Lada Granta liftback with an automatic transmission and a 98 horsepower engine - is it worth taking?

To obtain the most unbiased and comprehensive information regarding the features of using the Lada Granta, the advantages and disadvantages of this car, read the reviews on the Liftback Grant.

Based on information provided by live users with a long service life, it will be much easier to make a choice based on a compressed array of information regarding the most important components of car operation, ensuring maximum user comfort.

First impressions of the new Lada car

Let's be honest, just a few years ago no one expected AvtoVAZ to be capable of this. The car looks modern, the interior is not inferior to almost any other model in competitive classes. A very successful design of the optics and good appearance of the interior details make the car feel more expensive than it actually is. Of course, this is only a first impression, but it is incredibly important in making a purchasing decision.

It is necessary to note the following design and construction features of the car:

• several important changes have appeared in the cabin, in particular, in place of the cigarette lighter there is now a nice 12V socket, and the instrument panel has also been redesigned for an automatic machine;
• the panel became more unified and attractive, the terrible shelf at the passengers' knees was covered by a glove box lid, the shelf on top of the panel was also covered with a plastic cover;
• the car is made in the form of a liftback, which allows you to open the rear door along with the glass and easily place almost any items with large dimensions in the cabin;
• there is not much space in the cabin, but this is a cost of the class, especially cramped space will be felt on the back seat, where, regardless of settings and layouts, it is not very comfortable for an adult passenger to ride;
• The optics in the car are very nice and work well; the decision to use the rarest H19 lamps in the headlights turned out to be very incomprehensible - it is not clear what the manufacturer was thinking about.

The car evokes a positive feeling if you are a driver or front passenger. Of course, extraneous sounds will not go away; the car needs to be improved in terms of sound insulation and other features. Many of the unpleasant squeaks and rattles that bothered Grant owners a few years ago have disappeared. Today it is a completely different car of a different level and with different ambitions. So the buyer will clearly find something to praise the car for after purchase and first trips.

Lada car interior

“Concerning the interior, there are two opinions that contradict each other: for the first year and a half of driving on trips further than 50 km, my back ached in the driver’s seat. But my wife in the back seat was unusually comfortable.”

Alexander, Lada Granta Liftback.6 (106 hp) with AMT robot 2015, owner review. “The salon provides a large number of possibilities for tuning due to the large amount of free space! It’s just important not to overdo it, otherwise it will look unaesthetic. You can install a stereo system, new floor mats, comfortable armrests, etc. I plan to do all this in the near future. I also want to install a spoiler"

Reviews of the Lada from the owner of a liftback 1.6 (106 hp) with a robot, 2015. “The interior is quite spacious, just like in the Lada Kalina, however, due to changes in the design of the front panel, as well as a change in the shape of the glove compartment, there is less space for comfortable leg placement for the front passenger. The impact resistance of plastic is at a lower level than that of the first generation Lada Kalina model range. In contrast to the susceptibility to impacts, the rigidity of the plastic panels is at approximately the same level. As for the seats, they hold their shape much better than in previous models. The material used for the upholstery of the floor and seats does not raise any complaints, however, due to the black coloring, all the adhering debris is visible.”

Liftback 2021 owner review with mechanics 2021 release. “The interior is quite neat and pleasing with its high-quality assembly, but I would like to note that the glare of the sun is often reflected on the screen. The sound insulation in the factory configuration is quite weak, but in the near future I want to fix it myself.”

Pavel, automatic liftback reviews. “The interior is not conducive to talking about it for a long time - the assembly looks quite simple and cheap. But the stove in the cabin is simply excellent, it cooks quite well. The acoustics are also good, for me personally, provided that I don’t bother with the purity of the sound of the music, everything suits me.”

Motor and gearbox - important technical questions

The updated Granta with 1.6 engines has one big plus in common. The manufacturer has taken care of those owners who do not want to change belts on time or install low-quality components. In this case, a broken timing belt does not cause the valves to meet the pistons. The motors are very easy to maintain and unpretentious. 98 forces turn out to be quite a sufficient power resource for this car, even taking into account the small reserve for the automatic.

The machine gun itself on Grant has the following features:

• the unit has 4 gears and was developed by the Japanese corporation Jatco, which is known for the most reliable and durable automatic transmissions for all global car manufacturers;
• the box is simple and reliable, there will be no problems with its operation for a long time, the machine turned out to be very impressive precisely in terms of reliability and potential durability;
• the automatic switches with slight jolts, this is its factory feature, but several days of travel will bring you to get used to this feature, there is no discomfort and there will not be;
• the automatic takes a little away from the engine power, but overall everything remains very sane, the dynamics in urban conditions are sufficient for comfortable movement on the roads;
• there are modes P, R, D and 1, 2 - in the last two cases the box will work only in first or only in first and second gears, respectively, this is very convenient for difficult conditions.

The gearbox and engine were a great match. Unless you have to monitor your consumption, curbing your desire to press the pedal harder. The average consumption in the city is 12 liters. But on the highway, a Granta with an automatic transmission can handle 7.5 liters without much strain. Otherwise, the car remains quite primitive and cheap, but the combination of engine and gearbox is really pleasing. If the company continues to update its most budget car at this rate, it will definitely become a big seller.

Interior

Why is the Granta Liftback better than the Granta Sedan in terms of interior: in many ways, the interior of both models is identical. The quality of the plastic is good, the gap at the joints is insignificant. The standard radio of type 2 is worthy of attention - DIMM on the Liftback, in the Sedan form factor 1 - DIMM. The standard package includes:

• immobilizer;
• seat belt sensor;
• headlight hydrocorrector;
• sound notification of the presence of a key in the ignition switch.

