Production of the Lada XRay at AvtoVAZ began on December 15, 2015, and sales began on February 14, 2021 at 120 dealers in 56 cities. During 2016-2018 the car was mercilessly tested by many car owners and based on their reviews we can talk about the pros and cons of Xray.
Almost three years that have passed since the start of sales have allowed the owners of the purchased cars to test them in a variety of operating conditions, and this testing not only confirmed the declared ones, but also revealed shortcomings that the concern is working on already during the production process.
From the many different reviews from car enthusiasts, we will select the negative ones, consider their reasoning and group them into areas:
- Body;
- Trunk;
- Salon;
- Engine;
- Optics;
- Transmission;
- Brake system.
Body
Lada Xray was expected since 2012, moreover, as a crossover, but, 3 years later, to the disappointment of those expecting the presentation, it still resembled a small hatchback with increased ground clearance to 195 mm and only front-wheel drive.
The spectacular profile of the sides of the Lada X Ray, the embossing of the doors and wings has a downside - the difficulty of restoring oval contours on these body parts after damage.
There are no roof rails on the XRay roof, so it is not possible to install a roof rack on top, other than a rare universal one from the 60s, and the price of foreign-made luggage boxes is several tens of thousands of rubles.
The hood in the open position is fixed low - by a short strut, which makes access to the engine compartment inconvenient - you have to bend over.
The body sills are not protected by any coating underneath, and as a result of the abrasive effect of gravel flying from under the wheels (common to a crossover), they quickly begin to corrode.
The volume of the Lada XRay fuel tank is small for a crossover - only 50 liters. In addition, the gas tank is equipped with a primitive metal inlet neck without drainage or any protective linings. The hatch cover, behind which the neck is located, is disproportionately large, does not have any locking device and opens freely from the outside without driver intervention.
The side mirrors of the Lada XRay, given the height of the car, are small, so they are not only visually disproportionate to the body, but also have little information. At the same time, the amplitude of mirror adjustments (the travel of the adjusting lever) is clearly insufficient, since tall drivers who move the seat far back have to manually install the mirror element into a comfortable position through the lowered window of the driver's door.
The protection of the engine compartment from below needs improvement, since the engine becomes very dirty even after a short off-road drive.
The doors of the Lada XRay do not have fixed positions after opening, which is inconvenient when there is wind or the car is stopped on a slope.
XRay glass, both side and windshield, has low abrasion resistance. After a few months of use, scratches appear on the windshield from the operation of the windshield wipers, and on the side ones - from lifting and lowering.
The X-Ray engine compartment seals, even though they are installed even in the front part, do not cope with their task of protecting the engine from dust from above. The reason for this is an unsuccessful cross-section profile and insufficiently elastic manufacturing material.
Review of VAZ Xray Cross 1.8 (2020)
After ten years of operation, the Suzuki Jimny was thinking about changing the car. The Jimnik served faithfully for a long time. Up to 100,000 km. I didn’t have any problems at all, just scheduled maintenance and fill up with gasoline. Then little things, but still began to crumble. No, the breakdowns were not frequent, not critical and not particularly costly: the clutch cable broke, the brake caliper jammed, the terrible shimmy made itself felt by the wear of the Panhard rod silent blocks (who doesn’t know the shimmy - a resonant beating of the steering wheel - Jimny’s friend, on the new model the Japanese because of this, they began to install a steering damper as standard), here and there pockets of corrosion appeared on the body, the additionally installed alarm system and immobilizer were finally covered (they had to be dismantled), the manual transmission synchronizers wore out (gears became difficult to engage), etc. In addition, due to a number of family circumstances, the off-road capabilities of the car have become very excessive (over the past year I have connected the all-wheel drive only a couple of times, and the low-low only to make sure that it still works), and the capacity has become insufficient. It was not a pity, but in order to avoid the subsequent inevitable increase in repair costs, I decided to change the car. The question of choice was as follows: the new car should be a compact crossover, preferably all-wheel drive, but not necessarily - the most important thing is decent ground clearance, manual transmission (well, I love it), the cost should be within the amount of 1.5 million rubles. I didn’t see any point in buying a more expensive car - not the most profitable investment in the current economic situation. Of course, remembering the trouble-free operation of the Jimnik, I had my eye on the new Vitara - it just satisfied all the above requirements. But what bothered me was that the equipment was very spartan; after 10 years, I still wanted comfort. So I started looking at other possible options.
Koreans - definitely not, recently they have started making cars disposable, according to reviews there are a lot of complaints. Only the Kia Soul and Hyundai Creta fit into the announced price. The first conventional front-wheel drive hatchback with low ground clearance, only by misunderstanding was classified by the manufacturer as a crossover. The second one seems to be okay, but the interior is poor and the car is generally without any special features, a kind of average budget car. I just didn't like it.
