized styling and equipment. Its significance lies in its role as a volume seller in the Russian domestic market, with over half a million units produced by mid-2012. The model offered a range of body styles—sedan, hatchback, station wagon, and a long-wheelbase variant—though the sedan dominated sales. Equipment gradually improved, with a Lux package introduced in May 2008 adding passenger airbags, ABS, parking sensors, and later features like climate control, heated seats, and a multimedia system. The Priora also saw motorsport use, with the LADA Sport team contesting part of the 2009 World Touring Car Championship season with three Prioras. Safety performance was modest, scoring 5.4 out of 16 points in a 2007 ARCAP frontal crash test, though a later version improved to 10.6 points. The model's legacy is that of a workhorse that sustained AvtoVAZ through the 2010s before being superseded by the Lada Vesta for export and eventually domestically, with production ending in July 2018 after a gradual phase-out of non-sedan variants.
Did You Know?
- The Lada Priora is largely a restyled and modernised Lada 110, replacing it in 2009.
- By May 16, 2012, 590,000 Prioras had been produced.
- The Priora CNG variant had four gas tanks totaling 96 liters, giving a CNG range of 330 km.
- The last Priora body was photographed in the welding shop on July 13, 2018, with a poster reading 'Последний!' ('Last!').
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