The instrument panel has acquired a visor, now the sun's rays will not illuminate the readings of the on-board computer, tachometer, and speedometer. At the bottom of the central channel there are two cup holders, an ashtray, and a 12 V input for connecting third-party gadgets, charging smartphones and tablets. The shape of the seats is identical, but the upholstery has become more pleasant to the touch, and there are inserts for air circulation. The parking brake lever has finally received a cast handle, it looks more attractive, more powerful, and merges with the central channel.

The rear row of seats folds in a 60/40 ratio, regardless of modification. Which is convenient and practical when transporting oversized cargo. A full-size spare wheel, a mechanical jack, and a wheel wrench are stowed in the luggage compartment under a soundproofing layer. In the budget packages Norma and Standard are only additional. The difference is significant; purchasing a full-fledged wheel requires additional costs.

How does it feel to operate a Lada Granta 1.6 automatic transmission?

Let's be honest, there aren't many expectations from this car. Most potential buyers only expect that the car will drive and not break down. No buyer fully expects comfort and quality of travel from this car. The Lada Granta, in its updated version with an automatic transmission, has made a little progress in providing comfort and ride quality. The car has become more beautiful and comfortable, comfort has increased due to minor changes in design and construction.

But the car still has many disadvantages, and you need to work with them:

• at a speed of 100 km/h and above, the car unpleasantly moves off the road, the chassis does not want to hold the asphalt, as a result, the car wanders across the entire width of the lane, you always need to catch it;
• the hum from the engine or gearbox is quite noticeable, and sound insulation will not help here, you need to refine the design and remove extraneous sounds, which are very annoying;
• the automatic transmission was adapted for this car, and the adaptation from AvtoVAZ is felt - when accelerating smoothly from a speed of 50-60 km/h on the highway, the box begins to behave irresponsibly;
• the brakes remain very mysterious - you need to spend the first hours behind the wheel of the car carefully, as the braking is either harsh or non-existent, and this is a real problem for the driver;
• The liftback is a little inferior to the sedan in terms of ride comfort - from the trunk every now and then you can hear the sounds of clicking tools, the spare tire moving in the niche and other mysterious noises.

You won’t be able to make any serious claims against this machine, since its cost speaks for itself. On the other hand, for a poor Russian family, paying 620,000 rubles for a car will be a real problem. So you shouldn’t be fooled by the fact that the car is very cheap. The AvtoVAZ company is managed by the Renault-Nissan alliance, so today these are cars that are designed to make money. And savings on very important and necessary things continue to be present in the manufacturer’s cars.

Transmission

Brand	Gearbox type	Mode
Lada Sedan Lada Liftback	Mechanical Auto Robotic	5 speed 4 speed 5 speed

Automatic and robotic gearbox types are only available in Norma and Lux ​​trim levels. “Standard” has only mechanics. The difference is not significant, but for some it will be fundamental.

Comparison with competitors - do they even exist?

And again we must honestly admit that the car has no special rivals. If you are looking for a new car with an automatic transmission, a large trunk and a good practical engine for just over 600,000 rubles, you have no choice at all. The only comparison can be made with those price rivals that are sold for the same money, but with much worse configuration. But we tried to pay attention specifically to competitors with automatic transmissions.

You should pay attention to the following offers:

1. Ravon R4. For the same money you can buy a second version of the Uzbek Ravon with good contents. The 1.5 engine is very simple and practical, the 6-speed gearbox will also not let you down. The car will become a real competitor for the Grant, given the price equality.
2. FAW Besturn B50. It may be an outdated car, but it still competes with cars in the lower classes. FAW has good build quality and some pretty enviable technology on board. The 1.6 engine with 103 horsepower is also not bad.
3. Datsun on-DO. This is the same Granta, slightly modified by Japanese engineers. The machine is not bad, but it is in dire need of updating. The outdated design and 87 horsepower engine take this car a little away from the competitive environment for the Granta.
4. Changan Eado. Another Chinese who can slightly interrupt AvtoVAZ's trade. This car was well received in our market, thanks to its excellent 113 horsepower engine and quite presentable Japanese automatic. And the sales of the car itself are very good.

These are the rivals on the market in the same price class as the domestic Granta. The question remains about why it is more profitable for Uzbeks to produce a car even a little larger, transport it to our region and sell it even cheaper than AvtoVAZ does with a car of a lower class. It is Ravon who should be considered as the main rival who is worth your attention. It is superior to Granta in many ways, but at the same time costs the same money.

We invite you to watch a video review of the new liftback from Lada:

Let's sum it up

If we take into account the reviews of experts in the automotive market, we can judge the warm reception of the updated liftback from Granta. The plant changed the car a little and improved minor flaws even in comparison with the sedan that came out a few months ago. However, a lot of disadvantages remain, so we can judge that work on improving the machine continues. Now all versions of Granta are available in a new body, and the old one is gradually being sold out with reduced price tags from dealers. Overall, this is good; nothing very bad can be said about the updated generation.

The restyling was a success, the car looks pretty decent and can remain one of the most interesting in its segment. However, it has competition, so it's worth taking a closer look at the car and comparing it with its price rivals. It is quite possible that vehicles from other manufacturers will be better for you personally than VAZ’s invention. But when summing up, we can’t say anything completely bad about the machine. For the money, this is a very good option with a good potential service life. What do you think about this new product from Lada?