Europeans - only Renault, or more precisely models developed by the Romanian Dacia under the Renault nameplate, are priced. The choice here is quite varied, but... Duster: not bad for everyone, but again, poor equipment even at maximum speed, and most importantly - the reputation of the car (I saved for a long time, denied myself everything and finally bought a FOREIGN CAR!), the same as Logan. Just right as an accelerating machine for work, but not for a family. Sandero - as soon as I opened the door, I immediately closed it - small, poor, cramped, even in the Stepway version it doesn’t look like a crossover and there is no all-wheel drive in any of the trim levels. Kaptur is cute, probably reliable (we use a lot of them in car sharing in Moscow) and there is an all-wheel drive version. Arkana is a completely new and unknown beast. The exterior is like a BMW X6, the inside is really simple, the price is good, but why? Unclear. What’s wrong with it, that a modern, beautiful and roomy car is sold at the price of a Captura? Overall, I wouldn't rush into making a purchase.
The Japanese - well, besides Suzuki, they only have Nissan Terrano - the same Duster, only “in profile”. The rest are significantly more expensive.
Who knows, I decided to look at the Chinese too. The first one I came across was the Geely car dealership; I looked at two models, Emgrand X7 and Atlas. The first is a regular front-wheel drive station wagon. Surprisingly, the outside and inside are assembled with dignity, the ergonomics are all right. I read the reviews - there are complaints about the corrosion resistance of the body. Atlas is good, although it is not so compact. Both the exterior and interior are excellent. In general, there is nothing to complain about, although the climate and multimedia controls seemed not very conveniently located. There is an all-wheel drive version, but only with automatic transmission and its price has already significantly exceeded the acceptable threshold. The single-wheel drive version fits in, but the manual version lacks many options. Thank you, but for this money there are more interesting offers, it’s too early to buy a Chinese one. FAW Besturn X80 is a good, nice car based on Mazda components, it is expected that it should be no less reliable. At least according to reviews there are not many complaints. The price is a little over a million. The equipment is sufficient. It's true that it's only front-wheel drive, but the ground clearance is 190 mm. already something. But the brand is rare, very few of them are sold, dealers are kind of shady. What will happen to the spare parts, how long will we have to wait (after all, not everything is interchangeable with Mazda), what is the future of this brand for us, how and for how much to sell it later. In general, I was afraid to buy. Lifan is outright rubbish, the build quality remains the same as that of the early Chinese, it went bankrupt, the plant in Cherkessk stopped assembling them, and now they are selling off the rest. If you take it, then only for slaughter. Haval, H2, H6. H2 was not in showrooms, when they will appear is unknown. H6 is too big, for sale is an outdated model that is assembled here. The newer one is not yet assembled here and is not supplied from China. Only turbocharged engines. Not an option. Changan, namely I looked at CS35Plus. Expensive and boho. Instead of a traditional instrument panel there is an LCD display. In place of the climate and multimedia is a touch display. The only non-electronic controls are the steering wheel, pedals and, for now, the gearshift knob. If the electronics malfunction or fail on the road, what should you do? You won’t even know the fuel level and speed! Chery – here I liked the Tiggo 4 (Tiggo 5, 7 are too big), both externally and internally. The brand is perhaps the most widespread and in demand among all the Chinese. True, only the most basic equipment comes with mechanics. Decent configurations are only available with a CVT. The drive is also only front-wheel drive. And the Jatco variator requires very careful handling - do not drive, do not start abruptly, do not skid. I took it for a test drive, it was okay, but I didn’t like the very stiff suspension - you feel any unevenness in your bottom. But everything is at a reasonable price. And a very significant drawback of ALL Chinese is the service interval of 10 thousand km. Total. Although the cost of maintenance is more or less adequate, in the end the service will be quite expensive.
In general, I’m trying to leave the car dealership, in thought, in the middle of the aisle there is a manager with a crowd of buyers, apparently the whole family has come to choose a car. In order not to be crowded, I decided to go through the neighboring car dealership (LADA) - they are under the same roof, only the halls are different. I never even considered AvtoVAZ products; I gave up on it 14 years ago. Just when Vesta left, I looked in and sat there just out of curiosity. Yes, it’s not bad, it’s solid, it looks high-quality, but it’s still a passenger car, not a crossover. XRAY didn’t catch my attention at all back then – it was just an ordinary inexpressive hatchback. And then suddenly... What is this? In front of me stood some really beautiful car, reminiscent of XRAY only in its contours. But the clearance! It seemed that I could now lie down on the floor and crawl under the car on my belly without catching anything. And a black plastic body kit all around. I started reading the sign: XRAY Cross, front-wheel drive (oh what a pity!), 1.8 liter engine, manual transmission, then a long list of options, finally the price - less than a million (!). I climb into the driver's seat. But nothing, it’s convenient, everything is generally at hand. The visibility is excellent, worse than in Jimnik, but there were generally mug mirrors, there were no blind spots. There's not a lot of space in the back, but it's quite enough, you barely have to rest your knees. Spacious trunk. Why not an option? I asked for a test drive. The test drive car had a CVT (the same Jatco), but this was not important for the test. It turned out that the car steers well, it’s very smooth on the move, it doesn’t even notice small bumps, and it doesn’t shake your soul out on large ones. It runs quite quietly and smoothly. I never thought that I would want to drive a Zhiguli again after so many years of owning foreign cars. I took a time out, I needed to put together and analyze all the information. What alarmed me about the XRAY Cross when I read the reviews was the possible oil burn of the VAZ-21179 1.8 liter engine, which is equipped with all models with a manual transmission. The French-Japanese H4M 1.6 liter engine, reliable, and even with a timing chain, is only paired with a CVT. I would still agree to a regular automatic transmission with a torque converter, but I absolutely don’t want a CVT. But then Covid happened with its restrictions and the issue of changing the car was postponed for several months. Over these months, I have already carefully studied all the information and came to the conclusion that, in fact, there is no better option than XRAY Cross. That’s just the engine... Having collected statistics, I saw that the main problems appeared at the initial stage of serial production of these engines, and in the last year or two cases of oil burns are still rare. Eh, it wasn't. Let's take a risk.
