Lada Vesta
AvtoVAZ's first new platform in years, launched in 2015.
The Lada Vesta is a compact car that AvtoVAZ has been building since 2015. It debuted at the Moscow International Automobile Salon in August 2014, and mass production kicked off on 25 September 2015 at the company’s Izhevsk plant. AvtoVAZ’s president and CEO, Bo Andersson, oversaw the operational improvements that allowed the Vesta—the company’s first entirely new platform in years—to launch on schedule and earn the highest crash safety rating in its class. The car went on sale in November 2015 and within days became one of Russia’s top sellers; by 2018 it was the best-selling car in the country.
In September 2017, Lada introduced a station wagon and a “Cross” version of that wagon with extra ground clearance. A “Cross” sedan, offering more ground clearance than a Toyota RAV4, followed in the first half of 2018. In September 2022, Lada president Maxim Sokolov announced two new models: a crossover based on the Vesta using a Renault-derived B/C platform, and a separate family of compact cars on a global platform. The updated Vesta would be the first model produced after shifting assembly from Izhevsk to Togliatti.
Standard equipment includes an airbag, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, electronic brakeforce distribution, electronic stability control, traction control, hill-start assist, the ERA-GLONASS emergency system, a tilt/telescoping steering column, a remote central locking system with a folding key, a trip computer, an alarm, 15- or 16-inch wheels, and a full-size spare tire—making it one of the most feature-rich cars in Russia’s entry-level segment. Side airbags were added in 2016.
The first mass-produced Vesta was a Comfort trim with a 1.6-liter engine and manual transmission. Sales began on 25 November 2015. A CNG variant can run on compressed natural gas (methane) or gasoline. The Vesta is sold in Russia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. Exports to the European Union—including Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia—started in early 2017, with SW and Cross versions arriving a year later. EU models met Euro 6 standards and included extra safety gear, but only the 1.6-liter engine was offered. Those exports ended after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Vesta was available in three trim levels: Classic, Comfort, and Luxe, each with optional packages (Start for Classic, Multimedia and Image for Comfort, Multimedia for Luxe).
Quick Facts
- Aka
- Lada Aura (LWB version)
- Manufacturer
- Lada (AvtoVAZ)
- Layout
- Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
- Class
- Compact car (C)
- Production
- 2015 – present
- Predecessor
- Lada Priora
- Platform
- Lada B/C
- Engine
- 1.6 L VAZ 21129 I4 · 1.8 L VAZ 21179 I4
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual · 5-speed automated manual · CVT
- Wheelbase
- 2635 mm
- Length
- 4410 mm
- Height
- 1497 mm
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Lada Vesta was developed under the leadership of Bo Andersson, President and CEO of AvtoVAZ, who improved overall operations and quality, enabling the Vesta – AvtoVAZ's first completely new platform in several years – to launch on-time and with the highest crash safety rating in its class. Production began on 25 September 2015 at AvtoVAZ's Izhevsk manufacturing site, with the first mass-produced car being a Comfort trim-level model equipped with a 1.6-liter engine and manual transmission. Sales started on 25 November 2015.
A station wagon and a 'Cross' version of the station wagon with higher ground clearance were introduced in September 2017. A 'Cross' version of the sedan, with more ground clearance than a Toyota RAV4, arrived in the first half of 2018. In September 2022, Lada president Maxim Sokolov announced the creation of two new Lada models, one a crossover on the Vesta built on the Lada B/C platform of Renault conception, and the other a separate family of compact cars. The new Vesta would be the first new model launched after the transition of Vesta production from Izhevsk to Togliatti.
The Vesta is sold on Russian, Azerbaijani and Kazakhstani markets. Exports to the European Union (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia) began in early 2017, with SW and Cross versions following a year later. EU-spec cars met Euro 6 standards and offered additional safety equipment, but exports ended after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Vesta also raced for Lada Sport in the FIA World Touring Car Championship between 2015 and 2016, and later with privateer RC Motorsport in 2017, claiming four race victories.
Reader's Guide
The Lada Vesta is significant as AvtoVAZ's first completely new platform in several years, marking a turnaround in quality and safety under Bo Andersson. Its launch on-time and with the highest crash safety rating in its class helped it become one of the best-selling cars in Russia within days of its November 2015 sales start, and by 2018 it was the best-selling car in the country. The model expanded into station wagon and cross-country variants, and a sport version with a factory-tuned 145-horsepower engine premiered at the Moscow International Automobile Salon in August 2018. The Vesta also represented AvtoVAZ's return to international markets, with exports to several European Union countries beginning in 2017, though these ended after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In motorsport, the Vesta competed in the FIA World Touring Car Championship from 2015 to 2017, achieving four race victories. The model's legacy includes its role as the basis for future models, including a crossover announced in 2022, and the extended-wheelbase Lada Aura produced from August–September 2024.
Did You Know?
- The Lada Vesta was presented in August 2014 at the Moscow International Automobile Salon.
- It scored 14.1 out of 16 points in a 2016 ARCAP frontal crash test, earning four stars out of four.
- The Vesta Cross sedan has more ground clearance than a Toyota RAV4.
- The Vesta claimed four race victories in the FIA World Touring Car Championship.
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