Then, towards the end of summer, some of the restrictions were lifted, car dealerships started working again and I decided not to wait any longer. There weren't many cars available. I was aiming to purchase the Luxe Prestige package. However, this configuration was not available with a manual transmission in all of Moscow (!); there was only one car with the Instinct configuration - the top-end, so to speak. It differed from the Luxe Prestige in the Yandex-Auto multimedia system and a black roof, in my opinion there were no other differences. Well, I decided to take it, since otherwise I would have had to order and wait. I traded in the Jimnik so as not to bother with selling it myself. They accepted me and gave me a 40 thousand discount. As it turned out later (I tracked his fate on the website), I lost 50 thousand rubles on this case, i.e. They sold it to the new owner for an amount 50 thousand more than what the salon charged me along with the discount. Not bad, considering that we bought it only after almost three months.
To save even more, I immediately took out a loan at a car dealership at a discount under the state program, and in the end I won a little, and only because I repaid the loan ahead of schedule. The body of this loan includes all sorts of imposed insurance. I didn’t know then, since I had never been involved with loans, that you can get approval in advance and apply for a loan directly from the bank with minimal overpayments. True, for this you would have to run. CASCO insurance was compulsory, of course, because... still a new car. CASCO was not included in the loan body. But although they tried to impose additional extras, they were unsuccessful - in the end, I only installed crankcase protection and floor mats from the dealer and, so be it, took the motorist’s kit. Fortunately, the car was not initially equipped with any additional equipment and was purely factory equipped. Lucky. Closer to winter, car dealerships immediately (after removal from the car transporter) began to equip the cars they were selling with additional equipment and only then put them up for sale. So, in the end, everything turned out very well for me. I arrived at the dealership in the morning in an old car and left in the evening in a new one. Everything went smoothly, I just had some nerves in the lending department. For just under a million, I received a fully packaged and ready-to-use car. For a foreign car of comparable configuration one would have to pay 300 thousand more.
Operation has begun. I went to register with the traffic police on the third day, at the MREO not far from home. I was spitting all over - there was no pre-registration for this particular department, there was a crowd of people, I lost half a day. What does it mean - I haven’t encountered it for a long time, I’m out of the habit. While I was waiting in line for inspection, I saw enough of how they get to the bottom of tuned cars.
Gradually I slightly upgraded the car. Additionally, I purchased trunk arches for mounting on the roof rails, because... There may be a need to carry long items. I purchased and installed on my own a gas tank protection, as well as a fuel pipe protection (steel, instead of the standard plastic - although the plastic is quite thick and not brittle, steel will somehow be more reliable). Closer to winter, I bought Viatti Brina Nordica tires - they are produced at our Kama plant, only under the Italian brand. When choosing, the low price and strong sidewall played a role. The rest is an ordinary stud, no worse and no better than many. I would love to take the Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000, but no.
Further details about the equipment and operating experience.
Safety – passive and active. It's simple here. Two front airbags (passenger can be switched off), 4 stars on ArCAP (Auto Review crash test) - God forbid, of course, belts with pretensioners, height adjustable, Isofix, Era-Glonass, driver and front passenger seat belt warning, ESC (ABS included) , ESP, ELD - there will be more about this below, an assistance system when starting uphill, in general, a bunch of all sorts of useful goodies), a steering column with an electric steering system, naturally injury-proof.
Engine. Starts with half a turn. When cold it is really noisy, beyond normal. Gasoline consumption, of course, is higher than stated by the manufacturer - in the combined cycle it turns out to be 8.7 liters. per hundred. We'll see if it goes down further. But I only pour 92, which is allowed by the manufacturer. It accelerates quite quickly and you can have some fun on the highway. And by the way, it gives confident acceleration throughout the entire rev range, i.e. you don’t need to turn it, unlike earlier VAZ “riding” engines. During the running-in, the first 3000 km. I drove slowly, carefully, as prescribed by the regulations. Then I changed the oil. Although this is not a mandatory procedure, I decided that it couldn’t get any worse. The issue price is approximately 4 thousand rubles. Filled with 5W30. For about 6000 km. Since the replacement, the waste consumption has amounted to about a third of the dipstick, it seems to be about 250-300 ml.
Transmission. The transmission (five-speed manual) is VERY good. Gears can be changed simply with one finger! I get great pleasure from driving. Honestly. Clutch with two (!) cables. The manufacturer writes that it supposedly does not need adjustment. I don’t know how it all works there, this is the first time I’ve seen this myself. In general, we'll wait and see, so far there are no complaints. Everything is clear. They say the transmission here is from Renault.
Body. The quality of assembly and painting is at the level. The gaps, after foreign cars, are, in my opinion, too big, but even, there’s nothing to complain about. The paintwork is holding up, I haven’t seen any chips on the body from stones yet, although I drive on country roads all the time. The body is well treated with anti-corrosion from the factory. The manufacturer provides a 6-year warranty against through corrosion. I also did additional treatment with Mercasol, just in case. They gave me 2 extra years of warranty to the six.
Salon. The plastic is hard, but the design is played out in such a way that the interior does not give the impression of being cheap, unlike budget-class foreign cars. The seats are comfortable, long trips are not annoying, due to the maximum configuration they are upholstered with the so-called. “Eco-leather” in combination with fabric. In the heat, neither the butt nor the back sweat. The front seats have lateral support that is not superb, but quite sufficient. The build quality of the interior is up to par, nothing rattles, no crickets yet. Although the USB port, located in the glove compartment, is simply thrown from under the torpedo in the form of a piece of cable with a chip at the end and, under certain conditions, begins to scrape on the glove compartment lid from the inside, making not very pleasant sounds. The climate control works, the algorithm is curved (more on this below, where the shortcomings are described), but overall it performs its functions. The Yandex-Auto multimedia system is simple and easy to use, has built-in navigation, and easily connects to any phone via Bluetooth, without any dancing with a tambourine. A USB modem with a SIM card from MTS comes standard. Hidden under the torpedo. To get there, you need to climb into the glove compartment and remove the lid on the top wall (the second USB port, which I mentioned above, is connected through it). It’s true that this SIM card didn’t work for me initially, apparently because due to quarantine the car sat in the cabin for a long time without moving and the operator blocked the SIM card. I wasn’t upset about this, I just threw out the modem and now use Wi-Fi distribution from my smartphone. It works fine, although for this purpose the distribution on the smartphone should not be turned off and limit traffic in sleep mode. You can listen to music on the radio, from a flash drive, from a smartphone, the sound quality suits me quite well. For someone more demanding it may not be enough, but I’m not a music lover. There are parking sensors that make a heartbreaking squeal when you just start driving backwards into a regular garage, so you can’t trust them. But the rear view camera is pleasing - color, with markings, the image is clear if the lens is clean. So high quality that I didn’t even bother to remove the protective film. All the shortcomings of Yandex-Auto are due to crude software - sometimes it freezes out of nowhere, and when started in cold weather - almost always, sometimes it chooses a far from optimal route, sometimes it gives some kind of AIMP error, once the camera “fell off”. All this occurs infrequently and can be treated simply by a forced reboot (if there was a problem in the hardware, it would not be cured). But to press the forced reboot button you need something sharp - the power button does not restart the system, it only turns the screen off (or on). There is a standard alarm with central locking and immobilizer. The instrument cluster is convenient, the beautiful lighting is pleasing to the eye, and the information is easy to read. There is a gear shift prompt: a green icon with an arrow is displayed either up, when it is recommended to shift to a higher gear, or down. The up arrow lights up when the engine speed reaches above 2000, the down arrow when the speed drops below 1500. For beginners this option may be useful, but for an experienced driver it is unnecessary. There are a lot of containers for small things in the cabin, there is even a box under the passenger seat. I’ve never found a use for it, but the VIN appears to be knocked out underneath it! That’s why I was surprised when, during registration, the traffic cop demanded that this box be taken out. The possibilities for transforming the interior are varied. The rear seat folds in sections. You can also fold the backrest of the front passenger seat forward. This allows you to transport long items up to 2.5 m. inside the cabin, and not have to worry about tying/untying it to the roof rack. The luggage compartment has a double floor, although without an organizer. I keep tools and various useful devices there (a hand winch, bracelets, two cables - a snatch and a steel 50 m, etc., just in case). Jack and cylinder in the side niche. The lid above the storage niche is thin and easily dented. To avoid deformation, I cut it to shape and laid a sheet of 8mm plywood on top. Now everything is buzzing!
Noise insulation. I'll be honest. The guys tried their best. We did everything we could, based on, frankly speaking, AvtoVAZ’s poor traditions in this area. Overall the car is quiet. Only at speeds of 90 and above (and during acceleration) does the guttural roar of the engine, the grinding of spikes on the asphalt, and the howling of the wind in the roof rack penetrate into the cabin. Up to such speeds, the cabin is quite quiet, you can talk without raising your voice. Compared to previous VAZ models, this is a step forward.
Patency. Of course, you don’t really expect it from a front-wheel drive, albeit elevated, passenger car, nevertheless, the cross-version has some off-road capabilities. Off-road in dry weather it performs no worse than any all-wheel drive crossover, or even a stock SUV. The reason for this is the huge (215mm!) ground clearance, which I actually measured myself under the rear suspension beam, and the short overhangs. With the proper skill, it overcomes potholes and ruts without yielding in any way. You shouldn’t meddle in shit, literally at all. No, of course not, some small sections of primer washed out by rain can be overcome on foot, but nothing more. The tread quickly becomes washed out (AT and MT of this size simply do not exist) and that’s the end - there is no all-wheel drive, there is no rigid inter-wheel locking. We've arrived. Only the XRAY Cross has an interesting feature called RideSelect - an analogue of the French GripControl. By switching the position of the washer, the degree of IMITATION of blocking of slipping drive wheels is dosed due to alternate braking and transfer of torque from the slipping wheel to the stationary one (the so-called “electronic locking” differential - ELD). This thing really works. There are 4 positions: ESC ON (standard mode, all cars with ESP have it, it serves mainly to stabilize the car, it has a more negative effect on cross-country ability, since it stupidly slows down traffic where you can get through), “Snow-mud” (about mud I’ve already said above - it’s of little use, but I’ll tell you more about snow below), “Sand” (they say that there is no difference with the “Snow” mode, in fact there is - it works worse in snow, I haven’t tried it in sand yet, I’ll try it and report back ), ESC OFF (mode of operation with ESP disabled, allows you to overcome difficult areas at speed, but that’s all, if you slow down, you’ll skid like a regular “nine”). In the center of the puck, the “Sport” mode button does not turn off ESC, but adds torque. In this mode, it is easiest to overcome a climb in icy conditions, provided, of course, the tires are appropriate, without the risk of going into a ditch or bump stop - the stabilization system will not help, it will level it. All these modes are switched off automatically when the speed reaches 55 km/h, and the standard mode of the stabilization system is activated. We experienced winter mode when we had heavy snowfall for several days. In garages, it was traditionally late to clear driveways and trafficability could be assessed as the scale of the disaster increased. With a small thickness of snow cover of 10-15 cm, I drove as usual without touching anything. Sometimes the ESP was triggered by blinking an icon on the instrument panel, but the car climbed well. When the next day 30 cm of snow fell, and the tractor had not yet been driven, leaving, I felt that the ESP was just trying to completely stop the car, eliminating slippage when pressing the gas. I turned on the “Snow” mode and the car drove confidently. By evening it became sharply warmer, the snow swelled, became heavier, and settled. Under the snow there is a layer of moisture, which turns into ice when it slips. And under such conditions the car drove, although it felt heavier. Just for fun, I tried the “Sand” mode. It drove, but it only felt worse, so I switched back for fear of getting stuck. Therefore: snow – “Snow”, XRAY Cross will cope. Well, just in case it’s really bad, I bought anti-slip bracelets. Putting on and taking off is quick and convenient, unlike chains.
The steering column is adjustable for tilt and reach. Cruise control controls are located on the left side of the steering wheel hub (I tried it, it works, but I didn’t use it anymore because it wasn’t necessary), and on the right side there are music volume controls, telephone controls, and steering wheel heating. The steering wheel is the same as on a Renault Captur, only the Lada badge is in the center. The steering column switches are also similar in appearance and functionality to Renault-Nissan models. In general, although they claim that the car traces its ancestry to the Renault Sandero, it is not even similar, i.e. surpasses that in all respects. But there is just a lot in common with Kaptur. Although they are all made on the same B0 platform.
Winter package. In this car, probably everything that is possible is heated. There are all seats - both front and rear. I’m not talking about the glass of the fifth door and mirrors - it goes without saying. The steering wheel and windshield are heated, and not just the wiper area. Foreign cars with such a package cost at least 1.5 lamas and are the cheapest. Since we're talking about wipers, nothing special. Although the manufacturer claims that, thanks to their frameless design, they adhere better to the glass and clean better than traditional frame ones, I didn’t notice a difference - they also sometimes leave uncleaned areas.
So, to summarize, I will say that the manufacturer quite rightly positions this car as a crossover - it is in no way inferior and even superior to its mono-wheel drive European, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese counterparts. The most important thing is not to deliberately climb into places where you don’t need to climb. And in the vast majority of life situations, its capabilities are more than enough.
There are not many shortcomings, they are not very annoying, but still. In my opinion, only lazy people did not write about ergonomic miscalculations. To use the window lifter, you need to bend your hand in the shape of a very complex letter “Zu”. And by the way, not a single one, even the driver's door window regulator, has an automatic mode - you cannot raise or lower the window with a single press. It would be fine for the passenger, but it would be really inconvenient for the driver. The seat belt buckle is located very deep in the narrow gap formed by the backrest and the box between the seats. It's uncomfortable to stretch. The gear knob prevents you from turning on the heated front seats or the heated windshield while driving, and besides, it’s almost impossible to do this by touch without being distracted from the road. It’s okay with the seats, they are usually heated BEFORE the trip, but with the heated windshield it’s not so simple, and more on that later. Climate control. Works. But how? In the “Auto” mode, for some reason it blows cold air, even if a specific temperature is set on the display and the air conditioning is turned off. It seems that the outside air is stupidly driving. Therefore, I don’t use the “Auto” mode, I just set the desired temperature and fan speed on the display. OK then. Miracles begin if you turn on forced airflow on your face, legs, windshield, or both, or three of these modes at once. You can return the climate control to its original state only through the “Auto” mode and nothing else. And if you need the windshield and side windows to sweat, we turn on the “MAX” mode, then the climate control begins to drive hot air onto the windows with all its power, but at the same time both the windshield heating and the rear window heating automatically turn on, which is kind of unnecessary in in most cases, but you can’t turn it off by touch and have to take your eyes off the road. Low profile tires 215/50R17 are overkill. For what purpose did the manufacturer use 17” wheels – for the life of me, I can’t understand! The price tag for a standard Continental is simply outrageous, the standard alloy wheels are very beautiful – but the price! And on our roads, especially country roads, driving on low-profile tires is trash. Why couldn’t you use 15” wheels and tires of normal profile height?
Otherwise, there are only positive emotions from the car. I am glad that AvtoVAZ has finally learned to make cars that are not inferior, and in some ways superior to foreign cars of a similar class.
Trunk
The volume of the standard trunk of the Lada XRay is 361 liters - a decent figure, but still not enough for a crossover. In addition, there are other complaints about the trunk.
The body opening for the trunk lid is small and, moreover, due to the design of the rear lights, it is narrowed in width in the upper half. This imposes restrictions when loading oversized luggage.
The dimensions of the trunk lid glass do not provide sufficient visibility from the rear panorama from the cabin, so the manufacturer equipped the car with a parking sensor system and a rear view camera.
The floor in the luggage compartment is two-layer, the top layer is a removable false floor with eyelets at the corners for securing luggage. The strength of the raised floor is not designed for the transportation of heavy objects - under the influence of a load concentrated on a small area, it bends, and the close arrangement of the fastening eyes creates inconvenience when tying slings to them.
Under the raised floor there is a second bottom covered with a sheet of cardboard with a fleecy fabric trim. The distance between the trunk floors is 10-12 cm over its entire area, and the purpose of this space is uncertain. In addition, the material of the second floor is not waterproof.
Review
By 2021, the 9th place in car sales on the Russian market belonged to the Lada X-Ray. The review of car owners covers the external part of the car and the internal contents.
Exterior
Externally, the Lada has a modern stylish design. The color scheme is represented by grey, white and black. There is a protrusion under the hood, but incautious drivers risk getting it caught on an obstacle. There are no decorative thresholds on the car.
The hood has a convenient large lever for opening and a support. Gas stops are not included in the package. The hood cover is equipped with insulation.
The Lada is repairable, all parts under the hood are located tightly, but the approach to them is not blocked. There are no decorative elements that interfere with engine cooling. As an inconvenience, the washer fluid reservoir is located very far from the edge. If you need to top it up, you will have to press against the car and get your clothes dirty.
The recessing of parts at the joints is done roughly. But the metal is thick, the paint is everywhere without any gaps in a sufficient layer. Factory sealant is applied efficiently to all necessary places. The seams are fastened with large, reliable bolts. The manufacturer does not recommend washing from Karcher.
The trunk is opened manually using a lever or a button on the key. Thick side panels take up space, so the width is small. There is a 12 V socket inside. On the sides there are organizers, a jack and a rear seat belt retractor. There is additional space and a spare tire under the raised floor. There is a metal threshold in front of the trunk. It is made in a dark color, so if scratches occur, they will be clearly visible.
Interior
The multimedia system is easy to use and the interface is quickly understood by drivers. The system is fast and easy to navigate. The sound system has a volume control located on the steering wheel. The rear view camera shows a clear picture of good quality.
The steering wheel is adjustable only in height; you cannot pull it towards you. For a small driver, holding the steering wheel at such a distance may be uncomfortable. The steering wheel is elastic in operation.
Another inconvenience for the driver is the lack of an armrest. The visors are small, and if your head is tilted or you are short, they will not be enough to protect you from the sun. Also, the visors are not equipped with mirrors.
The plastic inside the cabin is strong. It makes no noise when moving, but creaks when touched. The seats are comfortable, soft, and have lateral support.
Specifications
The car is 4165 mm long, the distance between the front and rear wheels is 2592 mm. The size of the hood and trunk is 834 mm and 739 mm, respectively. Vehicle height 1570 mm. The front width ranges from 1484 mm to 1492 mm. The trunk width is 1764 mm, the distance between the rear wheels is 1524 - 1532 mm.
For Lada Xray, technical characteristics partly depend on the type of engine and gearbox. The engine is available in two versions: volume 1.6 liters with a power of 106 hp, 1.8 liters - 122 hp. Both engines are equipped with a manual transmission, while the 1.8 liter can be equipped with an automatic transmission.
Body characteristics. Wheels 4x2, front-wheel drive. The engine is located in front in a transverse arrangement. The trunk volume is 361/1207. Crossover, 5 doors. There are 5 seats in the cabin. Ground clearance is 195 mm.
Engine characteristics. Gasoline type. There are 4 cylinders, type of arrangement - in-line. Fuel supply is carried out by electronically controlled injection. The maximum achieved power is 90(122)/5900 kW (hp)/rev. min. And 78 (106)/5800 kW (hp)/rev. min. For engine operation, it is recommended to choose gasoline 92, 95. The working volume is 1774 cm3 for a 1.8 liter engine and 1596 cm3 for a 1.6 liter engine.
The steering wheel is controlled by a rack and pinion mechanism.
Weight. The weight of the car without passengers is 1206 - 1255 kg, the car can be loaded up to 1650 kg. A trailer that does not have a brake system should not exceed 600-650 kg in weight; a trailer with a brake can weigh up to 800 kg. The fuel tank holds 50 liters of gasoline.
Suspension characteristics. At the front there is an independent MacPherson spring suspension. Gas-directed or hydraulic “swinging spark plugs” are installed. The semi-independent suspension at the rear of the car is lever. A stabilizer is installed on the suspension.
Lada X-Ray specifications with a 1.6 liter engine. The car accelerates to a speed of 172 km/h. Acceleration time from zero to 100 km/h is 11.7 seconds. Fuel consumption when driving in the city is 9.2 l/100 km, on country roads - 5.9 l/100 km, for the combined cycle 7.0. The gearbox is mechanical. Gear ratio 3.9.
On a 1.8 liter engine, a manual or automatic gearbox is installed - “robot”; the maximum speed is 185 km/h and 186 km/h, respectively. Acceleration takes 10.4 s for 5MT and 12.3 s for 5AMT. Gasoline consumption with a manual transmission within the city is 9.7 l/100 km, outside the city - 6.1, for mixed driving - 7.2. For the “robot” these indicators are 9.0; 6.0; 6.8 respectively. The gear ratio on the manual gearbox is 4.2. On automatic - 3.9.
Optics
A serious drawback of equipping the Lada XRay with optics is the lensless block headlights, although they are already divided into low and high beam.
The fog lights do not have a beveled reflector that allows illumination of the roadside, and are installed too deep in the bumper sockets - dirt and snow from the road accumulate in these sockets along the way, and weak fog lamps (not LED) aggravate the poor lighting situation.
Attempts to independently adjust these headlights do not improve the situation.
The red fog lamp, installed in the center of the lower part of the rear bumper, due to the aerodynamic features of the Lada X-Ray, is covered in a layer of snow from the road in winter, and the engine exhaust only aggravates the situation.
pros
Lada X Ray has adopted all the advantages from the previous Sandero model. But the manufacturers did not stop there and improved their product. As a result, sales of the X Ray exceeded those of its progenitor.
Main advantages:
- Clearance.
The distance from the ground to the car body is 19.5 cm. The car easily overcomes city curbs of a standard height of 15.0 cm. Outside the city, on non-paved roads, the large clearance also ensures good cross-country ability.
- Suspension.
The manufacturer retained the design of the previous model, improving it. There is a MacPherson strut at the front and an elastic beam at the rear. Compared to Sandero, the beam is increased by 37 mm. The design of the suspension is simple and does not cause problems for the owner. While driving, the suspension roll is minimal, allowing you to drive out of ruts.
- Economical fuel consumption.
Fuel consumption of the Lada Xray ranges from 6 to 9 liters. The car is quite economical, and it accelerates easily at traffic lights and when overtaking.
- Capacity.
In the trunk of the Lada there is a raised floor for tools that are not needed on a daily basis. Thanks to this, the car is quite spacious despite its small size.
- Electronics.
The standard equipment includes electric drive, alarm system, heated windows and mirrors, and rain sensors. Additional equipment includes rear parking sensors, a rear view camera, and climate control.
- Soundproofing.
When driving fast and in bad weather conditions outside, the cabin will remain quiet.
- Body.
All body parts are made of galvanized materials. The car is durable and does not rust. Withstands impacts from gravel, resulting chips are not significant.
- Appearance.
The way the Lada X-Ray looks attracts the attention of car enthusiasts. The design is discreet and at the same time elegant.
LADA XRAY is ahead of its competitors in terms of interior equipment. Even in the basic configuration, the car is equipped with a reliable safety system: a stabilization system, 2 airbags and the Era-Gronass system, which in the event of an accident determines the degree of the accident and the location of the victims in the vehicle. Afterwards, the system sends a distress signal to the Ministry of Emergency Situations operator through the nearest cellular operator.
Additional equipment includes a traffic jam display system, climate control, entrance and exit lighting, alloy wheels with a diameter of 17 inches, and eco-leather seat upholstery.
Salon
The interior of the Lada X-Ray is a bit cramped for a crossover, especially in the rear. The comfortable seats are decorated with a high-quality, non-staining and pleasant-to-touch fabric, but even moving the front seats not completely back makes it uncomfortable for the passengers sitting behind them.
Moreover, there is no light above the rear passengers, and there is nowhere for them to put drinks - there is only one cup holder for 3 seats, and the pockets in the backs of the front seats are of small capacity.
Plastic interior trim - door cards, front panel look attractive, but are very hard to the touch and noisy on contact.
The upholstery material is low-quality carpet, not dense enough, and rubber mats for this model are not cheap - 3 thousand rubles.
In the first batches of Lada XRay that came off the AvtoVAZ assembly line, the backlighting of the instruments on the control panel was turned on manually; after modification by the manufacturer, the instruments are constantly illuminated, but there is still no indication of the coolant temperature.
There is no reach adjustment for the steering wheel, only height adjustment.
The location of the window lifters is unfortunate - you have to use them with your hand bent backwards.
The width of the A-pillar trim covers impairs visibility from the driver's seat; hidden areas could be smaller.
The noise insulation of the wheel arches leaves much to be desired - every pebble can be heard from under the wheel.
The display size of the standard head unit is large, but its information content is low - at a time, not counting the amount of fuel in the tank, only one parameter is displayed.
Flaws
In addition to the advantages, LADA X RAY has a number of significant disadvantages and minor shortcomings.
Minuses:
- Front-wheel drive.
The Lada is positioned by the manufacturer as a crossover, but is not one in essence. The car cannot be equipped with all-wheel drive, which makes driving on bad roads difficult. Hray is secretly put on a par with a hatchback.
- The cabin is cramped.
The car has little space for rear passengers. Large people have their feet resting on the front seat.
- Anti-tow system.
The system works at a good level, but it cannot be disabled. On an unsteady road (sand, snow), it does not allow you to gain speed. The car will not be able to drive onto a hill or drive through mud. On newer models, the manufacturer has eliminated this drawback.
There is no separate door for additional trunk space. To open it, you need to lift the entire false floor; if there are a lot of things in the trunk, it will have to be completely disassembled. Another drawback is the closely placed pedals. For a male driver wearing large shoes, there is a danger of confusing the gas and brake pedals.
Engine
Equipping the Lada X Ray with HR16DE engines (1.6 l, 110 hp), despite its reliability and efficiency, has been discontinued since June 2021. The Nissan engine is installed only in the “XRay” anniversary series modification, limited in quantity; all other cars are equipped with domestic VAZ-21129 and VAZ-21179 engines. Let's look at the disadvantages inherent in both of these internal combustion engines.
The dense layout of the space under the hood, due to the irrational arrangement of the air ducts, makes it difficult to access the engine for routine maintenance, especially keeping it clean, as discussed in the “body” section.
The service life of both engines is 200 thousand km, which is not enough for a crossover. The gas distribution mechanism (GRM) drive is a belt drive, which is significantly inferior in reliability to a chain drive.
It is recommended to replace the timing belt after 180 thousand kilometers, while on the VAZ-21179 this operation is complicated - there are no usual marks on the pulleys, so the camshafts must be removed, and they are secured with a special tool.
If the timing belt breaks, the standard pistons of both engines, due to their configuration, bend the valves, and replacing the pistons with tuning ones deprives the car of warranty service.
The VAZ-21129 and VAZ-21179 engines are quite noisy, and only additional layers of sound insulation in the engine compartment reduce the noise level in the cabin.
Transmission
The Lada XRay is equipped with two transmission options: mechanical and 5-band robotic transmission type AMT of the VAZ-21827 series.
There are no objective complaints about the manual transmission, but there are complaints about the “robot”:
- according to the operating rules, a robotic automatic transmission does not need to be warmed up, but in practice, driving without warming up is accompanied by jerks;
- when standing in a traffic jam for a long time, you need to switch to “neutral”;
- the VAZ-21179 engine in combination with this transmission ensures acceleration of the car to 100 km/h in at least 10.2 seconds;
- quick overtaking on the highway is only possible when the gearbox is switched to manual mode.
Robotic box
The main disadvantage of the Xray is its robotic gearbox with one clutch. The authors of ZR, who had the opportunity to drive cars with the VAZ AMT, also left plenty of complaints about it. AVTOVAZ seems to have solved the first problem - the indecently short clutch life. Last year a reinforced unit appeared. However, the mileage of cars with it is still too short to say that it is truly durable. But the modernized clutch does not allow jerks on ridiculous runs of up to 10,000 km: that’s already good.
The robotic box is the object of constant criticism. AVTOVAZ is modernizing it, but by definition this design cannot become perfect.
The robotic box is the object of constant criticism. AVTOVAZ is modernizing it, but by definition this design cannot become perfect.
Slowness remains when shifting, especially noticeable when moving from first to second and from second to third gears. The other day, Tolyatti residents reported the release of version 2.0 of the robot, in which the gear change time was reduced by 30%. This is a useful modification, but it has yet to be tested in action. In addition, the problem of accelerated clutch wear may again arise.
As long as Lada Xray will have a robot with one clutch as an alternative to mechanics, it will continue to lose buyers who choose classic automatic transmissions or CVTs from competitors.
Five pros and one minus of the Lada Xray
Suspension
The Lada Xrey suspension is assembled from components from the manufacturer Renault and adapted to operating conditions on Russian roads.
The first impression is that it is a bit harsh, but this assessment becomes an advantage after you are convinced of the stable operation of the suspension, regardless of the profile and type of road surface - it confidently “eats” unevenness and does not break through in potholes.
Brake system
On the Lada XRay, depending on the configuration, wheels are installed on R-15 or R-16 rims. Regardless of the size of the wheels, the brakes are disc in front and drum in the rear, the efficiency of which is much lower.
The list of shortcomings will probably be added to by car enthusiasts over time. Some of them will be taken into account by the manufacturer and eliminated, while others will be considered consistent with the declared class of the car. However, we can say with confidence that the list of advantages of this car is many times greater than the number of disadvantages, and after improvement it will become an even more desirable acquisition for a wide range of car enthusiasts.
